meet the...Portuguese Water Dog
Breed Summary
Breed Group Group 11: Gun Dog Breeds
Sub-group :
Origin Country Portugal
Weight Males: 42-50 pounds. Females: 35-50 pounds.
Height Males: 19-23 inches. Females: 16-21 inches.
Other Name(s) Cao De Agua, Cao De Agua Portugues, Portie
Breed Type Pure
click here for FULL BREED STANDARD
Origins
The Portuguese Water Dog (PWD) has existed on the coasts of Portugal for centuries. They are unique among hunting dogs in that they were not originally used for hunting but for fishing—or herding fish, to be exact. These dogs assisted fishermen by swimming out and herding fish into the fishermen’s waiting nets. They also served as retrievers, fetching things from the water on sea voyages.
Over the years, as fishing became more modernized, the need for the dogs diminished, and the breed began to dwindle. For a time, it was thought that they had become all but extinct; however, a few specimens remained in the Algarve region. A breeding pair was imported into the United States, where they captured hearts and gained a small but loyal following. From there, efforts were put into place to import more dogs and begin rebuilding the breed. Over time, their numbers have steadily increased, although they are still considered rare. The breed experienced a large boost in popularity when President Obama and his family were gifted a Portuguese Water Dog puppy they named Bo, after which they acquired a second Portuguese Water Dog named Sunny.Breed Characteristics
Head: Brachycephalic skull-type in proportion to the rest of the body. The topskull is fairly broad, being almost as broad as it is long. It is slightly longer than the muzzle. The topskull is arched and more pronounced at the back, with a pronounced occiput. The skull is slightly arched from the front, with a median furrow that runs from the stop and disappears towards the occiput. The superciliary arches are pronounced. The face is fairly well-padded and never chiseled. The head is clean-cut and without excess skin or wrinkles.
Eyes: Moderate in size, open oval to a somewhat rounded shape, set just slightly obliquely, and as dark in color as possible. Darker eye colors are preferred, but lighter, amber-colored eyes are permissible in liver and liver varieties. The eye rims are well-fitted and well-pigmented. The eyes are never rounded or bulging. There should be sufficient bone in the surrounding orbital sockets to protect the eyes.
Ears: Medium in size and set relatively high on the skull, with the top edge aligning above the level of the eyes. The leathers are broad, with some lift at the base on the back edge but with tips and edges hanging close to the head. They should never reach below the throat.
Muzzle: The muzzle is broad, full, and deep. The upper and lower jaws have good bone substance, appearing strong and well-developed, never appearing snipy or weak. The lower jaw and chin are strong and equal in length to the upper jaw. The muzzle tapers just slightly from a broader base toward the nose. They are never lacking, recessed, or appearing short in comparison to upper jaws.
Nose: The nose is well pigmented and black on black specimens, liver or pink in liver-based specimens, and may be black or pink on piebald specimens. The nostrils are well-opened.
Neck: Somewhat shorter to moderate in length, sufficiently long to allow for a good range of motion, and strongly muscled with a good arch. The neck tapers smoothly from the deeper and broader body toward the head. The neck is clean-cut and without excess skin, throatiness, or dewlap.
Chest: Deep and broad but never wider than deep. The brisket extends to the point of the elbows.
Body: Balanced, sturdy, enduring, and athletic. The body is never heavy and bulky nor racy and refined. The width at the forequarters is approximately equal to the width at the hindquarters.
Feet: Oval to round and compact, with well-arched toes and tough pads. Feet are well webbed, with webbing extending the entire length of the toes.
Tail: Set neither high nor low on the croup but as a natural extension of the topline. It is thick at the base and tapering toward the tip. Carried in accordance with the dog’s mood and energy level, curled in a ring, reaching mid-loin when brought to attention but never tucked. The tails are left natural, never docked. Tails are of a moderate length, with the tip of the last vertebrae extending to (never below) the hock joints when held down.
Movement: The Portuguese Water Dog breed’s movement is agile, springy, light, efficient, and effortless. The characteristics of a healthy structure are evident. When moving away, the forelegs and rear pasterns should remain parallel to one another. When viewing movement from the front, the forelegs should remain parallel, with elbows and paws moving neither in nor out. From the rear, the back pads should be visible when the rear legs are extended. As speed increases, the forelimbs and hindlimbs will converge to the centerline of gravity. From the side, the topline should remain firm and level. Good reach of movement in the front allows the forepaw to extend out in line with the nose. When extended, the width between the forefeet should be approximately equal to the width between the hindfeet when extended, indicating balance, good reach, and good drive. Dogs that exhibit any sign of breathing or locomotive difficulty shall be disqualified from the show ring.
