is a very old hunting dog from Europe where the coat was clipped so that the dog could swim more easily when retrieving from the water.  Germany, Russia and France all had their poodles.

As early as 30 A.D., dogs that resembled poodles appeared in carvings on Roman tombs and on Greek and Roman coins.  By the fifteenth century, references to poodles appeared in both writing and art.  The art from that time shows the poodle in trims similar to today's trims.  It is recognized that the three countries that had the most to do in making the poodle as we know it is Russia, Germany and France.  The Russian poodle was long and thin in body, very much like a greyhound.  The German poodle was a much thicker and wide set dog with a very dense coat.  And it is here that the two coat types were noted, curly and corded.  The poodle got his name from the German word Pudel, meaning to "splash in water."  The first written reference to the poodle was dated back to 1642.  It was the French people who valued the dog to such an extent that he became the national dog of that country.  The French called the poodle, Caniche.  He was a large dog and was used for duck hunting.  It was also the French who introduced clipping the poodle into patterns to protect the joints in cold water from getting too stiff.

began to achieve popularity in Britain by the end of the 19th century.  The first poodle was registered with AKC in 1890, but was not really popular until the mid 1940's.

By the 1980's they had become the most popular breed in America and maintained that distinction for an unprecedented 23 consecutive years.  By 1994, the poodle was the 5th most commonly registered breed by AKC.

Poodles are always ready to demonstrate just how versatile they can be and how ready and willing they are to work.  Below are a few of the performance areas one can explore with their poodle.
Agility Obedience Rally WC/WCX Hunting Canine Good Citizen Poodles in Performance Sports Tracking

AGILITY ... Agility first was seen at Crufts Dog Show in London, England in 1978 as spectator entertainment between events.  It was patterned after equestrian show jumping events and was such a huge success that the sport evolved and became the world's fastest growing dog sport.  The agility ring allows handler and dog to run full speed, while having to perform accurately and safely on A-Frames, Dog Walks, See-Saws and a wide variety of jumps and tunnels.

OBEDIENCE ... Obedience training is the foundation upon which all canine activities are based, whether agility, tracking, search and rescue, service dogs, fieldwork, etc.  Obedience Trials test a dog's ability to perform a prescribed set of exercises on which it is scored.

RALLY ... Rally, is the newest addition to Companion Events.  Rally is a sport in which the dog and the handler complete a course that has been designed by the Rally judge.  The judge tells the handler to begin and the dog and handler proceed at their own pace through a course of designated stations (10-20 depending on the level).  Each of these stations has a sign providing instructions regarding the next skill that is to be performed.

WORKING CERTIFICATE - WORKING CERTIFICATE EXCELLENT TRIAL ... The purposes of these Certificates are to test the natural working ability of the Poodle and to demonstrate his interest in birds, his ability to take direction from the handler, his marking ability, his willingness to enter the water and his trainability.

HUNTING TESTS ... Hunting tests evaluate a dog's hunting abilities.  Standard Poodles are eligible for retriever hunting tests.  The dog's ability to perform is judged against a standard of perfection established by the AKC regulations  Every dog can be a winner.

CANINE GOOD CITIZEN TEST ... CGC is a certification program that is designed to reward dogs who have good manners at home and in the community.  The Canine Good Citizen Program is a two-part program that stresses responsible pet ownership and basic good manners for their pets.  TRACKING in the AKC sport of tracking, the dog must recognize and follow the scent of the tracklayer, a stranger that earlier walked a predetermined path, unknown to the dog's handler, leaving articles such as a leather glove for the dog to find.  Tracking is a team sport in the truest sense.  The dog must take the initiative to determine the correct path and lead the handler down the track.  The handler learns to read his dog, and instills confidence in the dog and mutual trust begins between dog and handler.

For more information, contact Poodle Club of America.

Deb & Savannah, "The Flying Poodle", OA, NAJ, CGC