The Poodle is a breed of dog.
An elegant-looking dog, often ranked as one of the most intelligent of all breeds, the poodle has been bred in three size varieties—standard, miniature, and toy.
• Standard Poodle stands more than 38 cm (15 in), and weigh from 18 to 32 kg (40 to 70 lb)
• Miniature Poodle is from 25 to 38 cm (10 to 15 in), and weigh from 4.5 to 7 kg (10 to 15 lb)
• Toy Poodle is 25 cm (10 in) or under, and weigh from 1.8 to 2.7 kg (4 to 6 lb)
All three varieties have the same build and proportions.
Unlike most dogs, which have double coats, poodles have a single-layer coat (no undercoat is present) composed of dense, curly fur that sheds minimally.
The Poodle has a wide variety of coloring, including white, black, brown, blue, gray, silver, cafe au lait, silver beige, cream, apricot, and red, and patterns such as parti, abstract, sable, phantom, and brindle.
The average lifespan for a poodle is about 12 to 15 years.
The origin of the breed is still discussed, with a prominent dispute over whether the poodle descends from Germany as a type of water dog, or from the French Barbet.
These beautiful dogs were originally bred for water retrieval and hunting. It is believed that the poodle is one of the oldest breeds used for water retrieval.
The breed would not have been a dog of the common man, but of the wealthier gentleman or royalty, evidenced by its role as a water spaniel and retriever from early on: these were not the pursuits of peasants and farmers.
The flamboyant Poodle show coat served a practical purpose in the breed’s early years. Hunters wanted their dogs to have free range of movement in the water, but they also wished to protect vital areas of the anatomy from the cold. They shaved the legs, neck, and tail but left the chest, hips, and leg joints coated. The rounded tufts on the legs, hips, and tail tip are called pompons.
The word “poodle” originates from the German word “puddeln” meaning to splash in water.
In France this breed is called Caniche which means duck dog.
In England they were known as “Rough Water Dogs” and were hunting companions.
Poodles have been used for a variety of jobs in history as hunters, circus dogs, court and companion dogs for the rich and powerful, and truffle dogs (for sniffing out the truffle used in French
gourmet cooking).
The poodle is ranked second most intelligent dog breed just behind the Border Collie.
Due to their high intelligence and fantastic temperaments, they have become widely popular family dogs.
The poodle is recorded as the seventh most popular dog breed in the United States.
The poodle has contributed to many other dog breeds, such as the Miniature Schnauzer, Standard Schnauzer, and dogs of the Bichon type in order to either save those breeds from extinction, reduce size, or by dog fanciers to improve their appearance.
The Poodle also is believed to be an ancestor or potential ancestor of the Irish Water Spaniel, the Curly Coated Retriever, and the Pudelpointer, all of which are hunters of birds.
Poodles are also crossed with other breeds for various reasons, and the resulting puppies – called designer dogs – are described by whimsical portmanteau words, such as cockapoo or spoodle (Cocker Spaniel), maltipoo (Maltese), goldendoodle (Golden Retriever), labradoodle (Labrador), Schnoodle (Schnauzer), Pekapoos (Pekingese), Cavoodle (Cavalier King Charles), Bernedoodle (Bernese Mountain Dog) and many others.
Poodles are one of the most recognizable dogs in all of dogdom and have been depicted as subjects in paintings portraiture, photography, and prints for centuries.
Rembrandt created self portrait with his pet poodle in the foreground in 1631.
There are many poodles in paintings of the Spanish artist Francisco Goya.
The Poodle is the national dog of France, and the French sure do love their Poodles.
A pet owner can anticipate grooming a poodle every six to eight weeks.