Sammy's Story
The Story of an Unadoptable Dog

The prevailing view of the Poodle as a decorative, trivial, trophy dog is ill-deserved, ill-conceived and grossly inaccurate. 

A definitive, comprehensive history of the Poodle does not exist.  However, evidence in art history indicates that Poodles have been a familiar sight from Greek, Roman and Egyptian times,  through the High Middle Ages, into the 18th and 19th centuries, up to the present day.  Favored by artists, the Poodle may be the most painted breed of dog.

The Poodle History Project is an excellent Poodle history resource.

It is well established that the Poodle is a water retriever and gun dog.  It was widely used in these capacities.   The breed was one of the earliest, original, versatile, hunting and water flushing dogs.   

Some have made the case that the Poodle also has origins as a sheep herding and protecting dog, primarily in Eastern Europe.  With a white curly coat, this dog had the combined advantages that it could not be distinguished from the sheep by predatory wolves.  But it could easily be distinguished from a wolf by the shepherd.

Egyptian, Greek and Roman artifacts and tombs show dogs looking very much like modern Poodles bringing in game nets, herding animals and retrieving game from marshes.  An early representation  appears on a Roman Coin dating back to the year 112-111 BCE.

Drawings by the German artist, Albrecht Durer, establish the breed in the 15th and 16th centuries.

It was the principal pet dog of the latter 18th century in Spain, as shown by the paintings of the Spanish artist, Goya.

And France had Toy Poodles as pampered favorites during the reign of Louis XVI at about the same period.

There is a wonderful history of water dogs in art at the Ariosa Dogs - Spanish Water Dogs website, a breeder of Spanish Water Dogs (Perro de Agua Espanol.)

During the 18^th and 19^th centuries the smaller Poodles, bred down from the Standard, became favorites in the courts of Europe, just as the Bichon had done (See About Bichons).

ONE POODLE THREE KINDS [OR FOUR?]

The Poodle is one breed.  But there are three sizes of Poodle recognized by the American Kennel Club (“AKC”): the Standard Poodle; the Miniature Poodle; and the Toy Poodle.  Samuel’s Best Friend is a Standard Poodle.  Many consider the Toy Poodle a distinct dog from the Standard and the Miniature Poodles.  The AKC does not.  For now, anyway.

Brown Standard Poodle. Photograph Courtesy Shiloh Garden.

Silver Beige Miniature Poodle with Apricot Miniature Poodle - Toy Poodle Cross.

However, there are four sizes of Poodle recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale, see below, including the Moyen, an intermediate size between the American Standard Poodle and the American Miniature Poodle. [See the table below.]

Black Moyen Poodle. Courtesy Sapphire Mountain Miniature & Toy Poodles.

There does not appear to be concensus on whether non-Poodle genes were involved in the creation of the Miniature and Toy Poodles; or whether they were bred by selectively breeding from smaller and smaller Standard Poodles.  While the Toy Poodle does, in some ways at least, appear to have a somewhat different personality than, for example, the Standard Poodle, it is not difficult to see how such differences could be created by size alone.  [Sometimes loosely referred to as "small dog syndrome."]

AKC: SIZE DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN THE THREE KINDS OF POODLE

In the USA, the only AKC distinction between the three Poodles is the height at the shoulder.  The AKC standard for the breed requires that the Standard Poodle measure above 15 inches at the withers (adult shoulder); that the Miniature Poodle measures more than 10 inches and less than 15 inches at the withers; and that Toy Poodle measures less than 10 inches at the withers.

Apricot Standard Poodle. Courtesy Shiloh Garden.

Only the Fédération Cynologique Internationale describes a maximum size for Standard Poodles.  While there are no AKC weight standards for Poodles, weights of appropriately-sized Standards are typically in the 35 – 75 lb range. 

The following table shows the comparative breed standards for the Poodle in different countries, and under the Fédération Cynologique Internationale.  See below.  The Federation is an international kennel club authority representing numerous mainly European countries which sets standards for and recognizes dog breeds.  It has about 80 members and contract partners (one member per country) that each issue their own pedigrees (rules about how each type of dog should look) and train their own judges.

Thus, the main difference between AKC and European breed standards, is the European recognition of a distinct, moderately-sized dog, the Moyen, or Medium, Poodle.

Moyen Black Poodle. Courtesy Sapphire Mountain Miniature & Toy Poodles.

