Corded poodles are not a distinct breed from the other poodles.
It’s just a different hairstyle.
The cords are mats that have been separated and carefully cultivated until they appear as long dreadlocks. Remember that poodle hair continues to grow throughout the dog’s life, which is why they must be clipped regularly.
The cords take years to form properly.
At one time, corded poodles were very commonly exhibited, but because of the work, time, and skill that it takes to produce such cords, most poodles today have their coats maintained in the more familiar fashion.
The coat is also quite high maintenance. Corded coats are very hard to keep clean, and when the dog gets wet, the coat takes a very long time to dry.
Most people simply aren’t prepared for that sort of commitment, so the corded poodle is now something of a rarity.
Of course, the Bergamasco of Italy and the Komondor and Puli of Hungary are always corded. It’s the defining feature of those breeds. Spanish water dogs are also often corded.
I am fairly certain that another reason why cording is so unpopular is that there are periods in the early stages of the cording in which the dogs look like they are heavily matted. The dogs look like they have been neglected.
I have heard of greyhound owners who have been turned in for starving their dogs, so it is very likely that owners of corded dogs could be risking a run-in with the authorities. If people don’t understand that greyhound are supposed to be thin, they surely won’t understand how this matting is actually a way of maintaining a coat for a non-shedding breed.
I didn’t quite get this sentence: “The cords are not mats that have been separated and carefully cultivated until they appear as long dreadlocks.”
If they are not mats, then what are they instead?
Patrice
http://patricedodd.wordpress.com/
Thanks for noticing.
I get errant “nots” in sentences every once in a while.
That happened on an episode of Animal Cops NYC. They got a “call” about a dog with mats, but it was really a Komondor living in a fancy bookshop.
Yes.
I remember the episode, and the owner said “This dog is not friendly.”
And it wasn’t.
I can’t imagine why anyone would keep a dog that isn’t people friendly in bookstore. Doesn’t seem like a very good business plan.
It was to guard the store.
I think people see a Komondor and think OES (“shaggy dog.”)
They aren’t anything alike in terms of temperament.
has anyone ever done a study to find out if the corded coat is more effective for a water dog than the more popular cut? I’ve always kinda thought that with the LGDs, the dog got sheared when the sheep did. The corded and weather resistant coat wasn’t an issue since the dog didn’t live with the people, but outside with the stock. A retriever would be a bit different.
I’ve always had a theory on “why different coat types” as to environments and climates where one coat type might be more functional than another, but I’ve never seen any actual scientific study on the subject. But i don’t think it is just fashion why the “basic wolf coat” (which varies in thickness and length but not as much as dogs) was modified for the wider range of dog coats.
I would think the corded coat must differ from the “standard” coat in terms of care, water resistance, weight of a wet coat, amount of trash a coat collects and amount of trash a coat protects a dog from. Corded coats seem somewhat rare in the hunting/retriever and bird dog crowd. Did the Irish Water spaniel ever have cords?
VR, Peggy Richter
I’ve never seen any reference (or photo) referring to cords in the Irish Water Spaniel. However, they were shown relatively ungroomed until the Hon. Col. William le Poer Trench entered the scene in the late 19th century, with his dogs groomed and tidied. And that started a trend (especially when his dogs won championships).
And yes, that is the same Col. Trench, member of the Kennel Club, who later presented the “Marjoribanks and Ilchester breed of Russian Yellow Retrievers” at a few shows.
Although cords are, in fact, “trained” mats, they don’t start at the skin – the cording starts about an inch up. Here’s a close up for illustration – http://www.flickr.com/photos/foxxy-and-baldr/4784517711/
The best coat for cording is a harsh, wirey/curley coat – which is also considered the proper coat for a poodle because the hair literally wicks the water away from the skin.
But a corded coat would be a disaster in a water retrieving poodle – it takes days to dry when it gets wet. It’s also a magnet for field junk (burrs, sticks, etc.), but this is true with a regular poodle coat as well.
I happen to love the water retrieving ability of the breed, so I wouldn’t cord my own poodle. But I do love the look – http://www.flickr.com/photos/foxxy-and-baldr/4656062283/in/photostream/
Cords sounds boring. Let’s call them dreads instead :)
In a long coated dog regular mats don’t start at the skin, either. A couple of my Afghans and crosses will cord if I don’t brush them, especially when it gets warm and they start shedding. The finer the coat, the thinner the natural cords. You can see some naturally ‘corded’ Afghans here:
http://www.afghanhoundsoz.com.au/Afghan_Gait.htm
When the coat forms thin dreads like that, and the dog sheds, you can just pull them right off.
Yeah definitely a junk magnet. Not the best coat imo.
I have never seen a corded poodle so I genuinely appreciated the education Scottie. Thank you :)
I doubt that the cords of old were allowed to grow to the length they do now. Cording is a LOOONG drawn out process. Moondance Standard Poodles keeps at least one corded dog. She has a good explanation here: http://moondancestandardpoodles.piczo.com/cordedpoodlepicturesandinstructions?cr=3&linkvar=000044
I have a corded toy poodle. His coat began matting at 6 months. I had to brush him seven times a day so I just quit brushing to let it cord. It took about a year to really set. Many people, including my vet, did not understand what I was doing and thought I was neglecting him. Even with his cords set (he looks like a tiny version of the dogs in the video) I sometimes get dirty looks. But most people love the look and he definitely does. I have to groom him myself because I haven’t found a pro that knows how.
I must use a sump pump to jet water into the cords to wet them completely and quickly. Otherwise I go through a couple of bathtubs full of water. And I’m talking about a toy. I wring his cords out thoroughly and change high absorbent towels frequently on a warm dry day and his hair dries in a couple of hours or so.
When he goes in the ocean his hair stays dryer than on a fluffy poodle. I do not always have to bathe him if I’m careful to keep the sand off him. I’ve had a few fluffy poodles over my lifetime so I knew what I was getting into. Also, he can shake most debris off his coat which is not the case with fluffy poodles.
The corded poodle is not difficulty to maintain. Actually, I find it easier because I was never good at scissoring. He doesn’t need brushing. But it took patience and help to figure out how to start it.