Standard Poodles are a non-shedding, large sized dog with above average intelligence. Since most people don't enjoy having pets that are smarter than they are, the Poodle breed usually enjoys smart owners. Indeed, Poodle owners think they are smarter than everyone else, sometimes only because they own a Poodle. If you hang around a Standard Poodle long enough, you will get the impression that it's holding you to a high standard and is disappointed if you don't meet those standards.