Portuguese Water Dogs aka PWDs

The American Kennel Club gives Portuguese Water Dogs a AAA rating:  Affectionate, Athletic, Adventurous

Originally bred in Portugal to assist fishermen, PWDs were used to guard the fishermen’s boats, to get fish and other things from the water, and to help bring in the nets.  PWDs also saved fishermen’s lives if they fell into the water.  When the job of fishing became easier due to modern technology, the breed nearly died out! Thanks to dog breeders, there are thousands around the world today.

Interesting facts about PWDs:

They are a medium-size dog:  the average height for a male is 22 inches and 55 pounds; females average is 19 inches and 45 pounds.

They come in three colors:  black, brown, and white, and combinations of black/white, brown/white.  They have no undercoat, so people with dog allergies are usually not affected.  Their coats types are wavy and curly.

They are highly intelligent, energetic, and easy to train.  Along with that intelligence and need for speed, comes a tendency to boredom.  They need consistent physical and mental exercise. 

They are great family dogs.  Because they love to play (and often play with their mouths), small children will need to be supervised to prevent accidents.

Their special abilities make them a breed that can do it all:  conformation, obedience, agility, rally, water work, and tracking.  Their affectionate disposition makes them perfect as a therapy dog.

Their voice is multi-octave.  Because of this, their bark, woot-woot, and other sounds they make are very distinctive.  It is a very endearing trait!

They are very happy dogs and do not do well being alone for long periods of time. They bond strongly with their owners (Velcro dog) and are happiest when they have their owner in their sights.

They are notorious counter surfers.  This means is that they will stand on their hind legs to see what is on the counter or on a table, particularly if they smell food.

To learn more about PWDs, ask a member of the Red River Portuguese Dog Club.  Many of our members reside in the North Texas region.

Our parent organization is the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America (PWDCA).  www.pwdca.org.