At 16-18 inches, the dog above is too tall for an American Miniature Poodle.  But, since the height of the European Moyen Poodle (14 – 18inches) lies between the height of the American Standard Poodle (Over 15 inches) and the height of the American Miniature Poodle (10 – 15 inches.), in Europe, this dog would be classified as a Moyen Poodle.  

AKC & UKC CLASSIFICATIONS

At present, the Standard Poodle and the Miniature Poodle are classified by the AKC in the Non Sporting group of dogs.  Given the Poodle’s origins as a water retriever, and the active participation of many modern Poodles in hunting and retrieving, many Standard and Miniature Poodle aficionados feel that Standard and Miniature Poodles should, more appropriately, be classified with the Sporting Group.

In the UK [UKC] the Standard and Miniature Poodles are classified in the Utility Group.

ROYAL TEACUPS? TINY MINIATURES? AND OTHER FAUX MISNOMERS? 

The AKC does not recognize any sizes of Poodles other than those described above.

Thus, references to “Giant Poodles”, “Royal Poodles”, “Imperial Poodles”, “Teacup Poodles”, “Tiny Teacup Poodles” and any type of Poodle other than the Standard, the Miniature and the Toy, should be seen for what they are: generic terms, with no precise meaning, used primarily for marketing dogs that do not confirm to any breed standard, to those unfamiliar with the breed.

FRENCH POODLE?  NON?

Similarly, there is no such thing as the “French Poodle.”  Although, perhaps it is the enduring popularity of the Poodle in France, where the breed continues to be held in great esteeem and viewed with particular affection, that lead to this misnomer.

There is, in France, a French breed of dog called the Caniche.  The name may be derived from the French words for “dog” and “duck.”” (chien, canard). 

The Caniche is the Poodle.  All Poodles are called Caniches in France. The size of the Poodle is then further designated by the words for large (grand), medium (moyen ) [this is a size which does not exist under the AKC], miniature (petit or nain) and toy. The  Beautiful Grey Poodles website has a good list of all the different terms used to describe the different sizes of Poodle.    

In France, the medium sized Poodle (the one which is not recognized by the AKC) is considered the Standard Poodle.  This is a dog of about 16 to18 inches at the shoulder and approximately twenty-five to thirty pounds. 

Black Moyen. Courtesy Sapphire Mountain Miniature & Toy Poodles.

Breeders in the USA, with European ties, will sometimes describe their smaller Standard Poodles, loosely, as Caniches, just adding to the confusion. 

The larger Poodle, which is called the Standard Poodle in the USA, is also sometimes referred to as the Caniche Royal in France.  This is perhaps the origin of the incorrect use of the term ”Royal” to describe Standard Poodles in the USA. 

Thus, the Caniche Royal is a Poodle.  And it is, of course, French.  Because it is a French breed of dog.  But it is not  a “French Poodle.”  It is a Caniche Royal. 

The French used the larger Poodle for duck hunting, and the mid-sized Poodle to find truffles. [The Truffle Dog.]   Truffle hunting was widely practiced in England, and later in Spain and Germany, in addition to France, where the edible fungus has always been considered a delicacy. For scenting and digging up the fungus, the smaller dogs were favored, since they did less damage to the truffles with their feet than the larger kinds.   And it has been rumored that a terrier was crossed with the Poodle to produce the ideal truffle hunter. 

The tiny Toy Poodle‘s main job seems to have been to serve as a companion to the aristocratic and wealthy. Well-to-do owners in the Renaissance often carried their Toy Poodles in their large shirtsleeves, leading to the nickname “sleeve dogs.”

In later years, Toy Poodles, like Bichons, excelled as circus dogs.  Partly, for sure, because of their naturally playful nature and their remarkable ability and willingness to perform tricks.  But also, no doubt, because, as very small dogs, they were much easier to control and manipulate than, say the Standard Poodle.

GERMAN POODLE? NEIN?

The AKC takes the position that the Poodle is a German dog.  It has been thought that the word “Poodle“  comes from the old German expression pfudel which means puddle, thus expressing the dog’s ties to water and water activities.  A similar water connection is demonstrated by the common German expression pudelnass, which means soaked to the skin, or, literally, “as wet as a Poodle“.

But, not only is the Poodle not French.  Neither does it appear to be German – at least, not exclusively so.

EUROPEAN POODLE?

The French referred to the most likely Poodle progenitor as the Barbet (“Water Spaniel”.) 

