STANDARD POODLE (or to be more precise, my black Standard Poodle called 'Whitby') She is 6 years old and came to live with us in November 2006 after having been neglected due to her previous owner's work commitments; she would spend many hours locked in a kitchen while her owner was at work or socialising. Now she spends every hour she can in our garden chasing either a ball or and stray Blackbirds.