About the Portuguese Water Dog: Known for centuries along Portugal’s coast, this seafaring breed was prized by fishermen for a spirited, yet obedient nature, and a robust, medium build that allowed for a full day’s work in and out of the water.  The Portuguese Water Dog is a swimmer and diver of exceptional ability and stamina, who aided his master at sea by retrieving broken nets, herding schools of fish, and carrying messages between boats and to shore.  He is a loyal companion and alert guard.  This highly intelligent utilitarian breed is distinguished by two coat types, either curly or wavy; and impressive head, well-knit body, and a powerful, thickly based tail, carried gallantly or used purposefully as a rudder.  The Portuguese Water Dog provides an indelible impression of strength, spirit, and soundness. 

Physical Appearance of a PWD:

Coat Type description from the AKC Standard: A profuse, thickly planted coat of strong, healthy hair, covering the whole body evenly, except where the forearm meets the brisket and in the groin area, where it is thinner.  No undercoat, mane or ruff.  There are two varieties of coat:

Curly-Compact, cylindrical curls, somewhat lusterless.  The hair on the ears is sometimes wavy.

Wavy-Falling gently in waves, not curls, and with a slight sheen.

Please note that some PWD coats are difficult to determine if they are curly or wavy.  Some may appear quite wavy as a puppy, yet grow up to have a significant amount of curl.  

Curly

Curly Lion Trim

Curly

Wavy Lion Trim

Wavy

Clip-Two clips are acceptable for the show ring:

Lion Clip--As soon as the coat grows long, the middle part and hindquarters, as well as the muzzle, are clipped. The hair at the end

of the tail is left at full length.

Retriever Clip--In order to give a natural appearance and a smooth unbroken line, the entire coat is scissored or clipped to follow

the outline of the dog, leaving a short blanket of coat no longer than one inch in length. The hair at the end of the tail is left at full

length.

No discrimination will be made against the correct presentation of a dog in either Lion Clip or Retriever Clip.

Please note: To those new to the PWD, that when viewing a PWD in a lion trim, no matter how beautiful the dog’s muzzle is, it will look smaller/pointier then a PWD in a retriever trim.  It is the illusion of the lack of hair in the lion and the presence of hair in the retriever.

Color

Black, white, and various tones of brown; also combinations of black or brown with white. A white coat does not imply albinism

provided nose, mouth, and eyelids are black. In animals with black, white, or black and white coats, the skin is decidedly bluish.

Please note: In the United States we refer to the markings on a dog as follows:

Solid-Mostly one color (black or brown) with minimal markings (less then 5% or so)

Irish Marked- Black or Brown with more significant white markings.  Often found on feet/legs (socks), chest (bib), and chin/muzzle.

Heavily Irish Marked-Black or Brown with significant white markings to include a partial or full collar (circle around neck), full chest, socks on front and rear legs, white on muzzle and sometimes top of head, and white tip on the tail. 

Parti Color (or Piebald)- A Parti Color PWD is often referred to as having more white then black or brown.  it can be a pretty even 50/50  or extreme where the majority of the dog is white with small black or brown markings. 

The white markings can be a relatively solid white, or they can having ticking (flecks of black or brown) or double ticking (referred to in North America as “Silver or Brown fox”).

**** Please note: Color or markings on a puppy should NEVER determine your decision to get/or not get a puppy.   The most important part is that the temperament is suitable for your family and that the breeder is one you trust.  Also color or markings should NEVER determine the price for a puppy.  

Wavy

Irish, Parti, Solid

Irish, Parti, Solid

Irish, Parti, Solid

Heavy Irish Mark

Heavy Irish Mark tending towards Parti

Parti Color Wavy in Lion Trim

L to R: Solid Brown, Parti, Solid Black, Heavy Irish, Solid Black

Both are heavy Irish Mark, the one on the left is Silver Fox.

As the puppy on the left ages, the silver fox (or brown fox on brown dogs) areas will continue to darken and in some cases almost appear to be solid black/brown in color.  The dog below is the puppy on the left above.  He is now one year old.

All three dogs are Brown.   This truly demonstrates the standard which states “various tones of brown”.

There is no way to determine as a young puppy which brown the dog will mature into. 

Bred by Abadessan, Sweden

Brown coat color change with aging. 

The above bitch Cuckoo (Ch. Abadessan’s Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs) is shown from approximately age 12 weeks to 18 months.

Same Wavy Bitch, Tequila, shown in retriever trim and lion trim.  

Same Curly Male, Rasta, shown in retriever trim and lion trim.  

Size, Proportion, Substance

Size-Height at the withers--Males, 20 to 23 inches. The ideal is 22 inches. Females, 17 to 21 inches. The ideal is 19 inches.

Weight-For males, 42 to 60 pounds; for females, 35 to 50 pounds.

Proportion--Off square; slightly longer than tall when measured from prosternum to rearmost point of the buttocks, and from withers to ground.

Substance-Strong, substantial bone; well

developed, neither refined nor coarse, and a solidly built, muscular body.

Photographic Illustration of portions of the AKC PWD Standard

Smallest and largest in the bitch standard.  Bailey on the left is 17 inches and approx. 32 pounds.  Moo-Kie on the right is 21 inches and approx. 52 pounds. 

While it is harder to compare the two dogs in these separate photos, the dog on the left, Speedo, is 20 inches and approx. 48 pounds.  Otto on the right is almost 23 inches and weighs approx. 60 pounds.