Are Toy Poodles Good Dogs? What Science Says

Last Updated: Nov 22, 2022

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Introduction to the Temperament of the Toy Poodle

The are many descriptions of the temperament of the Toy Poodle out there. However, most of these descriptions are difficult to verify or prove. They are based on mere speculations.

In this article, we will provide a factual description of the temperament of the Toy Poodle based on solid scientific research. This will give you a better understanding of what you can expect from the Toy Poodle breed.

We obtained our description of the temperament of Toy Poodle by analyzing raw scientific data from The Canine Behavioral Assessment & Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) database.

The C-BARQ dog temperament standard was developed by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania. It is considered the gold standard for measuring the behavior of dogs.

Over the years, the C-BARQ study has collected data on the temperament of thousands of dogs of different breeds including the Toy Poodle.

The C-BARQ study obtains its data by asking dog owners to score the behavior of their dogs on different behavior patterns.

The idea behind the C-BARQ study is that if it collects thousands of scores from thousands of dog owners on different aspects of dog behavior, a clear pattern will emerge on the temperament of different dog breeds.

The C-BARQ questionnaire measures 14 behavior aspects of dogs:

  1. Aggression towards stranger
  2. Aggression towards its owner
  3. Aggression towards other dogs
  4. How well they get along with other dogs
  5. Fear of strangers
  6. Fear of new things (new objects, unfamiliar loud sounds, etc)
  7. Fear of other dogs
  8. Separation anxiety
  9. Clinginess
  10. Trainability/ Stubbornness
  11. Prey drive
  12. Excitability
  13. Touch sensitivity
  14. Energy level

In this article, we will discuss the score of the Toy Poodle for each of these 14 characteristics. This will let you know the real temperament of the Toy Poodle.

The summary table below shows the score of the Toy Poodle for the different behavioral characteristics.

High percentage scores close to 100 are bad. Low percentage scores close to 0 are good.

Behavior Score
Separation Related Behavior 79.3 percent
Excitability 67.1 percent
Energy Level 60.3 percent
Dog Directed Fear 56.9 percent
Owner Directed Aggression 48.9 percent
Touch Sensitivity 45.7 percent
Dog Rivalry 44.1 percent
Stranger Directed Aggression 42.7 percent
Nonsocial Fear 41.5 percent
Stranger Directed Fear 37.7 percent
Dog Directed Aggression 34.5 percent
Prey Drive 34.4 percent
Stubbornness 27.8 percent
Attachment Attention Seeking 100.0 percent

Note that with proper training, you can better your Toy Poodle`s temperament. To learn how to properly train your Toy Poodle, I highly recommend that you go through Dr. Ian Dunbar`s online dog training classes, which you can find here.

I learned most of the things that I know about training dogs by reading Dr. Dunbar`s books and watching his training videos. Dr. Dunbar`s dog training methods are for people expecting to own a puppy soon, new dog owners, and experienced dog owners.

Another helpful online dog training class that I recommend is this one. The class will teach you how to properly train your Toy Poodle.

See also our complete ranking of dog breeds from the `best` to the `worst` based on temperament.

Are Toy Poodles Aggressive Towards Strangers?

Dog breeds that are aggressive to strangers show hostile responses to strangers approaching or invading the dog`s or the dog owner`s personal space, territory, or home range.

Stranger-aggressive dog breeds are quick to show aggression to unfamiliar people.

Typical signs of moderate aggression in dogs include barking, growling, and baring of teeth. More serious display of aggression generally includes snapping, lunging, biting, or attempting to bite.

Toy Poodles are quite a bit aggressive towards strangers.

This is because the Toy Poodle ranks high for aggression towards strangers.

The Toy Poodle ranks number 35 out of 124 dog breeds for aggression towards strangers.

This information is based on what 27 Toy Poodle owners reported on the temperament of their Toy Poodle in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Toy Poodle has a stranger-directed-aggression score of 42.7 %.

