Portuguese Water Dog

The Portuguese Water Dog has been around for centuries and its distant ancestral origins are unclear, with some saying it came from North Africa and others saying it came from the Russian-Chinese border region. Originally born on the Portuguese coast, it has also sailed with fishermen as far away as Iceland. The dog was once endangered, with only 60 remaining in the 1960s. It is now widely distributed in continental Europe.

The dog is an excellent swimmer and diver, with special talents and perseverance, helping his master to retrieve lost fishing gear at sea, to drive away fish, and to carry messages between boats or between boats and land.

He is a faithful companion and vigilant guard, a very practical working dog that works with dedication and can work around the clock. It has a relatively broad head and a firm expression. The eyes are medium-sized, with a large distance between them, neither prominent nor sunken, and are black or brown with black orbits. The ears are heart-shaped and thin.

The top of the skull is very wide, with a depression in the middle, when viewed from above. The forehead is prominent and has a notch in the middle. The nose is wide, with dilated nostrils, and is black The underside of the tongue and gums are black. The shoulders are sloping and muscular; the upper arms are strong; the forelimbs are straight and strong. The toes are webbed, and the webbing is a layer of skin covered with hair that reaches the tips of the feet. The two hind limbs are parallel to each other, very straight, very muscular, with full hips and strong hind heels.

The coat is thick and dense with curly and wavy shapes, so it is important to help organize and trim it from time to time to remove stray hairs. There are black, white or varying shades of brown, but also black or a mixture of brown and white. They walk with a small stride and have a relaxed and lively gait. However, they have a large stride when running and have good body balance. As an excellent working partner, the Portuguese Water Dog is quite docile and obedient. It is very friendly to its owner or the people it serves. Their solid bones and well-developed muscles allow them to do their job well, and their fatigue tolerance is outstanding, so they can work almost around the clock.

This dog was originally bred by fishermen, so they are very good at water. They are good swimmers and divers, and if fishermen's fishing gear falls into the water or is lost and they need help, they will jump into the water to help them pick it up or find it, very brave and decisive.

For the master's training they are also quite obedient, endurance is also quite outstanding, so even if they are trained for a long time they will still be quite cooperative. For this kind of faithful partner, we usually have to take good care of it. The Portuguese Water Dog's coat is thick and long, and the long coat will make it feel hotter in the summer, so timely trimming becomes necessary. However, it is important to note that the coat should not be trimmed too short, as proper hair can block UV rays to avoid skin burns.

After a bath do not leave it in the sun, you should towel dry it first and then dry it with a hair dryer. Of course, ear, belly and foot hair should also be properly trimmed. A nice look can make your pet feel good, while the opposite can make him shy of meeting people.

Dogs' nails are also critical. Dogs that go out for exercise or are trained outdoors often help wear down their nails during running projects, while dogs that stay indoors often need help trimming them often.

Dogs are best to help it cut the blood line when they are young, otherwise if you don't trim it in time, the blood line will grow longer and longer with the nail, when you have to go to the hospital to let the doctor help the dog to cut it.