Poodle: Everything You Need To Know!
The poodle is called caniche in French and barboncino in Italian. Secretly considered the national dog of France, there is a lot you don’t know about this fascinating breed.
1. The poodle actually comes from Germany
Despite its French reputation , the poodles come from Germany.
The breed was actually bred to catch ducks. So the standard poodle began over four hundred years ago as a so-called water retriever dog that brought back prey.
2. Throughout history they have been very hardworking animals
Nowadays, poodles are more likely to be associated with wealth and luxury, but they were actually bred to work. Thanks to their thick, curly fur that protects them from the elements, their swimming stamina is excellent. Combined with his great intelligence, that made the poodle an excellent retriever.
They even have a soft mouth that they can use to gently pick up injured or dead prey.
3. The poodle’s fantastic mane has a purpose
Since the breed was made to jump into icy waters, it needed adequate protection. Too much damp fur would make them heavy, which would make swimming difficult for them.
So the hunters strategically cut their fur. The typical cut was intended to protect the vital areas from cold water.
4. There are three varieties of poodle
The poodle is the only breed of dog that comes in three sizes: standard, miniature, and toy. These terms only describe the size of the animal, and the American Kennel Club classifies the three as the same breed.
5. Standard poodles participated in the Iditarod sled race once
The Iditarod Trail sled dog race is an annual event for long-distance sled dogs. It takes place in early March in Alaska, in the United States.
In 1988, a competitor named John Suter took part in the race with a team made up of poodles. But they didn’t fare very well: due to the tangled fur and cold paws, many of the dogs had to stay behind at the checkpoints.
This participation led to a new rule stipulating that only Nordic breeds, such as Siberian huskies and Alaskan malamuts, were allowed to participate. The aim is to guarantee the safety of those breeds that are not made for the extreme cold.
6. The poodle’s fur never stops growing
Unlike other dogs that do a coat change, the poodle’s coat continues to grow. That is why you have to take care of it regularly.
Failure to properly care for the poodle skin can seriously tangle it. For this reason, the poodle is one of the less allergenic and usually odorless dogs.
7. Poodles are very smart
They are one of the most intelligent breeds, surpassed only by the border collie.
Because of their intelligence, they are easy to train, which is why they were often used in circuses in the past. In the 19th century they were particularly fond of dressing them in miniature human clothing and training them to act entire scenes.
8. You can become self-destructive because of nervousness or boredom
Animals of this breed often chew or lick their legs excessively. This can lead to various problems, such as coat loss, wounds, reddened skin or even scratching of the skin down to the flesh.
Some poodles do this incessantly until their legs really bleed. Once the skin is open, infections can occur, which in turn lead to new health problems.
There are several reasons that drive a poodle to this behavior, including nervousness and boredom.
Now you’ve learned about some of the poodle’s unique traits.