Other dog breeds that are quite a bit aggressive towards strangers just like the Toy Poodle are listed in the table below

Stranger-Directed-Aggression Rank Breed Stranger-Directed-Aggression Score
32 Pomeranian 44.6 %
33 Jack Russell Terrier 43.9 %
34 Pit Bull 43.9 %
35 Poodle (Toy) 42.7 %
36 Giant Schnauzer 42.3 %
37 Bichon Frise 42.3 %
38 Weimaraner 42.2 %

The dog breeds that are most aggressive towards strangers are the:

  1. American Eskimo Dog
  2. Dachshund
  3. Miniature Pinscher
  4. Dachshund (Miniature)
  5. Miniature Schnauzer

The dog breeds that are least aggressive towards strangers are the:

  1. Siberian Husky
  2. Greyhound
  3. Irish Wolfhound
  4. Samoyed
  5. Black and Tan Coonhound

Usually, small dog breeds display aggression not because they are mean but because they are afraid and feel insecure due to their small size.

See our complete ranking of dog breeds from the most stranger-aggressive breed to the least stranger-aggressive breed.

Temperament of the Toy Poodle

Are Toy Poodles Aggressive Towards their Owners?

Due to human effort over the course of many centuries, the dog has become a very domestic animal. Dogs have learned to live well with humans. As a result, dogs respect and love their owners. Nevertheless, some dog breeds are less respectful to their owners than some other dog breeds.

Owner-aggressive dog breeds show threatening or hostile responses to their owner or other members of the household when challenged, manhandled, stared at, stepped over, or when approached while in possession of food, objects, or toys.

A dog that is owner-aggressive shows its aggression by barking, growling, and baring of teeth. In extreme cases, these dogs can snap, lunge, bite, or attempt to bite their owners.

Toy Poodles are very much aggressive towards their owners.

This is because the Toy Poodle ranks very high for aggression towards its owner.

The Toy Poodle ranks number 10 out of 124 dog breeds for aggression towards their owners.

This information is based on what 27 Toy Poodle owners reported on the temperament of their Toy Poodle in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Toy Poodle has an owner-directed-aggression score of 48.9 %.

Other dog breeds that are very much owner-aggressive just like the Toy Poodle are listed in the table below

Owner-Directed-Aggression Rank Breed Owner-Directed-Aggression Score
7 French Bulldog 56.2 %
8 American Eskimo Dog 55.9 %
9 Alaskan Malamute 53.2 %
10 Poodle (Toy) 48.9 %
11 Maltese 46.0 %
12 Fox Terrier (Toy) 45.5 %
13 Basset Hound 43.2 %

The dog breeds that show the most aggression towards their owners are the:

  1. Pekingese
  2. Basenji
  3. Australian Silky Terrier
  4. Lhasa Apso
  5. Alaskan Husky

The dog breeds that are least aggressive towards their owners are the:

  1. Chinook
  2. Pointer
  3. Irish Water Spaniel
  4. Rhodesian Ridgeback
  5. Italian Greyhound

Usually, small dog breeds display aggression not because they are mean but because they are afraid and feel insecure due to their small size.

See our complete ranking of dog breeds from the ones that are most aggressive to their owners to the ones that are least aggressive to their owners.

Are Toy Poodles Aggressive Towards other Dogs?

Dogs that are aggressive towards other dogs will direct aggressive threats or actions toward unknown or unfamiliar dogs.

A dog-aggressive dog will threaten or show hostile responses when approached by unfamiliar dogs

A dog that is dog-aggressive shows its aggression by barking, growling, and baring of teeth. In extreme cases, these dogs can snap, lunge, bite, or attempt to bite other dogs.

Toy Poodles are a little bit aggressive towards other dogs.

This is because the Toy Poodle ranks low for aggression towards other dogs.

The Toy Poodle ranks number 87 out of 124 dog breeds for aggression towards other dogs.

This information is based on what 27 Toy Poodle owners reported on the temperament of their Toy Poodle in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Toy Poodle has a dog-directed aggression score of 34.5 %.

