Poodles as Gun Dogs

The largest of the poodle breeds, the Standard Poodle, was bred to be a retriever hunting dog. It is believed that the Standard Poodle was primarily used for duck hunting.

One of the reasons why Standard Poodles were well suited to the role was because of their webbed feet which makes them very strong swimmers. They are also highly intelligent, making easier to train them to return any fowl that have been shot down. Standard Poodles have a soft bite, meaning that they can retrieve quarry without damaging it.

Their curly coat is also water resistant, meaning that they can jump into the water repeatedly without suffering the effects of exposure on cold winter days. Standard Poodles are not as robotic as some dogs that are simply taught to fetch. They can learn a wide range of commands and need to be told specifically what is desired of them.

While they were bred to be working dogs hundreds of years ago, Standard Poodles are still used as game dogs today, particularly on bird shoots. Standard Poodles have good eyesight and also have a good memory, being able to point towards where a target is, but not to the same extent as dogs that are bred specifically to learn the skill of pointing.

Standard Poodles have a great sense of smell and are good at finding where quarry might have fallen in the scrub or bush. Poodles need a firm but kind master. Although they are very athletic and energetic sprinters, they can be somewhat timid and if the master does not give them clear instructions, they might freeze when out on the hunt and refuse to cooperate.

Overall, though, the Standard Poodle loves the hunt and will do everything it can to please its master as long as there is effective communication between the dog and owner.

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