Puppies & Dogs

We are all familiar with seeing poodles that have been clipped and groomed in a number of weird and wonderful ways. In fact, when it comes to showing poodles, specified clips are stated in all kennel clubs’ breed standards. It should come as no surprise that the clipping of poodles is not a new phenomenon. Actually, there are paintings that contain poodles sporting the popular Continental clip as far back as 1533. But where on Earth did this strange tradition come from?

The poodle became a ‘must have’ fashion accessory in France, when French noblewomen became fascinated with the breed and began to style their dogs’ fur in ever increasingly outrageous and flamboyant styles. The breed subsequently became known as the national dog of France and, today, is sometimes called the French poodle. However, the origins of the poodle began in Germany and their bizarre hair cuts were born out of practical necessity.

Working Dogs

The poodle did not begin life as a play thing of wealthy French women with a penchant for decorating animals. Instead, the breed was designed as a retrieving dog. Their name stems from the German word ‘pudel’, which translates as ’splashes in water’ and, perhaps unsurprisingly, is also the source of the English word ‘puddle’.

However, the Germans who needed a dog to retrieve water fowl had a problem, because the poodle required a thick coat to survive the harsh German winters, but when left to grow naturally a poodle’s fur forms long cords that absorb water like a big sponge. Subsequently, the dog’s agility was constrained and their speed of retrieval was greatly effected.

Therefore, poodle owners would clip their dogs’ fur to reduce the amount of water being absorbed and allow the dog to remain light and agile. However, it was necessary to leave the dog with patches of fur unclipped to keep his, or her, internal organs, chest and joints warm in cold weather. Allegedly, a poodle’s top knot was also first used while still working as a retriever. It is believed that the purpose of the top knot was to identify the dog from a distance. Owners would tie a colored ribbon to the dog’s head so that when it was retrieving from the water it was still visible.

And so began the tradition of clipping and grooming poodles, which, as discussed above, really took off in France when the dog became part of Parisian fashion.

Today, there are three varieties of poodle: standard, miniature and toy. All of which are known to model numerous trims from simple maintenance clips to extravagant styles. Some of the more popular poodle styles include the sporting cut, Dutch trim, summer trim, English Saddle, Continental cuts and lamb trim, to name but a few.

Just Eye Candy?

Due to their immaculate appearance, poodles are often regarded as merely a froufrou animal. However, poodles are so much more than just eye candy or an extension of their owners’ fashion sense. On the contrary, the poodle is one of the most intelligent breeds of dog, coming second only to the Border Collie in studies to assess dog intelligence. In fact, the poodle still proves its usefulness as a working dog, as it displays particular talents as a sniffer dog and is used by customs officers to locate contraband. Additionally, poodles are effective hearing dogs, guide dogs and therapy dogs.

Moreover, the poodle is an excellent family pet. Not only are these dogs extremely intelligent, but they are also sweet natured, patient, eager to please and are known to be good with children and other animals.

Samantha Markham is a professional freelance writer. She is writing on behalf of Remeer.com, a high-quality online supplier of pet supplies and gifts, such as Poodle dog breed gifts and dog lover handbags & wallets.

Dogs 101 – Poodle