Never underestimate poodles
A friend of my father had two poodles.

Yes, I did say poodles. Not the miniature pampered fluffballs that so many have been cruelly forced to become, but the original, tall, lanky hunting dogs. Very loyal, very intelligent, very intimidating.

Anyway, he took them with him while working, and on one occasion had to call at a deer farm. He tied them up outside, provisioned them with a water bowl and a blanket to lie on, and the client came out to meet him.

"Oh, let them run around," says he. "The deer will give them a good bit of exercise."

"Sure?" asks my Dad's friend, "They're afwully fast."

"Naah!" says the farmer, dismissively, "They'll never catch anything."

Predictably, half an hour later, through the window of the farm office, the client was greeted by the sight of two poodles hauling the carcass of a medium-sized deer from the nearby copse.
( Amish Information Systems hates misplaced, commas, Mon 28 May 2012, 11:49, 4 replies)

Tougher than they look - Poodles in the Iditarod
thepoodleanddogblog.typepad.com/the_poodle_and_dog_blog/2008/02/poodles-in-the.html
( wakeupandsmellthebacon, Mon 28 May 2012, 20:35, closed)

If
my addled memory serves correctly, weren't they bred and given that "poodle" cut for game retrieval from water?
( social hand grenade I was a lurker before you were a lurker, Tue 29 May 2012, 21:02, closed)

wouldnt say attacked
but was set upon by two of these giant poodles by a lakeside once in the Australian Snowy Mountains. Scared the shit out of me as they came bounding over rocks and shrubs to jump up, paws on my chest and looked me dead in the eye. massive beasts they were, kind of cool though.
(technocore, Wed 30 May 2012, 6:36, closed)

They are the 'Muscle Marys' of the dog world.
Quite intelligent as well. The gaffer of my old local had two, they looked really cuddly with the classic 'poodle cut' - until they growled at you.
(Captain Placid 24/7 ball gags, brownie mix and clown porn, Wed 30 May 2012, 8:17, closed)