Simplify the coat, keep the dignity
A Standard Poodle's curly coat was the centre of her younger grooming life, but long clips become a burden when standing on a table tires her and skin grows thinner. Move her to a short, even trim all over: baths get quicker, drying takes minutes instead of an hour, and you can see and feel her skin, ribs, and any new lump during an ordinary stroke. Brush the shorter coat a couple of times a week to stop the curls felting at the ears, tail, and armpits, and keep the hair between her pads trimmed so her large feet grip rather than skate on hard floors. Clean and dry the long ear leathers after baths and swims, because those heavy, hairy ears trap moisture against the canal.
Support for a tall, deep-chested athlete
Standards are tall dogs, and an old Standard lowering herself onto a thin blanket feels every inch of the drop. Give her a deep, firm mattress she can stretch fully along, placed where she does not have to turn in a tight circle to use it, plus runners on the routes between bed, bowl, and door. Feed her measured meals in a calm spot and keep post-meal time quiet and unhurried, as befits a large, deep-chested breed — no boisterous garden game straight after eating. If she uses the car often, a wide ramp with a grippy surface protects ageing shoulders far better than repeated jumps down from a high boot, which is where tall dogs do themselves the most harm.
Work for one of the brightest minds in the dog world
Boredom is a genuine discomfort for a senior Poodle. She may not manage long hikes, but she can still learn: refresh old cues, teach a simple new trick in tiny steps, hide treats in rolled towels, or let her choose between two scented boxes. Scatter part of a meal in short grass so she forages slowly, and include her in household life — carrying a light item, accompanying you room to room — rather than parking her on a bed all day. Several short, interesting outings on grass will satisfy her more than one long pavement march, and she should come home bright, not flattened.
Changes in a senior Poodle that need the vet
Seek veterinary advice promptly if she retches without bringing anything up while her belly looks tense, paces and drools after meals, or collapses — large deep-chested breeds deserve urgent attention for those signs. Also book in for a new lump that grows or changes, increased thirst, weight loss under that coat, repeated ear scratching and head shaking, or a sudden reluctance to jump, climb, or be groomed around the hips. Weigh and body-check her monthly while grooming so change is caught by your hands, not by surprise. Smaller questions will keep coming up day to day: a rainy-afternoon game to choose, a warm day to pace sensibly. Put a follow-up question to KinsLe's Kimmy; she answers using the KinsLe Answers library.