Last Updated: Nov 22, 2022
Quick Links: Table of Contents
- Are Toy Poodles Aggressive Towards Strangers?
- Are Toy Poodles Aggressive Towards their Owners?
- Are Toy Poodles Aggressive Towards other Dogs?
- Are Toy Poodles Afraid of Strangers?
- Are Toy Poodles Afraid of Other Dogs?
- Do Toy Poodles Have Non-Social Fears?
- Do Toy Poodles Get Along Well With Other Dogs?
- Are Toy Poodles Easy to Train?
- Do Toy Poodles Get Along Well with Cats? Do They Get Along Well with Other Pets?
- Do Toy Poodles Like Attention? Are they Clingy or Aloof?
- Do Toy Poodles have Separation Anxiety? Do They Like to be Left Alone?
- Are Toy Poodles Touch Sensitive? Do They Like to be Groomed?
- Are Toy Poodles Hyper? Are they Highly Excitable?
- Are Toy Poodles Playful? What is the Energy Level of Toy Poodles
- Conclusion on Toy Poodle Temperament
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:
- Aggression towards stranger
- Aggression towards its owner
- Aggression towards other dogs
- How well they get along with other dogs
- Fear of strangers
- Fear of new things (new objects, unfamiliar loud sounds, etc)
- Fear of other dogs
- Separation anxiety
- Clinginess
- Trainability/ Stubbornness
- Prey drive
- Excitability
- Touch sensitivity
- 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:
The dog breeds that are least aggressive towards strangers are the:
Usually, small dog breeds display aggression not because they are mean but because they are afraid and feel insecure due to their small size.
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:
The dog breeds that are least aggressive towards their owners are the:
Usually, small dog breeds display aggression not because they are mean but because they are afraid and feel insecure due to their small size.
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:
The dog breeds that are least aggressive towards other dogs are the:
Usually, small dog breeds display aggression not because they are mean but because they are afraid and feel insecure due to their small size.
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:
The dog breeds that are least fearful of strangers are the:
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:
The dog breeds that are least fearful of other dogs are the:
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:
The dog breeds that are least fearful of unfamiliar situations and objects are the:
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:
The dog breeds that get along well with other dogs are the:
See our complete ranking of dog breeds based on how well they get along with other dog breeds.
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:
The dog breeds that are difficult to train are the:
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:
The dog breeds that will not chase after cats and other smaller pets are the:
See our complete ranking of dog breeds based on their prey drive.
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:
The dog breeds that are aloof are the:
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:
- Treeing Walker Coonhound
- Fox Terrier (Smooth)
- Chinese Crested
- Miniature Pinscher
- Australian Silky Terrier
The dog breeds that are least prone to develop separation anxiety are the:
See our complete ranking of dog breeds based on their tendency to develop separation anxiety.
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:
The dog breeds that are least touch-sensitive are the:
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:
- Australian Silky Terrier
- Fox Terrier (Smooth)
- American Eskimo Dog
- Parson Russell Terrier
- Miniature Schnauzer
The dog breeds that are least hyper (excitable) are the:
See our complete ranking of dog breeds based on how hyper they are.
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:
The dog breeds that are laziest are the:
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.