They have webbed feet which means they are extremely strong swimmers. These dogs also like to be able to roam around a back garden as often as possible so they can really let off steam. Portuguese Water Dog. When visiting and buying any puppy or dog, there are many important things to consider and questions to ask of the breeder/seller. They differ from most dogs with their immense interest for swimming and their dense watertight coats. Read more about Portuguese Water Dog Training. They are social dogs by nature and as long as a puppy has been well socialised at an early enough age, Portuguese Water Dogs usually get on well with other dogs. Most PWDs can trace their ancestry back to one dog named "Leao". Other costs include investing in good quality collars, leads and coats which many smaller breeds need to wear during the colder months. However, if a dog ever needed to go into kennels, their vaccinations would need to be fully up to date. As such, there are many amateur breeders/people who breed from a dam far too often so they can make a quick profit without caring for the welfare of the puppies, their dam or the breed in general. As a rough guide, here is typical calorie needs of adult 50-pound Portuguese Water Dog per day: PWDs should be fed with food that has a high protein content to assist in muscle growth and stamina. Loyal, friendly and intelligent, these dogs are the excellent companion and family pet. Are you sure the Portuguese Water Dog is the best breed for you? If a dog starts to put on weight it's important to adjust their daily calorie intake and to up the amount of exercise they are given. No dog likes to be left to their own devices for longer periods of time which could see them develop some unwanted and destructive behavioural issues around the home. You should never exercise a dog just before or just after they have eaten either because this puts them more at risk of suffering from gastric torsion (bloat) which as previously mentioned, can prove fatal if not treated as a matter urgency. © Copyright - Pets4Homes.co.uk (2005 - 2020) - Pet Media Ltd, Average Cost to keep/care for a Portuguese Water Dog, Early Onset Progressive Retinal Atrophy (EOPRA). A lot of working breeds were bred to be independent thinkers capable of doing their job on their own when needed.
Apart from these expenses, there's pet insurance to consider which lots of owners choose to take out just in case their dogs fall sick or get injured. Before you finalise your decision, find out more about the breed's background. The Portuguese Water Dogs are excellent with children, but they can be a bit rowdy especially around toddlers. For further advice please read the following article on Keeping Children Safe around Dogs, Pets4Homes rates the "Portuguese Water Dog" breed as 5 out of 5 for "Good With Children". However, they are quite independent thinkers and quite wilful thanks to a stubborn streak in them which one of the reasons they need to be handled and trained with a firm, yet gentle hand. These dogs have evolved to be highly intelligent with some breeds being more than capable of working for extremely long periods of time.
Their coats need to be brushed daily to prevent matts and tangles, especially for dogs with longer coats. Breeds that form strong bonds with their families are best suited to households where at least one person stays at home when everyone else is out because they are at greater risk of developing separation anxiety. Others will only bark when there are strangers about or when something they don't like is going on in their surroundings. Their eyes are round and medium in size being set well apart on a dog's face and can be either black or dark brown in colour, but the rims are always dark. Because they are so intelligent, a PWD needs to be given the right amount of mental stimulation every day otherwise a dog could develop some unwanted and destructive behavioural issues around the home. The Portuguese Water Dog or PWD is a lively and athletic working dog. There are those who believe the breed’s ancestors hailed from far flung Asian countries of the world too.
If left to their own devices for too long, a Portuguese Water Dog might develop separation anxiety which often sees these dogs mouthing things they find around the home which is very much the "retriever" trait in them. As such, living with a dog means having to put up with a little or a lot of hair being left around the house and on clothes. Vet bills include things like regular check-ups and annual boosters which help reduce the risk of dogs catching any nasty diseases. The Portuguese Water Dog or PWD is a lively and athletic, However, some experts claim that its ancestry can be traced back to the water dogs in 700 BC of the East German Tribe in the wild Central-Asian steppes. They excel at many canine sports which includes activities like flyball and agility to name but two. They became a firm favourite with Portuguese fishermen, thanks the breeds’ love of water and the fact they could retrieve lost nets. Obesity can shorten a dog's life by several years so it's important to keep an eye on their waistline from the word go. You will find information throughout the website on the Portuguese Water Dog from buying a puppy, to enjoying time with the breed through showing, agility or water … put aside for the groomer. When it comes to their coat, the Portuguese Water Dog has a profuse coat that covers their entire body except on the underside of their front legs and thighs. It's also a good idea to invest in a stand to place their feed bowl which makes it easier for these large dogs to eat comfortably without having to stretch their necks down low to reach their food. With this said, it is best suited to outdoorsy owners. Breeds that are considered low-energy are just as happy lounging around the home as they are being taken out for a walk and they are the perfect choice for people who lead more sedentary, quiet lives.
When socialised early, these dogs can get on well with cats that they've grown up with. It also helps establish a pecking order and who is the alpha dog in a household. Look at pictures of Portuguese Water Dog puppies who need a home.
However, it was only in the 11th century that the Portuguese Water Dog was first written about by monks who described how a dog had saved drowning man from a ship wreck. It's also important to check a dog's ears on a regular basis especially as they love to be in water and to clean them when necessary.