Poodle Dog

The poodle became the most popular dog breed in the United States in 1960 and has retained that position ever since. The dog has a long muzzle and hanging ears; its tail is docked. The coat is long, profuse and harsh. Three varieties are recognized for show purposes; in the United States and Britain or English, standard poodles are more than 38 cm (15 in) high at the shoulder; miniature poodles, from just over 25 to 38 com (10 to 15 in); and toy poodles, 25 cm (10 in) and under. Standard poodles, however, are usually taller than the minimum, and in other countries the divisions may differ. Poodles with more than one color are disqualified from show competition and are usually killed as puppies, but efforts have been made to remove parti-color from the list of disqualifications.

The poodle may have been developd as a retriever of waterfowl in France, where the breed was popularized; or in Germany which gave it its name, pudel, referring to water, or even in Italy of Denmark. Its ancestors may have included the French barbet and the Portuguese water dog. Toy poodle were probably created by crosses of the miniature with the little bichon fries.


The Poodle is among the most intelligent of all dogs. The standard, the largest and oldest form of the breed, was originally used as a waterflow retriever. The miniature, bred from the standard, was used to produce the still smaller toy. The body hair is not as smooth as English Sheep Dog.