Other dog breeds that are a little bit dog-aggressive just like the Toy Poodle are listed in the table below

Dog-Directed-Aggression Rank Breed Dog-Directed-Aggression Score
84 Poodle (Standard) 35.7 %
85 Weimaraner 35.2 %
86 Chow Chow 34.6 %
87 Poodle (Toy) 34.5 %
88 Rhodesian Ridgeback 32.7 %
89 Siberian Husky 31.8 %
90 Samoyed 30.4 %

The dog breeds that show the most aggression towards other dogs are the:

  1. American Eskimo Dog
  2. Parson Russell Terrier
  3. Chinese Crested
  4. Pit Bull mix
  5. Dachshund

The dog breeds that are least aggressive towards other dogs are the:

  1. Pointer
  2. Black and Tan Coonhound
  3. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
  4. Irish Wolfhound
  5. Keeshond

Usually, small dog breeds display aggression not because they are mean but because they are afraid and feel insecure due to their small size.

See our complete ranking of dog breeds from the ones that are most aggressive to other dogs to the ones that are least aggressive to other dogs.

Personality of the Toy Poodle

Are Toy Poodles Afraid of Strangers?

Some dogs breeds tend to be fearful of strangers.

Dogs that are fearful of strangers will avoid strangers. These dogs will crouch, cringe, or tremble when approached by strangers.

Extreme fear in dogs is characterized by serious attempts to escape or hide from the feared stranger.

Toy Poodles are quite a bit fearful of strangers.

This is because the Toy Poodle ranks high for fear of strangers.

The Toy Poodle ranks number 35 out of 124 dog breeds for fear of strangers.

This information is based on what 27 Toy Poodle owners reported on the temperament of their Toy Poodle in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Toy Poodle has a stranger-directed-fear score of 37.7 %.

Other dog breeds that are quite a bit stranger-fearful just like the Toy Poodle are listed in the table below

Stranger-Directed-Fear Rank Breed Stranger-Directed-Fear Score
32 Treeing Walker Coonhound 39.5 %
33 Cardigan Welsh Corgi 38.3 %
34 Fox Terrier (Wire/Wire-haired) 37.9 %
35 Poodle (Toy) 37.7 %
36 Miniature Schnauzer 37.6 %
37 Shiba Inu 37.5 %
38 Belgian Tervuren 37.4 %

The dog breeds that show the most fear of strangers are the:

  1. Dachshund (Miniature)
  2. Chinese Crested
  3. American Eskimo Dog
  4. Italian Greyhound
  5. Chihuahua

The dog breeds that are least fearful of strangers are the:

  1. Old English Sheepdog
  2. Irish Wolfhound
  3. Norwegian Elkhound
  4. Siberian Husky
  5. Giant Schnauzer

See our complete ranking of dog breeds from the ones that are most fearful of strangers to the ones that are least fearful to strangers.

Are Toy Poodles Afraid of Other Dogs?

Some dogs breeds tend to show fear when an unfamiliar dog approaches them.

A dog that is fearful of other dogs will try to avoid meeting other dogs.

Toy Poodles are very much fearful of other dogs.

This is because the Toy Poodle ranks very high for fear of other dogs.

The Toy Poodle ranks number 22 out of 124 dog breeds for fear of other dogs.

This information is based on what 27 Toy Poodle owners reported on the temperament of their Toy Poodle in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Toy Poodle has a dog-directed-fear score of 56.9 %.

Other dog breeds that are very much other-dog-fearful just like the Toy Poodle are listed in the table below

Dog-Directed-Fear Rank Breed Dog-Directed-Fear Score
19 Treeing Walker Coonhound 59.1 %
20 American Eskimo Dog 58.8 %
21 Beagle 57.6 %
22 Poodle (Toy) 56.9 %
23 Saint Bernard 56.8 %
24 Yorkshire Terrier 56.6 %
25 English Springer Spaniel 55.0 %

The dog breeds that are most fearful of other dogs are the:

  1. Dachshund (Miniature)
  2. Fox Terrier (Toy)
  3. Chinese Crested
  4. Chihuahua
  5. Lhasa Apso

The dog breeds that are least fearful of other dogs are the:

  1. Giant Schnauzer
  2. Ibizan Hound
  3. Eurasier
  4. Borzoi
  5. Kuvasz

See our complete ranking of dog breeds from the ones that are most fearful of other dogs to the ones that are least fearful of other dogs.

