what was the poodles original job
One of the earliest functions of the Poodle, and perhaps the task for which it was bred was as a water dog. Hunters would take their Poodles, or Poodle-like dogs, on the hunt with them and if a hunted animal landed in some body of water, the Poodle's job was to retrieve the animal. The Poodle's coat is very similar to that of the Portuguese Water Dog; this type of curly, dense coat protected the animals from low water temperatures and also helped in making the dog more buoyant.