THE POODLE. 619 



into separate locks, and in a few days is so felted as to 

 almost defy the comb again. 



The coat should cord all over the body, except in the 

 eyebrows, mustache, and imperial, which should be straight, 

 even without wave, and of a glossier texture than the rest 

 of the coat. The cords on the ears should reach far down 

 on the shoulders, and so mingle with those of the neck as 

 to render the ears nearly indistinguishable. On the head 

 the cords should all fall away from the center, leaving a 

 well-defined crown, and should have no tendency to stand 

 erect, like those of a Water Spaniel. 



The tail, which is usually docked, should be perfectly 

 straight, and carried at an angle of about seventy degrees 

 with the back. Many Poodles have curled tails, and an 

 otherwise good dog should not be debarred for that fault. 

 I once had an excellent dog whose tail had not been cut, 

 and it curled as tight as that of any Pug. By cutting 

 his tail and giving it careful attention, he acquired an 

 excellent carriage, and a great improvement in appearance, 

 much to my satisfaction, if not to his. 



In Germany, where these are almost the only retrievers 

 used, it is customary, in summer, to cut off the coat, for 

 the greater comfort of the dog, leaving the hair on the 

 head, breast, and feet only, for the protection of these deli- 

 cate parts, and from this custom has arisen the present 

 fashion of shaving Poodles; and to such an extent has this 

 been carried, that in most shows the artistic shaving of a 

 Poodle is not without weight with the judges; and though 

 the straps and tufts of hair seem, at first sight, to be merely 

 the vagaries of fashion, yet, on closer examination, it will 

 be seen that they all have their uses, and add considerably 

 to the symmetry of the animal in emphasizing curves and 

 suppressing angles; and certainly the rakish mustache 

 and imperial, combined with the venerable eyebrows and 

 intelligent eyes of a well-shaved Poodle, give to his face a 

 quaint air. I give, on following page, a diagram for shaving 

 a Poodle in the style generally adopted in England, and 

 which is best adapted to showing off the dog to the greatest 