Barbet: Credit: http://bbfrenchtreasure.free.fr/

Perhaps the name,  Barbet, evolved because of this dog’s pronounced beard.  [The French  for a beard is une barbe.]   But the word tends to be used for any hairy dog.  See also:  http://bbfrenchtreasure.free.fr/

Barbet. Credit: http://bbfrenchtreasure.free.fr/

The Russians used an equivalent name, “Barbosses.”

In Italy, to this day, the Poodle is called the “Barboncino” or ”Barbone” (the Italian translation of Barbet).

Thus, the Poodle was clearly a European dog, neither exclusively French, nor exclusively German, which appeared in many of the countries of northern, western, southern and eastern Europe.

 There also appear to have been Poodle type dogs in Asia. 

ORIGINS: WATER DOGS AND WATER SPANIELS?

Ultimately, the Poodle is an ancient dog, whose true origins are almost certainly lost in the annals of antiquity.  It is one of the oldest breeds developed for hunting water birds. 

However, it does seem clear that the Standard Poodle is the original Poodle. 

And there seems little doubt that the Poodle is the dog that was originally called a “Water Dog”, and later the “Water Spaniel.”

“Water Dogs,” bearing a remarkable resemblance to the modern Standard Poodle, appear frequently in European artwork of the 15^th to 17^th centuries.  Typically, the dogs are shown working in or around water. 

Water Dog, 1621, Markham

These “Water Dogs” had wider heads, shorter noses, and rounder eyes that many of today’s Poodles. 

White Poodle in a Punt George Stubbs 1724-1806 ca.1780. Courtesy of the National Gallery of Art (http://www.nga.gov/), Washington, DC; Paul Mellon Collection, 1999.80.22.

However, it should be noted that the long and narrow-headed Poodle with almond-shaped eyes, and a slender physical profile, typical of today’s show Poodles, is not the exclusive physical type amongst Poodles, even today.

There does not appear to be significant evidence that the “Water Dog” was used more widely in Germany than elsewhere, as some have suggested.  On the contrary, the “Water Dog” was bred throughout Europe for general work in and around water, again suggesting the widespread distribution of this type of dog throughout Europe. 

Brown & White Norfolk (Water) Spaniel

George Stubbs  1724-1806

And the case can be made that the Poodle also has origins in the sheep protecting and sheep herding dogs of, primarily, Eastern Europe.  With a white curly coat, such a dog could not be distinguished from the sheep it was protecting, by predatory wolves.  But, it could easily be distinguished from a wolf, by the shepherd.

MODERN WATER DOGS AND WATER SPANIELS: POODLE COUSINS

Modern descendants of the Water Dog and the Water Spaniel, include the Portuguese Water Dog,  the Spanish Water Dog and the Irish Water Spaniel.  All three bear a marked similarity to the Standard Poodle in appearance and personality.

See About Portuguese Water Dogs, and About Irish Water Spaniels.

There is also excellent information about the history of Spanish Water Dogs at the website of Spanish Water Dog breeder,  Ariosa Dogs – Spanish Water Dogs at http://www.ariosa-swds.com/aboutmydogs.htm.

NORTH AFRICAN PROGENITORS?

Other historians think that one of the Poodle‘s ancestors is the North African Barbet, which was imported to the Iberian Peninsula,  and thence to Gaul where it was used for hunting.

ASIAN ANCESTORS?

Some also believe that the German Water Dog is descended from Asian herding dogs.  Or,  that the Poodle is descended from dogs that were brought out of the Asian steppes by the conquering North African Berbers and eventually found his way into Portugal in the 8th Century with the Moors.

Clearly, the ancestors of the modern Poodle were widely dispersed in space,  time and occupation.

RECENT HISTORY

By the 19^th Century the popularity of the Poodle as a water retriever had declined, perhaps in response to increased specialization amongst working Water Dogs in general. 

 At the same time there was increasing interest in developing show Poodles.  The English Kennel Club registered their first Poodle in 1874; the American Kennel Club, in 1886. 

In addition, there was increased focus on the smaller, Miniature Poodle.

All of these influences lead to a focus on the AKC show standards for the breed and the resulting redefinition of the Poodle physical type and the Poodle’s job, leading, eventually, to a misconception, among many, of the Poodle as nothing but a frivolous, impractical, show dog.

In the 1930s there were less than one hundred registered Poodles in the USA.  However, by the 1950s that number had increased dramatically and the Poodle had become the most popular breed in the USA, a position  it retained for approximately twenty years. 

Recent years have seen a resurgence of interest in breeding and training Poodles back to their origins, for example, as hunters and water retrievers.  Many of these dogs compete successfully in field and Water Dog trials.  

