The first black miniature poodle in my life was Maximilian de Bastardos, Emperor of Midanbury. His overblown name was a reflection of his character. When he first came to us, he was merely Max, but he developed such a sense of self-importance that we found we needed to exaggerate it in his nomenclature.
What I learned from my 15-year relationship with Max is that poodles have strong personalities. They are characterful, smart, loyal and like naughty children – they constantly test you.
