Black Standard PoodleThe poodle is an active, intelligent and elegant dog, squarely built, and well proportioned. To ensure the desirable squarely built appearance, the length of body measured from the breastbone to the point of the rump approximates the height from the highest point of the shoulders to the ground. The eyes should be very dark, oval in shape, and have an alert and intelligent expression. The ears should fold over close to the head, set at, or slightly below, eye level. The coat should be of naturally curly texture, dense throughout, although most AKC-registered show dogs have a continental cut or other, similarly shaven look. The sizes of the official AKC-recognized Poodle breeds are determined by height, not by weight. Unlike most dogs, which have double coats, poodles have a single-layer coat (no undercoat is present) composed of dense, curly fur that sheds minimally.