A Short History of Poodles

 Standard poodles are extremely versatile.

Rendering above, 
Wencenlas, Hollar “A Poodle,” 1649.

Rendering above, “Pudel,” artist unknown.

The Origin of the Poodle Breed

The poodle most likely originated in Germany, where the word “pudelin” refers to splashing in water. However, some dog historians, or “cynologists,” believe the poodle originated in France. Similar dogs date back to at least the 17th century, and Poodles were first recognized as a legitimate dog breed by a kennel club in 1874. The poodle was originally used to retrieve game from water by wildfowl hunters. Smaller sizes of the poodle were bred form the Standard sized poodle in France, where they were once commonly used as circus performers. Poodles are now one of the most popular dog breeds.

The poodle, named “Pudel” in German, and “Caniche” in French, is a water dog. The American Kennel Club; aka the AKC; classifies the poodle as in the non-sporting group, and the breed is divided into three varieties based on size, the Standard Poodle, Miniature Poodle and Toy Poodle. They have a distinctive thick, curly coat of hair, and come in many colors, with only solid colored coats recognized by the AKC. *This means that parti-colored poodles are disqualified from AKC Best of Breed competitions, and poodles that exceed the height limits for the breed are also disqualified from these competitions. 

About the Poodle Breed

The poodle is a water dog. Although the AKC classifies the Standard Poodle as a “non-sporting” breed, poodles are among the sportiest of breeds, considering they were originally bred as hunting dogs, specifically, retrievers. 

Standard Poodles are extremely athletic, and they compete in agility competitions.

As a matter of fact, poodles are listed as an eligible breed to qualify to participate in Retriever Hunting Tests: https://www.akc.org/sports/retrievers/hunting-tests/eligibility/ . 

Understanding the Poodle Breed

Although poodle hair does not cause allergies because poodles do not shed like dogs that have fur, when poodles are exposed to allergens when outdoors those allergens often remain on their coats until they are bathed. Poodles are very active dogs who require exercise every day to suit their high energy level. Poodles love all types of activity, and they enjoy keeping busy because they have very active minds and are highly intelligent. Most poodles love to get in the water, so swimming is a good activity. Poodles are bred as hunting dogs, and their natural impulse is to retrieve. Poodles love jogging, or taking long walks, and playing fetch. Poodles are extremely intelligent and as a result they are easy to train. They are gifted with agility, and they enjoy and excel in a variety of canine sports: agility, obedience, and tracking. They are excellent water-retrievers and compete in retriever hunting competitions. Poodles are closely attuned to people, and if you train them with positivity using fun and consistent routines, they are eager to please you. According to AKC standards, AKC accepted and coded colors of standard poodles are: Black, White, Blue, Brown, Cafe Au Lait, Cream, Gray, Red, Silver and Silver Beige. In AKC competitions the most widely seen colors are White and Black.