History of the Poodle
Unlike many breeds that were developed in one specific place, at one specific time, to perform one specific job (example the Dobermann) the Poodle's history is as intriguing & complex as the breed itself! Because his origins are so ancient, and because there are references in art & literature to Poodle-like dogs in several European countries dating back to earlier than the 12th Century, it is difficult to be precise about his beginnings. It is remarkable how little his appearance & temperament has changed over many, many centuries. The most significant evolution is that he became established in 3 sizes - the Standard Poodle (the largest of the varieties. Technically over 15" tall, but most Standards will be 21-27" tall), the Miniature Poodle (just remember M for Medium-sized... he's under 15" tall) and the Toy Poodle (the smallest Poodle, at under 11" tall)
Though he is often misrepresented as being 'posh' & highly strung, his remarkable intelligence, athletic body & sensible good nature has seen the Poodle used throughout history in all kinds of jobs - war dog, circus dog, police dog, guide dog, service dog, companion dog. But he is most celebrated for his incredible natural talent as a hunting dog. Poodle comes from the German word Pudelin, which means "to splash". His ability in water, combined with his remarkable nose & initiative made him valuable as a hunter & retriever of wild birds. His nose has also been put to good use hunting for truffles.
From his job as a water dog his signature haircut evolved. His thick, curly, non-shedding coat grows profusely all over his body. This made his job difficult - his coat got caught on vegetation when searching for game in heavy cover & it became water-logged when he swam. As the cold European climate made it neither kind nor practical to shave him all over, just his legs were clipped short to allow freedom of movement. A 'jacket' of hair was left on his body to keep him warm, as well as bracelets on his legs to protect the joints, circles of hair on his hips to protect the joints & underlying kidneys, and some hair was left on his tail to protect it. Throughout history, the hairstyle has become stylized but the basic functional pattern remains the same.
Poodle Breed Standard
Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC)
The ANKC Poodle Breed Standard is the description of the Poodle Breed which is used by judges at shows when comparing the qualities of the Poodles they are judging. It is also used by responsible breeders when they are choosing breeding stock or selecting puppies.
The Poodle Breed Standard applies equally to all three varieties of the breed – the Standard, the Miniature and the Toy, and to all colours. The base document describes the Standard Poodle. The Breed Standard for Toy and Miniature Poodles is the same as that for the Standard Poodle except for the size limits.
Understanding the Poodle Breed Standard is absolutely essential for anyone who wishes to show or breed Poodles, or just to understand the Breed properly. Rather than re-write the Breed Standard on this page, we are providing you with the links to go straight to the ANKC documents to read them for yourself.
Here are the web links for the ANKC Breed Standard for the Poodle:
Standard Poodle: https://dogsaustralia.org.au/members/breeds/breed-standards/Poodle-(Standard)
Miniature Poodle: https://dogsaustralia.org.au/members/breeds/breed-standards/Poodle-(Miniature)
Toy Poodle: https://dogsaustralia.org.au/members/breeds/breed-standards/Poodle-(Toy)
There is also an extension of the Breed Standard, called a Breed Extension, which can be viewed on the ANKC website. This provides further discussion about interpreting the Breed Standard and provides illustrations of different Breed features. You can find the link to the Breed Extension on the Breed Standard page under the print instruction, where it says Click to view breed extension PDF.
The Poodle Breed Standard applies equally to all three varieties of the breed – the Standard, the Miniature and the Toy, and to all colours. The base document describes the Standard Poodle. The Breed Standard for Toy and Miniature Poodles is the same as that for the Standard Poodle except for the size limits.
Understanding the Poodle Breed Standard is absolutely essential for anyone who wishes to show or breed Poodles, or just to understand the Breed properly. Rather than re-write the Breed Standard on this page, we are providing you with the links to go straight to the ANKC documents to read them for yourself.
Here are the web links for the ANKC Breed Standard for the Poodle:
Standard Poodle: https://dogsaustralia.org.au/members/breeds/breed-standards/Poodle-(Standard)
Miniature Poodle: https://dogsaustralia.org.au/members/breeds/breed-standards/Poodle-(Miniature)
Toy Poodle: https://dogsaustralia.org.au/members/breeds/breed-standards/Poodle-(Toy)
There is also an extension of the Breed Standard, called a Breed Extension, which can be viewed on the ANKC website. This provides further discussion about interpreting the Breed Standard and provides illustrations of different Breed features. You can find the link to the Breed Extension on the Breed Standard page under the print instruction, where it says Click to view breed extension PDF.
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