Portuguese Water Dog
About the Portuguese Water Dog
Temperament
Physical Characteristics
| Size Category | Medium (25-50 lbs) |
|---|---|
| Height | 17-23" |
| Weight | 35-60 lbs |
| Coat Type | Curly |
| Coat Length | Medium |
| Colors | |
| Hypoallergenic | Yes |
Care Requirements
Exercise Needs
High (60-90 min/day)
60 minutes per day recommended
Grooming
Regular - 2-3x/week
Mental Stimulation
★★★★★Needs plenty of mental challenges
Drooling
★★★★★Living Conditions
Cost of Ownership
| Purchase Price | $2,000-$4,000 |
|---|---|
| Annual Cost | $1,400/year |
Costs vary based on location, breeder, and individual needs. Annual costs include food, veterinary care, grooming, and supplies.
Health Considerations
Like all breeds, Portuguese Water Dogs may be prone to certain health conditions:
Regular veterinary check-ups and proper care can help prevent or manage many health issues.
Best For
- Families with Children
- First-Time Owners
- Active Owners
- Allergy Sufferers
May Not Be Ideal For
- Long Work Hours Away
- Sedentary Lifestyles
Guides for your Portuguese Water Dog
The story behind the Portuguese Water Dog
Fishing communities along Portugal's Algarve and wider coastline kept curly-coated water dogs for practical work aboard boats, where they retrieved gear and lost tackle, carried lines between vessels and to shore, and were said to help drive fish toward nets. The traditional lion clip left the hindquarters shorn to aid swimming while insulating the chest. Mechanised fishing methods made the dogs redundant, and by the early twentieth century the breed was close to disappearing. A Portuguese shipping magnate began collecting surviving dogs from fishing villages in the 1930s, establishing a kennel that became the foundation of the modern breed. Small numbers reached the United States in the 1960s and 1970s, where enthusiasm grew rapidly and a breed club was formed; American Kennel Club recognition followed in the 1980s. The breed is now firmly established as a companion and sporting dog worldwide.
Originally bred for: Fisherman's assistant, water retriever, boat courier dog. You can trace how working roles shaped today’s breeds across our dog guides.
Feeding a Portuguese Water Dog
An athletic medium build with a heavy coat does well on a good-quality complete diet with adequate protein and fat for muscle and coat condition. Two meals daily, adjusted for training and swimming workload, and honest hands-on condition checks under all that hair.
Watch for: No single food sensitivity defines the breed, though owners of curly-coated dogs occasionally report itching that turns out to be coat and ear moisture rather than diet. Where skin or gut problems persist, a vet should oversee any elimination trial and diet change.
Mealtime extras: training treats worth keeping in your pocket. Everything else lives in our dog nutrition and feeding hub.
Living with a Portuguese Water Dog
Day to day, the basics matter most: how much exercise your dog needs, how often to get out for a walk, and how much sleep is normal.
For play and enrichment, browse our favorite dog toys and interactive toys for rainy days.
Gear that fits the breed makes life easier: a well-sized dog bed, a properly sized crate.
Raising a puppy? Work through crate training and the teething timeline — or see how old your dog is in human years with our dog age calculator.