Portuguese water dog, also known as Cao de Agua (meaning “dog of the water” in Portuguese) is an old breed, which origins come from the shores of Portugal where they were bred to be an all-around fisherman’s helper. They were used to herd fish into nets, retrieve lost tackle and act as messengers between ships and shore. They are not only great swimmers and retrievers, they can also dive under water.

Nowadays they are used as family dogs but working characteristics are still evident in this breed. They thrive with training and are well suited for dog sports such as agility, obedience, rally, therapy work, hoopers, water work, etc. They are loyal and smart, but also strong willed and they do have a mind of their own, so training one can be tricky as they are sometimes too smart for their own good. 

Portuguese water dog temperament can be a little shy at first, but they will warm up to strangers after a while. They are smart and very loving. They love other animals and humans (adults and kids), but during their puppy period, they are a well known biters. They have strong bites and are very energetic, unaware of their size and with it they can be a bit too much for small children. They do adapt extremely well, but that takes time, constant supervision and training. 

Their coat is a non-shedding one. They do not have undercoat and their coat comes in two varieties – curly and wavy. They can be black, white or any shade of brown, solid colored or with white markings. It is important n dogs with white coat that their nose, mouth and eyelids are pigmented. No matter the type of coat, it does require constant grooming – regular brushing, combing and bathing. For shows their coat is clipped in “lion cut” where only muzzle, hindquarters and part of the tail is shaved and the rest is kept long. For more information regarding their coats and grooming click here.

With the fact that they are a non-shedding breed, they are a good option for people with allergies. It is, though, very important for said person to spend some time with the breed, preferably in small confined areas (such as small rooms, cars, etc.) to see there is no reaction to them. 

Health wise, Portuguese water dogs are unfortunately faced with several health risks, so it is important that the dogs used for breeding are extensively health checked too avoid puppies being affected by this diseases. You can read more about health risks concerning PWDs if you click here.

For the full breed standard, click here.

So, if you are looking for an active, funny dog with a mind of it’s own, which requires a lot of grooming and training, this might just be the breed for you.