TRANSLATION : Jennifer
Mulholland, in collaboration with Raymond Triquet.
ORIGIN: France.
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD: 06.03.07.
UTILIZATION: Companion dog
CLASSIFICATION F.C.I.: Group 9 Companion and Toy dogs
Section 2 Poodle
Without working trial.
BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY:
Etymologically, the French
word “caniche” (Poodle) comes from “cane”, the French word for a
female duck. In other countries, the
name of the breed is associated with splashing around in water. Originally, this dog was used for
wildfowling. It descends from the Barbet
of which it has conserved many characteristics.
In 1743, it was called the “caniche”: the female of the barbet in
French. Thereafter the Barbet and the Caniche (Poodle) were gradually
separated. Breeders worked hard to obtain original subjects of uniform
colour. The Poodle became very popular
as a companion dog because of its friendly, joyful and loyal character and also
because of its four sizes and different colours which everyone can choose
according to preference.
GENERAL APPEARANCE:
Dog of medium proportions,
with a characteristic frizzy coat which is either curly or corded. The
appearance is that of an intelligent dog, constantly alert and active,
harmoniously built, giving an impression of elegance and pride.
IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS:
BEHAVIOUR/TEMPERAMENT:
A dog renowned for its
loyalty, capable of learning and being trained thus making it a particularly
pleasant companion dog.
HEAD:
Distinguished, rectilinear and
in proportion to the body. The head must be well chiselled and neither heavy
nor excessively fine.
CRANIAL REGION:
Skull: Its width is less
than half the length of the head. The entire skull, seen from above, appears
oval and seen from the side slightly convex. The axes of skull and muzzle are
slightly divergent.
Superciliary arches: Moderately
pronounced and covered with long hair.
Frontal furrow: Wide between the
eyes, narrowing towards the occiput ,which is very pronounced. (In Miniatures
it can be slightly less pronounced).
Stop: Only slightly
pronounced.
FACIAL REGION:
Nose: Developed,
vertical profile; open nostrils. Black nose in black, white and grey subjects;
brown nose in brown subjects. In orange fawn (apricot) or red fawn subjects the
nose is brown or black.
Muzzle: Upper profile is perfectly straight; its length is
approximately 9/10ths of that of the
skull. The branches of the lower jaw are almost parallel. The muzzle is strong.
The lower profile of the
muzzle is determined by the lower jaw and not by the edge of the upper lip.
Lips: Moderately
developed, rather tight, of medium thickness with the upper lip resting on the
lower lip without hanging over it. Black in black, white and grey subjects;
brown in brown subjects. In orange fawn (apricot) and red fawn subjects, the
lips are more or less dark brown or black. The corner of the lips must not be
pronounced.
Jaws/teeth: Scissor bite.
Strong teeth.
Cheeks: Not prominent,
shaped on the bones. The sub-orbital regions are chiselled and very slightly
filled. Zygomatic arches very slightly pronounced.
Eyes:Keen expression,
placed at the level of the stop and slightly oblique. Almond shaped. Black or
dark brown colour. In brown subjects the colour may be dark amber.
Eyelids: The rims are
black in black, white and grey subjects.
In orange fawn (apricot) or red fawn subjects they may be brown or
black.
Ears:Rather long,
falling along the cheeks, set on in the prolongation of a line going from the
top of the nose and passing under the outer corner of the eye; flat, widening
after the attachment and rounded at the tip, they are covered with very long,
wavy hair. The leather should reach the corner of the lips.
NECK: Strong ,slightly
arched after the nape, of medium length and well porportioned. The head is
carried high and proudly. The neck, without dewlap, is of oval cross
section. Its length is slightly less
than that of the head.
BODY: Well
porprotioned. The length is slightly superior to height at withers.
Withers: Moderately
developed.
Back: Short. Topline
harmonious and taut. The height at withers is practically equal to the height
from the top of the croup to the ground.
Loin: Firm and muscled.
Croup: Rounded but not
falling away.
Forechest: The point of the
sternum should be slightly prominent and set rather high.
Chest: Reaching the
elbow; its width is equal to 2/3 of
depth. In Standard Poodles, the perimeter of the thorax, measured behind
the shoulders, should be superior by 10 cms to the height at withers. Oval
cross section, broad at dorsal part.
Belly & Flanks: Tucked up but not
excessively so.
TAIL: Set on quite high
at the level of the loin. It can be either natural or docked by 1/3 closest to
the body or by 1/2 of its length in countries where tail docking is not
forbidden. When standing the tail is low; in action it is raised obliquely.
LIMBS
FOREQUARTERS: Perfectly upright
and parallel, well muscled with good bone. The height from the elbow to the ground
is slightly more than half the height at withers.
Shoulders: Sloping,
muscular. The shoulder blade forms an angle of approximately 110° to the
humerus.
Upper arm: The length of the
humerus corresponds to that of the shoulder blade.
Carpus (wrist): In continuous
line with front of forearm.
Metacarpus (pastern): Strong and almost
upright seen in profile.
Front feet: Rather small, firm, of short oval shape. Toes
are well arched and tight fitting. The
pads are hard and thick. The nails are black in black and grey subjects. They
are black or brown in brown subjects. In
whites the nails may be any colour in the range from horn colour to black. In
the orange fawns and red fawns they are brown or black.
HINDQUARTERS: Hind legs
parallel seen from behind; muscles developed and very apparent. The hock joint
is relatively well angulated; the coxal-femoral, tibial-femoral and
tibial-tarsal angles should be pronounced.
