Parti Poodle...
What is that?
Parti Poodles are Poodles that are More than One Color
Most commonly they are a color with white. They can come in any Poodle color, and even brindle.
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The Earliest Records of Parti Poodles in History
Despite the recent surge in popularity, Parti Poodles are not a new variant. Drawings and paintings of Poodles in the 1600's — show coloration with white and black or white and brown. The most famous record of Parti Poodles is from 1631 when Rembrandt was painted with his brown-and-white Poodle.
As breed standards from the American Kennel Club arose, Parti Poodles became undesirable for showing and breeding. Professional breeders sought to selectively breed the Parti coloration out, making them scarce.
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How Parti Poodles Gained Popularity
Because of the scarcity created by selective breeding, Parti Poodles are now a rare and sought color variant of the already popular Poodle breed. Some Poodle owners want Parti Poodles because they’re exotic and unique looking, commanding higher prices for attractive puppies.
Still, the Parti Poodle is not recognized by the AKC for conformation shows, which evaluate the shape or structure of the animal and its appearance. The desire for Parti Poodles is limited to dog owners looking for rare and unique pets.
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Formal Recognition of Parti Poodles
The Poodle was officially recognized by the Kennel Club of the United Kingdom in 1874 and the AKC in 1886, not long after the founding of both clubs. Currently, the AKC recognizes Toy, Miniature, and Standard Poodles sizes.
The other Poodle variety, the Medium Poodle, is recognized by smaller Continental European kennel clubs. This size falls in between the Standard and Miniature Poodle. The recognition of this variety was motivated by the desire to reduce the number of entries of Poodles by variety at dog shows.
As mentioned, the Parti Poodle is banned from showing in conformation shows with AKC. A Parti Poodle from AKC-registered Poodle parents can be registered with the AKC, however. They ARE able to gain their championship in UKC, and can earn points in other AKC events.
Other AKC Events
There are many canine sports to choose from, and many people participate in more than one. But when you’re just starting out, it can be hard to decide which one to try first.
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Other than confirmation, AKC has Agility, Obedience, Scentwork, Field Events, Rally, Fast CAT, Tracking & Poodles do very well in most of these events.
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To learn more about what each are, and how to get started - click here.
