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
Poodle for various reasons, and the resulting puppies (called designer dogs) are described by whimsical "portmanteau" words, such as cockapoo or spoodle (Cocker Spaniel), maltipoo (Maltese), goldendoodle (Golden Retriever), labradoodle (Labrador), Schnoodle (Schnauzer), Pekapoos (Pekingese), Cavapoo (Cavalier King Charles), Bernedoodle (Bernese Mountain Dog) and many others. A cross between a shedding breed and a poodle (which does not shed much) does not reliably produce a nonshedding dog. Traits of puppies from crossbreedings are not as predictable as those from purebred poodle breedings, and the crosses may shed or have unexpected or undesirable qualities from the parent breeds. Poodle crossbreds (also called