Poodles!

The Poodle is a dog believed to originate from Germany where they were known as “Pundelhund” meaning “splash in the water” dog. Whist the Standard Poodles are commonly known for their German origin, the smaller Toy Poodles became quite popular during the reign of Louis XVI.
There are three different sizes of Poodles. First came the Standard Poodle, which were bred as a retriever, and were used for duck hunting. In the later years, they then went on to breed Miniature Poodles and Toy Poodles.
It was believed that when breeding the Standard Poodle, they would only use the smallest of the litter to breed further blood lines, until they reached the desired size of the Miniature Poodle. These measures were also used to breed the smaller Toy Poodles. Once Gypsy’s heard of the Miniature Poodles, the smaller, yet equally intelligent and strong version of the Standard Poodle, they began breeding them as circus dogs.
Over the years Miniature Poodles have become popular household companions. They have a single layered coat, which doesn’t malt, therefore needs regular grooming. But a bonus to this is that they are considered “Hypoallergenic”. So, whilst they are not 100% allergen free, they would be more suitable for those prone to allergies.

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A Poodles coat needs proper grooming and care, with brushes on a weekly basis to ensure that it does not matt and a groom every 6 – 8 weeks.
There are many different ways to clip a Poodles coat, some a little more extravagant and out there in comparison to others! There is the “Puppy Clip”, which is acceptable for Poodles under 1 year old, however many pet owners these days opt for this clip as it doesn’t expose any skin.
Another of the more “out there” clips is the Continental Clip. This clip is usually confirmation that a Poodle is older than older 1 year and older.
There are many other different clip styles, over 120 to be exact, however some of the other popular ones are; Town & Country Clip, Kennel Clip, Lamb Clip, Summer Clip and the English Saddle Clip.
The benefits of being clipped, especially in earlier times was removing the hair from the lower part of the Poodles body, this was because of the style of coat the Poodles have, which retain water, therefore making them heavier.
Poodles have a beautiful nature, they are loyal, alert and very intelligent, which make them very easy to train. They are also very active, and love to exercise.
These days, whilst they are still popular show dogs the poodle is a very popular family pet as they are great companion dogs and make a great addition to families.