Klein and Moyen Poodles
HISTORY OF THE MOYEN POODLE:
Moyen is the French word for the fourth size of Poodle in France, but the remainder of Europe refers to them as Kleins. Its size falls in between the Miniature and Standard Poodle, but it is not obtained by crossing the two; it is an actual fourth Poodle breed size in Europe and is not a new size. Kleins (Moyen) are very common in the U.S., but because they are small, they are generally placed in pet homes, as they cannot successfully compete in the AKC ring against their larger counterpart, the Standard. However, they can compete in the UKC conformation venue and many are champions. Kleins tend to be in the 15-20 inch range, the size of a small Standard Poodle. Moyen means medium in French. Klein means small or mini in German. Both Moyen and Klein are common names for this in-between Poodle size. They are just a bit smaller than the original-sized Poodle. Here in the U.S. they are shown in the Non Sporting Class. In the UKC ring, they show in the Gun Dog Group.
DESCRIPTION:
When groomed to show dog standards the body is meant to give off a square appearance. It has approximately the same length as the height at the withers. The skull is moderately rounded with a slight but definite stop. It has a long, straight muzzle. The dark, oval-shaped eyes are set somewhat far apart and are black or brown. The ears hang close to the head and are long and flat. Both the front and back legs are in proportion with the size of the dog. The topline is level. The tail is set and carried high. It is sometimes docked to half its length or less to make the dog look more balanced. Dewclaws may be removed. The oval-shaped feet are rather small and the toes are arched. The coat is either curly or corded. It comes in all solid colors including black, blue, silver, gray, cream, apricot, red, white, brown or cafe-au-lait. While it does not make the written show standard, some breeders are breeding parti-colored Poodles. See grooming for different types of Poodle clips.
TEMPERMANT:
The Klein is an intelligent, joyful companion dog. It can be trained to a high degree, and is very willing and happy to please its handler. Comical and clever, it is often used as a circus dog. The more intelligent a dog is, the more it needs its mind occupied. This breed cannot live outside in a kennel. It needs to be part of the family. It can behigh-strung if not given the proper type and amount of exercise. Do not allow this dog to develop Small Dog Syndrome, where the dog is led to believe it is alpha over humans. It can cause the dog to become sensitive and nervous, and not very trustworthy with children and possibly strangers, along with many other behavior issues.Socialize your dog well. This is a very good watchdog for its size, seldom becoming aggressive. Kleins may start to bark a lot without proper human to canine communication, rules to follow and limits to what they are allowed to do. Poodles are friendly with other dogs and non-canine pets. Be sure you are this dog’s firm pack leader, in order to avoid any unwanted behavior problems.
AVERAGE HEIGHT/ WEIGHT/ LIFE EXPECTANCY
Falls in between the Miniature and Standard Poodle size. Not an official AKC size variation, however has become popular outside the USA.
Height: 15 - 20 inches (38 - 50 cm)
Weight: 20 - 30 pounds (9 - 13 kg)
Life expectancy about 12-15 years
GROOMING
Poodles must be bathed regularly and clipped every six to eight weeks. Clean and check the ears frequently for wax or mites or infection and pull out hairs growing inside the ear canal. The teeth need regular scaling. Since the coat does not shed it needs to be clipped. There are several different types of poodle clips. The most common for pet owners is an easy-care clip called a "pet clip," "puppy clip" or "lamb clip," where the coat is cut short all over the body. Popular show clips are the English saddle and the Continental clip, where the rear half of the body is shaved, bracelets are left around the ankles, and pom-poms are left on the tails and hips. The AKC standard allows for a dog under a year old to be shown in a show-style puppy clip which has special requirements such as a pom-pom on the end of the tail. Other clip styles are the modified continental clip, town and country clip, kennel or utility clip, summer clip, and the Miami of bikini clip. Poodles shed little to no hair and are good for allergy sufferers.