Is the Toy Poodle a good pet

Do Toy Poodles Have Non-Social Fears?

Dogs that are fearful of sudden or loud noises, traffic, and unfamiliar objects and situations are said to exhibit nonsocial fear.

Toy Poodles are quite a bit fearful of unfamiliar sounds, situations, and objects.

This is because the Toy Poodle ranks high for non-social fear.

The Toy Poodle ranks number 37 out of 124 dog breeds for being fearful of unfamiliar things and situations.

This information is based on what 27 Toy Poodle owners reported on the temperament of their Toy Poodle in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Toy Poodle has a nonsocial-fear score of 41.5 %.

Other dog breeds that are quite a bit nonsocial-fearful just like the Toy Poodle are listed in the table below

Nonsocial-Fear Rank Breed Nonsocial-Fear Score
34 Dachshund 45.3 %
35 Bichon Frise 44.4 %
36 Standard Schnauzer 42.8 %
37 Poodle (Toy) 41.5 %
38 Australian Kelpie 41.2 %
39 Treeing Walker Coonhound 40.9 %
40 Fox Terrier (Wire/Wire-haired) 40.0 %

The dog breeds that are most fearful of unfamiliar situations and objects are the:

  1. Australian Silky Terrier
  2. Dingo
  3. Fox Terrier (Smooth)
  4. English Bulldog
  5. Italian Greyhound

The dog breeds that are least fearful of unfamiliar situations and objects are the:

  1. Giant Schnauzer
  2. Siberian Husky
  3. Irish Setter
  4. Kuvasz
  5. Borzoi

See our complete ranking of dog breeds from the ones that are most fearful of unfamiliar situations to the ones least fearful of unfamiliar situations.

Do Toy Poodles Get Along Well With Other Dogs?

Some dog breeds display high dog rivalry. These dog breeds will threaten or act hostile to other familiar dogs in the same household.

These dog breeds will compete with other dogs. Also, these dog breeds do not get along well with other dogs.

Toy Poodles are somewhat competitive when dealing with other dogs.

This is because the Toy Poodle ranks average on dog rivalry.

The Toy Poodle ranks number 52 out of 124 dog breeds for displaying dog rivalry when dealing with familiar dogs.

This information is based on what 27 Toy Poodle owners reported on the temperament of their Toy Poodle in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Toy Poodle has a dog-rivalry score of 44.1 %.

Other dog breeds that are somewhat competition-driven just like the Toy Poodle are listed in the table below

Dog-Rivalry Rank Breed Dog-Rivalry Score
49 Bearded Collie 45.0 %
50 Border Collie 44.9 %
51 Anatolian Shepherd 44.4 %
52 Poodle (Toy) 44.1 %
53 Staffordshire Bull Terrier 43.1 %
54 Cocker Spaniel (American) 42.8 %
55 English Springer Spaniel 42.7 %

The dog breeds that do not get along well with other dogs are the:

  1. Miniature Pinscher
  2. Parson Russell Terrier
  3. Fox Terrier (Smooth)
  4. French Bulldog
  5. Treeing Walker Coonhound

The dog breeds that get along well with other dogs are the:

  1. Chinook
  2. Norwegian Elkhound
  3. Saint Bernard
  4. Italian Greyhound
  5. Scottish Terrier

See our complete ranking of dog breeds based on how well they get along with other dog breeds.

The Toy Poodle. Is it aggressive?

Are Toy Poodles Easy to Train?

Dogs have high trainability have the willingness to listen to their owner. These dogs are not stubborn. These dogs obey simple commands, and they learn very quickly.

