Knowing the sort of lives most poodles lead nowadays, I found it rather interesting when I learned they were originally bred as hunting dogs.
Standard Poodles are incredibly smart dogs. Sadly there seems to be more demand to out-cross them with labrador or golden retrievers to get a cross with a low-dander coat. I guess if it keeps a worthy breed alive then it’s worth it?
I have a neutered male Portuguese Water Dog. Some say that they are a close cousin to the Standard Poodle. Another ‘smart’ dog. But it’s a dangerous kind of smart. He figures things out (like how to poach food when I’m not looking or how to let himself out of a gated fence). Plus he was raised with terriers and that messed with his psyche a bit!