1 90 THE BOOK OF THE Doc. 



present century, and probably for some time before, there was a breed in these islands very 

 similar to the modern and certainly improved Continental Poodle. 



In the " Naturalist's Library " the following remarks occur, which prove the writer to 

 be of a somewhat similar opinion to our own. Under the heading of " The Water-dog, 

 Cants Aquaticus" we find that : " The Water-dog or Poodle of the Germans is in its 

 most perfect state not a British race, but rose into favour first in Germany, and during the 

 revolutionary wars was carried by the troops into France, and only in the latter campaigns 

 became familiar to the British in Spain and the Netherlands. The coarser crisped-haired 

 Water-dog was indeed long known to the middle classes of England, and to fishermen on 

 the north-east coast, and professional water-fowl shooters ; he was occasionally brought to 



the environs of London No dog is more intelligent or attached to his 



master ; none like the Poodle can trace out and find lost property with more certainty and 

 perseverance." 



Poodles are on the Continent usually divided into at least four varieties, each of which 

 is apparently descended from one common ancestor the Cants Aquaticus but which have 

 become almost distinct from being crossed with other breeds and subsequently in-bred amongst 

 themselves. 



Mr. T. H. Joyce, an ardent admirer of the breed, kindly supplies us with the following 

 information : 



" In England the Poodle proper is the least understood, and consequently the least 

 appreciated, of almost any known breed of dog. Indeed, as a rule he is looked upon with 

 a feeling approaching contempt, as a canine mountebank, amusing enough in his way, like a 

 'plum-pudding* trick horse in a circus, but of no practical use in real life. And yet in a 

 great measure those very characteristics which render him first and foremost among canine 

 performers are due to the simple fact that he is far superior in intelligence to his fellows, and 

 capable of acquiring a greater variety of accomplishments, from walking about on his hind-legs 

 with a parasol and petticoats, to retrieving on land or in water ; while it should not be for- 

 gotten that so great an authority as Sir Edwin Landseer painted him as the type of wisdom 

 in ' Laying down the Law.' In fact, in Germany, and indeed throughout a great portion of 

 Northern Europe, he is looked upon as every whit as useful a companion as he is ornamental, 

 and the appearance of a Poodle harnessed to a cart, or carrying his master's basket, is a very 

 common one in the streets of Germany, Holland, and Belgium. He is also used for 

 shooting purposes, as he is a capital water-dog, is easy to train either to retrieve or 

 point. Opinions certainly differ with respect to his pointing abilities, though all acknowledge 

 that his scent is exceedingly delicate. He is a steady and willing worker, moreover, and 

 when well trained is extremely tractable ; and it is this quality of extreme docility which 

 makes him a most valuable dog in the house, as he is full of fun, ever ready for a romp with 

 a child, to fetch his master's slippers, or to carry a note to some other member of the family, 

 and patiently await and bring back the answer. He is also a capital watch-dog, and is never 

 backward perhaps indeed a little too anxious to defend the interests or the person of his 

 owner, for the thorough-bred Poodle, when not demoralised by too much coddling and over- 

 feeding, is decidedly pugnacious, and is rarely averse to do battle with his own kind. A 

 black Poodle in the possession of the writer has had many a tough fight with a Bull-terrier 



