Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. one who cultivates women’s society, esp. for social advancement; thus poodle-faking n. and adj.

[1849		G.G. Foster N.Y. in Slices 31: A gentleman belonging very decidedly to that interesting variety of the species Poodle known as ‘handsome men’].
1869		Man about Town 18 Sept. 13/1: Miss Poodlefaker, of Manchester, informs me tnat Scarborough is charming.
1869		Man about Town 23 Oct. 52/3: Why, the fresh, fair, unfatigued faces of the rosebud garden of girls, in their pretty morning gear, at Sir Poodle Faker’s, is worth a wilderness of dinners with the same treasures resplendent in the trappings of Worth or Elise.
1902		Temple Bar 125 567: ‘Beg pardon, sir,’ he began. ‘Come down, you poodlefaker,’ roared the unheeding Major.
1915		‘Bartimeus’ ‘The Seven-Bell Boat’ in A Tall Ship 75: Wherefore these carefully creased trousers, this liberal display of fine linen and flashing cuff-links withal? [...] Don’t tell me the lad is going poodle-faking!
1917		‘Taffrail’ Sub 103: He wore silk socks, used scent, and was such an inveterate ‘poodle-faker.’.
1929		Dundee Courier 2 Sept. 11/5: Richard was a man — Patrick [...] was a ‘poodle faker’ of the type that Richard would despise.
1939		J. Cary Mister Johnson (1952) 142: That poodle-faker Tring has cobbled all the funds.
1939		A. Powell What’s become of Waring? 200: But what did you live on? [...] A bit of journalism here and there, a good deal of poodle-faking.
1944		J. Cary Horse’s Mouth (1948) 187: A poodle-faking crook that’s spent fifty years getting nothing for nothing and a kick up below for interest on the investment.
1947		J. Maclaren-Ross Of Love And Hunger 36: Poodle-faking under the punkahs.
1960		(con. c.1928) D. Holman-Hunt My Grandmothers and I (1987) 174: The little poodle-faking ass wanted to give me an injection.
2004		Guardian G2 19 Apr. 22/2: The words to describe Osborne – roué, cad, poodlefaker – are obsolete.
2011		Vogue Jan. 156: No wonder an urbane poodlefaker pulled me up short when I started to enthuse about an East End design outlet .

2. one who interferes; thus poodle-faking n. and adj.

1960

(con. c.1928) D. Holman-Hunt My Grandmothers and I (1987) 169: Some ruddy poodle-faking, interfering fool has mucked up my blueprints!

3. a womanizer, a ‘ladies’ man’.

1925

(con. WWI) Fraser & Gibbons Soldier and Sailor Words 227: Poodle Faker: A ladies’ man.