The Poodle is a breed of dog, and is regarded as one of the most intelligent breeds of dog. The poodle breed is found in teacup, tiny toy, toy, miniature and standard sizes, and in many coat colors. Originally bred as a type of water dog, the poodle is skillful in many dog sports, including agility, obedience, tracking, and even herding. Poodles are elegant in the conformation ring, having taken top honors in many shows, including "Best in Show" at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in 1991 and 2002, and at the World Dog Show in 2007.
History
Poodles are retrievers or gun dogs, and can still be seen in that role.
The Poodle is believed to have originated in Germany, where it is known as the Pudel. The English word "poodle" comes from the German pudel or puddeln , meaning to splash in the water. The breed was standardized in France, where it was commonly used as a retriever.
The American Kennel Club states that the large, or Standard, Poodle is the oldest of the three varieties and that the dog gained special fame as a water worker. So widely was it used as retriever that it was shorn of portions of its coat to further facilitate progress in swimming. Thence came the custom of clipping to pattern which so enhanced the style and general appearance that its sponsors, particularly in France, were captivated by it. All of the Poodle's ancestors were acknowledged to be good swimmers, although one member of the family, the truffle dog (which may have been of Toy or Miniature size), it is said, never went near the water. Truffle hunting was widely practiced in England, and later in Spain and Germany, where the edible fungus has always been considered a delicacy. For scenting and digging up the fungus, the smaller dogs were favored, since they did less damage to the truffles with their feet than the larger kinds. So it is rumored that a terrier was crossed with the Poodle to produce the ideal truffle hunter.
Despite the Standard Poodle's claim to greater age than the other varieties, there is some evidence to show that the smaller types developed only a short time after the breed assumed the general type by which it is recognized today. The smallest, or Toy variety, was developed in England in the 18th century, when the White Cuban became popular there. This was a sleeve dog attributed to the West Indies from whence it traveled to Spain and then to England. But the Continent had known the Poodle long before it came to England. Drawings by the German artist, Albrecht Durer, establish the breed in the 15th and 16th centuries. It was the principal pet dog of the latter 18th century in Spain, as shown by the paintings of the Spanish artist Francisco Goya. And France had Toy Poodles as pampered favorites during the reign of Louis XVI at about the same period.
Characteristics
Appearance
Most poodles have a dense, curly, low-shedding coat that requires regular grooming. Since poodles do not have the plush double coat of many breeds their fur is often referred to as "hair", a term usually reserved for humans. Most poodles are solid-colored, and many registries only allow solid colors in conformation shows. "Parti" (short for parti-colored) poodles have large patches of colors different from the main body color. "Phantom" poodles have the color pattern of a black-and-tan dog, although not necessarily black and tan. Solid-colored poodles may either "hold" their color (i.e., stay more or less the same throughout their lives) or "fade" or "clear" to a lighter shade. Usually the ears and the thicker guard hairs hold more of the original color than other hair.
The tail is usually poofy, often docked in the US and less often in Europe; the practice is illegal in the UK and Australia. Tails, when docked, are left much longer than in the past. "Bunny-like tails" (very short-docked tails) are now rarely seen except among puppy mill pet shop dogs. Poodles have drop ears which are never cropped.
Poodle sizes
Unlike many breeds, poodles can come in a variety of sizes, distinguished by adult shoulder (withers) height. The exact height cutoffs among the varieties vary slightly from country to country. Non-Fédération Cynologique Internationale kennel clubs generally recognize three sizes, standard , miniature , and toy , sometimes as sizes of the same breed, and sometimes as separate breeds. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale recognizes four sizes of one breed, standard , medium , miniature , and toy . Only the Fédération Cynologique Internationale describes a maximum size for standard poodles.
The terms royal standard , teacup , and tiny teacup are marketing names, and are not recognized by any major kennel club.
All the Fédération Cynologique Internationale poodles are in Group 9 Companion and Toy , Section 2 Poodle . All the Kennel Club poodles are in the Utility Group. All three sizes of poodle for the Australian National Kennel Council and the New Zealand Kennel Club are in the Non-Sporting Group. The Canadian Kennel Club and the American Kennel Club place standard and miniature sizes in the Non-Sporting Group, and the toy size in the Toy Group. The United Kennel Club places the miniature and toy in the Companion Group and the standard poodle in the Gundog Group.
Coat
Unlike most dogs which have double coats, poodles have a single layer (no undercoat) of dense, curly fur that sheds minimally and could be considered hypoallergenic (though not completely allergen free). Texture ranges from coarse and woolly to soft and wavy. Poodle show clips require many hours of brushing and care per week, about 10 hours/week for a standard poodle. Poodles are usually clipped down as soon as their show career is over and put into a lower-maintenance cut. Pet clips are much less elaborate than show and require much less maintenance. A pet owner can anticipate grooming a poodle every six to eight weeks. Although professional grooming is often costly, poodles are easy to groom at home if one has the proper equipment.
Show clips
Many breed registries allow only certain clips for poodles shown in conformation. In American Kennel Club shows, adults must be shown in the "Continental" or "English saddle" clips. Dogs under 12 months old may be shown with a "puppy clip." The United Kennel Club (US) allows in addition a Sporting Clip , similar to the puppy clip, with the fur trimmed short for hunting dogs. The American Kennel Club allows the Sporting Clip in Stud Dog and Brood Bitch classes as well.
Some sources believe the show clips evolved from working clips, which originally provided warmth to major joints when the dogs were immersed in cold water. The rest of the body is shaved for less drag in the water. Others express skepticism at this theory (if poodles need to warm their joints, why do other water dogs such as Labrador retrievers not require this same precaution?), instead citing the French circus as the origin of the entertaining and unique clips.
Second Puppy
This clip is also called the Scandinavian clip or puppy clip. It was invented by Swedish and Norwegian show groomers in the 70s. This clip is the most common one in all sizes for shows in Europe and is allowed for adult poodles to be shown in the FCI countries. The face, throat, belly, feet and the base of the tail are shaved 5 to 7 days before the show to get a nice smooth appearance of the shaved areas. The hair on the head is left to form a "topknot" that is fixed by using latex bands; in most European countries hair spray is banned. The rest of the dog is shaped with scissors. It makes the parts of the dog look fluffy.
Continental clip
In the continental clip the face, throat, feet and part of the tail are shaved. The upper half of the front legs is shaved, leaving "fluffy pompoms" around the ankles. The hindquarters are shaved except for pompons on the lower leg (from the hock to the base of the foot) and optional round areas (sometimes called "rosettes") over the hips. The continental clip is the most popular show clip today.
English Saddle clip
The English saddle clip is similar to the continental, except for the hindquarters. The hindquarters are not shaved except a small curved area on each flank (just behind the body), the feet, and bands just below the stifle (knee) and above the hock, leaving three pompons. This clip is now rarely seen in Standard Poodles.
Pet clips
Pet clips can be simple or as elaborate as owners wish. The hair und
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