Portuguese Water Dog Breed Facts and Information

Training: Portuguese Water Dogs are quite intelligent and love to please, so they are fairly easy dogs to train. However, it will still take plenty of hard work to raise a dog that really stands out. Like any breed, Portuguese Water Dogs should begin their training early with exposure to many different places, people, and other dogs. They should be able to master simple commands fairly quickly, but their intelligence can sometimes make them a bit willful if training becomes too boring or repetitive. Most Portuguese Water Dogs naturally enjoy following their owner's instructions, but you should still give them plenty of praise and rewards. Owners should continue to challenge their dog to learn new things to keep them engaged. Portuguese Water Dogs excel at many dog sports including agility, obedience, and water work. They also make particularly good therapy dogs.

Barking: Like all breeds, Portuguese Water dogs need to be socialized and trained when they are young in order to mature into happy, healthy adults. A properly trained Portuguese Water Dog will usually only bark when surprised or excited, but their bark can be quite loud and has a range of tones. Portuguese Water Dogs are quite expressive, and will use other sounds to communicate with their owners when necessary.

Personality: Portuguese Water Dogs are energetic, eager to please, and quite friendly. They usually get along well with children and other pets.

Temperament & Behavior: Portuguese Water Dogs should have a cheerful, playful temperament. They are quite intelligent, so they need stimulation and entertainment to keep them from becoming bored and destructive, but they are usually satisfied simply spending time with their owner and family. The Portuguese Water Dog is quite a sociable breed that gets along well with other people and pets, but they can be somewhat reserved with strangers until they are properly introduced. These clever dogs are known as real entertainers who sometimes like to play tricks on their owners, but really they aim to please.

Behavior with Kids: The sunny disposition of the Portuguese Water Dog makes them a great choice for families. However, some Water Dogs can be a bit excitable, so they might be a bit overwhelming for young children.

Protection: Though Portuguese Water Dogs can be somewhat wary of strangers and will bark when alarmed, they are not particularly protective or aggressive.

Life span: On average, Portuguese Water Dogs live to be about 11 to 13 years old

Inherited Health Issues: Several health conditions have been identified in the Portuguese Water Dog as occurring through an inherited or genetic basis, or occurring at an increased frequency within the breed. Genetic testing is available for many of these genetic conditions so that responsible breeders are able to screen their breeding dogs in an attempt to decrease the incidence of these conditions in future generations. These conditions may include, but are not limited to, the following: Dilated cardiomyopathy, Follicular dysplasia, Pattern baldness, Hypoadrenocorticism, GM1 gangliosidosis, Progressive retinal atrophy, Cataracts, Microphthalmia and Persistent pupillary membranes.

Preventive Care: Generally, the Portuguese Water Dog is a fairly healthy breed. However, health conditions can occur in any breed, and responsible breeders often perform genetic screening tests to decrease the incidence of genetically linked conditions in future generations of Portuguese Water Dogs.

Routine veterinary care is critical for Portuguese Water Dogs, as with any breed, so that any subtle problems can be diagnosed and treated before they become bigger and more serious issues. Regular flea and tick prevention, heartworm prevention, and intestinal parasite deworming are also used to keep all of these parasites away. Maintaining a healthy body weight through regular exercise and portion-controlled feeding is crucial to keeping your Portuguese Water Dog in great shape.

Feeding properly measured portioned meals of a balanced diet is crucial to maintaining a healthy body weight for Portuguese Water Dogs. Avoid offering too many treats or table foods, since this can quickly pack on the pounds.

Daily Consumption: Average daily consumption for an adult PWD is 1-2 cups.

Energy Level: Enjoys some moderate exercise every now and then

Exercise: Portuguese Water Dogs will need between 30 to 60 minutes of exercise a day to keep them healthy and happy. However, they will also need plenty of extra human contact and attention to really thrive. This breed is not particularly well suited for busy owners who will leave them alone for much of the day.

Portuguese Water Dogs really love to swim and enjoy fetching things from the water. They are the perfect breed for a family that likes to spend time at the ocean or a cottage. They are tireless playmates that enjoy trying new things, so owners should not be afraid to take them on new adventures.

Climate: The thick, curly coat of the Portuguese Water Dog allows them to be fairly comfortable in colder climates. As long as their coat is kept short when the weather is warmer, they usually handle most temperatures well.