Poodle. S. Meyer Clark

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PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

      A Poodle should be as tall from the ground to the top of his withers (shoulders) as he is long from the tip of his chest to his rump. The topline (the line of the backbone from shoulder to hip) should be parallel to the ground. His tail should be carried gaily and sport a full pompon at the tip. Poodle feet are shaved clean, as is the face (with the exception of pet males, who may wear mustaches). Poodle ears are long, full and always free of mats and foreign matter. The top of the Poodle skull is covered by a pompon known as a topknot. This topknot adds height to the dog and a distinctive frame around the bright eyes and long muzzle.

       COAT AND GROOMING

      The Poodle’s coat consists of two types of hair. The outer coat should be thick, wiry and curly. The undercoat must be soft and woolly to provide warmth. Puppies, however, are exceptions. Poodle puppy coats are soft and fine with little or no curl, but often with a slight wave. As the dog matures into adulthood, the coat develops a thick, curly quality. The best way to judge a puppy’s potential adult coat is to look at the parents. If they carry good coats, their puppies will likely possess them too.

      Ever since the first hunters trimmed their retrieving dogs to prevent drowning, the Poodle hairstyle has been a favorite topic of conversation among dog people. Initially, Poodles sported either a Continental clip or an English Saddle clip. Now, hundreds of years later, these are still popular; they are required clips for show dogs.

       Poodles have the most abundant and adaptable coats in the dog world—perhaps in the whole animal world. They do not shed as do most other dogs, but their coats require regular brushing and trimming.

      Puppies under one year of age are shown in a simple trim known as a Puppy clip. Only the face, throat, feet and base of tail are clipped. The tail displays the characteristic pompom at its end. The body coat is lightly trimmed to give it a neat unbroken line for a pleasant appearance.

      The Continental clip has full hair around the chest and rib cage, with shaved hindquarters and legs. Large pompons are sculpted over each hip above the area of the kidneys (optional) and around the ankles for protection from the cold.

      The English Saddle clip permits a short mantle of hair over the hindquarters and full coat from the waist to the topknot and ears. The ankle and knee joints are also protected with pompons.

      All Poodles are given a topknot of hair over the skull that is brushed out and groomed to stand erect in a rounded pompon. Adult dogs must be shown in either the English Saddle or Continental clip; the only exception being competitors in Stud Dog and Brood Bitch classes, for which a Sporting clip is permitted. The English Saddle and Continental are the clips of choice for the conformation ring around the world, except in the UK, where the Lion clip is preferred.

       A Toy Poodle, sporting the Lion clip, the clip in which dogs are shown in the UK.

       Fabuleux the Man in Black sets an excellent example of a well-bred, well-groomed Miniature Poodle.

       A black male, from the Netherlands, perfectly groomed and perfectly poised. Poodles have always remained popular in Europe.

       Although there are dozens of clips used for Poodles worldwide, the Continental and English Saddle (shown here) remain the most popular for Poodle fanciers.

      In the obedience ring, Poodles may be groomed in whatever style their owners desire, as their behavior and willingness to work with their owners are being judged, not their conformation.

      Pet Poodles and those not being shown in breed conformation classes at dog shows are usually groomed in styles designed for ease of maintenance. Often the body hair is clipped short, with the legs trimmed a bit longer. Some male Poodles sport tiny mustaches around the muzzles. The pet style is usually determined by the owner’s willingness and capability to maintain the coat in a well-groomed fashion. In addition, Poodles that spend a lot of time outdoors are usually kept shorter because it’s easier to keep the coat clean when the hair isn’t too long.

      While on the subject of coat, we must mention the fact that Poodles don’t shed or have an odor. Like that of humans, the hair keeps growing, which means that Poodles must be groomed on a frequent and regular basis all their lives. Poodles are highmaintenance dogs, and grooming can be costly and time- consuming. On the other hand, because Poodles do not shed, they are among only a few breeds whose hair will never be found on furniture and clothing, a real advantage. Many people who are allergic to dogs find that they can live without adverse reactions to Poodles because of this phenomenon.

       A black Standard Poodle youngster in show stance. This clip is often called a Puppy clip.

       An elegantly groomed white Standard Poodle in Continental clip with hip pompons.

       A Miniature Poodle in a typical English Saddle clip.

       When the topknot is full, it must be brushed out carefully to stand erect in a rounded pompon.

       COLOR

      Poodle colors are mind-boggling! For the purists, there are three choices: black, white and dark brown. For the more adventuresome, there are literally dozens of other shades, starting with cream to café-au-lait to pale apricot all the way to a deep, rich apricot that sparkles in the sunshine. From there, you can see deeper shades that reach eventually into rich chocolate brown. From coal black, you can descend to a deep gunmetal gray to various shades of plain gray and on toward silver-gray.

      Poodle puppies are often born darker in color than they will be as adults. Gray Poodles, for example, are born black, while dark chocolate puppies usually lighten to a soft milkchocolate shade.

      I have owned Poodles in black, gunmetal gray, light and medium gray, chocolate brown, deep apricot and even light butterscotch. As far as I’m concerned, choosing just the right dog to live with does not depend on its color. There are far more important features to consider than the color.

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