Poodle Age Equivalency 

This was a general statement to make a very generalized estimate of how dogs of all breeds age. 

The element that most affects the rate at which a Poodle (or any dog) ages is the size of the dog.

Therefore we will take a look at how each sized Poodle ages and what changes to expect as your Poodle puppy enters each phase of their life. 

Toy and Mini Poodles will age faster and have slightly longer life spans than larger Standards.  Due to the variance in size, each will mature at different rates as well. Toy Poodles and Minis are classified as adults by 1 year old and Standards at the age of 2 years old. 

A standard sized Poodle will age faster than a Toy or Miniature, this is mainly due to the dog's size. It is for this reason that the average life span of a Standard (12 years) is shorter than that of the Toy or Miniature (15 years). 

3 Weeks - At this very young age, a puppy is beginning to be able to hear and their eyes are starting to open.

4 Weeks - The weaning process will begin. Poodle puppies will slowly nurse less from the dam and begin a slow, steady progression to solid food.

8 Weeks - This, in most areas, is the minimum age in which a Poodle puppy may be sold and go to their new home.

4-5 Months - This is the average age that a Poodle will begin teething.

1 Year - Toy Poodles are considered to be adults at 1 year old.

18 Months - Miniatures will be considered an adult at 18 months old.

2 Years - The Standard Poodle will now be considered an adult.

7 Years - The Standard will be considered a senior by most veterinarians and geriatric screenings should begin.

8 - 9 Years - The Toy and Miniature Poodle will be considered a senior dog by most veterinarians and geriatric screenings should begin.

Some owners are perfectly happy to have the puppy stage end and other feel that they will really miss it and that it goes by too fast. There are changes in overall behavior as a Poodle ages and some of these could be considered beneficence... with others, it will just be a matter of the Poodle behaving more mature.

Young Puppies: Puppies from age 8 to about 4 months old are very hyper and love to play. If engaged, they will often interact until they pass out for a nap right in the middle of things. They really do not know their limits and owners will need to schedule some breaks just so that the pup does not overdo things. 

Puppies at this age are exceedingly curious and while this can be a good thing in regard to socialization, it also means that the house will need to be 'puppy-proofed' since everything within reach will be considered a toy to be mouthed.

Older Puppies: Starting at about the 4 month mark, puppies will calm down a bit. They know are understanding their daily schedule and have learned to be somewhat more patient about things. Commands are being learned and housebreaking is just about wrapped up. 

This is really a pivotal age for dogs. If a Poodle is somewhat sheltered and is not introduced to the world around him, he can tend to be shy and even nervous in new situations and when meeting others (both humans and other canines). In addition, triggers can cause a lot of barking. However, if an owner takes the time to make gradual introductions to all sorts of events, places, people and other pets, a Poodle can incrementally learn to adjust and feel self-confident. If exposed to certain triggers enough times, a Poodle at this age will begin to learn that barking is not a necessity.

Adults: The 1 year mark for both Toy and Miniature Poodles marks the age of adulthood. For Standards, while they do become adult at the age of 2 years old, you'll start to notice maturity changes around the 18 month mark.

While things will not change overnight, you can expect the adult Poodle to be calmer than his young counterparts in regard to needing to chew, romp around and have constant attention. A Poodle that has learned to self-sooth and play independently will now do fairly well when left home alone. For others, there will still be some anxiety during these times. 

Adults should know commands very well by now, sit still for grooming and heel nicely when on leash. If a Poodle had not quite yet mastered these things, it is not too late to work on them. A dog of any age and learn any elements including commands, heeling and behaving nicely.

The 2 year old mark is the time that color fading and changes will often be complete. For example, black Poodles and often chocolates will fade by this age. It is a gradual process and the intensity of the change-over will be different for each dog; For some there will be a drastic difference & for others, owners do not notice unless they compare before and after photos. 

Seniors:  While the charts show the aging process of Poodles, each dog is unique. Some may be peppy and active for years after entering the senior years… and others may show signs earlier.