poo·dle (p00d’l) A breed of dogs originally developed in Europe as hunting dogs, having thick curly hair of varying color,usually trimmed. The breed is classified by shoulder height into standard, miniature, and toy varieties. The poodle is an intelligent dog, an old breed sometimes trained as sporting dogs or as performing dogs. The poodle is a breed of dog; specifically, it is a gun dog noted for its ability in the water. The English name comes from the German Pudel, or Pudelhund–from pudeln, meaning "to splash about". The poodle is the national dog of France, where it was once trained to scent and dig up truffles. Poodles are regarded as the most intelligent of all domestic dog breeds. (Britannica:2007)
