Welcome to the I Can't Sleep Podcast,
Where I help you drift off one fact at a time.
I'm your host,
Benjamin Boster,
And today's episode is about poodles.
Thanks to Viva for sponsoring today's episode.
She says,
Happy Birthday,
Matt.
Love from Viva and Otto.
The Poodle,
Called Poodle in German,
And the Caniche in French,
Is a breed of water dog.
The breed is divided into four varieties based on size.
The Standard Poodle,
Medium Poodle,
Miniature Poodle,
And Toy Poodle,
Although the Medium Poodle is not universally recognized.
They have a distinctive,
Thick,
Curly coat that comes in many colors and patterns,
With only solid colors recognized by major breed registries.
Poodles are active and intelligent,
And are particularly able to learn from humans.
Poodles tend to live 10 to 18 years,
With smaller varieties tending to live longer than larger ones.
The Poodle likely originated in Germany,
Although the International Canine Federation and a minority of cynologists believe it originated in France.
Similar dogs date back to at least the 17th century.
Larger poodles were originally used by wildfowl hunters to retrieve game from water,
While smaller varieties were once commonly used as circus performers.
Poodles were recognized by both the Kennel Club of the United Kingdom and the American Kennel Club soon after the club's founding.
Since the mid-20th century,
Poodles have enjoyed enormous popularity as pets and show dogs.
Poodles were the AKC's most registered breed from 1960 to 1982,
And are now the FCI's third most registered breed.
Poodles are also common at dog shows,
Where they often sport the popularly recognized Continental Clip,
With face and rear clipped clothes and tufts of hair on the hocks and tail tip.
Most cynologists believe the Poodle originated in Germany in the Middle Ages,
From a dog similar to today's Standard Poodle.
The Poodle was Germany's water dog,
Just as England had the English Water Spaniel,
France the Barbet,
Ireland the Irish Water Spaniel,
And the Netherlands the Vetterhaun.
Among the evidence used to support this theory is the Germanic name for the breed Poodle,
Or Poodle in German,
Which is derived from the Low German word Pudeln,
Meaning to splash.
Numerous works by various German artists from as early as the 17th century depict dogs of recognizable Poodle type.
Some cynologists believe the Poodle originated in France,
Where it is known as the Caniche,
And that the breed descends from the Barbet.
This view is shared by the International Canine Federation.
Others argue that the breed originated in Russia,
Piedmont,
Or Northwest Africa.
Whatever the Poodle's country of origin,
Both their German and French breed names indicate the modern Poodle's ancestors were widely used by waterfowlers,
Both to retrieve shot game and to recover lost arrows and bolts that had missed their mark.
Due to their intelligence,
Obedient nature,
Athleticism,
And looks,
Poodles were frequently employed in circuses,
Particularly in France.
In French circuses,
Poodles were selectively bred down in size to create what is now known as the Miniature Poodle,
Which was known as the Toy Poodle until 1907,
As a smaller-sized dog is easier to handle and transport in a traveling circus.
As circus performers,
The variety was frequently seen performing all manner of tricks,
Including walking tightropes,
Acting out comedies,
And even performing magic and card tricks.
The Toy Poodle was created at the beginning of the 20th century,
When breeders again bred Miniature Poodles down in size to create a popular companion dog.
The last of the Poodle varieties to be recognized was the Medium Poodle,
Which in size is midway in between the Standard and the Miniature Poodle.
Not universally recognized by the world's kennel clubs,
The Medium Poodle is recognized by the FCI and most continental European kennel clubs.
One of the reasons for creating this fourth-size variety may have been a desire to reduce the number of entries of Poodles by variety at confirmation shows.
The Poodle was recognized by the Kennel Club of the United Kingdom in 1874,
And by the American Kennel Club in 1886,
Soon after the founding of both clubs.
In the United States,
Poodles were unpopular until 1935,
When the Poodle Nunso Duke de la Terrasse won Best in Show at Westminster.
Afterwards,
They rapidly gained prominence,
Becoming the AKC's most registered breed from 1960 to 1982.
Since 1935,
Poodles have won Best in Show at Westminster ten times,
The second most of any breed.
As of 2012,
The Poodle was the third most popular FCI-registered breed worldwide,
After the Labrador Retriever and German Shepherd,
With 118,
653 new dogs registered per year from the 25 countries surveyed.
The Poodle is an active,
Athletic breed,
With the varieties differing mostly by size.