Samuel’s Best Friend comes from a line of hunting and retrieving Poodles.  And it shows.  (He was a hard-wired retriever at 8 weeks of age.) 

Apricot Standard Poodle from Hunting Line. Courtesy Shiloh Garden.

Modern Poodles also excel in Agility, Herding and Obedience work in addition to wonderful work as Service Dogs, and Therapy Dogs.

Black Standard Poodle. Courtesy High Falutin' Poodles.

GENES

The gene pool for Poodles is limited.  This places the dogs at risk for any genetically linked defects and diseases in the breed.  For this reason, particular attention must always be paid to the the breeding lines of any Poodle purchased from a breeder.  

Breeding lines of registered dogs can be tracked on the AKC website.  One tool used to measure the degree of inbreeding in a specific dog is the Coefficient of Inbreeding.

Versatility in Poodles is an American organization committed to addressing this problem.   Breeding lines of dogs who have been (voluntarily) registered with this group can also be tracked on their website.

APPEARANCE

Historically, the Poodle was not bred to be a pretty dog. It was a working dog.  Large Poodles guided blind people, pulled travelling entertainers’ wagons, worked as guard dogs, and were used by the military.  Medium-sized Poodles also worked herding sheep,  helping fishermen, and searching for  truffles.

Remarkably, most modern Poodles still possess all these capabilities, amongst many others.  For example, today, Poodles are used to make customs inspections in France.

The Poodle is a square dog, as long as it is tall.    The legs are straight.  Movement is flowing.  These dimensions contribute significantly to the typical Poodle physical type and its easy, springy gait. 

In addition, the Poodle has a deep broad chest.   Like the Poodle, of unknown pedigree, below.

Madame Felix's Poodle Sir Bevys.

As a result, like other deep chested breeds, the Poodle is at significantly increased risk of  Gastric Dilation (Bloat) with Volvulus (Torsion) otherwise known as GVD.   This is a potentially deadly disease that can kill within hours. 

All Poodleowners should seek immediate veterinary advice and information regarding GVD/Bloat/Torsion. 

All Poodle owners should be sure they are familiar with all possible symptoms/indications of this cluster of related conditions and with possible contributory factors. 

COAT

The original Poodles were Black or White. 

White Standard Poodle. Courtesy Highfalutin' Poodles.

Black Standard Poodle. Courtesy Shiloh Garden Standards.

Photograph Courtesy Shiloh Garden.

Black Standard Poodle Puppy. Courtesy Shiloh Garden.

Often a mixture of the two. 

Parti Poodle Puppy. Courtesy High Falutin' Poodles.

Even Brown was a disfavored color.

Brown Standard Poodle Puppy. Courtesy High Falutin' Poodles.

Brown Standard Poodle. Courtesy Shiloh Garden.

Modernly, the following colors are acceptable to the AKC: Black, White, Brown, Blue, Gray, Silver, Cafe-au-lait, Apricot, Cream, Red and Silver Beige.

Apricot Standard Poodle Puppy

For the AKC, at the skin, a Poodle’s coat must be an even and solid color. In Blues, Grays, Silvers, Browns, Cafe-au-Laits, Apricots and Creams the coat may show varying shades of the same color. This is frequently present in the somewhat darker feathering of the ears and in the tipping of the ruff.

Red Standard Poodle

While clear colors are definitely preferred by the AKC, natural variation in the shading of the coat is not to be considered a fault. Brown and Cafe-au-lait Poodles have liver-colored noses, eye-rims and lips, dark toenails and dark amber eyes. Black, Blue, Gray, Silver, Cream and White Poodles have black noses, eye-rims and lips, black or self colored toenails and very dark eyes. In the Apricots, while the foregoing coloring is preferred, liver-colored noses, eye-rims and lips, and amber eyes are permitted, but not desirable.

Standard Poodle Family carrying Black, Red & Apricot Genes. Courtesy Shiloh Garden.

Given the number of genes involved, the genetics of Poodle coat color are highly complex.  It should come as no surprise then that, given the number of coat colors possible in the Poodle, as one might expect, many Poodle puppies are born with multi-colored coats. 

Black & White Parti-Poodle. Courtesy High Falutin' Poodles.

Multicolor-coated Poodles were de rigeur in artwork depicting Poodle progenitors in the 15th through 19th centuries, most of them appearing to be Black and White parti-colors.

Modernly, the AKC simply takes the position that: “Parti-colored dogs shall be disqualified.” 

