leverness, he has never been widely popular in this country
as the Collie and the Fox-Terrier are popular. There is a general
belief that he is a fop, whose time is largely occupied in personal
embellishment, and that he requires a great deal of individual
attention in the matter of his toilet. It may be true that to keep
him in exhibition order and perfect cleanliness his owner has need
to devote more consideration to him than is necessary in the case
of many breeds; but in other respects he gives very little trouble,
and all who are attached to him are consistent in their opinion that
there is no dog so intensely interesting and responsive as a
companion. His qualities of mind and his acute powers of reasoning
are indeed so great that there is something almost human in his
attractiveness and his devotion. His aptitude in learning is never
denied, and many are the stories told of his marvellous talent and
versatility.

Not merely as a showman's dog has he distinguished himself. He is
something more than a mountebank of the booths, trained to walk the
tight rope and stand on his head. He is an adept at performing tricks,
but it is his alertness of brain that places him apart from other
animals. There is the example of the famous Munito, who in 1818
perplexed the Parisians by his cleverness with playing cards and his
intricate arithmetical calculations. Paris was formerly the home of
most of the learned Poodles, and one remembers the instance of the
Poodle of the Pont Neuf, who had the habit of dirtying the boots of
the passers-by in order that his master--a shoe-black stationed
half-way across the bridge--might enjoy the profit of cleaning them.
In Belgium Poodles were systematically trained to smuggle valuable
lace, which was wound round their shaven bodies and covered with a
false skin. These dogs were schooled to a dislike of all men in
uniform, and consequently on their journey between Mechlin and the
coast they always gave a wide berth to the Customs officers. On the
Continent Poodles of the larger kind are often used for draught work.

There can be little doubt that the breed originated in Germany, where
it is known as the _Pudel_, and classed as the _Canis familiaris
Aquaticus_. In form and coat he would seem to be closely related to
the old Water-dog, and the resemblance between a brown Poodle and
an Irish Water Spaniel is remarkable. The Poodle is no longer regarded
as a sporting dog, but at one period he was