Poodle History

Ah, poodles! The official national dog of France, beloved of old ladies, punks who love pink and purple hair dye, and talented circus performers ever since people figured out that kids and dogs will earn tips on the street, in the square or under the big top.

The first official notice of poodles appears on Roman and Greek coins from ~30 a.d., though suspiciously poodle-like hunting dogs are found in the detailed pictorial histories on tomb walls in Egypt and Mesopotamia. Where, legend has it, they were lion-hunters. When they weren’t the pampered pets of the ruling and priestly classes, that is. These would have been the big guys – “Imperials” – that Napoleon favored so highly.

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