The Poodle is a formal dog breed that comes in three varieties: The smallest, or Toy variety, was developed in England in the 18th century. The Poodle is a formal dog breed that comes in three varieties: The smallest, or Toy variety, was developed in England in the 18th century. Hunting and working dogs were typically of the standard variety, though some reports suggest that smaller varieties such as the miniature may have been popular for truffle hunting, as their feet were less likely to damage the delicate fungi. Because they are highly intelligent, harsh or violent training methods do not work with this dog breed in the field—corrections must be timely and given with precision, and the trainer must have a firm, kind, and experienced hand; an overbearing owner training his dog to hunt will find his Standard poodle terrified of his master and the entire experience, and refusing to budge an inch towards the water or into the brush.