Portuguese Water Dog


Breed:	Portuguese Water Dog
Country of Origin:	Portugal
AKC Group:	Working
Function:	Water dog
Life Span:	10-14 years
Appearance:	Large
Color:	black, white or brown, parti-color (white with dark spots), black or brown with white markings, or even silver fox or gray
Coat Type:	Non-shedding
Grooming:	The Portuguese Water dog should be brushed and combed regularly. The wavy-coated variety is usually closely clipped at the hindquarters and on the nose but the curly-coated dogs generally have a working retriever clip, especially in the United States, so that only the tail is close-clipped. This breed is good for allergic persons as the coat sheds little to no hair and is virtually hypo-allergenic. The coat grows more slowly than that of a poodle and does not require a frequent scissoring or clipping.
Height:	17-22 inches
Weight:	35-55 pounds
Activity Level:	High
Watch Dog:	Yes
Protection:	No
Intelligence:	High
Trainability:	High
Good With Children:	Yes
Good With Pets:	Yes
Good With Strangers:	Yes
Character:	lively
Home Environment:	Fenced yard
Best Owner:	Active
Potential Problems:
Behavior:	While a puppy, it chews a lot!
Physical:	Some lines are prone to hip dysplasia and PRA. Breeding stock should be tested for GM-1 Storage Disease, a fatal nerve disease that appears when a puppy is six months old.
Recommendations: