Poodle Poodle

A model of adaptability and sociability. A big softie who always needs a kind word or a cuddle, and can't stand being left alone. A dynamic dog, like a spring in his step, very playful, always full of energy. Mix it all together and you have the perfect companion, calm, affectionate, or energetic depending on his owners' mood and living conditions.

Of course, the picture isn't always so idyllic, because we can't ignore the fact that the poodle is the most common type of dog in France and therefore too often bred haphazardly, both in terms of physical appearance and temperament. It's ultimately a miracle that we don't encounter more unstable and atypical poodles.

The breed is renowned for its remarkable intelligence — the notion of intelligence in dogs being variously understood, let us specify that here it essentially refers to the ability to learn.

This is because it has been selected for this purpose for a very long time. Let us first remember that its ancestor is the Barbet, which was as much a hunter and herder as a water dog, which could only have developed a great adaptability.

The poodle was also a famously clever dog. In short, it inherited a great predisposition to do everything a dog can do. But isn't the most difficult canine profession that of a companion and apartment dog? Leading a blind person, jumping over obstacles

Or through a hoop, nothing could be easier. But having to decide on your own which routine to play each day, a routine learned and perfected without any help, that's something else entirely.

The breed is divided into size varieties suited to different situations. Despite its name, the toy poodle is not a toy. It's not really suitable for a family with children, as it often tends to compensate for its small size with an extra dose of character and willpower. The miniature poodle is easier to live with, and the standard poodle is also a real little athlete, equally at home in an apartment, a house, or the countryside. As for the standard poodle, sometimes called the "royal," it's the poodle in superlative form. Those who prefer a larger breed find in its size a hunting or guard dog all the energetic, affectionate, adaptable, and eager-to-learn qualities that characterize the poodle. And if it hasn't yet become a star, it's due to the grooming requirements that come with its size, nearly 60 cm at the withers, because, of course, the larger the poodle, the more sought-after it becomes.

Its fur is so dense and long that one cannot simply ignore it. From there, all sorts of creative possibilities are open and have indeed been explored. But let us remember that it remains, first and foremost, a dog—and even a well-built one—whose hunting origins can still be discerned.

While the coat, its colors, grooming, and maintenance often capture attention, it's important to remember that there's a dog underneath. A well-built dog with balanced, elegant lines, but without exaggerated refinement. The harmony of its physique is most evident in the medium and large breeds, whose athleticism is immediately apparent, but small and toy poodles are also built for movement. Regardless of their size, poodles move, but with lightness.

Not only do they move, but they skip and jump: they're like they're on springs. This energetic state isn't just a state of mind and nervous energy, it's physical!

Let's take a closer look at the head, very elegant and refined, but not underdeveloped, with its typical frontal furrow, very visible occipital crest, and barely perceptible stop. The eyes are not round, but slightly slanted, almond-shaped. Eyes that shine like jet, except in brown poodles with amber eyes. The poodle has almost forgotten its hunting past, but its well-developed nose, with wide-open nostrils, and its long, low-set ears betray its true hunting origins. Of course, its very curly and very thick coat, extraordinarily abundant, lends itself to all sorts of styles. Every era has had its fashion. There was a time when the corded poodle was a must-have. Today, it is so rare that one wonders if it will disappear altogether. It was also seen dressed as a Zouave, a Zazou, with macarons, at seaside baths—the bathing suit being renamed "Saint-Tropez" or "Bermuda" in the 60s and 70s—or with a hollandaise sauce. In its German version, it was the Royal Dutch (rzc), characterized by large "boleros".

In 1981, the classic, or continental, cut was joined by the English cut, featuring a topknot on the head and a rear end that is no longer bare, but sculpted into pom-poms. For about ten years, this English cut has evolved into the "puppy" cut, with the front and hind legs wearing trousers. In fact, there is now only one pom-pom, on the tail. Show and street poodles have ultimately evolved in parallel towards greater simplicity—except that show poodles have an exaggerated topknot that rests on a more discreet coat. But with more or less hair, depending on whether it is destined for show or to live a normal life, why shouldn't the poodle remain a dog with balanced proportions, capable of showcasing its vitality and dynamism?

Its fur is so dense and long that one cannot simply ignore it. From there, all sorts of creative possibilities are open and have indeed been explored. But let us remember that it remains, first and foremost, a dog—and even a well-built one—whose hunting origins can still be discerned.

While the coat, its colors, grooming, and maintenance often capture attention, it's important to remember that there's a dog underneath. A well-built dog with balanced, elegant lines, but without exaggerated refinement. The harmony of its physique is most evident in the medium and large breeds, whose athleticism is immediately apparent, but small and toy poodles are also built for movement. Regardless of their size, poodles move, but with lightness.

Not only do they move, but they skip and jump: they're like they're on springs. This energetic state isn't just a state of mind and nervous energy, it's physical!

Let's take a closer look at the head, very elegant and refined, but not underdeveloped, with its typical frontal furrow, very visible occipital crest, and barely perceptible stop. The eyes are not round, but slightly slanted, almond-shaped. Eyes that shine like jet, except in brown poodles with amber eyes. The poodle has almost forgotten its hunting past, but its well-developed nose, with wide-open nostrils, and its long, low-set ears betray its true hunting origins. Of course, its very curly and very thick coat, extraordinarily abundant, lends itself to all sorts of styles. Every era has had its fashion. There was a time when the corded poodle was a must-have. Today, it is so rare that one wonders if it will disappear altogether. It was also seen dressed as a Zouave, a Zazou, with macarons, at seaside baths—the bathing suit being renamed "Saint-Tropez" or "Bermuda" in the 60s and 70s—or with a hollandaise sauce. In its German version, it was the Royal Dutch (rzc), characterized by large "boleros".

In 1981, the English cut was added to the classic, or continental, style, featuring a topknot on the head and a rear end that is no longer bare, but sculpted with pom-poms. For about ten years now, this English cut has evolved into the "puppy" cut, with the hind and forelegs wearing trousers. In fact, instead of pom-poms, there is now only one, on the tail.Show and street poodles have ultimately evolved in parallel towards greater restraint—except that show poodles have an exaggerated topknot that rests on a more discreet coat. But with more or less hair, depending on whether it is destined for show or to live a normal life, why shouldn't the poodle remain a dog with balanced proportions, capable of showcasing its vitality and dynamism?