The Miniature Poodle was bred down from the Standard Poodle sometime during the 18th century when small dogs became popular with royalty. The Standard Poodle originated over 400 years ago in Germany. It was bred to be a duck retriever, with a thick coat to protect it against cold water, great swimming skills, and extreme intelligence. The name Poodle comes from the German word "pudelin", meaning to splash in water. The traditional and still-popular coat grooming style that you see many Poodles sport used to serve a purpose: it kept extra fur off so that the Poodle wouldn't be weighed down or get snagged on anything while swimming, but the tufts, or "pompons" protected vital organs against the cold.