This breed was developed as a companion animal by breeding down in size from the Standard Poodle. In France it is known as the Caniche Nain.
This is a simple case of dwarfism, the large, original Poodle having been selectively bred down until a dog with a height of no more than 15 in (38 cm) was created. It retained all the good qualities of its big cousin, especially its lively intelligence, but was now small enough to fit into more restricted living environments.
Up until 1907 the Miniature Poodle was called the Toy Poodle, but then, when an even smaller breed was produced by further selective breeding, it had to be given a new name. The tiniest version became the Toy and the name of the existing Toy was changed to Miniature.
The history of the Miniature Poodle is unusual because, uniquely, the circus appears to have been a major influence. When the high intelligence of large Poodles was first exploited to transform them into acrobatic performers, it was clear that smaller dogs would be even easier to handle and to transport in the restricted conditions of a travelling circus. This was to be an important factor in motivating breeders to bring down the size of these dogs and create the miniaturized version. The responsive, quick- witted and fun-loving nature of these high-spirited animals was immediately obvious and they were soon on the way to becoming one of the most popular companion dogs of all time. By the middle of the 20th century they were at their peak, but there followed a period of over-production of puppies, to meet the huge demand, and in the process the quality of the breed suffered. This was later corrected.
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