(All of these pictures will enlarge if you just click on the
thumbnail picture.)
Think Poodles are just sissy dogs? Think again! Poodles are
tops in all dog sports; agility, obedience, tracking, fly-ball, free-style,
and hunting. Yup. Poodles hunt. They are water retrievers. That is why they have
their very distinctive
hair cut. Longer hair on the chest keeps heart and lungs warm while swimming
in cold water, and long puffs of hair on the joints protects them from the
cold. Shorter hair over the rest of the body makes the dog more streamlined
in the water. This cut has been stylized into what we see in the show-ring,
called the "Continental" . (see Ian, above right)
There is another trim
that is allowed in showing Poodles in American Kennel Club sanctioned shows. It is called the English
Saddle Clip. Very few dogs are shown in this clip any more. It was popular
many years ago. Here is a beautiful example of a Poodle in an English Saddle
Clip. She's Ch.Litilann's Absotively Rosie. Rosie set the bar for standard
poodles for many poodle fans.
Rosie passed away recently, and the Poodle
world is a sadder place without this amazing dog. God speed Rosie.
Sept 4, 1991 - April 22, 2004
Here is another beautiful
Poodle. This is
Ch. Litilann's Bold'N Shameless.
She was the #1 Miniature Poodle for 2003. Westminster Best of
Variety 2003. All breed Best in Show winner, and multi Specialty Best in
Show winner.
and here she is winning Best of
Breed at the Poodle Club of America National Specialty in 2003. She is
owned, handled and bred by Ann Rairigh.
Here is a hunting Poodle
diving after a bird.
this is
Am/Braz/FCI International Ch. Ridgewood Starry Starry Nite, CD, CGC, TT
owned by
Cathy McGinnis
Ridgewood Standard Poodles
Here's a poodle going after a bird.
This is Bedlam CJ Best, owned by Casey Best of Lafayette, LA.
Poodles do agility, like James here
and Polly (these are dogs bred by Candace Hume of Tanzendogs.
This is a toy poodle who does
agility:
"Asa"
owned by Bob Foley.
tracking too: 
