Water Dog Breed

Portugal

The Portuguese Water Dog was very common in the past in all the seaports that existed along the Portuguese and Spanish coast. It was exclusively used then as a working dog on board of ships and it was very valuable to retrieve equipment, nets, etc. Today it is no longer found in the Algrave zone. It has the reputation of a great fighter, but it has a good temperament and it is friendly with people.

Regarding its physical constitution, the Portuguese water dog looks vaguely like a poodle – maybe because of the "the typical lion-sheared look"-. Its origin is not known, but there are certain theories about sharing common ancestors with the poodle. There are other characteristics of the breed: big head (it even looks bigger due the abundant hair), long tail (with the end curved on the loin and it looks end-haired feather) and something particularly strange, webbed feet. There are two varieties of hair: long and curly.

The color may be black or dark-brown or any of these colors combined with white. There is also gray or pure white. The ideal height at withers is about 54 cm in males and 46 in females.