WORKING in the beating line, picking up and even going down the pub after shooting, a standard poodle is suddenly the dog we all want to be seen with. And they are indeed quite a sight, posing romantically in the line or crashing through the cover with curls flying like a supermodel. Such glamour is actually part of the official breed standard, which stresses that every poodle of this variety should possess 'very proud carriage' and be 'gay-spirited and good-tempered' with eyes 'full of fire and intelligence'. It must be big (more than 15 inches at the shoulder) with a 'dense' coat and 'plenty of drive'.
Sandy Vincent, chairman of the Standard Poodle Club, confirms that this is certainly what you should expect from a poodle: "They are a really hard-working, independent dog. It's important to remember that they have high drive and they do need to be trained and have a job they are definitely not couch potatoes. They have great energy, and that is what we love about them. As a breed they were originally water retrievers. Then they became show dogs, which led to the exaggerated trim that many people think is silly but is really just an extreme version of the original working cut: the heavy coat had to be shaved to stop the dogs getting dragged under when working in water but was left on over the kidneys and other areas that needed protecting. People think of them as being a bit frou-frou but in reality they are nothing like that. They are more a dog for a discerning owner - someone looking for a bit of individuality."
Denne historien er fra July 2024-utgaven av The Field.
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Denne historien er fra July 2024-utgaven av The Field.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Helping hot dogs chill out
From cool coats to clippers, there are a whole host of ways to keep your canine companion comfortable as the summer heat intensifies, says David Tomlinson
Art in the field
Sculpting his wild subjects from life, Fred Gordon is breaking new ground in bronze, says Janet Menzies
How to canapé
A summer celebration is nothing without these tiny works of art. Devised by the country's best canapé cooks, they are just the thing to make your party swing
Ginger-beer childhoods
Summer holidays filled with outdoor adventures are the perfect way to foster a love of the countryside and a lifetime enthusiasm for the field
Glamour, intelligence and drive as standard
Retrieving birds with pace, energy and undeniable elan, these sporting poodles are winning over even traditional gundog breed enthusiasts
The cycle begins
Though it may lie forgotten for much of the year, the kennel bicycle is indispensable in summer when hound exercise gets under way
Turning the tide on the Tyne
The industrial age brought prosperity to Newcastle but at great cost to the Tyne and its salmon. Today its waters are a haven for fish and anglers alike
En garde: a guide to fencing
Not just a clash of swords and some fancy footwork, this ancient sport is an art form that demands agility, discipline and control
Who was Baron Pierre de Coubertin?
It was a diminutive, 19th-century French aristocrat, Baron Pierre de Coubertin (pictured, left), who came up with the idea of reviving the Olympic Games while studying in Paris. He was a sporting sort himself, and had also long despaired of what he perceived as French degeneracy; his country had been humiliated by the loss of the Franco-Prussian War and he attributed this to his countrymen's lack of moral fibre.
A gold-medal guide to Olympic shooting
Everything you need to know, from history, disciplines, rules and regulations to the British sportsmen and women striving for glory
