History of the Poodle

Poodle owners will attest the fact that Poodles have a very human way of thinking that is unique to this breed. They have an innate intelligence. The ability of Poodles to learn is considered exceptional. Poodles are faster than any other breed at discovering that spoken words mean something and they are thought to understand more spoken words. Many Poodle owners believe that Poodles actually come close to understanding grammar and whole sentences rather that just single words.

In all probability, the breed originated in Germany or possibly in Russia. It is known as "Puddeln" or "Pudel" in German, meaning a puddle dog or one that likes splashing water. In France, it is known as the "Caniche" or Duck Dog. All of the Poodle's ancestors were good swimmers. One of the Poodle's ancestors is thought to be the North African Barbet which was imported to the Iberian Peninsula. From there it arrived in Gaul where it was used for its hunting abilities in the water. The Poodle is often called the "French Poodle" because of its popularity in that country where it is the national dog. Toy Poodles were very popular in England as a sleeve dog. All of the different sizes of the Poodle are considered to be one breed. This is an elegant looking breed with a sense of humor. Poodles are loyal, gentle, obedient, and good with children.

In the United States the Standard Poodle is 15 inches (38cm) or more in height and weighs 45 to 65 pounds. It is the oldest of the three varieties and was traditionally used as a water retriever. It is closely related to the Portuguese Water Dog and the Irish Spaniel.

The Miniature Poodle's height range is between 10 and 15 inches (28 cm to 38cm) in the United States. He weighs 10 to 18 pounds and he is shown in the "Non Sporting" group. The Miniature Poodle is probably the best known and the most numerous of the three sizes. He is full of fun, easy to train, and a great circus performer. Because of his keen sense of smell, he was used to search out truffles during winter months. This breed really enjoys obedience work.

The Toy Poodle in the United States is 10 inches (25.5 cm) maximum in height and weighs about 6 pounds. He is shown in the "Toy" group. There is also a "teacup" or "pocket" Toy. This is not an official size designation but a marketing ploy used to sell very small Toy Poodles. These undersized Toys are often plagued with health problems.

European standards have four sizes of poodles. The European Toy Poodle has a maximum height at the withers or 28 cm (11 inches). The European Dwarf Poodle is not a true dwarf. It has a size range between 28 cm and 35 cm (11 to 13.75 inches). Miniatures in Europe range from 35 cm to 45 cm (13.75 to 18.75 inches). European Standards have a minimum height of 45 cm (18.75 inches) and some have a maximum of 60 cm (23.5 inches).

It is shown in the United States in the "Non Sporting" group with two primarily acceptable show clips, the "Continental" and the "English Saddle" being used. They were developed to improve swimming ability, lighten the weight of the dog's coat, and protect joints and vital organs from the cold. Northern European nations leave their poodles in similar cuts but with the fur long on the entire leg for warmth in snow.

Poodles have had many references in art and literature. Bas-reliefs dating from the first century found along the shores of the Mediterranean portray the Poodle much as it is today.  Drawings by the German artist Durer establish the breed in the 15th and 16th centuries.  In the 18th century, it was the principle pet dog in Spain as shown by the artist Goya.  A favorite subject of artists, the Poodle probably appears in more works of art than any other dog.

Yankee Poodle (real name Rova Barkitt) is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe, an anthropomorphic poodle. Yankee Poodle is a superhero who lived on the otherdimensional world of Earth-C (now Earth-26), an alternate Earth populated by sentient animals. Her first appearance was in The New Teen Titans #16 (February 1982).

Rova's name is a play on the name of gossip columnist Rona Barrett, while "Yankee Poodle" is a takeoff on the song "Yankee Doodle."

While interviewing movie actor Byrd Rentals in his Follywood home, Rova was struck by a meteor fragment (which was launched toward Earth by the villain Starro the Conqueror); the result gave her the superpowers of "animal magnetism", as she described them. Joining with Byrd (who was also transformed by a separate meteor fragment), the two teamed up with other superpowered animals affected by the meteor; together, the group defeated Starro (with the aid of Superman), and decided to form the superhero team called the Zoo Crew.

Rova tended to reflect the values of her Follywood roots, and thus had a great fondness of things such as the group's public image, or her own (both in and out of costume). She also occasionally got into spats with the group's other female member, Alley-Kat-Abra.

In Teen Titans #30-31 (December 2005-January 2006), Yankee Poodle and the rest of the Zoo Crew were featured in a short multi-part story purporting to be a Zoo Crew comic published in the mainstream DC Universe. This story followed the adventures of the Zoo Crew teammates in a grimmer, darker version of Earth-C, parodying the recent trend toward "grim and gritty" superhero comics. In this story, Yankee Poodle is shown having exposed the secret identities of several of the Zoo Crew members, and is mostly working as a solo heroine.

Yankee Poodle possessed powers of "animal magnetism", consisting of the ability to (as described in Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew #7) shoot semi-solidified electromagnetic blue-colored "stars" with her right hand to repel objects, and generate red-and-white "stripes" with her left hand in order to attract objects. By using both hands at once, Yankee Poodle could generate highly destructive "magno-blasts." She could also use her powers to travel, by forming a ramp of stripes while propelling herself along it by shooting stars behind her.