http://www.akc.org/breeds/recbreeds/poodle.cfm
is the American Kennel Club standards for poodles. More than you want to know about the standards!
Poodles have a coat that does not shed which great for people with allergies. Highly intelligent, they can take over if owners are not kind and consistant in training.
Good watchdogs, family friendly, - not a dog to leave alone all day as they can become destructive if deprived of human companionship. They are real people-dogs. Good water dogs with gentle mouths, they have proven their worth in the field as water-bird retrievers. CAn be real clowns and love to entertain their owners. Benefit from consistant training as they learn very quickly but tend to forget fast,too which is why they are not used as seeing eye dogs - they learn quickly - for instance - to guide their person around an open manhole but then, one day, they decide it would be fun to just jump over the hole! Oooops!
They are often over-bred because of popularity so best to buy from a reputable breeder. Not cheap to buy or to keep. Their coats must be groomed regularly to avoid skin problems and that averages about $30 a month!
I have owned poodles - standard and mini - and they are great dogs!