Poodle dog

History of origin

From around the XNUMXth century, beautiful curly-coated dogs appear in European court portraits. Even then, the poodle was an invariable attribute of the royal courts and a luxury item. Only royal people could keep these dogs in their homes – hence the established name of the largest variety of this breed – the royal poodle. However, do not think that these beauties are bred solely for aesthetic pleasure. No, they were faithful helpers in hunting water game, and besides, poodles successfully coped with security functions. It is believed that they even served in the royal guard.

But experts still cannot decide on the country of origin, although most researchers still point to Germany, because the word “poodle” comes from the German “puddeln”, which means “slap on the water”. That is, the name directly indicates that initially they were still duck hunters. However, other experts claim that the poodle is a French breed.

But on the one hand, the thick curly hair protected the poodles from getting wet and prickly branches, but on the other hand, it turned out to be a hindrance, because it often got confused and clung to the bushes. Therefore, dogs began to be sheared, which was a turning point in the development of the breed, because sheared, they turned out to be so beautiful that they quickly turned from hard workers into pets. And with the breeding of smaller varieties of the breed – a small, dwarf and toy poodle, they generally took one of the main places in the ranking of the most popular decorative dogs.

However, royal poodles were classified in our country as service dogs back in the XNUMXth century (they were used, in particular, as rescuers) and even participated in the corresponding rings at exhibitions, but small dogs with elegant haircuts firmly took their place among the best circus artists.

Today, despite the abundance and variety of indoor dogs, poodles are still popular, and the breed continues to develop. In particular, new colors have recently appeared.

Breed description

The poodle is a beautiful dog with a rich, curly coat. The body is muscular, moderately lean, the movements are energetic, smooth. The muzzle is of medium length, the back of the nose is parallel to the line of the head, the lips are tightly pressed. The ears are rather large, low set, hanging, the tail is set high, docked at 2/3, like in spaniels (at the request of the owner). Paws are strong, rather high. The eyes are large with an intelligent cheerful look. The coat is long, strongly curly, of two types: corded (spiral curls) and curly. Needs a haircut. Growth varies by variety. In standard or royal poodles, the height at the withers reaches 62 cm, in small ones – 45 cm, in pygmy – 35 cm and in toy poodles – up to 28 cm. 20 cm, but such dogs often suffer from all sorts of deviations and genetic diseases and are not welcomed by breeders.

The classic colors are black (the most common), white and brown, then silver poodles were bred (born black, and by about two years they “turn gray”), red and apricot (“apricot”). Until recently, it was believed that all colors of poodles should be exclusively solid, and any spots were considered as a plembra, but now there is a whole group of such exotic colors as brindle, black and tan (the so-called “phantom”) and “harlequin” (white with black spots). However, often such spotted poodles are classified into a separate sub-breed.

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Character

The poodle is an incredibly smart, kind and funny dog. Moreover, their fun is not destructive and not intrusive – they are simply always happy with the presence of the owners and are ready to do everything that is required of them. Poodles are friendly with everyone (but without familiarity) and behave with dignity – they spent so many centuries in royal palaces not in vain.

However, this is a very social dog that cannot stand being alone, so it should not be turned on by those who plan to spend whole days away from home. The poodle needs to be near his master all the time and serve him, otherwise he will wither away. At the same time, this dog does not particularly need to communicate with other dogs – on walks it usually defiantly ignores its tailed brethren, only occasionally condescending to them from the heights of its royal greatness.

Care and maintenance

The Poodle is a very hardy dog. The only difficulty a poodle owner may face is caring for his luxurious coat. Poodles need to be sheared, even if you are not going to participate in exhibitions or act in films with him. The fact is that these dogs themselves practically do not shed, which, on the one hand, is an invaluable plus for apartment maintenance, but on the other hand, if you do not cut off the growing hair, the dog will soon become like a rope mop. Old, dead hair does not fall out, but falls into untidy dreadlocks, completely covering the dog’s eyes and not allowing it to move normally.

Today, there are many haircuts for poodles, although initially they were always cut “under the lion” – they left hair on the neck and front of the body, as well as cuffs on the paws and a tassel on the tip of the tail. Later, a more complex “modern” haircut appeared, and then the modern “papi” and “English”. They, of course, are performed by groomers, but for every day there are simpler haircuts that every owner can master.

The poodle, like any active dog, needs long walks, while it easily adapts to any climate, so it does not need special clothes in the cold winter.

Education and training

As mentioned above, the poodle is one of the most intelligent breeds. They grasp everything literally on the fly, while being diligent enough to immediately learn and execute commands. Moreover, we are talking not only about the general course of obedience, but also about much more complex sets of actions. The genes of service and hunting dogs and an extraordinary mind make poodles one of the most easily trainable breeds. That is why they are so willing to work with them in circuses, where four-legged artists can dance a waltz, ride a horse, and solve arithmetic problems proposed from the audience.

