Meet Toby, our toy poodle! "Toby" is short for his AKC name, ______'s October Phantom. "Phantom" refers to Toby's coloring: he's black with brown markings on his eyebrows, muzzle, feet and chest. Toby is a very energetic dog when he's romping around, but he'd rather be cuddling with a human. This is where you can see all the latest Toby photos, and read about what's new in the life of a country poodle.

Toby turned three years old on July 21st, so he's now fullgrown. He has a sweet, playful personality and is very social with people and other animals (LOVES cats). He's also very attached to Sophie and gently playful with her, which is the best case scenario as far as baby-and-pet relationships go.

In my opinion, poodles are one of the most misunderstood breeds of dogs. THIS IS NOT YOUR GRANDMA'S POODLE! Poodles are naturally loyal, intelligent, energetic and loving dogs...when properly bred by a respectable breeder who is concerned about producing dogs with a good temperament. As with any dog, proper training in the new home is a must, and most poodles are easily trained.

Poodles remain one of the most popular breed of dogs in America (and world-wide). The poodle breed originated in Germany, and the name comes from the German word "pudeln", which means "to splash in water". Poodles were bred to retrieve waterfowl for hunters, and even non-hunting poodles have a strong instinct to retrieve. Poodles come in three sizes recognized by the AKC: standard (taller than 15 inches at the shoulder), miniature (10 to 15 inches at the shoulder), and toy (less than 10 inches). Some breeders are now producing "tiny toys" or "teacup" poodles, which are extra small (about 7 inches and less at the shoulder). The larger sizes tend to do very well with children, but some smaller poodles get nervous around kids. (Toby is a little nervous around kids when he meets them outside, but more easygoing with people that he meets inside.)

One of the major benefits of the breed is that they are non-shedding and hypo-allergenic, which means that many people who are allergic to dogs can tolerate being around poodles. The drawback is that poodles need to be groomed (trimmed) about every 6 weeks. And no, it isn't necessary to get the dorky pom-pom "poodle cut"---a short all-over cut with longer fur on the tail, ears, and top of the head is a more practical style.

So why did WE get a poodle? Admittedly, a poodle was not originally my first choice. However, when we considered all the factors, such as size of dog compared to size of home (which already contains three queen kitties), amount of exercise time that we can devote to a dog, and especially my allergies, toy poodle was the right breed for us. Many, many dogs are turned over to shelters every year by owners who chose a breed based on appearance, without any regard for the temperament of the breed or the physical demands of the breed. Think about it: if you have a small home with a small or non-existent yard (which means going for appropriately lengthy walks), and you have a sedentary lifestyle (ex. your backside is firmly planted in front of the computer or TV every night), a 115 lb. "working" breed will be a less satisfactory addition to your household than, say, a bassett hound. So if you decide to get a canine friend, please PLEASE consider not only the attributes of the breed (good AND bad), but also the limitations of the accommodations that you can offer the dog. A good aid for finding the right breed---if you are HONEST and REALISTIC---is Purina's Breed Selector. If you prefer to adopt an abused or neglected dog but require a particular breed, there are rescue organizations for most breeds, and it is often possible to request that the area animal shelters notify you if they get a dog that matches your requirements.