Highly trainable dogs excel at fetching objects. They also respond positively to correction and ignore distraction.

Toy Poodles are quite a bit easy to train.

This is because the Toy Poodle ranks high for trainability.

The Toy Poodle ranks number 48 out of 124 dog breeds for easiness to train.

This information is based on what 27 Toy Poodle owners reported on the trainability of their Toy Poodle in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Toy Poodle has a trainability score of 72.2 %.

Other dog breeds that are quite a bit easy to train just like the Toy Poodle are listed in the table below

Trainability Rank Breed Trainability Score
45 American Pit Bull Terrier 73.3 %
46 Rat Terrier 72.6 %
47 Boxer 72.3 %
48 Poodle (Toy) 72.2 %
49 Dalmatian 71.9 %
50 Rhodesian Ridgeback 71.4 %
51 German Shorthaired Pointer 71.2 %

The dog breeds that are most easy to train are the:

  1. Belgian Tervuren
  2. Belgian Malinois
  3. Border Collie
  4. Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
  5. Irish Water Spaniel

The dog breeds that are difficult to train are the:

  1. Dingo
  2. Treeing Walker Coonhound
  3. Basenji
  4. Afghan Hound
  5. Pekingese

See our complete ranking of dog breeds from the ones that are easiest to train to the ones that are most difficult to train.

Do Toy Poodles Get Along Well with Cats? Do They Get Along Well with Other Pets?

Dog breeds that have high chase-drive will run after (chase) cats, birds, and/or other small animals, given the opportunity.

Toy Poodles are a little bit into chasing after other smaller pets like cats, squirrels, chickens, and birds.

This is because the Toy Poodle ranks low for small-pet-chasing.

The Toy Poodle ranks number 92 out of 124 dog breeds for chasing after smaller pets.

This information is based on what 27 Toy Poodle owners reported on the temperament of their Toy Poodle in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Toy Poodle has a chasing score of 34.4 %.

Other dog breeds that are a little bit into chasing after smaller pets just like the Toy Poodle are listed in the table below

Chasing Rank Breed Chasing Score
89 American Bulldog 38.8 %
90 Fox Terrier (Toy) 38.4 %
91 Australian Kelpie 35.7 %
92 Poodle (Toy) 34.4 %
93 Maltese 34.1 %
94 Lhasa Apso 33.8 %
95 Border Collie 32.5 %

The dog breeds that like chasing after cats and other smaller pets are the:

  1. Basenji
  2. Dingo
  3. Ibizan Hound
  4. Parson Russell Terrier
  5. Borzoi

The dog breeds that will not chase after cats and other smaller pets are the:

  1. Pug
  2. Bulldog
  3. Shih Tzu
  4. Bernese Mountain Dog
  5. Great Pyrenees

See our complete ranking of dog breeds based on their prey drive.

Things to know before getting the Toy Poodle

Do Toy Poodles Like Attention? Are they Clingy or Aloof?

Some dog breeds like to stay close to their owners all the time. These dogs like attention, and they like to receive the affection of their owners.

These dogs get jealous when their owners give attention to other dogs or other people instead of them.

Dogs with these traits are described as attachment/attention-seeking.

Toy Poodles are very much attachment/attention-seeking.

This is because the Toy Poodle ranks very high for attachment/attention-seeking behavior.

The Toy Poodle ranks number 1 out of 124 dog breeds for attachment/attention-seeking behavior.

This information is based on what 27 Toy Poodle owners reported on the temperament of their Toy Poodle in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Toy Poodle has an attachment/attention-seeking score of 100.0 %.

