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Breed Characteristics
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Portuguese Water Dog
| Other Names | Cão de Água Português, Cão de Água Algarvio |
| Nicknames | Portie, PWD, Water Dog |
| Country of Origin | Portugal |
| Weight | Males: 42 - 55 lbs. (19 - 25 kg) Females: 35 - 49 lbs. (16 - 22 kg) |
| Height (at withers) | Males: 20 - 22 in. (50 - 57 cm) Females: 17 - 20 in. (43 - 52 cm) |
| Coat | The coats are different from one dog to the next, though. Some will have a very tight curl, others are wavier. Some dog's have a very flat coat. Often, an open curl is found on them. Many are shiny and thick. The coat is a single layer and does not shed. In most cases, these dogs are hypo allergenic, making them a good choice for those that have allergies. |
| Colour | Coat colours come in black, white, various shades of brown, parti-colours of white with dark spots, black or brown with white markings, silver fox and gray. |
| Litter Size | 4 - 8 puppies |
| Life Span | 11 - 14 years |
| Origin & History | In ancient times; One theory is that some of the rugged Asian herding dogs were captured by the Berbers, people who spread slowly across the face of North Africa to Morocco. Their descendants, the Moors, arrived in Portugal in the 8th century, bringing the water dogs with them. Another theory proposes that some of the dogs left the Asian steppes with the Goths, a confederation of German tribes. Some, (the Ostrogoths), went west and their dogs became the German poodle, called in German the poodle-hund or puddle-dog, that is, water-dog. Others, (the Visigoths), went south to fight the Romans, and their dogs became the Lion Dog, groomed in the traditional lion cut. In 413 CE, the Visigoths invaded Iberia (modern Spain and Portugal, then known as Hispania) and the dogs found their homeland before being settled in Aquitania north of the Pyrenees in 418 before extending their rule to most of Iberia after 470 CE. A Portuguese Water Dog is first described in 1297 in a monk’s account of a drowning sailor who was pulled from the sea by a dog with a "black coat, the hair long and rough, cut to the first rib and with a tail tuft". These theories explain how the Poodle and the Portuguese Water Dog may have developed from the same ancient genetic pool. At one time the Poodle was a longer-coated dog, as is one variety of the Portuguese Water Dog. The possibility also exists that some of the long-coated water dogs grew up with the ancient Iberians. In early times, Celtiberians migrated from lands which now belong to southwestern Germany. Swarming over the Pyrenees, circulating over the whole of western Europe, they established bases in Iberia, as well as in Ireland, Wales, and Brittany. Modern day; The PWD was a breed on the verge of extinction when, during the 1930s, Vasco Bensaude, a wealthy Portuguese shipping magnate, began to seek out fishermen's dogs and utilize them in a breeding program to re-establish the breed. Bensaude's kennel was named Algarbiorum, and his most famous dog was Leão (1931–1942), a very "type-y" (i.e., standard-conformant) fisherman's stud dog, who was bred to so many different females that about half of the pedigreed Portuguese Water Dogs in existence can trace their lineage back to him. Bensaude was aided by two Portuguese veterinarians, Dr. Francisco Pinto Soares and Dr. Manuel Fernandes Marques. His work was carried on by Conchita Cintron de Castelo Branco, to whom he gave his last 17 PWDs and all his archives. Dr. António Cabral was the founder of the Avalade kennels in Portugal. Ch. Charlie de Avalade (Charlie), a brown-coated dog, and C. B. Baluarte de Avalade (Balu) were two of his many famous PWDs. He registered his first PWD in 1954, after Bensaude had pioneered the re-establishment of the breed in Portugal. Cabral worked with Carla Molinari, Deyanne Miller, Sonja Santos and others to establish PWDs in the US. The "Mark of Cabral" is a triangular shape of different color/textured hair, usually 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) from the base of the tail. Deyanne Miller is the person most responsible for the rise of the PWD in America. In 1972, the Millers, along with 14 others, formed the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America, Inc. (PWDCA). She worked with dogs from both the Cintron and Cabral lineages to establish a stable genetic pool of PWDs in the US at her Farmion kennels. Another early US breeder of PWDs was the actor Raymond Burr. |
