One characteristic of Poodles that made them distinct from other breeds is the way they carry themselves. A Poodle is proud, very active, intelligent and carries his head high. The Poodle always has an air of dignity that made him look intimidating and elegant.

Just like other breeds, Poodles come in variety of color and sizes. The acceptable colors are black, blue, silver, gray, cream, apricot, red, white, brown and cafe-au-lait. The three sizes distinguished by US, UK and Canada are standard, miniature and toy. However, FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale) recognizes a fourth size - the medium Poodle. Toy Poodles are the smallest and are ideal for city life. They do well without a large yard but country living also works fine with these dogs.

Many people are dying to have toy Poodle for pet and companionship that could last for twelve years or more. Interested in having toy Poodle? Here are few ideas to guide you in your quest for the perfect puppy.

• Before contacting a breeder, find out more about the breed's information such as appearance, temperament, health, grooming, living condition and even origin. There are many books as well as Internet sites that contain dog information such as characteristics, temperaments, training and much more.

• Find a reputable breeder and ask more about the individual dog. Ask about the parents and if possible, try to see the mother and father of the potential puppy. Ask as much information as you want. A reputable breeder will also be asking you questions. So do not be surprised with that. The breeder just want to make sure that you have the capacity to provide what the puppy needs in order to grow healthy and happy. The breeder will even try to visit your house to check the environment he will be sending the puppy to.

• If buying from a pet store, try to visit the store frequently. Check if the store is clean and the animals are healthy. The puppy should be clean, no sign of diarrhea and the nose should not be crusted with mucus.

• Though very rare, you might be tempted to choose a corded Poodle. Corded Poodle has fur with rope-like mats just like those of a Komondor. Corded Poodles are extremely difficult to keep clean and take a long time to dry after bathing.

• If the purpose of the puppy is to appear in dog shows, take note that parti-colored Poodles are disqualified. Parti-colored dogs have large patches of two or more colors.

• Poodles do not shed and just keeps on growing, thus frequent brushing and clipping is needed to prevent mats and tangles and to stay attractive.

• A Toy poodle should be 10 inches or under at the highest point of the shoulders. The weight should be six to nine pounds.