Portuguese Water Dog

This breed has so many invaluable traits and skills, but is at heart a working dog. Much more widely recognized since becoming the Presidential family dog, his popularity has been gaining. People are drawn to this hypoallergenic dog that sheds minimally and is highly adaptable in an environment that affords him ample opportunities that challenge him physically and satisfy his need for mental stimulation.

This is a wonderful family pet for those with active lifestyles. His great stamina and social skills endear him to his people; he interacts with great enthusiasm with other dogs and pets, as well. Because his level of intelligence and trainability are always at the fore, he also needs a “job” to do. This loyal, water-loving dog is always ready to go for a swim and retrieve any number of items tossed into the water.

The “water dog” has a reputation for his agility skills and good sense of smell. He is forever fun loving, animated and lively by nature, but focused when he has a goal or task to perform. With the right pack leadership: a calm, consistent and firm approach to obedience training, your pet will emerge as a healthy, balanced and happy member of the family…. who will make you laugh.

When we adopted “Spirit” two years ago, we had really done our homework before, during and after this memorable time in our lives. It has been a joy making him part of our home and allowing him to safely fulfill his natural breed instincts. We chose a “retriever” cut for our best friend, brushing him several times weekly and trimming his single coat about every two months; this seems to work well for our active lifestyle.

Spirit, active both indoors and out, is up and down many times a day on his portable dog ramps and uses his large dog ramps to get into and out of our van, to reach his destinations. At night he wants to be close to the kids in their bedroom, so he eagerly heads for his bed dog ramps to join them. He is their protector 24 / 7.

Some Portuguese Water Dog bloodlines include the propensity for hip dysplasia and retinal eye disease. Knowing the breeder and his screening procedures should be an essential part of the decision-making process to prevent introducing these health issues. This is a robust and resilient breed for parents who appreciate their wonderful temperament and affectionate nature.

We made the best decision when we made Spirit part of our household. His therapeutic skills have been in evidence with our hearing-impaired daughter, always alerting her to a ringing telephone and watching over her gently and patiently…. a true gift.