| Personality | The Portuguese Water Dog is a loyal, lively, water-loving dog. Animated, amusing, spirited and fun to be around, it often makes people laugh. This breed is affectionate with its family. They have great stamina, and with enough exercise will be calm. They are excellent with children and usually get along with other dogs and pets without any problems. They need to get to know cats so that the company of them will also cause no problems. They are even- and pleasant-tempered. Brave, keenly aware, highly intelligent and trainable; keen to work and quick to learn and understand instructions. Training these dogs is not difficult if you understand how to properly communicate with the canine animal. They are very sensitive to the tone of your voice and owners need to be calm, but show a consistent authority. Bear in mind that this extremely intelligent dog will take liberties if it feels it is stronger minded than its owners. Make sure you are consistent, firm and confident in the way you handle the dog. This breed may out-think its owner! Willing and eager to please, this is a faithful, obedient dog. They make good watchdogs. They have a very good sense of smell. Suitable for agility skill trials and numerous other dog sports. Portuguese Water Dog puppies are notorious chewers. Be sure to provide them with things they are allowed to chew on. Dominance levels vary even within the same litter. Barking and indoor activity levels vary greatly with the individual owners and their ability to balance out the dog's needs. Make sure you are this dog's firm, consistent, confident pack leader, providing daily mental and physical exercise. If you find your dog is barking at you in order to communicate, you need to hush the dog and look into your leadership skills. A dog that is barking at you in that manner is showing signs of dominancy issues. Do not allow dogs to jump on humans. |
Care Requirements
| Health | The Portuguese Water Dog is a dog that is a fairly healthy animal. They are not usually problems in terms of life long illness but that is due to the type of care that they are given by their owners, too. Your dog should visit the vet yearly, get the vaccines that he needs and be cared for in terms of Grooming by you. Some of these dogs are known to get hip dysplasia and PRA. Keeping your dog healthy can be done by giving them the Exercise that they need to stay healthy. With a good Diet, they are likely to avoid many of the common ailments that their breed can face. If you are having your Portuguese Water Dog breed, do take the time to have the Breeding stock tested for the condition known as GM-1 Storage Disease. Some of these lines of dogs will have this condition even though it is unknown until they are six months of age. This disease in particular is one that will damage nerves and is a fatal condition. Generally, it does not present itself until it is too late for the puppy. |
| Grooming | The Portuguese Water dog should be brushed and combed regularly. Primarily coat type does not determine which trim they are put in. It is a personal preference. Two coat clips are used: One clip with the face and rear shaved, and the working retriever or pet clip where the dog is scissored so the coat appears to be about an inch long all over. This breed is virtually hypo-allergenic and good for allergy sufferers. The coat sheds little to no hair. The coat grows more slowly than that of a poodle and does not require as frequent scissoring or clipping. |
| Exercise | The Portuguese Water Dog is an active, working type dog with great stamina. It needs daily physical and mental exercise, which includes a daily, long, brisk walk or jog to satisfy its migration instinct. While out on the walk the dog must be made to heel beside or behind the person holding the lead, as in a dog's mind the leader leads the way, and that leader needs to be the human. This breed does best with a job to do. They love to swim and there is nothing your dog would love more than if you threw a stick or ball in water for it to retrieve. It will also enjoy a vigorous romp. They make excellent jogging companions. They are high-energy dogs that need high-energy owners who can provide them with plenty of not only physical, but mental stimulation, along with strong leadership from every family member. Those dogs that are provided with this type of structure make excellent pets and working dogs and those that are lacking will tend to become problem dogs. |
| Other Considerations | The Portuguese Water Dog will be okay in an apartment if it is sufficiently exercised. It is moderately active indoors and a small yard will be sufficient. It can live outdoors in temperate climates, but would be much happier living close to its family and spending days in the yard. Portuguese Water Dogs have a multi-octave voice. They tend to be quiet dogs although they will warn when the home is approached, and they will communicate their desires vocally and behaviourally to their owner. Their bark is loud and distinctive. They may engage in "expressive panting", by making a distinct "ha-ha-ha-ha" sound as an invitation to play or to indicate a desire for nearby food. They sometimes whine. The PWD's high intelligence, and tendency to vocalise and then seek out its human master when specific alarms occur make it an ideal hearing-ear or deaf-assistance dog. PWDs can be readily trained to bark loudly when a telephone rings, and then to find and alert a hard-of-hearing or deaf master. |
