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.
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.
