Portuguese Water Dogs, also called PWDs, Porties, and "Cão de Água," are strong, affectionate water-loving dogs from the coast of Portugal. While the Portuguese Water Dog was bred to assist fishermen and spend their days on boats or in the water doing tasks, they are primarily wonderful, loyal family dogs today.
Part athlete and part teddy bear, a Portuguese Water Dog puppy might just be the perfect match if you're looking for an allergy-friendly medium-sized dog that will keep up with your active lifestyle. Not only do they make great companions for adults, but they also are fans of children and are devoted companions to little ones. They're always up for an adventure, whether it's a game of fetch or a swim in the ocean with their boundless enthusiasm.
With their charismatic personality, fierce loyalty to family, and strong work ethic, Portuguese Water Dog puppies are a great choice for potential puppy owners. Learn more about the Portuguese Water Dog dog breed to see if this spirited, athletic dog is right for you.
History and Origin of Portuguese Water Dog Puppies
Portuguese Water Dog puppies hail from the the countries of Gibraltar, Andorra, Spain, and Portugal comprising the Iberian Peninsula in the southwestern corner of Europe. The geopolitical forces shifted on the island as the Moors, Visigoths, and Romans conquered the area, bringing their various dogs like the Roman “canis leo” or “Lion Dog,” the Great Water Dog of the Moors, and the ‘canis pescator’ or Fishing Dog of the Visigoths. At some point, Poodles and Spanish Water Dogs entered the mix as well.
Over time, these dogs bred together creating a dog known as the Fisherman’s Dog. These water dogs assisted fishermen with tasks like delivering messages among boats, herding fish into nets, and retrieving lost tackle and broken nets. They were also used to rescue people from dangerous waters.
Portuguese Water Dogs assisted fishermen for centuries, but as modern development encroached on the ways of living, the breed began to diminish. A wealthy shipping mogul named Vasco Bensaude saw two Portuguese Water Dogs at a dog show in 1934 and became enamored, buying a male and a female. He also visited the Algarve region of Portugal and bought more dogs, breeding them and giving them to friends and family. When Bensaude passed away in 1957, he gave the 14 remaining dogs to a friend which became the basis for the first litter of Portuguese Water Dog puppies born June 17, 1971 in Nantucket. This initial litter started the rise in popularity of these dogs with efforts to form a club and develop a breed standard. The American Kennel Club welcomed the Portuguese Water Dog in 1984 under the Working group. Today, the Portuguese Water dog sits at #46 on the AKC’s Most Popular Dog Breeds list in between West Highland White Terriers and Bichon Frises.
Famous Modern Portuguese Water Dogs
Portuguese Water Dogs have held the spotlight, capturing the attention of Americans with their charming personalities and friendly nature.
Batters playing in the San Francisco Giant’s stadium could hit foul balls and home runs over the walls and into the San Francisco Bay in McCovey Cove. It’s customary for boats to line up in hopes of retrieving balls. When Barry Bonds kept hitting record-breaking home runs, the Baseball Aquatic Retrieval Korps (BARK for short) provided dogs to retrieve these balls, making the program a hit with baseball fans and local residents. The program was so popular and drew so many boats that it began to compromise the dogs’ safety. While BARK Portuguese Water Dogs no longer patrol McCovey Cove, Portuguese Water Dogs brought delight while doing a job well done.
Another famous set of Portuguese Water Dogs is Bo and Sunny. There have been several presidential dogs in the White House over the years, but two Portuguese Water Dogs captivated the nation when Barack Obama was in office. Bo and Sunny came to live with the family after Obama promised his girls, Malia and Sasha, that they could get a family dog after the presidential race was over regardless of the outcome. This dynamic duo would try and sit in Michelle Obama’s lap while reading to children at Christmas and provide comic relief at several events with world leaders. They even appeared on talk shows and enjoyed their moments of fame as presidential pets.
What Do Portuguese Water Dog Puppies Look Like?
Is that a Poodle? Is that a Doodle? No, it’s a Portuguese Water Dog!
While they are easy to mistake for another more familiar breed, Portuguese Water Dogs are beautiful nonetheless. They have a robust build, a wide head, muscular legs, and a thick, tapered tail that can be held high or used for swimming. They are medium-sized dogs weighing 35-60 pounds and standing 17-21 inches tall.
