It seems to us that perhaps one of the more misunderstood breeds is the Poodle. The breed is wicked smart, and can still perform its original function as a retriever, thank you very much. It’s the hair cut that throws people off. We can help.

The Poodle clip is rooted in a hunter’s practicality. The legs are shaved to allow the dog to swim better, the hair left longer around the ankles and hip bones to keep joints warm, as well as on the body to protect internal organs. The Poodle’s coat texture enables the dog emerging from water to shake water off and away from their skin. The colored ribbon in the dog’s hair was used by owners to identify which dog was theirs when there were many of them in the water at one time. Over time, owners played around with Poodle clips and today we have the Bikini Clip (also known as the Miami Clip), the English Saddle Clip, Continental Clip, the Lamb Clip, Kennel, or Utility Clip, the Modified Continental Clip, and of course the corded coat. 

Image found on Pinterest and happily credited upon receipt of information