Poodles

I recently learned an interesting fact about Henry, a dog friend of mine. Henry is a big (or standard) French Poodle. What I found out from his owner is that Henry is not Henri. Poodles did not originate in France.

The name poodle comes from the German word “pudel” or “pudelin” which means to “splash in water”. These dogs are German and were bred to be water retrievers and bring ducks and other waterfowl back to their owners.

The poodle is, however, the national dog of France. But there they are called “Caniche” which means “duck dog”.

Neither is the poodle dog’s distinct hairstyle a French fashion statement. It is rather a matter of form follows function. Less hair makes the poodle a better swimmer, but also more vulnerable to cold water. So the dogs were clipped for swimming, while puffs and pompous were left to protect the joints and vital organs.

And speaking of hair, poodles do have hair, not fur. Fur grows to a certain length and then sheds (all over the place). Hair just keeps growing. People with allergies and extremely tidy folks just love these dogs.

If a poodle wants to enter the show ring, it must have one of three cuts: the Continental Clip, the Modified Continental Clip or the English Saddle. Puppies, however, get the Puppy Clip, which is an even trim over the whole body, no puffs or pompoms.

Two of the most outstanding features of these dogs are their intelligence and their energy. In other words, poodle owners can expect to be outwitted and outlasted.

Here is our friend Henry in action. He is a 52 pound dog who has the heart of a puppy.

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