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The Poodle is a breed of dog; specifically, it is a gun dog noted for its ability in the water and bird hunting skills. The English name comes from the German Pudel, or Pudelhund – from pudeln, meaning "to splash about". In France the Poodle is known as a caniche and in Spain as a perro de lana (literally "wool dog").
Appearance: Breed standards call for a dignified,
elegant carriage.
The breed comes in three sizes (as described by most breed
registries):
Standard: Over 38 cm (15 in) at the shoulder
Miniature: Over 28 cm (11 in) high, but under 38 cm
Toy: Under 28 cm (11 in) and 10 lb or under
The American Kennel Club has a slightly different standard,
with the maximum for Toys and the minimum for Miniatures at
25cm (10 in). The FCI standards divide Poodles into four
groups: Large (45 to 60 cm), Medium (35 cm to 45 cm),
Miniature (28 cm to 35 cm) and Toy (less than 28 cm with an
ideal size of 25 cm).
Coat: Breed standards call for a coat of solid
color, one of black, white, brown, grey, blue, or apricot.
"Parti" (partial), "phantom" (black and
red markings, like a Dobermann Pinscher), and other coat
colors exist, but are not acceptable in the show ring.
The fur on the animal's body is naturally curly, often in
small tight clumps of small curly ringlets. Hair on the ears
can be straight or slightly curly. With brushing, the dog's
fur will still retain wavy or curly properties, but will
soften and straighten somewhat.
The coat can be clipped in various styles. For show
purposes, only three clips—the puppy clip (only for dogs one
year old or younger), the Continental or Lion clip (with the
instantly-recognisable 'mane'), and the English Saddle clip
(with leg bracelets)—are acceptable. The traditional
show-cut 'bracelets' of long fur covering the dog's leg joints
are said to date back to winter hunts, where most of the fur
was clipped short to facilitate swimming but the joints,
lungs, heart, and kidneys needed protection from the cold.
The pom-pom on the end of the tail served as a
"flag" when the Poodle dove under the water's
surface. Clip styles for pets include the Kennel clip (fur
same length all over) and other styles, generally variants of
the Continental. Left alone, Poodle fur will become corded in
the manner of a Puli or Komondor.
Working Poodles are often clipped closely to avoid tangles
and to reduce the amount of water a wet dog brings into a duck
boat.
Corded Poodle: a Poodle's coat is not given the
attention it requires, it may form into cords
Most national registries recognize two coat types for
Poodles: curly and corded. Some Poodles have coats which will
more or less naturally cord, others must be coaxed into it,
but virtually all Poodles are capable of having corded hair
once their adult hair has been established. Puppies can be
born with either type of coat, even in the same litter. Once
cords have been established, they cannot be brushed out, but
must be clipped away.
Breed historians seem to agree that the corded coat is the
older of the two varieties. Corded coats are more difficult to
take care of, and corded dogs fell out of fashion, in favor of
those with wooly coats.
Temperament: Poodles are generally intelligent,
alert, and active. In particular, the Standard variety is
quite independent and has a noticeable hunting drive. Even
Toys will point birds. Because they are so intelligent, they
can become bored easily, and can get quite creative about
finding mischief.
Poodles are extremely people-oriented dogs and, therefore,
are eager to please. They are excellent watchdogs, but unlike
some working breeds, don't usually become
"one-person" dogs when they are part of a family.
Standard Poodles in particular tend to be good with children.
When they are from good bloodlines, all three varieties are
fairly mellow dogs. Poodles are adaptable and easy to train.
They don't require as much exercise as other hunting or
working breeds (even the Standards), but being agile and
athletic, they appreciate lots of exercise.
Care: Poodles make good companions and are extremely
loyal, sometimes to the point of being possessive. The owner
should be a competent trainer, as Poodles can be wilful if
trained poorly. Well-trained Poodles are eager to please and
love putting on a show for family and friends. Poodles do not
shed and are considered by some to be a hypoallergenic breed.
(See list of Hypoallergenic dog breeds) Poodles, like all
dogs, do create dander and saliva, and they can bring
allergens inside on their coats, so they are really only
hypoallergenic for people who are allergic to dog hair loose
in their homes.
