Poodle History, Characteristics and Care

Poodles are one of the oldest dog breeds in existence. Poodles originate from an extinct bird dog breed called the Barbet. Contrary to popular belief, poodles didn't originate in France. During medieval times, Poodles were developed in Germany as a water dog. They were used during hunting to retrieve. The name 'Poodle' is derived from the German word 'Pudel', which is related to the English word 'puddle'.

However, the French are responsible for making the Poodle such a popular dog breed. Poodles became a favorite during the reign of King Louis XVI by members of the French Royal Court. As time passed, commoners had access to Poodles. By the 1800s, Poodles became one of the most popular dog breeds in the world. Famous owners of Poodles include John Steinbeck and Winston Churchill.

Poodles come in three sizes- standard, miniature and toy. Standard Poodles are more than fifteen inches at the shoulders. Toy Poodles are ten inches or shorter at the withers. Miniature Poodles are in between.

There is a virtual rainbow of Poodle colors- white, red, black, gray (called silver), brown (called chocolate), apricot, even blue ( which is a dark gray). Poodles even come in multicolors, such as the Phantom Poodle or PartiPoodle.

The foo-foo clips used on Poodles actually date back to their hunting days. To prevent a Poodle's coat from weighing it down while swimming, owners took to trimming back the coat. The bottom area of the Poodle was shaved to reduce weight. The chest area and joints were left uncut to keep the body temperature warm. The coat was shaved around the mouth and eyes to assist the Poodle in retrieving. The hair on the head was tied in a knot to keep it out of the Poodle's eyes. Later, hunters started using different colored ties on their Poodles so that they were easier to distinguish from other dogs.

Of course, Poodles are popular amongst the dog show circuits. But Poodles are also used as water retrievers, tracking dogs, agility dogs, and service dogs. Poodles also make great pets, of course.