Poodles. More than just a pretty dog face.
Whatever you think you know about poodles, think again. For example, most people think poodles originated in France. Wrong! Poodles are a German breed, the “pudel” – meaning to splash in water. Which makes sense, with the next surprising fact. These cute fluffy dogs were first bred for hunting. Their true calling was to bring ducks and other birds back, through the water, to their masters. And some hunters still use poodles to this day.
If you’re not a poodle owner, you probably think that their outspoken haircuts are a fashion statement. You’d be wrong again, it’s a pure function statement. The haircut was first used to help poodles swim more efficiently, while keeping their joints and vital organs warm and protected.
However, when poodles are competing in dog shows, that’s a different matter. They are allowed three haircuts: the Continental Clip, the Modified Continental Clip and the English Saddle.
When you think of poodles, you think of a small dog, but actually they come in three distinct sizes. There’s the ever so tiny Toy Poodle, the mid-sized Miniature Poodle and the larger Standard Poodle, which can be over 80 cm high. Not small by any stretch of the imagination.
Not only are poodles highly active, they’re also highly intelligent. They have even been employed as guide dogs and assistance dogs for people with other physical disabilities.
This much-loved dog breed has had many famous owners worldwide, including Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy and Walt Disney. More recently, Rihanna, Katy Perry and Patrick Swayze.