The Official Poodle breed standard recognizes two distinct coat types - corded and curly. Any Poodle with a correct coat can be corded once its adult coat has come in; it will normally start to cord between 9 and 18 months. It is usually a LOT of work getting the cords established but they are fairly easy to look after once they have some length. If you decide that you no longer want your dog corded it cannot be brushed out! The coat must be clippered off. To avoid cords the coat must be brushed on a regular basis.