One is left to wonder about the consequences of this edict for those Poodles who, genetically, quite naturally, end up with more than one color “at the skin,” viz. the Parti-Colors or Parti-Poodles. 

Parti Poodle Pup. Courtesy High Falutin' Poodles.

Some breeders who have chosen to ignore the  AKC position, are working, through careful and ethical breeding, to raise the standards of  the parti colored poodle.  High Falutin’ Poodles is one such breeder.

Perhaps.  However, paintings of curly-haired hunting dogs in previous centuries, who have every appearance of being  the progenitors of the later Standard Poodle, do not seem to have exhibited any of these odd haircuts at all.

This writer, for one, is unpersuaded.

GROOMING OF THE POODLE

Caution!  This section includes photographs of Poodles who were severely abused by a complete lack of grooming amongst other forms of abuse.  These photographs are disturbing.

Regardless of the haircut, the Poodle’s dense, warm, curly coat requires very regular grooming – both brushing and clipping.  Six weeks is probably the maximum time that a Poodle can go between full and complete grooming and haircutting sessions – with regular brushing and matt removal in between.  Dogs active in the outdoors will require more frequent and rigorous grooming schedules.

While few will get rich grooming Poodles, it is a time consuming, and therefore expensive process, if you pay someone else.  If not, it will be time-consuming for the Poodle owner who decides to do it themselves.

Anyone who cannot afford the time, or the money, or both, to fully groom a Poodle at a minimum every six weeks, should not get a Poodle.  Period.  It is no coincidence that one of the hallmarks of Poodles and Poodle Mixes coming into rescue is their severely matted and otherwise neglected hair.  This has far greater consequences for the Poodle’s health that the merely cosmetic.

Here is a photograph of a beautiful Standard Poodle one day before she came into rescue.

Here is the same dog, a few weeks later, after removal of all the matted hair, numerous baths, appropriate remedial care, and some foster home TLC.

The following Standard Poodles were photographed after being removed  from an AKC-registered breeder of Standard Poodles in California.  The condition of their hair is symptomatic of the horrendous abuse these dogs, and many others, suffered at the hands of their AKC registered breeder-owner.  Photographs courtesy of Susan Wilson.

PERSONALITY

A healthy, genetically sound, Standard or Miniature Poodle  is typically confident, energetic, intelligent, playful, sociable without being demanding, good with children, and an excellent guard dog.  

Standard Poodles at Play. Courtesy of Shiloh Garden Standards.

While most Poodles positively exude exhuberance, joi de vivre and elan, they should have the ability to remain calm, quiet and steady when called for. 

Courtesy Highfalutin' Poodles.

Some Poodle aficionados divide the breed into two major personality types: the Clowns and the Dignified Poodles.  Certainly, there are excellent Poodles of both these personality types.  But, more typically, most Standards and Miniatures seem to possess all these traits together, and to have the good judgment to use them appropriately - most of the time, anyway.

It goes without saying, that a rescue dog is unlikely to exhibit the kind of breed profile set forth above, at least, initially.  Some do, but it would not be the norm.  Most rescue dogs have been neglected in various ways.  Some, like Samuel, have been severely abused.

And, of course, not all individual dogs will conform to the typical breed profile anyway, in this case, the profile of the “typical Poodle. ”  Because Poodles are, like us, individuals.  Dogs should always be assessed and evaluated on an individual basis, whether they are coming from a breeder or from rescue.

And, equally obviously, the handler plays a major role in any individual dog’s behavior.  A bad handler can ruin a fabulous dog, to the extent that the dog will require months, maybe even years, to be rehabilitated.  Like Samuel.

Poodles are highly intelligent, very social dogs.  Anyone who wants a dog to leave in the backyard (with or without access to the garage or the kitchen or the laundry room) or the back of a truck, should find an inanimate object.  Not a dog. 

Anyone who wants a status symbol or a decorative artifact should buy a new car or some artwork.  Not a Poodle.

Many Poodles require a significant amount of exercise.  Samuel’s Best Friend is one of them.   As is Samuel.  Petite thought he is, Samuel has boundless energy.  However, many other Poodles are more adaptable  and flexible in their exercise requirements.

All Poodles require an active, busy, intellectually challenging, socially rewarding life.  Without it they will not thrive.  Without it they will try to compensate.  Without it they will be a problem.

The uninformed Poodle handler who tries to bully or browbeat their frustrated Poodle will fail, completely.  They will also, likely, do untold damage to their dog.   Who may well end up in Rescue.