The FCI's breed standard states the standard Poodle stands between 45 and 62 cm,
The medium Poodle between 35 and 45 cm,
The miniature Poodle between 28 and 35 cm,
And the toy Poodle 24 and 28 cm.
The Kennel Clubs which do not recognize the medium Poodle variety typically have the standard Poodle between 38 and 60 cm,
And miniature Poodle between 28 and 38 cm,
With the toy variety remaining unchanged.
A healthy adult standard Poodle typically weighs between 20 and 32 kg,
A medium Poodle between 15 and 19 kg,
A miniature Poodle between 12 and 14 kg,
And a toy Poodle between 6.
5 and 7.
5 kg.
Poodles have thick,
Curly coats with harsh fur.
A pet owner can anticipate grooming a Poodle every 4 to 8 weeks.
Poodles are often cited as a hypoallergenic dog breed.
Their individual hair follicles have an active growth period that is longer than that of many other breeds.
Combined with the tightly curled coat,
Which slows the loss of dander and dead hair by trapping it in the curls,
An individual Poodle may release less dander and hair into the environment.
However,
Researchers have generally not found a difference in allergens across breeds.
The FCI and AKC allows Poodles to be shown in the puppy,
Continental,
Lion in the FCI standard,
English saddle,
Or sporting,
Modern clip.
The FCI additionally recognizes the Scandinavian clip.
The most popular in the show ring is the continental clip,
Where the face and rear end of the body are clipped,
Leaving tufts on the hocks and tip of the tail,
And rosettes on the hips.
A similar clip was historically used to prevent the Poodle from getting weighted down by their fur when swimming to retrieve a bird,
While still leaving their joints and vital organs covered.
Pet Poodles are most often clipped similarly to the sporting clip,
Evenly over their entire body,
With the face and paws cut shorter.
In most cases,
Whether a Poodle is in a pet or show clip,
The hair is completely brushed out.
Poodle hair can also be corded with rope-like mats,
Similar to those of a Commodore or human dreadlocks.
Though once as common as the curly Poodle,
Corded Poodles are now rare.
Corded coats are difficult to keep clean and take a long time to dry after washing.
Corded Poodles may be shown in all major kennel club shows.
The Poodle has a wide variety of coloring,
Including white,
Black,
Brown,
Blue,
Gray,
Silver,
Café au lait,
Silver beige,
Cream,
Apricot,
And red,
And patterns such as party,
Abstract,
Sable,
Brindle,
And phantom.
Recognized Fédérations Synologiques Internationales colorations are black,
White,
Brown,
Gray,
Fawn,
Brindle,
Blackened fawn,
Brownened fawn,
Bicolor,
And tricolor.
Recognition of multicolored Poodles varies by registry.
They were common historically,
But became less popular in the early 1900s,
And are excluded from many registries.
The American Kennel Club,
AKC,
Recognizes Poodles in either solid-colored and multicolored coats.
However,
Only solid-colored Poodles may compete in conformation.
A party Poodle has patches of any other solid color over a primarily white coat.
When a party-colored Poodle has black and white markings that resemble those of a tuxedo,
It is called a tuxedo Poodle.
An abstract Poodle is primarily solid-colored,
With patches of white.
Phantom Poodles have a solid main color,
With a lighter color appearing on their eyebrows,
Muzzle and throat,
Legs and feet,
And below their tail.
Phantom Poodles may also have a full face of the secondary color.
Poodles are a highly intelligent,
Energetic,
And sociable breed.
A 1994 book by Stanley Coren ranked them second out of 130 breeds in working and obedience intelligence,
A measure of their ability to learn from humans.
Shyness or sharpness is considered a serious fault in the breed.
The life expectancy of the Poodle varies based on size,
As smaller dogs live longer than larger dogs.
A study in Japan found the toy Poodle to have a life expectancy of 12.
7 years.
A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 14 years for the breed,
Compared to an average of 12.
7 for pure breeds and 12 for crossbreeds.
Poodles were originally bred for waterfowl hunting.
Despite this history,
They are currently classified as companion dogs by the FCI.
Since the late 1980s,
Some breeders in the United States and Canada have been selecting for dogs with drive for birds,
In order to revive the breed for hunting,
With some success.
Poodles are highly trainable dogs that typically excel in obedience training.
Historically,
They were a popular circus dog.
In addition to hunt tests,
They do well in agility and rally.
They are among the most popular service dog breeds.
Poodles have been used as working dogs in the military since at least the 17th century,
Most likely because of their highly intelligent,
Trainable nature.
