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The
Portuguese Water Dog Yes,
Portuguese Water dogs are a wonderful breed, but not a breed for everyone!
They are high spirited (although there are degrees of energy levels
within the breed), independent and demanding.
They need a year of care, attention and training to make them civilized
and gentle - as do most dogs. Consider
it like having a new baby. Their
coat demands attention and grooming. You can learn to do it yourself or have
them professionally groomed every 4 to 6 weeks.
That is the price you pay for a non-shedding dog - the coat grows
continuously and they need to be brushed a couple of times a week - without
fail! If
you cherish and care for your PWD it will reward you with life affirming love
and devotion - but you will need to have a good sense of humour and to be very
flexible. This is a breed that is
very intelligent but not very obedient. As
fishing dogs they were expected to work independently, making decisions and
going ahead with their own work. This
ability was highly prized by the Portuguese fishermen.
They are still “hardwired” to make executive decisions and they take
direction only as the spirit moves them. If
you understand and admire this trait you will find their behaviour amusing rather
than infuriating. Frequently they
will not come when you call - at least until they are good and ready!
This is just one of the reasons why they
must ALWAYS be on leash when they are not in a safe or enclosed area.
They will frequently dash off to visit or explore and, as they have
absolutely no instinctive street skills, they
will be hit by a car. Trust me - it
will happen! They
are sweet, loving and funny. They
will make you laugh everyday and tear your hair at least once a week.
They are incredibly adaptable and will go anywhere and do anything as
long as you are there too. This
breed has two negative characteristics, in my experience.
The first is that they hate to be alone.
They MUST have human companionship and will not tolerate being left alone
out in the yard, tied up, ignored or left by themselves every day.
They are not a breed for a working family.
Certainly, you have to have a life, and they can be left alone for a
number of hours while you live it, but not all day every day!
The second is, as I mentioned before, they have no street smarts and must
be carefully protected. They
need some exercise every day but will adapt to what you are able to give them.
I have some pups who go for a 5 mile run with their owners every day and
others that take a 20 minute walk abound the block.
Certainly, more is better, but they will do whatever you ask. Like
all dogs, they must not be left alone with small children and must be carefully
trained to have gentle mouths. They
should be crate trained and never allowed to dominate any human member of the
family. A
Portuguese Water Dog demands a major commitment in time, energy and
understanding. You will be hugely
repaid for your patience and love.
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