Temperament: The Portugues Water Dog breed is recognized as extremely intelligent, keen, engaging, and generally good-natured. These dogs are naturally devoted family companions, sociable playmates for both human and animal kind, and excellent working dogs. Any unprovoked aggressive or fearful behavior toward people is incorrect for this breed.
Breed Standard
BREED GROUP 11: Gun Dog Breeds
Proportions: Square to slightly off-square in proportion, with the length of the body, measured from the point of the forechest to the point of the rump, being equal to or just slightly greater than the height at the withers. The ideal length-to-height ratio is between 1:1 and 10:9. Females may be slightly longer. The body is well-put-together, with strong muscle, sturdy substance, and medium bone. The overall proportions give way to a strong, enduring, athletic, and agile dog. The weight of males or females is always in proportion to height.
Head
General Appearance: Brachycephalic skull-type in proportion to the rest of the body. The topskull is fairly broad, being almost as broad as it is long. It is slightly longer than the muzzle. The topskull is arched and more pronounced at the back, with a pronounced occiput. The skull is slightly arched from the front, with a median furrow that runs from the stop and disappears towards the occiput. The superciliary arches are pronounced. The face is fairly well-padded and never chiseled. The head is clean-cut and without excess skin or wrinkles.
Expression: The expression is confident, lively, intelligent, and attentive.
Stop: Well-defined, abrupt.
Skull: The ideal muzzle-to-skull ratio is 4:3, with the topskull being just longer than the muzzle.
The ideal muzzle-to-skull axis is parallel to just slightly convex.
Muzzle: The muzzle is broad, full, and deep. The upper and lower jaws have good bone substance, appearing strong and well-developed, never appearing snipy or weak. The lower jaw and chin are strong and equal in length to the upper jaw. The muzzle tapers just slightly from a broader base toward the nose. They are never lacking, recessed, or appearing short in comparison to upper jaws.
Lips or Flews: The lips are clean and fit tightly over the teeth and jaws.
Nose: The nose is well pigmented and black on black specimens, liver or pink in liver-based specimens, and may be black or pink on piebald specimens. The nostrils are well-opened.
Cheeks: The cheeks exhibit slight padding to denote strength. The cheeks should not appear chiseled or bulky and coarse.
Dentition and Bite: Forty-two strong, clean, and white teeth. The bite may be level or scissor. Contact must be made between the top and bottom incisors. Missing or broken teeth due to routine work is not to be penalized.
Eyes: Moderate in size, open oval to a somewhat rounded shape, set just slightly obliquely, and as dark in color as possible. Darker eye colors are preferred, but lighter, amber-colored eyes are permissible in liver and liver varieties. The eye rims are well-fitted and well-pigmented. The eyes are never rounded or bulging. There should be sufficient bone in the surrounding orbital sockets to protect the eyes.
Ears: Medium in size and set relatively high on the skull, with the top edge aligning above the level of the eyes. The leathers are broad, with some lift at the base on the back edge but with tips and edges hanging close to the head. They should never reach below the throat.
Body and Tail
General Description: Balanced, sturdy, enduring, and athletic. The body is never heavy and bulky nor racy and refined. The width at the forequarters is approximately equal to the width at the hindquarters.
Neck: Somewhat shorter to moderate in length, sufficiently long to allow for a good range of motion, and strongly muscled with a good arch. The neck tapers smoothly from the deeper and broader body toward the head. The neck is clean-cut and without excess skin, throatiness, or dewlap.
Chest: Deep and broad but never wider than deep. The brisket extends to the point of the elbows.
Topline: Straight and level from withers to croup. The back is short, straight, broad, strongly muscled, and supple. The loin is short, taut, flat, and level, or slightly arched, yet supportive. The back is never long, swayed, or roached.
Croup: Broad, slightly sloping hip bones are not prominent.
Underline: A slight tuck-up is present. The underline is taut and firm, without any indication of sagging or excess weight.
Ribs: Long, well-sprung, well-laid-back, and oval-shaped, never barrel-chested or slab-sided. The forechest is well-developed but not protrusive.