Other dog breeds that are very much attachment/attention-seeking just like the Toy Poodle are listed in the table below

Attachment-Attention-Seeking Rank Breed Attachment-Attention-Seeking Score
1 Poodle (Toy) 100.0 %
2 Fox Terrier (Toy) 91.6 %
3 Australian Silky Terrier 89.7 %
4 Australian Cattle Dog 85.9 %

The dog breeds that are always seeking the attention of their owners are the:

  1. Poodle (Toy)
  2. Fox Terrier (Toy)
  3. Australian Silky Terrier
  4. Australian Cattle Dog
  5. American Eskimo Dog

The dog breeds that are aloof are the:

  1. Norwegian Elkhound
  2. Borzoi
  3. Kuvasz
  4. English Setter
  5. Chow Chow

See our complete ranking of dog breeds based on their clinginess.

Do Toy Poodles have Separation Anxiety? Do They Like to be Left Alone?

Dog breeds that have separation anxiety do not like to be left alone.

These dog breeds tend to bark and destroy things when separated from their owners.

They become restless or lose their appetite when left alone.

Toy Poodles are very much prone to developing separation anxiety.

This is because the Toy Poodle ranks very high for separation anxiety relative to other dog breeds.

The Toy Poodle ranks number 7 out of 124 dog breeds for separation anxiety.

This information is based on what 27 Toy Poodle owners reported on the temperament of their Toy Poodle in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Toy Poodle has a separation anxiety score of 79.3 %.

Other dog breeds that are very much prone to develop separation anxiety just like the Toy Poodle are listed in the table below

Separation-Related-Behavior Rank Breed Separation-Related-Behavior Score
4 Miniature Pinscher 87.8 %
5 Australian Silky Terrier 81.3 %
6 Dachshund (Miniature) 80.8 %
7 Poodle (Toy) 79.3 %
8 Maltese 66.5 %
9 Yorkshire Terrier 66.4 %
10 Dachshund 66.2 %

The dog breeds that are most prone to develop separation anxiety are listed below. These dog breeds do not like to be left alone. These dog breeds are the:

  1. Treeing Walker Coonhound
  2. Fox Terrier (Smooth)
  3. Chinese Crested
  4. Miniature Pinscher
  5. Australian Silky Terrier

The dog breeds that are least prone to develop separation anxiety are the:

  1. Kuvasz
  2. Borzoi
  3. Giant Schnauzer
  4. Eurasier
  5. Bernese Mountain Dog

See our complete ranking of dog breeds based on their tendency to develop separation anxiety.

Temperament Profile of the Toy Poodle

Are Toy Poodles Touch Sensitive? Do They Like to be Groomed?

Dogs that are touch-sensitive are fearful of `painful` procedures such as bathing, grooming, nail clipping, and veterinary examinations.

These dogs do not like going through these `painful` procedures, and they will react to show they do not like the procedure.

Toy Poodles are very much touch-sensitive.

This is because the Toy Poodle ranks very high for touch sensitivity.

The Toy Poodle ranks number 21 out of 124 dog breeds for touch sensitivity.

This information is based on what 27 Toy Poodle owners reported on the temperament of their Toy Poodle in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Toy Poodle has a touch-sensitivity score of 45.7 %.

Other dog breeds that are very much touch-sensitive just like the Toy Poodle are listed in the table below

Touch-Sensitivity Rank Breed Touch-Sensitivity Score
18 English Bulldog 46.5 %
19 Dachshund (Miniature) 46.4 %
20 Australian Kelpie 46.1 %
21 Poodle (Toy) 45.7 %
22 Yorkshire Terrier 45.7 %
23 Basset Hound 43.9 %
24 Whippet 43.2 %

The dog breeds that are most touch-sensitive are the:

  1. Fox Terrier (Toy)
  2. Miniature Pinscher
  3. Pekingese
  4. Australian Silky Terrier
  5. Chihuahua

The dog breeds that are least touch-sensitive are the:

  1. Kuvasz
  2. Borzoi
  3. Pointer
  4. Gordon Setter
  5. Portuguese Water Dog

See our complete ranking of dog breeds based on their sensitivity to touch.

Are Toy Poodles Hyper? Are they Highly Excitable?

