This is what the author Louis Sabin said about my kind:
“Even the tiniest poodle is lionhearted, ready to do anything to defend home, master, and mistress.”
First things first. We poodles are beautiful. In the world of dogs, we are the equivalent of mystery, elegance, and luxury. We are simply breathtakingly awesome. Keeping in with the tradition of luxurious living, I’ll let the artist who drew my portrait, talk about us.
Portrait of the Poodle
Portrait: Standard Poodle | Medium: Pen & Ink | Size: 8 inches x 10 inches
Standard Poodles that are also the oldest poodles, were bred in the 15th century in France and Germany.
Standard Poodles are big dogs as compared to the smaller-sized Miniature and Medium Poodles. They were originally working dogs who did the job of retrieving the hunt by going into the water. This is why the French call them Caniche, which means duck dog. Poodles love water and have a thick curly coat which help them stay warm in the cold water.
Today, they are generally associated with haircuts that look fancy, but these fancy poodle haircuts, had a purpose. Their thick coats posed as a hindrance in their agility in swimming, and in the cold water they needed to stay warm. So they were given haircut which kept their fur at the elbow joints and the tail intact. This helped them stay warm and the tail hair also gave them added buoyancy in water. Their special fur-arrangement became characteristic to poodles, and now even though they mostly are companion dogs, their fur is still cut in that special way.
Poodles are known for their intelligence and are very affectionate. They are very comfortable with children and love to play with them. They are agile – so much so that in the first half of the 20th century they were employed by various circuses to perform as clowns. They are known to perform tricks like rope-balancing etc. Their extreme intelligence has resulted in their being the only dogs who can be taught complex skills such as skipping a rope.
Quite like the Collie, Poodles are very sensitive dogs and can get annoyed very easily when ignored completely. They require attention of their owners and enjoy being a family dog. Their size demands that they should be kept in a big home instead of an apartment. Though they do not require heavy workout but should undergo moderate exercise like going for a walk twice a day.
The Standard Poodle’s Physical Attributes:
- Height: 22-25 in
- Weight: 45-75 lb
- Coat: It is in solid colors and generally come in black, brown, blue and white. The dense and curly coat requires regular brushing and clipping of hair.
- Life Span: 10-13 years
- Alternate Names: Pudle,Caniche,Barbone
Some Famous Poodles:
Roly – The Eastenders Poodle
Roly was an apricot color standard poodle who acted in the BBC’s famous soap opera EastEnders. She started acting in 1993 in the serial and acted in many episodes. The show because so popular that Roly was made property of BBC and was given an ID Card. Roly was taken to live with Julia Smith, the producer of the show, at her home in London. Roly and Willy the pug shared a dressing room at Elstree studios.
Real Life Poodle Heroes
Neo:
Buddy:
Buddy, the poodle Saves Seven Year Old Girl From Two Attacking Dogs
Pooh:
Teddy:
Teddy the Toy Poodle Rescues His Young Owner Trapped in a Fire
And finally…
Crazy Fancy Poodle Hair Cuts
Speaking as the K9 Rep of the Poodles, I give those crazy hair cuts a Hind-up! (I’m sure you know what that means.)
AKC Page for Poodles:
Visit this link to seek more information on Poodles on American Kennel Club Website.
Shafali's Pen & Ink Portrait Art 