Upper Thigh: Well muscled and
strong.
Metatarsus (rear pastern): Rather short and upright. The Poodle should
be born without dewclaws on the hind legs.
Hind feet: See front feet.
GAIT/MOVEMENT: The Poodle has a
light and springy gait.
SKIN: Supple, not
loose, pigmented.
Black, brown, grey and orange
fawn or red fawn Poodles must be pigmented in accordance with the colour of
their coat. In white Poodles, a silver
coloured skin is sought after.
COAT:
HAIR:
Curly Coats: Profuse of fine,
woolly texture, very frizzy, elastic and resistant to pressure of the
hand. It should be thick, well furnished,
of equal length and form even curls.
Corded Coats: Profuse of fine,
woolly texture and dense, forming
characteristic cords which should measure at least 20 cm.
COLOUR: Solid colour:
black, white, brown, grey, orange fawn (apricot) and red fawn.
Brown: Should be deep,
rather dark, uniform and warm. Beige and its paler derivatives are not
admitted.
Grey: Must be uniform,
deep, neither blackish nor whitish.
Orange fawn: Must be uniform
without tending to pale fawn, cream or red fawn.
Red fawn: Must be uniform
over the entire body. It must never tend to orange fawn.
Eyelids, nose, lips, gums,
palate, natural orifices, scrotum and
pads are well pigmented.
SIZE:
Standard Poodles: Over 45cm up to 60cm with a tolerance
of +2cm. The Standard Poodle must be the enlarged and developed replica of the
Medium Poodle of which it retains the same characteristics.
Medium Poodles: Over
35 cm up to 45cm.
Miniature Poodles: Over 28cm up to 35cm. The Miniature Poodle
must display the apprearance of a reduced Medium Poodle, retaining as much as
possible the same proportions and without presenting any sign of dwarfism.
Toy Poodles: Over 24 cm up to 28 cm (sought after
ideal: 25cm) (with a tolerance of -1cm). The Toy Poodle maintains, in its
ensemble, the aspect of a Miniature Poodle and the same general proportions
complying with all the points of the standard.
Any sign of dwarfism is excluded; only the occipital protuberance may be
less pronounced.
FAULTS: Any departure
from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with
which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.
Absence of 2PM1 is not taken into account.
Absence of one or two PM2, if symmetrical.
Absence of M3 is not taken into account.
SEVERE FAULTS:
Absence of two PM2 if not
symmetrical.
ELIMINATING
FAULTS:
Absence of 1 incisor or 1
canine or 1 carnassial (P4
upper
jaw, M1 lower jaw).
Absence of one PM3 or of one
PM4
Absence of three or more PM
(except PM1)
Any dog clearly showing
physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.
N.B. Male animals should have
two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
Addition to Standard
AUTHORIZED SHOW CLIPS
“Lion Clip”: The Poodle, whether curly or corded, shall
be clipped on the hindquarters up to the ribs.
Also clipped: the muzzle,
above and underneath from the lower eyelids; the cheeks; the fore and hindlegs,
except for the cuffs or bracelets and optional motifs on the hindquarters; the
tail, except for round or oblong terminal pompom. A moustache is required for
all subjects.
Leaving hair, called
“trousers” , on the forelegs is admitted.
“Modern Clip”: Leaving
hair on all four legs is only admitted on condition that the following norms
are respected:
1. Shall be clipped:
a) The lower part of the forelegs, from the nails to the
tip of the dewclaw, the lower part
of the hindlegs to the same height. Machine clipping, limited to the toes only,
is admitted.
b) The head and the tail in compliance with rules
described above. Shall be exceptionally
admitted in this clip:
The presence, under the lower jaw, of short hair no
longer than 1cm the lower line of which
should be cut parallel to the lower jaw. A beard, called “goat’s beard” , is
not permitted.
The suppression of the pompom on the tail.
2. Shortened coat:
Over the body, in order to give “shot silk” effect on the
line of the back, more or less long
but at least 1cm. The length shall be
gradually increased over the ribs and above
the limbs.
3. Neatened coat:
a) On the head which keeps a topknot of reasonable height
as well as down behind the neck to
the withers and the front, without discontinuity, to the shaven part of the foot following a slightly slanting line
from the top of the forechest downwards. On the top of the ears and for a maximum of one third of their length,
the coat may be cut with scissors
or clipped in the direction of the hair. The lower part shall be left covered in hair whose length shall increase
gradually, from top to bottom, to end in fringes which may be levelled.
b) On the limbs, “trousers” making a distinct transition from the shaven part of the feet. The length of the hair increases gradully towards the top to display, on the shoulder and likewise the thigh, a length of 4 to 7 cm measured by pulling the hair to straighten it, in proportion to the size of the exhibit while avoiding any “fluffy” effect. The hind “trousers” must allow for the typical angulation of the Poodle to be seen. All other fancy clips which do not comply with these norms are eliminatory. Whatever the standard outline obtained by grooming, it should have no influence whatsoever on the placements in shows, all exhibits in the same class should be judged and placed together.
“English Clip”: To the
“Lion Clip” add motifs on the hindquarters, i.e. bracelets and cuffs. On the
head: a topknot. For this clip the moustache is optional. The absence of
demarcation on the hair of the hindquarters is tolerated. The topknot is optional (it is forbidden to
use lacquer or any other substance to keep the topknot in place).
Poodles which are not groomed
in conformity with the standard cannot (as long as they are like this) be
judged in shows or official events, without however being disqualified for
breeding purposes.