However, this does not mean that poodles learn everything on their own, so if you want to get a well-mannered dog, start working with your curly friend as early as possible. And in no case do not spoil him, no matter how cute the puppy looks – spoiledness does not paint anyone, neither dogs nor people.

Like many dogs that have hunters in their ancestors, poodles are big fans of picking up scraps on the street. This should be closely monitored and weaned from a bad habit puppy from a very early age.

But in general, training a poodle is an interesting and fun activity.

Health and disease

Poodles are real long-livers among dogs, they rarely live less than 15 years, and small varieties sometimes even live up to 20. However, they also have their own problems that the poodle owner should be prepared for. Firstly, many dogs of this breed are prone to cardiovascular diseases, so it is advisable to ensure that they do not overwork too much and keep poodles in stuffy conditions. Secondly, due to the characteristics of waterproof wool, they may experience skin inflammation or wen. Another common problem of poodles is eye diseases: inversion of the eyelids, glaucoma, cataracts, even loss of vision is possible in old age. Well, it should be remembered that white poodles (as, in fact, all white animals) are often prone to allergies.

But in general, these dogs get sick quite rarely, the main thing is to treat them from parasites in time and vaccinate them.

Word to the breeder

She shared her love for furry friends with us. breeder, RKF expert, owner of the Gently born kennel (poodles) Elena Trofimova: “The poodle is one of the few dog breeds that everyone recognizes – from small to large. As a child, he comes to us from the books “Pinocchio” and “White Poodle” in the form of a wise teacher, protector and devoted friend. Having become adults, tired of life and the constant solution of some problems, we return to this bright image.

The choice is made – and the poodle appears in your house, immediately becoming its particle, a reflection of the life of the family, a mirror of the soul of its owner. The “plasticine” character of the poodle suits both the sociable merry fellow and the sad dreamer. The poodle will accompany you on a walk, listen to music or watch TV with you. The poodle will easily find a common language with your restless children and lovers of cleanliness and peace – grandparents.

The poodle’s coat is unique, it does not shed, it does not have a specific “dog” smell, having poor wettability, it does not allow the poodle to freeze in the rain or snow. The poodle practically does not suffer from colds and easily adapts to any climatic conditions.

Like any other breed, the poodle is subject to the vagaries of fashion. Today, the toy poodle, only 23 – 28 cm tall, has won the hearts of many, becoming fashionable and popular. According to the standard, a toy poodle should be a smaller copy of a large one, that is, it should have a beautiful head and body, thick and elegant hair, and correct movements. This is not easy to achieve, which is why a thoroughbred, high-quality toy poodle is more expensive than other growth varieties.

If you are faced with a choice of what breed of puppy to buy, take a poodle – you won’t regret it!”

А Tatyana Malafeeva owner of the Leggero Danzatori poodle kennel, says about these dogs: “The Poodle is an ideal breed for both family and single people. The poodle is talented and smart, very subtly feels all family members, captures the mood, can predict desire. They are funny and beautiful. They love children and are ready to participate in all games. The more you communicate with the puppy, the more obedient and understanding he will be. Trains easily. If you have bought a puppy, communicate with him as much as possible. And the main thing in care is taking care of wool. If there is no experience, then ask the breeder to show how to properly comb and wash the puppy. They are picky in food, but this is easy to fix if you pamper the dog and treat it from your table. Larger poodles require more grooming and this is a confusing purchase for many.

Poodles in Our Country are of a fairly high level in terms of exterior and are popular with breeders in other countries.”

Irina Alekseevna Leskina, breeder, miniature and toy poodle kennel “Charm” (Moscow city) also shared her thoughts with us: “The first poodle came to me in 1989 – a silver miniature poodle Alya. She had so much charm, charm, intelligence, quick wit, cheerfulness that the hearts of all family members simply melted when communicating with her. What could be better than a poodle? It’s two poodles! And the following year, my red-apricot story began with the appearance of the second poodle, apricot miniature Lotta. It is not in vain that they say that a poodle is not yet a person, but it is no longer a dog either. And that’s right. The poodle enters the heart and soul in such a way that it becomes a friend, a hobby, and a way of life.

The poodle is a companion, an inimitable actor on four legs. This dog is the only one of its kind, invaluable, cheerful, cheerful friend of man, subtly feeling the mood of his master, a toy dog, a guard dog, a guard dog. According to most experts, the poodle is one of the smartest and most capable dog breeds. He lends himself very well to a variety of training, is intelligent and attentive, obedient, has a lively temperament, mobility and dexterity. A wide variety of sizes from 23 cm to 60 cm at the withers, a wide variety of colors: white, black, brown, apricot, red, silver, and now harlequin and phantom – a dog for every taste. And, of course, the poodle is distinguished by beauty and elegance. A well-groomed, beautifully trimmed poodle is not a dog, but a work of art!

Friends, get a poodle! In return for your love, the poodle will respond to you with boundless devotion, help you make many friends and make your life more exciting and interesting.

Popular questions and answers

Answered readers’ questions about poodles cynologist, owner of poodles with extensive experience, Lyudmila Zakharova.