"But who is this? What thing of sea or land?
Female of sex it seems,
That is bedecked ornate and gay."
Milton—Samson Agonistes.
MINIATURE POODLE
"Whippendell Pirouette"
Owned by Miss Brunker
THE MINIATURE POODLE
"My wildest wishes he fulfils,
Without a protest on his part;
My faintest show of friendship thrills
His faithful hearth."
Ellen Thornycroft Fowler.
IN those days of Platonism and "sensibility," which formed such a curious phase of the feminism of the Sixteenth century, no woman was happy without a pet dog, probably a poodle. Their love of animals was particular rather than general. As M. de Maulde says in "The Women of the Renaissance," "Ladies only valued the boudoir pet, the little, affectionate, obedient animal, their very own, which meekly took their kisses and upon which they lavished without misgiving a portion of their tenderness: a bird, for instance, or a pug. I say a pug, for there was seldom more than one. What was the good of a troop of shaggy animals, however graceful, like those which fill the canvases of Veronese? A lady much preferred her one little lap dog, which she carried on her arm against her heart, took to bed with her, and had painted in her own portrait." Probably the author is inexact in referring to these pets as "pugs," their resemblance to a tiny poodle being more marked. The chances are that the word "pug" is used in the sense of a pet.
One would not care to say that four centuries later many ladies are not wholly free from a charge of extravagance in their relations with toy dogs, although this is a reproach that cannot be directed against the owners of Poodles, who prefer to treat these intelligent creatures with due regard to their dignity. If in size the miniature Poodle approaches the toys, he still retains the sagacity and sense of his larger brother, who is a sportsman, in spite of the fantastic, not to say grotesque, guise under which he is compelled to masquerade. The curious manner in which Poodles are clipped is to a large extent responsible for the estimate in which they are held by the general public, who are blind to their virtues. In reality, it would be difficult to find a more faithful or a wiser companion, or a safer guard than a Poodle. Examine his head and and eye carefully, putting on one side the hair, and you will agree that the expression is indicative of wisdom and friendship.
Sixty years ago or more Youatt wrote what remains true unto this day: "These dogs have far more courage than the water spaniel, all the sagacity of the Newfoundland, more general talent, if the expression may be used, and more individual attachment than either of them, and without the fawning of the one, or the submissiveness of the other. The Poodle seems conscious of his worth, and there is often a quiet dignity accompanying his demonstrations of friendship." The frequency with which Poodles appear in troupes of performing animals is convincing testimony to their teachableness, an assertion which will be confirmed by anyone who has been on terms of intimacy with one. A Poodle may be taught to do nearly anything, his perspicacity being almost uncanny, yet we cannot say of him that he is widely popular. It may be that the function of clipping has its terrors, but, when this operation has once been properly performed, I doubt if his toilet is as troublesome as that of most long coated dogs. An exception must, however, be made in the case of the corded variety, the long ropes of hair dragging the ground and demanding skilled treatment. Such a coat has its obvious disadvantages. It is unhygienic because of the dirt which must inevitably accumulate, and from the feet that the cords at the end are composed of dead hair, which in the natural course of events should be shed. The heavy weight, too, of the cords naturally impedes the action, which should be graceful and full of liberty. The coat of the curly Poodle, which more often than not is now merely fluffed out, presents no obstacles. So far as the shaving is concerned, an inspection of an actual dog or photograph will reveal that it is carried out on a more or less well ordered system. Feet and legs are bare, except for bracelets which are left at the hocks and above the pasterns. A small tuft of hair remains at the end of the stern, the rest being denuded; the face is also cleared with the exception of a moustache on the upper lip; and about a third of the body is also stripped, two pompoms, however, being allowed on each side of the back.
Until some fourteen years ago, the commonly accepted colours were black or white, but when a red came on the scene as the result of a union of two blacks, the colour question at once assumed importance, and now we may have, in addition to the shades mentioned, blue, mouse grey, silver grey, cream or apricot, tan, smoke, chocolate, brown, pale fawn, etc. During the same period the miniature Poodle has received a great impetus. That is, officially, a dog measuring not more than fifteen inches at the shoulder, although as a matter of fact the aspirations of breeders is to get below this maximum. Strange to say, the large dog of recent years has been getting bigger, until we may have one weighing as much as sixty pounds, measuring at least six and twenty inches. The weight of of a miniature may come down to about fifteen pounds, which is sufficient to prevent him being weedy. It is to be hoped that no serious attempts will be made to reduce this to any material extent. 