At an inspection following her best of breed victory at last year's Welsh Kennel Club Show, poodle La Marka Lemerle Oscar Wilde was found to be wearing hair spray. The charge could've resulted in a suspension for Roger Bayliss, La Marka's owner and a widely respected poodle breeder, because the use of any cosmetic aid is now banned under England's Kennel Club rules.
"I'm not saying there wasn't hair spray on my dog, I'm saying I didn't put it there," Bayliss told London Daily Telegraph, suggesting the hairspray was an act of sabotage.
The accusations echo back to the early days of dog shows. In those times, handlers used everything from hair spray to a light dusting of chalk to make their dogs stand out in the canine crowd. Recently, however, jealous breeders have used the new rules to their advantage by sabotaging competitors' poodles with illegal substances, according to Bayliss' supporters.
French Fashion
The scandal emphasizes the prominent role the poodle's "do" has played throughout the breed's history. Just about everyone has an opinion on the topic, even if they know little else about the poodle.
Today the trims are purely for appearances, but at one point they actually served a purpose. Many of the early poodles were retrievers who spent a great deal of time in the water. The dog's thick, curly coat protected the head and chest from the icy conditions but hindered the swimming motion of the legs. Therefore the hindquarters were shaved close to improve the dog's movement in the water.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the poodle became a popular accessory to the French aristocracy. Those were wildly extravagant times in French society the decadence inspired the French Revolution -- and the poodle's functional trim was at odds with the era's fashions. The rosettes on the hips, pompons on the tail and puffs on the leg all reflect the frivolity of the French aristocracy, and have been kept by breeders who wish to preserve the dog's historic tradition.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) now recognizes three different trims for show poodles. Adult dogs sport either the English Saddle Trim or the Continental Trim. Both display a dazzling array of pompons, puffs and sculpted fur, with the less decorative Continental Trim revealing slightly more shaved area, particularly on the hindquarters. Poodle puppies less than a year old can be shown in the Puppy Trim, which features an evenly shaped coat without decorative embellishments, save for a pompon on the end of the tail.
These elaborate designs may represent the stereotype, but today you're
just as likely to come across a poodle with a more functional cut. The Sporting Trim, in which the face, feet, throat and base of tail are shaved but the majority of the dog is left in full coat, is a popular cut for non-show dogs. The no-muss, no-fuss Retriever Trim is also popular. In this cut the entire poodle is shaved closely, revealing an athletic body similar to other European sporting dogs.
Hair Apparent
The French may be the most famous poodle enthusiasts, but the breed actually claims roots in three European countries France, Germany and Russia. The Russian poodle's body was said to resembled a greyhound; in Germany the poodle had a thicker body and a wool-like coat. The poodle's two different coat types curly and the less common corded also appear to have originated in Germany, as did the derivation of the dog's modern name. Poodle comes from the German word pudeln, which means "to splash about in the water."
In France, the poodle was found in several forms. The caniche was a large poodle-like dog with a strong spaniel influence used extensively for duck hunting. French truffle dogs also bore a resemblance to modern poodles. The petit barbet, influenced by dogs such as the toy spaniel and the maltese, was an early miniature version of the breed.
The first poodles worked as hunting dogs, but the breed's distinctive appearance and outgoing, occasionally clown-like personality made it a favorite companion of the aristocracy. This was particularly true in France, where the poodle went on to become the national dog; however, the poodle had fans in most European countries. England's Queen Anne became an early enthusiast of the toy poodle when she became enamored with a performing troupe of the dogs that danced to music in human fashion.
Despite the poodle's celebrity status in Europe, the dog had a harder time gaining a following in the less-fashion-conscious West. The first poodle was registered in the American Kennel Club stud book in 1887. Registrations increased and a newly formed poodle club drew up a standard in 1889, but popularity waned in the early 1900s. By the late 1920s, the breed had almost died out in America, but in 1931 the Poodle Club of America was formed, with interest primarily in the Anglo-French type of dog.
The dog experienced a steady growth in popularity from that point. It's no surprise that the poodle's remarkable rise coincides with the golden age of Hollywood, for the fashionably clipped poodle quickly became a favorite of movie stars and celebrities our own aristocracy. By 1960, the era of poodle skirts and Marilyn Monroe, poodle fever was raging, and the dog became the most popular breed in the United States, based on new AKC registrations. No passing fad, the poodle retained its position at the top of the AKC list for the for next 23 years, an unprecedented run of popularity. Today the poodle is still a perennial top-ten finisher in AKC registrations in 1999, the dog was the sixth most popular breed.
Beauty and Brains
Some may credit the poodle's popularity solely to its stunning looks, but before buying into this "all-beauty, no-brains" philosophy, get to know a member of the breed. Most poodles are friendly, outgoing, intelligent dogs who thrive on human contact. Standard poodles standing over 15 inches at the highest point of the shoulder -- are especially noted for their intelligence and obedience, earning them high marks as family dogs among many top trainers. Before letting one loose around your children, however, bear in mind these are large, active dogs whose exuberance can become overwhelming if not tempered with obedience training and proper exercise.
Miniature and toy poodles -- the miniature is 15 inches or under at the highest point of the shoulders, with a minimum height in excess of 10 inches; the toy poodle is 10 inches or under at the highest point of the shoulder -- also tend to be lively, amiable dogs. They are often intelligent and obedient, but are less suited to family life because their small size puts them at risk to the rough play of small children. They are energetic animals but many can get sufficient exercise with in-house play, making them excellent dogs for the less active. What the toy and miniature poodle lack in size, they make up in volume many love to bark, and some take this affection to the extreme.
A common trait that has created many poodle fans over the centuries is the breed's eagerness to please humans. Natural performers, a poodle knows no thrill greater than making you happy. Humans have used this characteristic to their advantage at various times poodles have been employed as military scouts, guides, draft dogs and circus performers.
Sadly, the poodle's unprecedented run of popularity has created a number of health problems in the breed because of indiscriminate breeding. Hip dysplasia, eye problems, bloat, epilepsy, thyroid problems and Addison's disease (a disorder of the adrenal glands) haunt the standard poodle. Toys and miniatures are subject to eye, ear, skin and joint problems. This slew of concerns makes it essential you purchase your poodle puppy from a reputable breeder. Healthy standard poodles have a lifespan of 10 to 13 years; miniatures and toys may live to the age of 15.
Poodle Pardon
With its natural good looks and outgoing personality, the poodle hardly needs cosmetic enhancements to stand out in a crowd. Roger Bayliss made a similar argument at his hearing before the Kennel Club last July, denying to the end he sprayed hairspray on his champion poodle. Without sufficient evidence of sabotage, the Kennel Club stripped Bayliss' poodle of its title and warned him about future conduct, but considering the light sentence a guilty verdict could've resulted in suspension from future shows it seems officials gave at least some credence to his defense. Poodle owners can rejoice in the verdict. The real crime would've been prohibiting a lifelong poodle devotee from competing with his beloved, beautiful breed.
No comments:
Post a Comment