Everybody loves Poodles for their intelligence and despite being called yappy dogs that sometimes show signs of being nervous and which sport haircuts that are a bit out of this world, the Poodle is nevertheless a breed which will show its devotion to its master and it can even overcome its highly strung nature to make a great family pet dog. The Poodle has been around man for many centuries, though there is still not enough documentation to show where it originated. From what is known, it was once bred as a water dog that retrieved game from the water.

Poodles are very intelligent and have an unusual appearance which has often led to them becoming a part of a circus because they are adept at performing tricks that in turn never fails to delight audiences. However, it is also their sweet nature that turns them into great family pets. Although they tend to form close attachments with many members of the family it would not be too far off the mark to describe them as one-man pets.

The name Poodle is believed to have originated from the German word “pfudel” that means to splash or puddle. Because of their curly coats, Poodles require grooming in a special way and they also require bathing on a regular basis, and the coat needs to be trimmed often, which in fact may even required it to be groomed by professionals who can even make them look like show dogs. However, Poodles are non-shedding though some small amounts of hair are lost each day.

A Poodle also possesses a long and muscular neck and it shows off an air of dignity not generally found in other breeds. However, the Poodle is set apart from other dogs by its fur and the color of their fur may range from black to white to gray to brown and a few other colors as well.

Its tail is usually docked (cut) to half its original length, while Poodles by and large require extensive grooming to the extent that even professional grooming may become necessary to properly maintain the coat.

If you do decide to own a Poodle, you must be prepared to bring home a creature having a unique and unusual appearance that is not what most other dogs look like, though that does not in any way mean that Poodles are not pleasing to look at because they are actually very cute animals. Their main characteristics include dark and oval eyes, drooping ears as well as long and straight shaped muzzles.

Poodles are animals that love to play hide and seek, and also fetching a ball while they take to playing games and other activates including swimming, flyball as well as tracking. Certain Poodles will even perform dances such as what is known as the Canine Freestyle.

The tail is usually docked (cut) to about half of its original length and Poodles are also creatures requiring extensive grooming.