POODLE

Poodle (standard). breed of dog thought to have originated in Germany. It grew so popular in France, however, that it became the national dog of that country. The poodle was developed as a water retriever, and the distinctive clipping of its heavy coat was initiated to increase the animal's efficiency in the water. The dog has been used as a performer and as a truffle hunter, whose job it was to scent and dig up the edible fungus. An elegant-looking dog, often ranked as one of the most intelligent of all breeds, the poodle has been bred in three size varieties-standard, miniature, and toy. All three are judged by the same standard of appearance, which calls for a well-proportioned dog with a long, straight muzzle, heavily haired, hanging ears, a docked pompon tail, and a characteristic springy gait and proud manner of carrying itself. The coat consists of a woolly undercoat and a dense, wiry topcoat; if allowed to grow, the hair forms ropelike cords, and the dog is called a corded poodle. The coat should be solid, not variegated, and may be any of a number of colours, among them gray, white, black, brown, apricot, and cream. The standard poodle stands more than 15 inches (38 cm); the miniature is 10 to 15 inches (25.5 to 38 cm); the toy is under 10 inches (25.5 cm). Weight variations range from as much as 70 pounds (32 kg) to as little as 7 pounds (3 kg). The standard and miniature poodles are classed by the American Kennel Club as nonsporting dogs, the toy as a toy dog. See the Table of Selected Breeds of Non-Sporting Dogs for further information.