Portuguese water dog | Facts & Information

Temperament: docile, obedient, brave, intelligent

Other names: Cao de Agua, Cao de Agua Portugues, Portie, PWD, Portuguese Water Dog

Origin

This dog appears to be descended from the barbet water dog and was used on the coast of Portugal by fishermen.

These dogs would look for shoals of fish on the sides of the boats and then jump into the water and "handle" the shoals of fish in the fishermen's boats, grab ropes, carry messages from boat to boat or bark loudly in fog to warn the boats near their owner's boat.

With the decline of fishing, the breed was close to extinction, but lovers revitalized it by becoming a sought-after companion dog. It's President Obama's dog.

Feeding Portuguese Water Dog

The amount of food you need to give your Portuguese water dog depends on its size, age, metabolism, and activity level.

Dogs with lower activity levels need to be given less food or they may be prone to obesity. You can keep your dog in shape if you feed him at least twice a day. After eating it is good to rest at least 30 minutes.

What exactly to feed a dog is a little harder. Food varies from Breed to breed and from individual to individual. There are dogs that eat almost all the ingredients without any problem, but there are also dogs that have sensitive stomachs that can cause allergies to certain foods.

If you choose store-bought food, it's good to see what it contains. Your dog's nutritional health is seen in its coat, activity level, and appetite after exercise.

Your dog has a routine when it comes to eating, so it's good to feed him at the same time every time.

It is forbidden to give the dog Sweets. Even if he asks for some and likes them or eats them do not do him good. Chocolate and ice cream are toxic to him. Excess can be life-threatening or in certain combinations can be fatal.

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Appearance Portuguese Water Dog

It is a medium-sized dog, robust, muscular, well proportioned. It has a strong head, with a muzzle a little shorter than the skull. The eyes and nose are brown or black in color.

The ears are long, wide, covered well with hair, left near the head. The paws are covered with hair and have InterDigital membrane. The tail is long and tame.

According to the type of fur there are two varieties: one is with long hair, slightly wavy, shiny and not too often, above the head and ears having longer hair forming a kind of clade; another, with shorter hair, curly, with frequent curls and without gloss and does not have the hair clade on the head, the hair on these portions being as long as on the rest of the body, the two varieties have the same morphological characters.

Fur can be black, white, brown or combination of these colors.

Behavior Portuguese Water Dog

Dogs of this breed are great water lovers, tireless swimmers and divers. The ideal dog for fishermen, being always ready to jump into the water to catch the fish escaped from the fishing rod or to guard the boat with brilliance .

Docile, sociable, have a very high learning capacity, with special skills for agility and obedience.Because they are working dogs, Portuguese water dogs are always present next to their owner, always ready to perform the tasks given by him and to please him.

Being a very intelligent breed requires a master with an iron hand, but in a velvet glove.They are very sensitive to the tone of voice, the master must address him calmly, but with authority,self-confident.

Portuguese water dogs have a great sense of humor,making them happy to always be in the center of attention. He loves children and gets along well with his peers or other animals.Active dog, requires a master to measure.

These dogs are recognized as" great munchers", so it is desirable to give them enough gnawing items when left alone( to save the items you want in one piece). He has a well-developed sense of property, gets along well with strangers , if they were introduced to him in advance.

Portuguese Water Dog Training

It is an intelligent dog, quickly understands what is required, likes to work for the owner and therefore training does not raise problems.

It must be a consistent, varied and cheerful training especially if it is alternated with moments of play.

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Features Portuguese Water Dog

This dog feels good near an active owner and in a fenced yard where it can move freely.

He can also accommodate in an apartment if he is provided with the daily movement he needs. He has a high level of activity and loves to swim, to make water intake, has inclinations for various canine sports.

The fur of these dogs should be regularly brushed and combed. The variety with wavy and long hair is usually trimmed on the hind legs (work haircut) to swim more easily.

Today it is less used by fishermen as an aid in their work, but it is a sought after and pleasant companion dog.

Diseases Portuguese Water Dog

Dogs of this breed are generally healthy. However, like other erase, they can face some health problems such as:

Hip dysplasia: affects the hip joint, initially manifested by a slight limp. This genetic disorder can be removed by carefully studying the pedigree of breeding specimens.

Cataracts and progressive retinal atrophy: are 2 conditions commonly found in the Portuguese Water Dog . Cataracts are characterized by clouding of the lens in one or both eyes with loss of vision if not treated in time.

Progressive retinal atrophy is a genetic disease, whose genes are found in certain blood lines, that can initially lead to night blindness, followed by complete loss of vision.

Juvenile dilated cardiomyopathy is a rare genetic condition that affects young, who fail to reach adulthood due to heart failure.