How Portuguese Water Dogs are Perfectly Built For the Water
Portuguese Water Dogs stand out from the rest of the pack due to how they are built to serve their purpose as working dogs on the water. Characteristics like their waterproof coats, webbed feet, and strong tails combined with their strength and work ethic make a Portuguese Water Dog perfect for wet endeavors.
The magnificent Portuguese Water Dog coat
While Portuguese Water Dogs may look like teddy bears, they are all business when it comes to being prepared for hard work out on the water. Their coat is weather-resistant and extremely dense and made of hair, not fur, featuring tight curls. Other coat textures can be curly to long and wavy in texture and length. Coat colors include black, brown, or white, with or without white markings.
If you are a potential Portuguese Water puppy owner with allergies, you’ll be pleased to learn that Portuguese Water Dogs are considered hypoallergenic. Most dog breeds shed dander and hair, which is the main culprit of allergic reactions. However, hypoallergenic dogs with coats like the Portuguese Water Dog can trap dander and reduce the amount of triggers, making them a low-to-no-shedding dog.
Webbed feet
If you thought webbed feet were just for birds, think again! Portuguese Water Dogs have webbed feet with bits of stretchy skin in between their toes. Their webbed paws give them powerful paddling abilities perfect for swimming in rough waters. Their webbed feet also help navigate wet marsh-like conditions near the shore.
A rudder-like tail
The tail of a Portuguese Water Dog is thick and strong, serving as a rudder when swimming in the water. Their tail helps propel them downward and upward when diving and works in conjunction with their strong legs and webbed feet for pure power in the water.
Loyalty + work ethic
With the combination of their loyalty to their owners and their work ethic, Portuguese Water Dogs are perfect companions for fishermen. They won’t stray too far away from their boats when venturing out to collect nets. Because they are people pleasers, they will follow the captain’s commands. Their powerful bodies allow them to do physical work directly in the water, where a fisherman wouldn’t have had such leverage or positioning to do the job with ease as a Portuguese Water Dog could. Portuguese Water Dogs also have the energy and stamina to work long hours in tough conditions day after day.
Search and rescue
Not only is a Portuguese Water Dog a great help to fishermen but they also are used to save lives out at sea or perform search and rescue missions. Their size and water prowess allow them to cover areas humans could not easily reach, and their amazing sense of smell can follow a trail to a human in distress. Portuguese Water Dogs are strong enough swimmers to assist humans back to the boat or shore without getting tired easily.
How Much Exercise and Training Do Portuguese Water Dog Puppies Need?
Because they are naturally hard workers built to withstand conditions over long periods of time, you are right in assuming that Portuguese Water Dogs require at least 45-60 minutes of exercise a day. They thrive on daily walks or runs and are always up for adventure such as a hike or exploring a new greenway trail.
If you want to be a Portuguese Water Dog puppy owner, try to provide a place for them to swim regularly, whether it is a body of water or an indoor pool for dogs. These dogs love to swim so much and will be so happy as they use their instincts to paddle around, splashing and having fun.
Going beyond the regular exercise routine by participating in other active endeavors is a great idea for Portuguese Water Dog puppy owners. Dog sports like agility, dock diving, and retrieving trials are excellent activities to showcase their athleticism, strength, and talents while working on training commands and bonding.
However, you need to make sure you provide enough physical and mental exercise for your Portuguese Water Dog puppy. They can become destructive or anxious when they are bored and especially like to chew. Keeping them busy and fulfilling their exercise needs will create a tired and happy Portuguese Water Dog puppy – and a better-behaved one, too.
Training is a joyful task when teaching a Portuguese Water Dog basic puppy commands. They are eager to please and brilliant, a winning combination when training a puppy. Because they’re so smart, keep your training sessions fresh with creative ways to teach and reward your Portuguese Water Dog. Be sure to start socializing them from Day One to get them used to new sounds, sights, and experiences.
@globalgroomerstv 30 Second Quick Fire 🔥 Portuguese Water Dog pt2 #shaunnabernardin #30secondquickfire #pwd #pwds #groomer #groomerslife #FashionFavorites #doggroomer ♬ original sound - Global Groomers TV
Grooming and Care of Portuguese Water Dogs
Portuguese Water Dogs will need regular care, but they are easy to maintain once you learn what is required to keep a Portuguese Water Dog puppy in tip-top shape.
