The origin of the breed is still discussed, with a prominent dispute over whether the poodle descends from Germany as a type of water dog, or from the French Barbet.Ranked second most intelligent dog breed just behind the Border Collie, the poodle is skillful in many dog sports and activities, including agility, obedience, tracking, herding, circus performance, and assistance dogs. The French name Caniche comes from the word cane (the female of the duck) since this type of breed was used as a water retriever mainly for duck hunting thanks to its swimming ability.The British Kennel Club states that the breed originates in Germany, as do the American Kennel Club and the Canadian Kennel Club, stating: 'Despite the Poodle’s association with France, the breed originated as a duck hunter in Germany...' The Oxford English Dictionary and the American Heritage Dictionary both trace the etymology of Poodle to the German Pudel, which itself comes from Pudelhund.