Poodle (Medium)

It is a nearly square, elegant dog with a long, fine head, dark almond-shaped eyes, long hanging ears and a high-set tail. The coat is dense, woolly and tightly curled, and can be grown into cords. Colours include black, white, brown, grey, apricot and red. The ornate show clips are said to come from working dogs clipped to swim freely, though this is unproven.

The Medium Poodle is one of four sizes of Poodle recognised by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale, between the Standard and the Miniature. The breed grew from curly-coated water dogs of continental Europe. Germany and France both claim it, and the FCI lists France as its country of origin. The English name comes from the German Pudel, linked to splashing in water, while the French name, caniche, comes from a term for a duck dog. The medium size was set apart as its own variety in the twentieth century. Britain's Kennel Club does not list it separately. The Poodle was used to retrieve waterfowl, and later worked as a performing dog and became a companion.