Comments on: Of poodles and Portuguese water dogs

By: Carolyn Nelson

Carolyn Nelson — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:19:03 +0000

I grew up with GSDs and Poodles. Wonderful, smart, athletic and loyal dogs, both. I am always surprised that most people don’t know that the Poodle is, originally (from the human directive standpoint), a birding dog. During the Victorian era, the breed specifications we’ve become accustomed to, were formulated. Some of these specs were truly harmful to the dogs targeted for (re-)design. I.E. – “bull dogs” … Victorian specs bred all boxer/bull dog types toward the smashed face type (can’t breath well) and can’t run well (hobbled, bowlegged action).
On a much gentler side, they mandated a solid color for the Poodle (not a natural state) with a solid black eye requirement.
As I understand it, the regulations will be “allowing” the bulldog types to grow back into their natural and necessary selves. I hope so.
- Joe Poodle

By: Will My Dog Hate Me? » Blog Archive » Dog Grooming and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:35:27 +0000

[...] have gotten a bad rap, as I mentioned early on in this blog: See Of Poodles and Portuguese Water Dogs. Don't be antisociable: [...]

By: Ann

Ann — Thu, 07 May 2009 03:06:42 +0000

Thank you for defending the wonderful poodle, and explaining the traditional cut. Wish the Obamas could have gotten a poodle (hypoallergenic – have hair, not fur, correct?) but I agree that the image is too ‘fancy.’
Love my old poodle, Lacey, a rescue dog. She is about 16 years old. I also had a poodle when I was growing up. They are smart, loving, fun dogs!

By: KZ

KZ — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:26:44 +0000

I grew up with a white poodle — Sam. He was never cut or coifed like a poodle. My mother would feed Sam the same food she fed us. He dined on scrambled eggs, chicken with rice, chopped liver, etc. He would lay by the oven when the liver was baking.

When we ate spaghetti and meatballs so did Sam. She would put a little t-shirt on him which would be splattered with sauce. His dear white face would also have saucy red whiskers.

I miss Sam. He lived to be 15 years old. I was already living away from home when he died but remember hearing my father cry on the phone, something he never did.