Poodle

The Poodle is a breed of dog. Poodles are highly intelligent and come in varieties distinguished by size, color, and coat. Toy, miniature, and standard poodles are distinquished by adult shoulder height. Poodles are bred to be pure color and commonly are found in black, chocolate, red, apricot, and white. Finally, their coats can be curly or wooley, and less likely to tangle, or wavy and more easily corded.

Poodles are an ancient breed whose origin is unknown. Most texts suggest an origin in what is now Germany. One text suggests they were originally bred by the Greeks for sea sponge diving and were later adopted by the Spanish colonists in North America where they were employed as lobster divers (Weinstein and Jefferson, 1979). The same authors also make note of the Poodle's tactfulness as a herding dog, although this is highly debatable (Weinstein and Jefferson, 1983). Following further breeding refinement, poodles found particular popularity among French nobility in the 18th century. Their intelligence and bravery were utilized by large game hunters in Africa and the breed proved especially adept at stalking and tracking lions (Weinstein and Jefferson, 1983).

The toy variety in particular has become an icon of wealth and prosperity, and is more often dressed up in elegant clothing than put to work in the field. Poodles have long been popular in the show arena, as their unique fur allows for a wealth of opportunities to sculpt their coats into fun and fanciful patterns. Available in a variety of sizes and colors, the poodle has become popular in the breeding world of show dogs.

Appearance

General appearance

The Poodle should be of moderate build, neither heavy or insubstantial. It should have an elegant, balanced appearance, and should carry itself in a "proud" or "dignified" manner.

Coat

It has been suggested that Poodle wool be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

The Poodle's coat is long, curly, harsh and very thick. It does not shed. For show purposes, Poodle's coats are typically shaped into several different clips, the most common of which are the "continental", "English saddle" clips. Dogs under 12 months old may be shown with a "puppy clip". Although used mostly for show today, these clips originated from the German hunting dogs. As the hair is so thick on a full coated poodle, they are apt to drown under the weight of a full coat. To aid in swimming "unnecessary" hair was shaved away, and the remaining hair was left to keep the poodle's joints and vital organs warm while retrieving fowl from icy waters.

The puppy clip (or kennel clip for older dogs) is the simplest of the Twenty sevin!33. The face, throat, base of the tail and feet are shaved. The coat may be shaped with scissors for neatness.

In the continental clip the face, throat, feet and part of the tail are shaved. The upper half of the front legs is shaved, leaving "pompoms" around the ankles. The hindquarters are shaved except for pompoms on the lower leg (from the hock (zoology) to the base of the foot) and optional round areas (sometimes called "rosettes") over the hips.

The English saddle clip is similar to the continental, except for the hindquarters. The hindquarters are not shaved except a small curved area on each flank (just behind the body), the feet, and bands just below the stifle (knee) and above the hock, leaving three pompoms.

Temperament

Poodles are intelligent, alert, and active. Arguably one of the most intelligent breeds, [1], their aptitude has made them ideal for performing in circuses across the globe for centuries. 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. Being agile and athletic, they appreciate lots of exercise.

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[2], lacrimal duct atresia (deformed or absent tear ducts that cause tears to run down the face), Legg-Perthes, patellar luxation, PRA (progressive retinal atrophy)[3] [4], trichiasis, and urolithiasis.

For the Miniature Poodle, owners must watch for: cataracts, congenital heart disease, 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[5], vWD (Von Willebrand's disease) and chronic active hepatitis.

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.

Hybrids

Main article: Poodle hybrid

Many hybrids have been created by crossing a Poodle with another breed, such as Labradoodles and Cockapoos. These "hybrids" or "designer dogs" are not, however, recognized breeds by the American Kennel Club (AKC). 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
• Basket, Basket II, and Basket III, successive pets of Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas
• Boy, pet of Prince Rupert of the Rhine (1619-1682)and killed at the battle of Marston Moor.
• Charley, pet of Nobel Prize author John Steinbeck, a black (referred to as "blue" in the novel) Standard Poodle played Charley in the TV miniseries "Travels with Charley: In Search of America", based on Steinbeck's 1961 book.
• Cleo, from Clifford the Big Red Dog
• Daphne, from the third Look Who's Talking movie
• Fifi, on circus Blinky Bill's Extraordinary Excursion
• Fifi, pet of the Finsters on Rugrats
• Fifi, pet of WWE Superstar Rene Dupree
• Foo-Foo, Miss Piggy's pet on The Muppet Show
• Georgette from Oliver and Company
• Josephine, prized pet of author Jacqueline Susann; inspiration for her 1963 novel, "Every Night, Josephine".
• Misiu & Cricket, pets of The artist Buza source: [6]
• Mocha, pet of Taiwanese American business woman Nikki Hsu
• Rhapsody in White, or 'Butch', of the movie Best in Show
• Roly, the poodle owned by Sharon Watts in the BBC soap opera EastEnders
• Rufus, pet of Winston Churchill source: [7] retrieved July 31, 2005
• Rufus Lucas, a Brindle turned Silver, renowned for high intelligence.
• Yankee Poodle from Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew
• Presley

See [8]

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