Appearance: harmonious dog of medium size, with characteristic curly coat, energetic, intelligent, always ready for action, with an air of elegance and characteristic pride.
Temperament: extremely loyal, eager to learn, pleasant, i.e. an excellent companion dog.
Sizes. The large dog stands between 45 and 60 cm high. The medium is 35 to 45 cm high. The miniature is 28 to 35 cm in height. This category should look like a medium miniature, retaining as far as possible the characteristics of the larger size. The toy is less than 28 cm high, with an ideal height of 25 cm.
Black, white, brown, grey and apricot.
Fur : Fine texture, curly, elastic and thick, of uniform length. It does not pluck and is easy to groom, but is best groomed by a qualified groomer.
The Poodle is a dog that loves to be trained, as long as it is a game rather than a "school". It is eager to please its owner and is eager to learn new tricks.
Appropriate: Perhaps the ideal pet. Suitable for both solitary and family situations, eager to...play but also very...comfortable at home. Shows great patience with children, participating enthusiastically in their games without ever becoming dominant or dangerous. Be careful where you get him from, because due to his popularity, everyone has one to recommend (especially this absolutely Greek version, the Gryphon - Kanish...);
Unlike most breeds where breeders strive for a specific size, the three basic sizes of the Kanish - toy, miniature and standard - have been around for centuries.
In addition to their usefulness as companion dogs, Toys - like other similarly sized breeds - played a curious role during the Renaissance as hand warmers for noblemen, who often carried them in the wide sleeves of their jackets, giving them the name "sleeve dogs".
The intelligence and charismatic personality of the Kanish also made them the favourite breed of the gypsies for several centuries, who taught them tricks and organised shows with them in European cities, delighting spectators in the 19th century.
Their characteristics include a friendly disposition, a loyal and affectionate character, patience with children and a willingness to learn.
Add to this the fact that they are one of the few breeds that often live to be 20 years old, and you have a dog that "does everything and has an interest".
One of the most misunderstood facts about Canis is the strange style of their coat. But this particular style, with its rounded areas, shaved spots and tufted tail, is directly linked to the Canis' working past.
In order to protect the dogs' vital organs and ligaments from the cold and damp, certain areas had to be clipped more to facilitate movement in the water and others to retain the original coat as protection from the cold. The tail tassel is said to have something to do with distinguishing a Canis swimming in the water from a distance.
This need, combined with the use of dogs in improvised shows, did not take long to create a "fashion" for cutting the hair of this breed, which the French nobility of the 19th century really took to the extreme when they discovered that they could cut, comb and dye the fur of their beloved companions, creating strange fashions with the different coats.
It was at this time that the French embraced the German Poodle with extreme fervour, making it the Caniche and soon the "National Dog of France".
Over the centuries, the "couch dogs" of today have been used for all kinds of work, from hunting and shepherding to guiding the blind, guarding and fighting, from truffle and bird hunting to circus dogs, and have become one of the best companions a human can imagine. They are even the ideal candidate for cleaning hysterics, as they do not shed and do not cause allergies.
Mention the word "Kanish" to someone who doesn't know enough about dogs and they'll think of old ladies, spoilt children and pampered couch dogs with elaborate haircuts.
And yet this is an extremely active dog who started his... working career as a retriever.
The largest of the three sizes, the Standard, considered the oldest of the breed, was one of the best working dogs for water. All Canis are also considered to be good swimmers, with the possible exception of the Truffle Hunter (perhaps a Toy or Miniature), who never went into the water but was ideal because of his small size, excellent sense of smell and patience in the search for the all-important treat.
POODLE
Characteristics
Colours and Fur
Training
Three sizes, one dog
Necessity became fashion
The little dog, the poodle
A few words
History
Although the French consider it their "national dog" (Caniche) and have adopted its paternity, the dog's origins are German, and its English name "Poodle" comes from the German Pudel or Pudelin, which roughly translates as the sound it makes when it dives into water.
Looking deep into the past, it is said that the modern "Poodle" originated from the sheepdogs of Asia, which later travelled to Europe with the Goths and Ostrogoths to evolve into the traditional German Water Dog.
Another theory is that it came to Portugal from the Asian steppes around the 8th century.
That's one reason why many people still associate the Canis with the traditional Portuguese dog with the long, curly coat, known for its intelligence, speed and exceptional water skills.
However, the Canis is often depicted in paintings by the German painter Albrecht Dürer, whose presence can be traced back to the 15th century, as well as in paintings by Goya (18th century).
