There are no less than a half dozen countries that claim the origins of the Poodle, but the official consensus is that this breed probably originated in France. Even if the French weren't the originators of the breed, there's no doubt that they greatly boosted the popularity of the breed. Because of the intelligence and attractiveness of this dog, the French used them as performers ? leading to the common term ?French Poodle.?

When most people think of the Poodle today, they think of the pampered companion to families and individuals, usually with elaborate cuts, ribbons and painted toenails. That's a fairly common lifestyle for these elegant dogs, but that hasn't always been the case.

More than likely, the Poodle is descended from several water dogs. During the early years of this breed, the dogs were actually working dogs, taught to retrieve. They loved the water ? a trait that emerges with many Poodles today. They were eager to plunge into any waterway in order to retrieve ducks and other waterfowl. They've also been used to perform other tasks. Some reports indicate that these dogs were taught to find truffles.

The Poodle is available in three distinct sizes ? Standard Poodle, Miniature Poodle and Toy Poodle. Other than size, there are only minor differences in the three. Depending on the canine organization in charge, they may even be judged together in dog shows. The Miniature Poodle usually weighs about fifteen pounds. The Toy Poodle, also called a Teacup Poodle, will typically weigh something less than ten pounds. The Standard Poodle is the largest of the three and may weigh up to seventy pounds or more. Many people note that the Standard Poodle is the most even-tempered of the three Poodles. They're typically calmer than their smaller counterparts, though socialization and training play very important roles in what these dogs become. The Standard also seems to require more exercise than the smaller Poodles, though they're very indifferent about what form the activities take.

One of the most often noted character traits of Poodles is their dislike of being left alone. They seem to think they've been abandoned, even if left alone for only a few hours at a time. These dogs will certainly find ways to repay an absent master ? some of them very creative. Returning to find that furniture has been torn up and all manner of havoc wreaked is not uncommon with Poodles. Remember that natural intelligence and it's easy to understand that these dogs don't need to be left to their own devices with nothing to occupy their minds.

Though companion and pet are arguably the most common reasons for owning Poodles, these dogs can still be trained for a myriad of tasks. They are still sometimes used as hunting dogs and may be excellent watchdogs.