Excitable dog or hyper dog breeds display strong reactions to potentially exciting or arousing events, such as:

  • going for walks
  • car trips
  • sound of the doorbell
  • arrival of visitors, and
  • the owner arriving home

Highly excitable dog breeds have difficulty settling down after arousal.

Toy Poodles are very much hyper (excitable).

This is because the Toy Poodle ranks very high for excitability.

The Toy Poodle ranks number 8 out of 124 dog breeds for excitability.

This information is based on what 27 Toy Poodle owners reported on the temperament of their Toy Poodle in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Toy Poodle has an excitability score of 67.1 %.

Other dog breeds that are very much excitable just like the Toy Poodle are listed in the table below

Excitability Rank Breed Excitability Score
5 Miniature Schnauzer 70.5 %
6 Jack Russell Terrier 70.1 %
7 Poodle (Miniature) 69.4 %
8 Poodle (Toy) 67.1 %
9 Old English Sheepdog 65.0 %
10 Pekingese 63.4 %
11 West Highland White Terrier 62.8 %

The dog breeds that are most hyper (excitable) are the:

  1. Australian Silky Terrier
  2. Fox Terrier (Smooth)
  3. American Eskimo Dog
  4. Parson Russell Terrier
  5. Miniature Schnauzer

The dog breeds that are least hyper (excitable) are the:

  1. Borzoi
  2. Samoyed
  3. Great Pyrenees
  4. Italian Greyhound
  5. Anatolian Shepherd

See our complete ranking of dog breeds based on how hyper they are.

The Toy Poodle

Are Toy Poodles Playful? What is the Energy Level of Toy Poodles

Energetic dog breeds are very playful dog breeds. These are the dog breeds that do not get tired easily.

Toy Poodles are somewhat energetic.

This is because the Toy Poodle ranks average for energy level.

The Toy Poodle ranks number 56 out of 124 dog breeds for energy level.

This information is based on what 27 Toy Poodle owners reported on the temperament of their Toy Poodle in a research survey.

Based on our further analysis of the survey, we found that the Toy Poodle has an energy-level score of 60.3 %.

Other dog breeds that are somewhat energetic just like the Toy Poodle are listed in the table below

Energy-Level Rank Breed Energy-Level Score
53 Pomeranian 61.5 %
54 Papillon 60.5 %
55 Miniature Schnauzer 60.5 %
56 Poodle (Toy) 60.3 %
57 Dachshund 59.3 %
58 Redbone Coonhound 58.3 %
59 Yorkshire Terrier 58.2 %

The dog breeds that are most playful and most energetic are the:

  1. Belgian Malinois
  2. Belgian Tervuren
  3. Fox Terrier (Toy)
  4. German Shorthaired Pointer
  5. Ibizan Hound

The dog breeds that are laziest are the:

  1. Kuvasz
  2. Anatolian Shepherd
  3. Greyhound
  4. Great Pyrenees
  5. Pekingese

See our complete ranking of dog breeds from the most energetic to the least energetic.

Conclusion on Toy Poodle Temperament

The temperament of your Toy Poodle comes from a combination of its genetics and what environment your Toy Poodle is exposed to.

You cannot change your Toy Poodle`s gene but you can change the things you expose your Toy Poodle to.

Exposing your Toy Poodle to dog training sessions early in its life can help you mold the temperament of your Toy Poodle to what you desire.

Again, with proper training, you can better your Toy Poodle`s temperament. To learn how to properly train a dog, I highly recommend Dr. Ian Dunbar`s online dog training classes, which you can find here.

I learned most of the things I know about training dogs by reading Dr. Dunbar`s books and watching his training videos. Dr. Dunbar`s dog training methods are for people expecting to own a puppy soon, new dog owners, and experienced dog owners.

Another helpful online dog training class that I recommend is this one. The class will teach you how to properly train your Toy Poodle.

If you think the Toy Poodle is the right dog breed for you, see our article on how much Toy Poodles cost and Toy Poodle puppy buying guide.

Also, see our list of reputable Toy Poodle breeders in the United States and the prices of their Toy Poodle puppies.