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The Portuguese water dog, or cão de água
("dog of water"), belongs to a breed of
working dogs that originated in Portugal
several hundreds of years ago. It is not
known when Portuguese water dogs were
first discovered or domesticated, but
some theories set the arrival of the breed
in Portugal in either the fifth or the
eighth century. Regardless of which estimate
is the most accurate, the first known
documented observation of a Portuguese
water dog occurred in the late thirteenth
century. Portuguese water dogs are a somewhat
rare breed today, but have recently gained
popularity as house pets.
As a working dog, the Portuguese water
dog was initially bred to retrieve objects
lost at sea, chase fish into fishers'
nets, catch fish, and carry messages between
boats. They were often employed on fishing
vessels and on many of the Portuguese
ships that partook in the age of maritime
exploration and discovery in the fifteenth
and sixteenth centuries. Portuguese water
dogs have remained in use as fishermen's
dogs, most famously in their native country.
Portuguese water dogs' temperament has
suited them to the undertakings to which
they have been historically assigned;
they are known to be brave, combative,
and impulsive, yet intelligent, docile,
and obedient. Though they tend to bond
particularly closely to one person in
a household, Portuguese water dogs can
be good family dogs because of their gentle
and friendly disposition. Their retrieving
instinct, intellect, tendency towards
restlessness, and being comfortable both
outdoors or indoors can make them very
playful and eager for activity, but may
also descend into the dogs' chewing up
household items if they become bored.
They are generally quiet dogs, but will
vocalize to communicate with their masters
or warn against potential intruders.
Portuguese water dogs normally weigh
35-60 lbs, and are typically 17-23 inches
tall. Sex often accounts for disparities
in size between Portuguese water dogs,
with females' usually being smaller than
males. Portuguese water dogs have a single-layered
coat that does not shed and can be either
curly or wavy in texture. This coat will
continue to grow indefinitely unless trimmed,
and may cause problems for the dog such
as impaired vision or irritated skin if
allowed to grow freely; Portuguese water
dogs must be groomed often. They normally
have a black or brown coat, which often
features several small white patches.
Because they are purebred and therefore
confined to a relatively small gene pool,
Portuguese water dogs may be subject to
a few genetic defects. These complications
include vision impairments, such as cataracts
or progressive retinal atrophy (PRA),
or hip dysplasia, a deformity in the anatomy
of a dog's hips. Fortunately, because
PRA is inherited, and cataracts and hip
dysplasia are caused by not only environmental
but genetic factors, these problems can
be removed from or reduced in the breed
through genetic tests and selective breeding.
Healthy Portuguese water dogs live, on
average, for 12-15 years.
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