Poodle Poodle Poodles are a group of formal dog breeds, the Standard Poodle, Miniature Poodle and Toy Poodle. The origin of the breed is still discussed, with a prominent dispute over whether the poodle descends from Germany as a type of water dog, or from the French Barbet. Ranked second most intelligent dog breed just behind the Border Collie, the poodle is skillful in many dog sports and activities, including agility, obedience, tracking to herding, circus performers or assistance dogs. Poodles have taken top honors in many conformation shows, including "Best in Show" at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in
Poodle the breed for hunting, with some success. The Canadian Kennel Club admitted the Standard Poodle for hunting trials in 1996 and the American Kennel Club in 1998, respectively. As of May 2017, the end results of 25 years of breeding to reawaken the hunting instinct have been a success. It has resulted in dogs that are very eager to please their masters. It has resulted in a gun dog with extreme intelligence, a relentless drive to catch its quarry, and strong swimming skills that requires special training: their aptitude is second only to the British Border Collie and thus the