and keep them warm. The long hair over the neck, shoulders, ribs and chest protected the heart and added buoyancy while swimming. When the dog emerged from the water with his quarry, the thick woolly mane coat provided warmth. The later fashion of tying up the topknot was also related to the Poodle's retrieving work. The dog could see his quarry better when his forelocks were fastened above his head instead of falling into his eyes, so owners began to use pieces of brightly colored ribbon to tie back the long hair. This custom also permitted the owner to locate or follow a particular dog as it worked in the water.

Although Poodles originally were trimmed for occupational and hygienic reasons, when it became the custom to trim them into more outlandish styles, the flair of the French emerged. In 18th century France, the ability to extravagantly transform a dog's appearance by styling and arranging his hair made the Poodle especially fashionable with the aristocracy. During the reign of Louis XVI (1774-92) the art of Poodle trimming became especially decorative. They cut out coats of arms, lovers' knots and monograms in the Poodles' hair and decorated them with rakish moustaches and imperiales (small pointed beards) or high pompadours similar to those worn by the ladies of the royal court. Corded Poodles made their debut in the show ring in England in 1876. The cords, more than 20 inches long, covered the front legs like a skirt as they hung naturally to the ground. The popularity of the corded Poodle has diminished, but every now and then one will appear in the show ring somewhere in the world.

The Versatile, Modern Poodle

The Standard Poodle, to be shown in the conformation ring, must be over 15" at the shoulder per AKC regulations.  There is with no restrictions on maximum height.  Typically, Standard Poodles are between 21 and 27 inches at the shoulder, with the female being slightly smaller than the male.  The "Royal Standard" is not a recognized breed variety.  The term is merely used as a marketing gimmick to promote the sale of a Standard Poodle who is dramatically over the norm in size.

 

The Poodle today excels in all modern dog sports. The Poodle ring is popular at today's dog shows with spectators standing three and four deep to get a view of the magnificent Poodle in a show coat. The intelligence of the Poodle makes them top competitors in the Obedience ring. Combined with intelligence, the agility, speed and poise of the Poodle keeps them out front of their competitors in agility, disk and fly ball competition.

competitions. Field trial competitors have rediscovered the hunting and retrieving aspects of the Poodle and you will find many Poodles listed among the ranks of master hunters. Many service dog agencies, including Service Dogs International of which Classically Suited Poodles is a subsidiary, have begun to use the Poodle to help the disabled and hearing impaired live more independently.

The Poodle as a Pet

Standard Poodles are capable of achieving anything asked of them from agility, obedience, hunting, therapy, or couch potato, and most of all, being your best friend. The Standard Poodle is a master of all trades and is one of the finest animals any human could ever hope for.

Whatever the Poodle variety, they are well known for their loving nature, intelligence, sensitivity and elegance with the added bonus of the non-shedding coat. The Poodles coat grows much like human hair and grooming should be taken into serious consideration before purchasing a Poodle. The Poodle hair grows and must be clipped every 4 to 6 weeks. Pet trims, with the exception of the Sporting Clip, which may be used in the Stud Dog and Brood Bitch classes, are not permitted in the AKC conformation ring. If you are interested in showing your Poodle, you should be certain to discuss your desire with your breeder at the time of purchase, or before your puppy's first hair cut. They will advise you, or recommend a show groomer who can advise you, on the coat conditioning and trim required to show your dog. For information on the care and grooming of the Standard Poodle coat, Poodle Clipping and Grooming: The International Reference (Howell Reference Books) by Shirlee Kalstone, is an excellent reference.

Standard Poodle Health

The health of the Poodle is a concern, both at time of purchase and long-term.  Genetically-inherited disorders (some which do not manifest themselves for several years) are present in every virtually living creature, and the Poodle, unfortunately, is no exception.  Standard Poodles have been diagnosed with Hip Dysplasia, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, Cataracts, Seizure disorders, Thyroid disorders, Cushing's and vonWillebrand's disease.  Other disorders appear as well including Gastric Torsion (bloat), Sebaceous Adenitis with Hyper-keratosis, and autoimmune diseases such as Addison's disease and Auto Immune Hemolytic Anemia.  For more information on these disease and testing available to determine if the dog has these disease, please see our Poodle Health Page.

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Classically Suited Poodles is a subsidiary of Service Dogs International, a nonprofit corporation