Poodle in turn comes from Low German "pud(d)eln" meaning "[to] splash in water," cognate with the English word "puddle". The poodle has contributed to many other dog breeds, such as the Miniature Schnauzer, Standard Schnauzer, and dogs of the Bichon type in order to either save those breeds from extinction, reduce size, or by dog fanciers to improve their appearance. The poodle has been bred in at least three sizes, including Standard, Miniature, and Toy. According to the American Kennel Club, which recognized the breed in 1887, the Standard Poodle is the oldest of the three varieties, and was later bred
Schnauzer as the modern Standard Schnauzer breed and was bred as a rat-catcher and guard dog. The Giant Schnauzer and the Miniature Schnauzer were developed from the Standard Schnauzer and are the result of outcrosses with other breeds exhibiting the desirable characteristics needed for the Schnauzer's original purpose. By the VDH and FCI Schnauzer is placed in "", with "Nr. 181, 182 and 183" in "Section 1.2: Schnauzer" dedicated to all three Schnauzer breeds. In 2004 population genetics study of 85 purebred dogs, which used cluster-based methods with 4 identified genetic clusters, all three Schnauzer breeds structurally mostly clustered within "recent