Their background as a hunting dog makes them suitable to battlefields,
And they can be trained to ignore gunfire.
During the English Civil War,
Prince Rupert of the Rhine,
Had a famous hunting poodle,
Who would ride into battle with his master on horseback.
Napoleon Bonaparte wrote in his memoirs about the faithfulness of a grenadier's pet poodle,
Who stayed with the body of his master at the Battle of Marengo.
A labradoodle is a crossbreed dog created by crossing a Labrador retriever and a standard or miniature poodle.
Labradoodles were intended to be a good choice for people allergic to canine dander.
The Australian Labradoodle Association,
An organization run by labradoodle breeders,
Says they are genetically considered healthy dogs.
Australian breeder Wally Conron introduced the crossbreed to the Royal Guide Dog Association of Australia in Victoria.
Conron hoped that the combination of the low shedding coat of the poodle,
Along with the gentleness and trainability of a Labrador retriever,
Would provide a guide dog suitable for people with allergies to fur and dander.
He hopes the catchy name and claims regarding allergies would offset the stigma associated with mixed breeds,
And thus help him sell his litter.
Sultan,
A dog from this litter,
Displayed all the qualities Conron was seeking and worked as a guide dog for a woman in Hawaii for ten years.
Conron has since repeatedly stated that he regrets initiating the trend for this type of crossbreed,
And maintains it caused a lot of damage and a lot of problems,
Largely stemming from the genetic unpredictability of combining breeds.
Currently,
As with other mixed breeds,
Lapperdoodles are not considered a pure breed or breed by the AKC and other major kennel club associations in North America and across the world.
Technically,
They're a hybrid of two pure breeds,
Rather than a new breed.
In 2010,
The AKC began allowing owners of mixed breeds to register their dogs through an alternative listing program.
To receive an AKC ID number.
Guide dogs,
Victoria,
No longer breeds Lapperdoodles,
Although they are bred by other guide and assistance dog organizations in Australia and elsewhere.
The Association for the Blind of Western Australia has introduced Lapperdoodles into their training program.
Their first,
Johnny,
Graduated in November 2010.
Lapperdoodles are now widely used around the world as guide assistance and therapy dogs.
They are also popular family dogs.
Because the Lapperdoodle is a cross between two dog breeds,
And not a breed itself,
Puppies in the early mixed generations do not have consistently predictable characteristics.
The first crossing of a poodle with a Labrador results in variations in appearance,
Size,
Coat,
And temperament.
So,
While most Lapperdoodles share some common traits,
Their appearance and behavioral characteristics are widely variable.
Lapperdoodles' hair can be anywhere from wiry to soft,
And may be straight,
Wavy,
Or curly.
Lapperdoodles often display an affinity for water and strong swimming ability from their parent breeds.
Like most Labrador retrievers and poodles,
Lapperdoodles are generally friendly,
Energetic,
And good with families and children.
Others are breeding Lapperdoodle to Lapperdoodle over successive generations,
And trying to establish a new dog breed.
These dogs are usually referred to as multi-generational,
Multi-gen Lapperdoodles,
Or multi-generation Australian Lapperdoodles.
Australian Lapperdoodles also differ from Lapperdoodles in general in that they may also have other breeds in their ancestry.
English and American Cocker Spaniel Poodle crosses,
I.
E.
Cocker Poos,
To Irish Water Spaniels and soft-coated Whedon Terriers were used in some Australian Lapperdoodle lines.
Curly-coated Retrievers were used too,
But these lines were unsatisfactory and are no longer used for breeding.
Disagreements with the program have led to some groups continuing with different lines,
As in the case of the Australian Cobber Dog.
Lapperdoodle codes are divided into three categories,
Wool,
Fleece,
Or hair.
Lapperdoodles' code colors include chocolate,
Café,
Parchment,
Cream,
Gold,
Apricot,
Red,
Black,
Silver,
Chalk,
Lavender,
And bluish-gray.
Code patterns can be solid,
White abstract markings,
Party,
Phantom,
Or tricolored.
Lapperdoodles can be different sizes,
Depending on the size of sire and dam used,
And their size names generally follow the names used for poodles,
Miniature,
Medium,
And standard.
Miniature Lapperdoodles typically weigh around 18 to 28 pounds,
Medium around 26 to 45 pounds,
And standard can be from 45 to 75 pounds.
The Goldendoodle is a designer dog created by crossbreeding a golden retriever and a poodle.
