i8g 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 



THE POODLE. 



THE Poodle is one of the least understood and appreciated breeds of dog in this country. 

 Of late years there has been a slight movement in his favour ; but even in the present day his 

 many powerful claims upon doggy people appear to have been greatly overlooked, though 

 those who have devoted themselves to his study are loud in their praises of his sagacity and 

 general utility, which a Poodle's antecedents certainly seem to fully entitle him to. 



At present there are several distinct varieties of Poodle on the Continent, various parts 

 of which are recognised as the home of the various types ; but there seems to be but one 

 opinion amongst naturalists as regards his origin, which, with a rather unusual unanimity of 

 opinion, is alleged by writers on the breed to have been the Can is Aquaticus, or Water-spaniel 

 of our forefathers. 



In the "Sportsman's Cabinet," vol. i., which was published in London in 1803, the 

 " Veteran Sportsman," by whom it is compiled, takes a so far different view of the case 

 as to cause him to draw a distinction between the " Water-dog " and " Water-spaniel." In 

 referring to the former the following are his own words : " The particular breed of dog 

 passing under this denomination differs materially from the former sort, distinguished by the 

 appellation of Water-spaniel, which distinction will be more fully explained in the course of the 

 work when we come to that head. The Water-dog, of which an exact representation is given 

 from the life " [this represents an unshaved and rather short-headed Poodle in every particular], 

 "is of so little general use that the breed is but little promoted, unless upon the sea-coast, 

 and in such other situations as are most likely to render their qualifications and propen- 

 sities of some utility These dogs are exceedingly singular in their 



appearance, and most probably derive their origin from the Greenland dog, blended with 



some particular race of our own Although these dogs are to be seen 



of almost all colours and equally well-bred, yet the jet-black with white feet stand highest 

 in estimation ; the most uniform in shape and make exceed in size the standard of mediocrity, 

 and are strong in proportion to their formation. The head is rather round ; the nose short ; 

 the ears broad, long, and pendulous ; his eyes full, lively, and solicitously attracting ; his neck 

 thick and short ; his shoulders broad ; his legs straight ; his hind-quarters round and firm ; 

 his pasterns strong, and dew-clawed ; his fore-feet long, but round ; " [sic] " with his hair 

 adhering to the body in natural, elastic, short curls, neither loose, long, or shagg ; the 

 former being considered indicative of constitutional strength, the latter of constitutional weak- 

 ness or hereditary debility." "The Water-dog even in puppyhood displays 



an eager desire to be employed in offices of domestic amusement." The writer then pro- 

 ceeds to give full directions for teaching Poodles to retrieve, which it is needless to refer 

 to here, as due allusion is made to such proceedings in the Newfoundland chapter, and 

 in the present article in the course of Mr. T. H. Joyce's notes on the breed. Enough will 

 have been gathered, however, from the above quotation to show that in the early part of the 



