Standard Poodle History

The poodle is one of the oldest breeds of dogs, the Standard is the original from which the Miniature and Toy were developed. Poodles with the traditonal shaved rear ends appear on Greek and Roman coins and Roman tombs in the time of Emperor Augustus, around 30 A.D. The first written reference appeared in 1046 in a British parlimentary boadsheet. The poodle was a favorite subject of artists, from the 15th century onwards and probably appears in more works of art than any other dog.

Origin
The name Poodle comes from the German word "pudel," which means to splash in the water and depicts the dogs' affinity for water activity and skill at aquatic retrieval. The Poodle was actually developed in Germany, not France, probably as early as the 15th century. Although France has claimed the poodle as its national dog, the breed was developed in Germany as a large gundog and a water retriever. The modern breed emerged in France, where it performed in circuses and worked as a duck retriever. The Poodle is a descendent of the Canis Familiaris Aquaticus or Water Dog which was found in Europe. Each country had its own name for this type of dog, namely Grand Barbet, Caniche, Mouton and Moufflon in France: Pudel in Germany, and Water Dog in England. Breeds related to the Poodle are the Irish Water Spaniel and Portuguese Water Dog. Original colors were brown, brown and white, white, or black and white. The the parti color poodle was common until breed standards were drawn up.

The poodle as we know it today had its origins in Russia, France and Germany, The dogs from each country were being bred for their duck retrieving capabilities and had curly coats, webbed feet but differed to each other in their thickness of bone. The name Poodle comes from the German word Pudel "to splash in water". The poodle was depicted in French and Dutch paintings as early as 1454. The first print of the poodle was thought to be that done by the artist Conrad Gessner which was produced in 1555. The one thing that can be established is that it has remained true to type for centuries. The Poodle History Project by Emily Cain has a wealth of information as to the origins of the poodle.

The English breeder, Mrs Iondies had a line of parti colored poodles.

The poodle has served man in many ways - a lap dog, water retreiver, guide dog, police dog, cart dog and truffle hunter. As a truffle hunter, the poodle was used to search out and dig up unique flavored fungus sought after and used by French cooks. The poodle's scenting ablitity is second only to the bloodhound.

The poodle's intelligence, readiness to learn and sense of humour made him a talented and entertaining circus performer. This is really the poodle's niche in lfe.

The Kennel Club of England registered its first Poodle in 1874, and the Poodle Club of England was founded in 1876.

The American Kennel Club registered its first Poodle in 1886. The Poodle Club of America was originally founded in 1896.

Poodle History Project