Do you have a toy poodle? Do you wonder if he or she likes to cuddle? I wondered the same thing. When I was a child, our family had a toy poodle that we all loved very much.
She got no shortage of love and attention from everyone in the home. It seemed like every minute of every day she seemed to be wrapped up in someone’s arms. She was even placed in a stroller and rolled around. Now, as I’m older, I’m realizing that we never stopped to wonder if she actually liked to cuddle. Therefore, do toy poodles like to cuddle?
Yes, Toy Poodles Like To Cuddle. While every dog is different, the vast majority of toy poodles like to cuddle. They enjoy spending time with their owner and there are a few reasons why.
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Toy Poodles Like To Cuddle in Certain Situations
During the past few years, there has been a lot of controversy that has developed over whether dogs like to cuddle. Some people have said that not all dogs, including toy poodles, like to cuddle.
While it is true that every dog is different, it is also important to pause and take a look at the reasons why dogs like to cuddle. When it comes to toy poodles, there are a few reasons why they like to cuddle.
Cuddling Provides Warmth
It’s no secret that a toy poodle is a small dog. They do not generate a lot of body heat yet they need it just like every other dog. Therefore, they cuddle to share heat with other animals.
If you have ever noticed a puppy pile, then you have seen the impressive cuddling capabilities of smaller dogs in action. Because toy poodles are so small, they often need to get their heat from somewhere else.
This is a great way to keep warm. When people get cold, we can simply crawl underneath a blanket or put on another layer. For dogs, this is simply not an option. That is why toy poodles like to cuddle.
Early in the domestication process, dogs helped us hunt and alerted us to danger that might be present. Another major benefit that dogs provided was that they could cuddle with us and help us keep warm. This is one of the top reasons why toy poodles still love to cuddle to this day. They use cuddling as a way to keep warm.
Cuddling as a Sign of Affection
While cuddling is helpful for staying warm, this isn’t the only reason why toy poodles like to cuddle. They also do this as a way to show affection.
This is just one of the ways that dogs will strengthen their bond with us. Bonding with an owner is incredibly important to all dogs, including toy poodles, and cuddling is one of the ways to do this.
This also comes from the evolutionary relationship that we have developed with dogs. This reinforces many of the traits that we see today. The bond that people have with dogs, including toy poodles, is intimate and dogs seem to feel the same way. In order to demonstrate the strength of this affection, toy poodles like to cuddle.
I know that as a child there were countless nights when I would wake up to see my toy poodle curled up next to me. Maybe this was just her way of showing me that she cared. Regardless, it was still great to have another warm body to keep me warm during those cold winter nights!
Cuddling as a Way to Protect the Herd
Finally, dogs are pack animals. Therefore, they like to keep watch on everyone in the home. I know that as we were getting ready to go to bed, my toy poodle had to walk around the house and make sure that everyone was present and accounted for.
She would go from room to room, look inside, and make sure that everyone was present. If anyone was out of place, she would run around the house frantically until the other person was located. Usually, they were just in the bathroom!
Cuddling has the same effect. Our toy poodle wanted to make sure that everyone was safe and she felt like if she was right next to us, she would have an easier time protecting us from harm.
What better way to do this than to cuddle? It doesn’t get much closer than this. Therefore, toy poodles like to cuddle because it makes it easier for them to keep track of their family members.
They can keep a closer eye on them, making sure they are okay. This is even more important when everyone else is asleep.
Taking a Look at the Science Behind Cuddling
These reasons why toy poodles and other dogs like to cuddle are great. It is clear that toy poodles love to cuddle; however, there is also some science behind cuddling and toy poodles as well.
The reality is that cuddling with a dog is a great way to alleviate stress. Petting to a dog and talking to a dog for even a few minutes has been shown to increase levels of oxytocin in both people and dogs.
Oxytocin has been called the love hormone in the past. It is closely associated with social bonding and trust. This is why it plays an important role in dog cuddling.
There was even a research study showing specifically that cuddling, gazing, and time spent with dogs leads to a rise in oxytocin level. There are a lot of researchers who believe that this played a major role in the initial wave of dog domestication that took place thousands of years ago. Of course, this involved cuddles as well.
The reality is that if toy poodles and their owners spend time cuddling, they become closer.
Why Do Some Poodles Not Like To Cuddle?
Of course, every dog is different. While it might be hard to believe, there are some toy poodles that do not like to cuddle. Why might this be the case? There are a few possible reasons why.
The first reason is that it is hot outside. Dogs like to cuddle and they like to be close to their owners. The toy poodle is no different. At the same time, toy poodles do not like to cuddle all the time.
If it is warm outside, then he or she is not going to want to cuddle. Just as being cold is bad, being too hot is bad as well. Think about all the hair that toy poodles have. They do not have the same luxury that we have when it comes to shedding extra layers and cooling down.
When this is combined with the fact that dogs usually have a higher internal body temperature than we do, it is easy to see why it might be hard for dogs to cool down. Therefore, if your toy poodle doesn’t seem to want to cuddle as much during the summer, do not take this personally.
He or she is probably just trying to find a way to vent some extra heat and cuddling will get in the way of this process.
Sometimes, dogs might not want to cuddle simply because this is not in their nature. Just as people are different, toy poodles are different as well. I know that my friend’s family also had a toy poodle and that dog didn’t seem to want to cuddle with me at all.
Maybe he just didn’t know me or didn’t like me but I was over at their house every weekend. He seemed to be okay with me overall. When I sat down on the couch, he would jump up and sit next to me. On the other hand, he would always sit a few inches away from me.
My friend said that he just needed his personal space; however, I didn’t understand why their toy poodle didn’t want to cuddle but mine did.
The reality is that dogs have their own personalities. This is just as true of people as it is of man’s best friend. As sad as it might sound, not every dog is going to be super cuddly or super affectionate.
Just as some people like to have hugs while others cannot stand being touched, the same is true of dogs.
Therefore, the vast majority of toy poodles love to cuddle. They like to find a way to share their body heat with others while developing a strong attachment to their owners.
At the same time, some toy poodles might not like to cuddle. Perhaps it is hot outside or maybe it is their personality. Regardless, remember that toy poodles love their owners and are going to have their own ways of showing this.
Take the time to let toy poodles know that they are loved and cared for. This will be important for developing a healthy relationship between dogs and people.
