The poodle has been bred in at least three sizes, including Standard, Miniature, and Toy. Despite the Standard Poodle's claim to greater age than the other varieties, some evidence shows the smaller types developed only a short time after the breed assumed the general type by which it is recognized today. Unlike other spaniels and retrievers, Standard Poodles will attempt to solve a problem independently and need to be told specifically what is wanted when tracking and retrieving a bird. This is very important when working the dog in a contest as well as an environment with guns: a trained poodle will not scare easily at the sound of gunfire, but it is wise to make him abide by his master's instructions in trials so he does not fall foul of danger and ignore the set course while attempting to 'solve' how to get the duck.