Warm weather hunting here in Pa

[Sporrns]

Au contrere; the standard French poodle is a great hunting dog and, if properly introduced and trained to water retrieve, makes a good duck dog. Given, they are not Labs nor Chesapeakes and need a full hunting coat to work duck waters in winter. They are very intelligent and in standard breed configuration are large, strong, well-muscled dogs.

A friend of mine years ago who owned a vineyard did a Poodle rescue male dog, jet black in color, named "Perky Pierre." He was left in full coat, no show "puffs' on elbows or shoulders & tail, and looked a lot like the Golden Doodle in the OP's picture. Although never waterfowl hunted, he was regularly used as a flusher/retriever for pheasant hunting in the heavy thickets along the MD/PA border, which at that time (c. 1970) was the Mesopotamia of MD/PA pheasant hunting. He was a bull in thick cover; of course did not point but chased every bird shot at; if killed he would go to the bird and pick it up in his mouth and look at us, as if waiting for command. His owner would give the word, and he would bring the bird to him alone.

Always very curious, the dog would inspect each and every item of clothing, gun cases, and gear unloaded from our truck before "greeting" us outside the loafing shed beside the barn. He made a great watchdog as well, the area at that time being very rural and quite isolated. Kevin

[Jim Cloninger]

My partner got the field bred poodle because his wife is allergec to dog hair. Poodles don't shed their hair.
Jim