Grooming requirements
Portuguese Water Dog puppy owners will need to understand how to groom a Portuguese Water Dog to help their coats stay healthy and look their best.
First, choose the right dog brush for your puppy’s coat type. Don’t think you can wait till the next grooming appointment to brush your dog, as you need to brush them at least every other day. Neglecting proper coat care can cause painful mats, tangles, and skin infections. Portuguese Water Dog puppy owners can use a sturdy slicker brush and a comb together to brush out the curls and any tangles.
Because they have hair that continuously grows instead of fur, Portuguese Water Dog puppies will need to have regular haircuts. Every month, take them in for a full coat trim. Owners can choose a clip style of their choice:
- The Retriever Clip is when hair is cut about one inch all over following the body’s outline.
- The Lion Clip features shorter hair in the back and hair that tapers into a lion’s mane around the chest, neck, and front legs.
- The Summer Clip is a close shave that is great for summer or for extending the time between haircuts.
In addition to proper coat care, Portuguese Water Dog puppies will need regular dental care, nail trimming, and ear and eye inspection. Being in the water can trap bacteria in their floppy ears and cause ear infections, so make sure to dry them after playing in the water.
Possible health issues with Portuguese Water Dogs
Portuguese Water Dogs are a relatively healthy breed with the right type of care. They can enjoy a long life of 11-13 years with regular vet visits and by taking preventative measures to keep them in optimal health, such as staying up-to-date on core puppy vaccinations and feeding them a high-quality nutritious diet.
You’ll need to be aware of possible health issues in Portuguese Water Dogs to watch for any signs or symptoms. They may experience hypothyroidism, hip and elbow dysplasia, Addison’s disease, or congenital eye issues like progressive retinal atrophy and cataracts. Maintaining a working relationship with your veterinarian is essential for the well-being of your Portuguese Water Dog puppy.
Where Can I Find Happy Portuguese Water Dog Puppies?
The good news is you don’t have to travel to Portugal to find a Portuguese Water Dog puppy. However, you can’t just choose the first puppy you see claiming to be a Portuguese Water Dog.
Because these dogs are so unique and not as well known as retrievers or doodles, dishonest puppy scammers will try to take advantage of the demand and participate in a bait-and-switch. These scammers may have a beautiful website, but you only search for heartbreak instead of puppies if you don’t vet your source properly.
Instead of turning to random social media or message board ads with no secure measures in place, turn to Pawrade. We are a pet adoption service that matches potential owners with Portuguese Water Dog puppies. We partner with trustworthy breeders that we have pre-screened and hand-selected that have passed our rigorous vetting process.
People all over the country are looking for Portuguese Water Dog puppies, but there might not be a litter nearby. That’s not a problem for Pawrade. Our breeders are located all over the country. In addition, we offer puppy travel options so each family can choose the best choice to fit their needs when meeting their new puppy.
Puppy scammers can take advantage of people by offering the wrong dog breed and passing it off as a Portuguese Water Dog puppy. Since many dog breeds look the same when they are puppies, you won’t know if you are getting a purebred Portuguese Water Dog puppy when they do not offer any information on the puppy’s lineage, health records, or paperwork. Pawrade offers information on parents, full health records, a comprehensive health guarantee, and pertinent paperwork to ensure your puppy’s authenticity and well-being.
Lastly, puppy scammers do not offer secure payment options and instead ask for cash, a check, a money order, gift cards, or unsecured apps like Zelle. Pawrade will never ask you to pay with these methods. We work tirelessly to eliminate the risks associated with pet adoption scams and partner with the best transaction management system in the pet adoption industry, PetPay. You can rest assured knowing that PetPay employs cutting-edge security measures to detect and prevent fraudulent transactions. It is also a space to communicate transaction details throughout the process.
We aim to make the entire pet adoption journey as safe, secure, and stress-free as possible, from the initial search for your new furry family member to the final payment and delivery of your pet. Your trust in us is paramount as you search for Portuguese Water Dog puppies for sale. We can’t wait to see which water-loving, goofy buddy you select!