Some Poodles have hyperactive tear ducts that do not drain
very well. It is quite common to see Poodles with streaks of
gooey brownish-red secretions in the corners of their eyes. If
lots of drainage needs to occur, the tear duct may clog and a
small ball of yellowish mucous may form near the tear duct. It
is advisable to gently remove this accumulation with a
lint-free soft towel wrapped around the index finger. Many
products exist in pet stores designed to help remove this
drainage from Poodles' faces, as it can be unattractive. Often
these clear solutions are applied to a cotton ball which is
then firmly wiped over the stained fur.
Poodles' coats require plenty of grooming to keep the
constantly growing hair at a manageable length and to prevent
it from matting. Matted fur can be very difficult to untangle,
and often the clumps must be cut out with scissors. There a
number of short pet clips that make a very easily maintained
family pet.
History: The Poodle is often thought of as a
typically French breed (it is frequently referred to as the
"French Poodle"). However, it is an old breed and
its region of origin is a matter of contention. Most experts
believe the Poodle originated in Germany or Russia, but it may
have come from Iberia. Related breeds are the Portuguese Water
Dog and Irish Water Spaniel.
Health concerns: As with any purebred dog, there are
many health concerns for the Poodle owner to be aware of.
Though the Poodle is usually a healthy, long-lived canine
(it's not unheard of to see a 15-year-old Toy or Miniature
Poodle or a 12-year-old Standard Poodle), owners should be
aware of the health problems that this breed is predisposed
to.
Always consult with a veterinarian that you feel
comfortable with before diagnosing or treating any disease on
your own.
The health concerns that people owning Toy Poodles must be
aware of include: cataracts, entropion, epilepsy,
intervertebral disc degeneration, lacrimal duct atresia
(deformed or absent tear ducts that cause tears to run down
the face), Legg-Perthes, patellar luxation, PRA (progressive
retinal atrophy), trichiasis, and urolithiasis.
For the Miniature Poodle, owners must watch for: cataracts,
distichiasis, entropion, epilepsy, glaucoma, intervertebral
disc degeneration, lacrimal duct atresia, Legg-Perthes, PRA
(progressive retinal atrophy), patellar luxation, trichiasis,
and urolithiasis.
For the Standard Poodle, owners must watch for: Addison's
Disease, cataracts, CHD (Canine Hip Dysplasia), distichiasis,
entropion, epilepsy, gastric torsion, PDA (patent ductus
arteriosus), sebaceous adenitis, and vWD (Von Willebrand's
disease).
All three breeds are predisposed towards certain types of
mammary tumors, so if the Poodle owner doesn't plan on
breeding their female, then they should consider spaying her
before her first heat cycle. This dramatically cuts down the
Poodle's chances of developing quite a few different types of
mammary tumors later in life.
Use: Today, Poodles are generally kept as pets.
However, they are a versatile breed capable of hunting,
tracking, protection, or entertainment. French customs, for
instance, uses Poodles to search for illegal substances.
Because of their small size, they are more unobtrusive, when
searching cars and train compartments, than bigger breeds such
as the German Shepherd.
Their intelligence and athletic build has made them popular
as trick dogs or circus performers. They can compete well in
some dog sports, such as dog agility, although their
independent or playful nature can sometimes distract them from
the focus and drive needed for these sports.
Hybrids: Many hybrids have been created by crossing
a Poodle with another breed, such as Labradoodles and
Cockapoos. These "hybrids" are not, however,
recognized breeds. Many breeders promote Poodle hybrids as
actual breeds and charge more for them than is usually charged
for a mixed-breed dog.
Famous Poodles:
Algonquin from Elvira, Mistress of the Dark
Foo-Foo, Miss Piggy's pet on The Muppet Show
Charley, pet of Nobel Prize winning author John
Steinbeck, a champion black Standard Poodle played Charley
in the TV miniseries "Travels with Charlie: In Search
of America", based on Steinbeck's 1961 book.
Josephine, prized pet of author Jacqueline Susann;
inspiration for her 1963 novel, "Every Night,
Josephine".
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