Dog of the week - Poodle
by: jinyu

The poodle, commonly known as their toy version, sized to fit in a purse, actually began its history as a much larger dog in Germany more equivocal to the size of a small horse. The poodle was originally a water dog like the American Water Spaniel or the Portuguese Water Dog and… like water dogs, it had the same warm curly hair to keep it from freezing to death in the water and to make drying a little bit easier. However, this hair caused one major problem for the breed: it made them sink. The spongy hair soaked up water very well and it was soon realized that there had to be something done about it. This is where the unusual cut of the poodle comes from. You see, all unnecessary hair was cut away leaving patches over only the most important parts of the body to keep it warm: the head, the ears, the chest and lungs, the kidney and the ankles. On the tail of the dog, a white puff was also left as a flag to find the dogs in the water. As consequence of this, a poodle will be shown with the tail high and wagging.

The dog was later miniaturized by the French. Now there are three different sizes: the standard, miniature and toy. The standard and miniature are shown in the non-sporting group (a sort of miscellaneous group). The Toy Poodle is shown in the toy group. Poodles are seldom used for water sports now, but it can be an interesting activity for a poodle owner looking for something for their poodle to do. Poodles are also known to be very smart (and very crafty). Training this dog is of the utmost importance and a very good way to bond with your overly intelligent animal.

This dog is recommended for people who have allergies as its unique hair makes it sort of hypo-allergenic. While it is still a dog, the dog does not shed pounds of hair in the same way that say, a golden retriever might. It is also great for people who want an intelligent dog, or a dog in different varieties and colors. However, the personality of a dog is very individual. It is highly recommended to go to a dog show and see the dogs for yourself before making an ultimate decision on any breed. Additionally, going to a show will allow you to potentially meet the reputable breeder that you intend to get your dog from.

So that is the poodle for dog of the week. Stop by next week for a new breed and more dog hunting advice.