This and that

I was stopped twice yesterday on our walk; "what kind of dog is that?" They were asking about Tilley; who is a blue standard poodle. Both of my poodles are unrecognizable to the average Joe; they have no telltale pompoms. The simple fact that they have no puffs leaves people mystified; pondering as to what the heck they are. A couple of days ago while walking Luke; a Mother and her children were heading my way. I heard her loud and clear as she approached; "look guys a labradoodle, it's a labradoodle." When she got within talking distance I said "nope not a labradoodle; a poodle." "Really; just a poodle?" she said and then apologized for saying just. She said she didn't mean just.

This is something I've grown accustom to hearing after so many years having very different looking poodles. I have had poofless poodles for a long time; ever since I shaved them off because of a comment. I was at the beach with Tilley who at the time was in her prime and a super athlete; she'd had a great time swimming and retrieving. She was wet and covered in sand as we left the beach; a guy passed us and said "bet she'd rather be at the beauty parlor." Are you kidding me? Did he really just say that?

After countless conversations about Tilley being a frisbee dog and hearing "poodles can catch frisbees?" Another great one was "poodles can run?" I decided to take it off; all off. And that was that; no more poofs anywhere. Poodles have a bad rap; I'd had enough. I remember taking much heat from some of the members of a poodle group I was on. "Why would you have poodles if you don't want a poodle to look like a poodle?" was the comment. Newsflash; poodles don't look like poodles, it is the humans that make them look like poodles. Poodles are just curly coated retrievers; that's it. They are an amazingly utility breed; not like the prissy type dogs that most people think that they are.

The pompoms were originally adorned on the poodle to protect vital organs and joints from the cold water that they were retrieving in. Bred originally as a water retriever the poodle kept their pompoms and which have since been made even more elaborate.

But the poodle is a dog like any other dog. And like the other dogs; I adore them for who they are, not for the fancy hairdos that people put upon them.