The origin of the poodle dog breed, also called poodle, is quite controversial. The French claim paternity, but initially the poodle was only one size, what is now the average. It was the English who multiplied the colors and sizes. Other theories would like this breed to come from the north of Germany, others from the north of Italy. The fact is that this dog over the centuries has always been part of the most noble and high-ranking European families as a companion dog.
Initially it wasn’t like that, the poodle was used for hunting, especially ducks, as it could easily bring back to the water. In fact in French the poodle is called “caniche”, a term that derives from “canard” which means duck; in German it is called “pudel” and in English “poodle”, terms that mean precisely swimmer.
It was also used to search for truffles, thanks to its excellent sense of smell and to its small size which facilitated its movements in the undergrowth, and it was thanks to its intelligence and temperament that at the beginning of the nineteenth century it began to appear more and more in circuses. During their employment in circuses, tramps learned amazing acrobatic and intelligence acts; in fact, no other dog has seen such a wide use in shows and exhibitions.
Many testimonies indicate that the tramp has been used in various wars. Even they were very much used as soldier-dogs during the Second World War, in fact in the United States a campaign was launched for the recruitment of quadrupeds for the army and on the poster appeared the image of two poodles.
Today, however, the poodle is mainly a companion dog, suitable for all people, all homes, all types and lifestyles. The real great merit of this breed is the character, and its intelligence has been judged the most acute and lively.
Character of the poodle and poodle dog breed
The poodle is known for its bright, cheerful and gentle temperament that makes it a perfect playmate for children. It is considered to be the second most intelligent dog breed in the world after the border collie, in fact it has an exceptional memory that facilitates its learning.
It is also a dynamic and active dog that loves company and life in the open air. In fact, he loves to walk, jump and run, and this makes him one of the snappiest small dogs and naturally inclined to agility activities. But he still remembers his past as a hunter, so he has a great passion for fetching and above all for water; in fact he swims very happily.
He is very protective of his family which he tends to protect with great courage. For this reason, however, it is generally wary of strangers and is likely to greet them by barking vigorously. For this reason it needs to be socialized as a puppy to get used to dealing with people other than its family.
He has an extremely affectionate nature, especially with his owner, but does not like to be alone for long. He suffers a lot from loneliness and even if he is used to it from an early age he hardly becomes more resistant to loneliness. He gets along well with both dogs and cats, so if he has to be alone for hours every day it is good to think of a companion.
Appearance of the Poodle and Poodle Dog Breed
The poodle and poodle breed is divided into 4 sizes: the giant which has a height at the withers from 45 to 58 centimeters for a weight around 22 kilograms; the medium with a height from 35 to 45 centimeters for about 12 kilograms; the dwarf with a height from 28 to 35 centimeters for a weight of about 7 kilograms and the toy with a height from 24 to 28 centimeters and a weight of about 4 kilograms.
The poodle however is identical in all sizes, the only difference is the size. Its appearance has perfect proportions, elegance and pride in bearing. The gait is light, often the dog jumps. The body is proportionate and longilinear, the paws are well straight.
Also the head is well proportioned and longilinear, elegant with a solid neck which keeps the head high, giving it a sometimes haughty bearing. The eyes are almond-shaped, slightly oblique and usually in specimens with black, gray, white, apricot or red hair is black or brown, while it can be dark amber in brown specimens. The truffle is pronounced and well developed, the ears are quite long, hanging down along the cheeks.
But its peculiarity is its coat, its hair is curly and soft, and lends itself to different types of cut that, in beauty contests is used to enhance the appearance of the animal. Another characteristic of the poodle is that it does not have an undercoat, like most other dogs, therefore it does not have periods of moulting and the hair never falls, on the contrary it grows continuously and it is also hypoallergenic. This also contributes to making this breed particularly suitable for domestic life. The colors of the coat are many: fawn, white, gray, black, apricot, brown, orange.
Care and Health of the Poodle Dog Breed
The poodle is usually blessed with good health and is also very long-lived, for some the longest lived of all. However, they can develop several problems. Dwarf poodles in particular can suffer from diabetes. Another vulnerable point of these dogs are their ears, which tend to be exposed to infections. The life expectancy of the poodle changes according to size, the smaller they are, the longer they live. In fact, if the big ones have an average life expectancy of 12 years, smaller specimens can reach even 20.
As far as the care of the coat is concerned, it needs almost daily care, even of only 5 minutes to prevent the formation of annoying knots in the hair. It should also be sheared regularly, as its coat grows continuously.
It is a rather greedy dog, therefore it is necessary to pay attention to the quantity of food to avoid it getting fat and suffering from health problems.
