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Poodle Dog Breed
The Poodle is a breed of
dog. Toy, miniature, and standard poodles are
distinguished by adult shoulder height. Poodles
come in many colors including black, blue,
white, cream, red, apricot, silver and brown.
They also appear in parti-color, or
multi-colors. While multi-color (parti) poodles
cannot be shown in conformation shows sponsored
by any of the major kennel clubs in the
English-speaking world, or in Fédération
Cynologique Internationale shows, they can be
entered in other dog sports and in the United
Kennel Club show ring, where they are shown
separately.
The Fédération Cynologique Internationale lists
the country of origin as France, but some
experts believe poodles may have originated in
Russia or Iberia; Germany is also frequently
cited, including by the American Kennel Club,
since the breed's English name has German
origins[1]. (The name poodle comes from the
German word pudel, short for pudelhund or means
"splashing dog", reflecting the breed's
development from a water dog; the word pudel is
related to the English word puddle.) However,
most sources concur that the French are
responsible for developing the modern breed into
its current form, and developing the different
sizes. The French name for the poodle is caniche,
referring to ducks and the poodles' water dog
origins.
Poodles are retrievers, or gun dogs, and can
still be seen in that role. Some sources believe
the show clips evolved from working clips, which
originally provided warmth to major joints when
the dogs were immersed in cold water. The rest
of the body is shaved for less drag in the
water. Others express skepticism at this theory
(if poodles need to warm their joints, why do
other water dogs such as Labrador retrievers not
require this same precaution?), instead citing
the French circus as the origin of the
entertaining but highly impractical clips.
Poodles are skilled at most other dog events
including agility, obedience, tracking, and even
herding.
They are elegant in the show ring, having taken
top honors in many shows, including Best in Show
(BIS) at the Westminster Kennel Club show in
2002 and BIS at the World Dog Show in 2007. The
poodle coat is dense and generally does not
shed. As a result, coats in show condition
require extensive trimming and grooming. Most
pet poodle owners prefer simpler cuts that
require less grooming.
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