Tail: Set neither high nor low on the croup but as a natural extension of the topline. It is thick at the base and tapering toward the tip. Carried in accordance with the dog’s mood and energy level, curled in a ring, reaching mid-loin when brought to attention but never tucked. The tails are left natural, never docked. Tails are of a moderate length, with the tip of the last vertebrae extending to (never below) the hock joints when held down.
Forequarters and Hindquarters
Forequarters: The forequarters are always in balance with the hindquarters and well-angulated with long, well-laid-back shoulder blades. The shoulder blades are approximately equal in length to the upper arm and forearm.
Elbows: The elbows are close to the body. The distance from the ground to the elbow may be equal to the distance from the withers to the brisket.
Forelegs: Frontal View: Long, straight, of good muscle, moderate bone, and parallel to one another.
Side View: The forelimbs appear straight with strong pasterns.
Pasterns: Never weak or broken.
Hindquarters: The upper and lower thighs are long, equal in length, strong, sturdy, moderate bone, and well-muscled.
Rear View: When viewed from the rear, the rear pasterns are parallel to one another.
Side View: Good angulation will allow the rear toes to align with the point of the rump or within one to two paw-lengths behind the point of the rump, with the rear pasterns remaining perpendicular to the ground and parallel to one another.
Stifle Joint: Well-angulated with a good bend to well-let-down rear pasterns.
Angulations: The angulation of the hindquarters is always in balance with the angulation of the forequarters.
Feet: Oval to round and compact, with well-arched toes and tough pads. Feet are well webbed, with webbing extending the entire length of the toes.
Coat
Skin: Well-fitted, yet supple. The skin should never obstruct the outline of the dog.
Coat Type: The Portuguese Water Dog comes in four coat varieties: the curly, wavy coat, and nonstandard curly and wavy.
Curly-coat variety: Well-furnished throughout, including the head, which exhibits a topknot, brows, mustache, and beard. With an abundance of tight, fine, cylindrical curls of equal length and woolly in texture. When touched, the coat will spring back into place. Coat should never be abundant or long or in any fashion that would hinder a dog in the field. Dogs should never be shaved, clipped, or excessively trimmed.
Wavy-coat variety: Well-furnished throughout, including the head, which exhibits a topknot, brows, mustache, and beard. Wavy, somewhat shiny, throughout the head, neck, ears, chest, shoulders, body, legs, and tail, being of a medium-long length. Somewhat longer feathering and fringing on ear leathers, chest, underline, back of forelegs and upper hind legs, and tail. Coat should never be abundant or long or in any fashion that would hinder a dog in the field. Dogs should never be shaved, clipped, or excessively trimmed.
Non-Standard Curly Coat Variety: Short and fine on the face and head, with an abundance of tight, fine, cylindrical curls of equal length and woolly in texture throughout the neck, body, limbs, and tail. When touched, the coat will spring back into place. Coat should never be abundant or long or in any fashion that would hinder a dog in the field. Dogs should never be shaved, clipped, or excessively trimmed.
Non-Standard Wavy-coat variety: Short and fine on the face, head, front of legs, and lower hindlimbs.
Coat Color or Pattern: Black or liver-based, with or without white markings (pied) in the white trim, tuxedo pattern, or solid white.
Movement
The Portuguese Water Dog breed’s movement is agile, springy, light, efficient, and effortless. The characteristics of a healthy structure are evident. When moving away, the forelegs and rear pasterns should remain parallel to one another. When viewing movement from the front, the forelegs should remain parallel, with elbows and paws moving neither in nor out. From the rear, the back pads should be visible when the rear legs are extended. As speed increases, the forelimbs and hindlimbs will converge to the centerline of gravity. From the side, the topline should remain firm and level. Good reach of movement in the front allows the forepaw to extend out in line with the nose. When extended, the width between the forefeet should be approximately equal to the width between the hindfeet when extended, indicating balance, good reach, and good drive. Dogs that exhibit any sign of breathing or locomotive difficulty shall be disqualified from the show ring.
Temperament
The Portugues Water Dog breed is recognized as extremely intelligent, keen, engaging, and generally good-natured. These dogs are naturally devoted family companions, sociable playmates for both human and animal kind, and excellent working dogs. Any unprovoked aggressive or fearful behavior toward people is incorrect for this breed.
Faults
All dogs should be in proper, healthy condition, free from disease or defect. Any departure from this description is considered a fault. Unless altered, all male dogs should have two fully descended testicles.
