NAME: Poodle
ORIGIN: It's possible that either Russia or
Germany was the Poodle's country of origin, although France seems to be the country
most responsible for making the breed popular both as a sporting dog and
family pet. In that country, the breed is known as the 'Caniche,' a name derived from the French word for duck. Their coat is dense and of harsh texture and may be in any solid color - red, black, blue, brown, gray, silver,
cafe-au-lait, apricot, silver beige, cream and white - with dark pigmentation of nose, lips and eye rims preferred. Because of the Poodle's stylish
demeanor, non-shedding coat, clean habits, and his desire to please, the Poodle makes a superior house pet for town or country.
EARLY HISTORY: The Poodle is one of the oldest breeds known to man.
As early as 30 A.D, Poodle-like dogs were in carvings, in Roman tombs and on Greek and Roman Coins. By, the fifteenth century references to
Poodles appeared in both art and writing, and the art of that time showed
the Poodle in trims similar to today's traditional trims. It is generally recognized that the three countries that most contributed to promoting the breed were France,
Russia, and Germany. The Russian Poodle is described as being somewhat Greyhound-like in it's body type. The German Poodle is more thickset and has a wooly coat texture. And it was here that the two
different coat types -- curly and corded -- were noted. The Poodle got his name from the German word pudel, which means to splash in water. The first documented reference is dated 1642.
This breed is the national dog in France, and the Poodle is found in
several forms. There is a small dog known as Petit Barbet, which has been suggested that it might have resulted from the breeding of dogs such as the Toy Spaniel and the Maltese. The Caniche is a larger dog and is used for duck hunting. It is suggested it may have gotten its size and sturdiness from the influence of the Spaniel. The similarity of the poodle today and the Irish Water Spaniels remains evident. Then there is the Truffle Dog who was used to ferret out tiny morsels sought after for the unique flavors that they provided the French cooks.
TEMPERAMENT: Poodles are a very elegant looking breed and seem to
have an incredible sense of humor. They are loyal, gentle, obedient,
and exceptionally good with children. The Poodle adores human
companionship, but dislikes solitude. Nonetheless, the Poodle is
sensitive and nervous around strangers and will sometimes develop
minor personality problems.
Many Poodle owners will say that their Poodles have a very human way
of acting and thinking which is totally unique to this breed. They
seem to have an innate intelligence. The Poodles ability to learn is
considered exceptional. Poodles seem to be faster than other breeds
at learning that words spoken by us actually mean something and they
are required to understand. Many Poodle owners believe that Poodles
come pretty close to understanding our grammar and sentences rather
than just single spoken Words.