First widely bred in the 1990s,
They are bred in three different sizes,
Each corresponding to the size of poodle used as a parent.
Goldendoodles often demonstrate golden retrievers' intuitive and human-oriented nature,
In addition to the intelligent personality and the code of a poodle.
In the 1990s,
Designer dog breeders in Australia and the United States started to widely cross golden retrievers and poodles,
Adopting the term goldendoodle to describe the cross.
The name doodle is also used to describe this crossbreed.
The name goldendoodle is derived from golden,
From golden retriever,
And labradoodle,
Itself a portmanteau of labrador retriever,
And a poodle.
Deliberately breeding poodles with golden retrievers in the country preceded the 1990s.
An example of this was done by Monica Dickens,
The great-granddaughter of Charles Dickens,
Who crossed the two breeds in 1969.
The cross can result in a healthier animal than either of the parent breeds.
The original aim of the goldendoodle's breeders was to produce an alternative to the popular labradoodle.
Initially,
Goldendoodles were only bred from standard-sized poodles,
But designer breeders also started using small varieties of poodles to create a smaller crossbreed.
As they are a crossbreed,
They are not recognized by the AKC,
FCI,
Or British Kennel Clubs.
Goldendoodles have been developed beyond the F1 hybrid.
Golden retriever crossed with a poodle,
And are now available in deeper generations created by crossing two goldendoodles.
These are called multi-generational or multi-gen goldendoodles.
The appearance,
Size,
And coat of goldendoodles can vary considerably according to their breeding generations and what type of poodle parents they have.
While some goldendoodles share common trades,
Each goldendoodle might have its own unique appearance and temperament.
In general,
Goldendoodles have round skulls,
Broad muzzles,
Heavily feathered tail,
Drop ears,
And oval-shaped eyes.
Goldendoodles' retriever parentage makes their body long and muscular,
And likely to have a deep chest and wide stance.
The goldendoodle can be bred from any one of the standard miniature or toy-sized poodles,
The resultant offspring coming in several sizes,
The standard medium and miniature goldendoodles.
The standard goldendoodle typically stands 20 to 25 inches and weighs 51 to 80 pounds.
The medium goldendoodle typically stands 17 to 20 inches and weighs 36 to 50 pounds,
And the miniature goldendoodle typically stands up to 20 inches and weighs 15 to 35 pounds.
The goldendoodle is a long-haired dog breed,
And their coat can vary considerably.
There are three main coat types,
Straight,
Wavy,
And curly.
Wavy-coated goldendoodles are a combination of the poodle's curly coat and the golden retriever's straight coat.
Their coat is wavy with loose,
Shaggy curls.
This type of coat is the most common amongst goldendoodles.
Curly-coated goldendoodles resemble the coat of a poodle.
Their coat is thick and curly.
Goldendoodle coats come in varying colors,
With the most common colors being cream,
Red,
Black,
Gold,
Apricot,
Brown,
Or a combination party-colored.
Goldendoodles are often claimed to be hypoallergenic or non-shedding.
However,
Research has shown that hypoallergenicity cannot be an official dog breed characteristic.
AKC also asserts that there is no such thing as a completely hypoallergenic dog.
It used to be thought that the higher the percentage of poodles in the goldendoodle's heritage,
The less likely it is to shed.
It was also thought that curly or coated goldendoodles tend to shed lighter and produce less dander.
In general,
Goldendoodles tend to take on a golden retriever's friendly,
Affectionate,
Trustworthy,
Outgoing,
And enthusiastic personality.
Whilst also demonstrating a poodle's reputable intelligence,
Social ability,
And trainability.
Goldendoodles predominantly exhibit high levels of energy,
Loyalty,
And playfulness.
They are often friendly with children and considered a good family pet.
This friendliness and loyalty,
However,
Means they are prone to separation anxiety.
Especially as puppies.
The crossbreed often exhibits strong retriever instincts inherited from its gundog parent breeds.
Which makes them have an active mouth and high intensity to retrieve objects.
A 2019 behavioral study compared goldendoodles to their parent breeds and found that on average goldendoodles displayed significantly lower dog rivalry than purebred miniature poodles.
And significantly higher dog-directed aggression,
Dog-directed fear,
And stranger-directed fear than purebred golden retrievers,
Miniature poodles,
Or standard poodles.
Primarily bred as companion dogs,
Goldendoodles have been successfully trained as therapy dogs,
Guide dogs,
Nut detection dogs,
Detecting nuts in food for people with nut allergies,
And other forms of assistance dogs.
