The Standard Poodle is considered to have originated in france and is said to have descended from the Barbet which is a virtually extinct French water dog and the Hungarian water hound. The breed derives its name form the German word Pundel meaning one who plays in water.
The Standard Poodle was originally used in France as well as in Germany to retrieve waterfowls. They were employed as gun dogs by hunters who clipped thier coats leaving fur on the legs and joints in order to provide protection form frigid waters. Their high intelligence and dog trainability was effectively used by the French for circus performances. The Toy and Miniature varieties of the Poodle were created through the crossing of the Standard Poodle with smaller dogs. Standard Poodle Characteristics – Physical Representation:
The Standard Poodle is an elegant medium to large sized dog, squarely built with a symmetrical body. The wire haired coat is abundant and curls naturally. The rounded skull has a somewhat distinct stop and the mouth closes in a distinct scissors bite. The wide ears hang close to the head and the oval shaped eyes are usually have a dark hue. The feet are small in comparison to the rest of the body but at the same time are very compact. The coat is groomed into three styles known as the Pet clip, English Saddle clip and the Continental clip. In the Pet clip the coat is maintained with short hair all over the body whereas in the Continental and English Saddle clip the rear half of the body is shaved leaving portions of hair around the ankles and pompoms on the hips and tail.
Standard Poodle Characteristics – Type of work the breed does:
TheStandard Poodlewas originally used as a gun dog and for the retrevial of waterfowl. However, today they are bred exclusively as companion pets and show dogs.
The Standard Poodle has a happy, playful and lively personality. They are inherently good natured with proud and dignified mannerisms. Being highly intelligent they are very easy to train. They are excellent companions for children and readily take to other pets. The Standard Poodle needs companionship and does not like being left alone for prolonged periods of time. This breed is friendly with strangers as well but can also be trained to be good guard dogs.
Standard Poodle Characteristics – Standard Poodle Care:
This breed requires a lot of maintenance and needs to be groomed extensively. Baths should be given regularly and trimming is necessary every six weeks or so. The ears should be checked regularly for infection and parasites and the teeth need to be scaled once in a while as well. The shed little or no fur. Standard Poodle Characteristics – Standard Poodle Living Environment:
The Standard Poodle can easily adapt to apartment life but a small yard for them to run freely about will be ideal.
Standard Poodle Characteristics – Standard Poodle Electric Dog Containment:
Standard Poodles do need an area to be able to exercise. The perimeter pet fence is a great for exercise and happy play. In my experience, poodles adapt very well to these systems with the proper fence training.
Do not allow anyone to just shock these loving creatures. It is not fair or necessary. Proper perimeter dog fence training is the key.
Never, ever put a Standard Poodle puppy or any other puppy on these perimeter pet fence before at least 16 weeks of age.
Here is an incredible video of a dog saving another dog on an incredibly busy highway in Chile.
There has been much controversy if the dog was saving the dog as a heroic act or because it was starving. From Chilean reports, it was not due to starvation.
Either way, the video of the dog saving another dog’s life is incredible.
The golden retriever breed originated from Scotland in 1800. There were doubts over the original breeds which were crossed. The original or traditional opinion was believed to be among some yellow complexioned dog with a tweed or water spaniel. They were first recognized as golden retrievers in 1911 and in 1913 a club dedicated to them was also formed. The lineage of all golden retrievers is believed to be hunting dogs.
The type of work the breed does:
These are usually hardy dogs and very useful to humans. They are so lovable that they can win everyone’s heart. In the beginning, they were raised as hunting dogs. A few talents of the golden retriever are tracking, hunting (retrieving ducks and other small prey), agility, obedience, narcotics detection etc. Goldens also work as guides, companions, rehabilitation, and search and rescue dogs.
Physical Representation:
The natural life of a golden retriever is between 10 to 13 years. A male golden retriever can measure between 23-24 inches and a female one between 21½-22½ inches. The males will weigh approximately 65-75 pounds and the females will weigh 55-65 pounds. As with many other breeds today, I have seen goldens bred even larger. Golden retrievers can vary in the color of their coats as they come from different parts of the world. Some are cream in color. Some are of a dark brown or reddish color having a dense coat. Most are said to be of the light golden color, from where the name comes. It comes in various feathering and molding which are of golden, cream etc.
Personality and Temperament:
Usually, a golden retriever is a well-balanced, athletic & good mannered dog. It is very lovable & socially accepted for its friendly nature. They have a patient, fun loving temperament. They are also very intelligent. And, just as noted in its name, it loves retrieving anything like balls, frisbees, etc. It has a fun loving, entertaining temperament which is suitable for interacting with people and makes a great family dog.
Care:
Golden Retrievers, being moderately active dogs (males are more active), require a reasonable amount of exercise each day and are more active in the morning and evening. If they have a companion, they burn more energy through play. Golden Retrievers should be groomed at least once a week because their coats shed heavily the entire year and even more excessively during spring, their shedding season. I would consider feeding a bland diet such as chicken or lamb and rice type foods. Supplementing their diets will also be beneficial to them. Golden retrievers seem to be very prone to skin allergies and cancer. As with any big breed, careful care should be made regarding their hips.
Living environment:
Due to their very mild, calm temperament, they can be easily trained. As mentioned earlier, they are great family dogs as they are very loving and caring. They are not very vocal, so they do not normally bark a lot. Golden retrievers are very patient with children. Aside from bumping into toddlers on occasion, it is very rare to see an aggressive golden retriever. I have said this before and I will say it again. The golden retriever is probably the best all-around family dog (with children) that God ever put on this earth.
Containment:
Golden retrievers do need an area to be able to exercise. The electric dog fencesystem is a great solution for containing one, but not feeling contained yourself. In my experience, goldens adapt very well to these systems, especially with Contain-A-Pet Fencing, with proper training. Do not allow anyone to just shock these loving creatures, as it is not fair or needed. Never put a golden retriever or any other puppy on these electronic systems before at least 16 weeks of age.