Portuguese Water Dog

 

It is called cão de água (IPA: (IPA); meaning 'dog of water'). In Portuguese, it is named cão de Água (IPA). The Algarvian Water Dog or Portuguese Fishing Dog (cão pescador português), is also called in Portugal. The wave-haired variety is the term cão de água de pêlo ondulado, while the curly-cured varietal is known as cão de água de pêlo encaracolado.

The Portuguese Water Dog came from Portugal's Algarve. From there the cattle extended all around the coast of Portugal to cattle the fish in fishing nets, to recover lost tackles or broken Nets, and to serve as mailboats from one ship to another, or from one vessel to another.  Portuguese Water Dogs traveled to the cod-fishing seas of the Iceland's coast from Portugal's Atlantic waters aboard the fishing trawlers.The Portuguese Water Dog is such an uncommon race and in 2013 just 36 Portuguese Water Dogs competed at the British Crufts. Although some breeders claim that they are hypoallergenic dogs, the idea that hypoallergenic dogs do exist does not have any scientific proof to back this claim.
They have become more popular in recent years because of their abstract characteristics. In recent times, the Portuguese Water Dog became more known as the chosen race of American President Barack Obama, which has two of them, the Bo and the Sunny. For the relatively hypoallergenicity of the breed, the Obama family picked Sunny, while Senator Ted Kennedy gave them Bo.

Portuguese and Spanish water dogs have an obvious connection and presumably a similar progenitor. Standard Poodle is usually believed to be the closest family of the Portuguese WD and Spanish Water dog. PWDs are smart, can have curly coats, webbed swimming toes and do NOT shed like Poodles and numerous other races of the water dog. But Portuguese Water Dogs have more strong construction, powerful legs and a wavy coat can be made rather than coiled tightly. There are major variations between the two breeds when comparing the structure to that of a poodle.

The Portuguese Water Dog has a robust, firmly formed, muscular physique. It's well-designed, unrefined and raw. The Portuguese Water Dog, measured from prosternum to the rear end of the stool and from garland to soil, is off-square, a bit longer than tall. Their colors may be Black, brown, black and white or brown and white. Portuguese Water Dog eyes have different colors of brown and black.Portuguese Male Water Dogs are generally between 20 and 23 cm tall and weigh between 40 and 60 pounds (18 and 27 kg) and women between 43 and 53 cm (17 and 21 inches) tall, with women between 2 and 55 pounds (25 to 55 inches) in weight (16 and 23 kg)

Type of coat

PWDs are coated with a single layer that does not shed (see Moult), therefore the presence of many individuals who suffer from dog allergic conditions is readily tolerated. Allergic dogs should, however, check with their dog consultant in advance of contemplating any dog purchase. 

Most PWDs are completely dark, black and white, brown and silvery, especially those displayed in conformation shows. White chest and white legs are frequently seen on black or brown coated dogs. The dog has white chest marks and legs. "Parti," or "Irish-labeled" coats, are unusual but aesthetically stunning, with irregular white and black patches. In the United States, "Parti" dogs becoming increasingly prevalent. In Portugal, however, the breed standards do not permit white markings of more over 30 per cent. On general, white is the least frequent Portuguese color of the water dog, but black is the most common color in the chin with white markings ("milk chin").

These descriptions of the two coat types are from the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America's revised standard for the Portuguese Water Dog:

Coat curly: "Slightly lustrous, compact, cylindrical curls. Sometimes hair is wavy on the ears."
"Gently falling in waves, not curling, and somewhat shining." Wavy coat:

Many dogs' pattern is mixed: the entire body curly, and the tail and ears wavy.

The retriever cut

The normal trim length is one inch (2.5cm), equally over the body (although some owners like a blade or a tail base, again, about 1/3 of the tail hair, commonly called as a flag, is left long). This cut was made in a new manner because breeders wanted the breed to become more attractive to customers. Sometimes the owners cut their dogs' hair quite short, especially during the summer months.

The lion is cut

In the lion-cut, the back, snout, and the tail base are rasped, leaving about 1/3 of the tail hair long, also known as flag, and the remainder of the body full. This classic cut was made by Portuguese fishing dogs. The lion cut decreased the chilly water's first shock while springing from boats and provided the vital with warmth. The rear quarters have been shaved so that the back legs and the rock-like tail may be moved more easily.

Styles of grooming

If left uncontrolled, the hair of a PWD continues to grow forever. The hair around the eyes grow so long that eyesight is hindered and body hair mate is connected with problems that may lead to skin discomfort. For these reasons, every two months PWDs have to be coupled and every other day they are brushed.

The coat is generally worn in a cutsaway or a cutsaway.

In the old days.

The Algarve, South Portuguese Water Dog on his native land

The Portuguese Water Dog and the Poodle seems to have originated from the same old genetic pool: once, as one variant of the Portuguese Water Dog, the Poodle was a longer covered dog. The PWD breeders are saying today's "Water Dog" forebears are Kerry Blue Terrier and Irish Water Spaniel.

Modern history

 

In the thirties, Vasco Bensaudé, a rich Portuguese boat tycoon, started seeking for fishing dogs to help the breeding in order to restore the species. The PWD was a breed on the brink of extinction. The kennel of Bensaude was known as Algarbiorum and the most renowned of his was the Leão dog (1931-1942) - a highly "type-y" dog of the fishing boat which was born to so many females that about half of the Portuguese wild dogs that existed may trace back to him their lines. Two veterinarians from Portugal, Dr. Francisco Pinto Soares and Dr. Manuel Fernandes Marques, assisted the company.Conchita Cintron de Castelo Branco was responsible for his work.To whom he had given all of his archives his final 17 PWDs.

The creator of the Avalade kennels in Portugal was Dr. António Cabral. The brown-coated dog Ch. Charlie de Avalade (Charlie) and C. B. Baluarte de Avalade (Balu) were two of his many renowned PWDs. After Bensaude had pioneered the restoration of the breed in Portugal, he registered his first PWD in 1954. Cabral has been involved in the establishment of PWDs alongside Carla Molinari, Deyanne Miller, Sonja Santos and others. "The cabral's honeycomb" is a triangular form with varied color and texted hair, often from the base of the tail 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm).

The most accountable individual in America for the PWD increase is Deyanne Miller. The Portuguese Water Dog Club of America, Inc. was founded in 1972, together with 14 others (PWDCA).
She has worked on a reliable PWD genetic pool in the USA at her Farmion kennels together with Cintron and Cabral dogs. The actor Raymond Burr was another early US breeder of PWDs.