Dog breed
Portuguese Water Dog
The Portuguese Water Dog is a medium-sized water dog from the Algarve coast that once helped fishermen, herding fish into nets and carrying messages between boats. It has a curly or wavy coat with no undercoat, hardly sheds and loves to swim. It is highly intelligent, energetic and eager to work with people.
- Low shedding
- FCI Group VIII · Retrievers and spaniels · standard no. 37
- Weight
- 16–25 kg
- Height
- 43–57 cm
- Lifespan
- 12–15 years
- Origin
- Portugal
Temperament
The Portuguese Water Dog is made for teamwork with people: intelligent, eager to learn and deeply devoted to its family. It picks up new commands quickly but gets bored with repetition just as fast, so it needs varied tasks. It has plenty of energy and stamina, and without exercise and something to do it may bark, chew and invent its own entertainment. It's quite “talkative”: it barks to warn about anything unusual and has a wide repertoire of grumbles and whines. It usually gets along very well with children and other dogs, and with socialization, with cats too. It is more friendly than suspicious toward strangers. It copes poorly with long hours alone. It does well in obedience, agility, water rescue and as a therapy dog.
- Energy
- calmvery energetic
- Affection
- independentvelcro pet
- With children
- not idealgreat
- With other pets
- difficultgreat
- Trainability
- stubborneager to learn
- For first-time owners
- for experienced ownersyes
- With strangers
- waryoutgoing
- Playfulness
- dignifiedeternal puppy
- Shedding
- minimalheavy
- Grooming
- easydemanding
- Being left alone
- strugglescopes well
- Apartment living
- needs a house and yardgreat in a flat
- Barking
- quietvocal
- With other dogs
- difficultgreat
- Protectiveness
- lowhigh
- Drooling
- hardly anya lot
- Cold tolerance
- feels the coldexcellent
- Heat tolerance
- strugglescopes well
Scores of 1–5 compare the breed with other breeds of the same species, based on the sources at the bottom of the page. Every animal is different. How we score traits
Who is the Portuguese Water Dog for?
The Portuguese Water Dog suits an active family that loves water, walks and training, has time for regular grooming and doesn't leave the dog alone all day. It's often chosen by allergy sufferers because it barely sheds, but no dog is fully hypoallergenic. Skip it if you want a calm couch potato, barking bothers you, or you don't want to pay for regular groomer visits.
Pros
- very intelligent and easy to train
- hardly sheds
- excellent swimmer
- friendly toward children and dogs
Challenges
- high physical and mental exercise needs
- regular trims at the groomer
- prone to barking
- copes poorly with being alone
Size and looks
| Height at the withers | males 50–57 cm, females 43–52 cm |
|---|---|
| Weight | males 19–25 kg, females 16–22 kg |
| Lifespan | 12–15 years |
| Coat | curly |
| Colors | black, brown, white, black and white, brown and white |
| Country of origin | Portugal |
| Classification | Group VIII: Retrievers, Flushing dogs, Water dogs |
| Also known as | Cão de Água Português, PWD |
Care and exercise
This dog needs at least an hour and a half of activity a day: free running, sniffing, games, training and, whenever possible, swimming. Water is its element, so a lake, a river or hydrotherapy makes a great addition to walks. The coat has no undercoat, grows continuously and hardly falls out, but it mats easily: it needs brushing several times a week and a trim at the groomer every 4–6 weeks. Show dogs wear the traditional “lion clip,” while pets usually get a short, even trim. After every swim in a lake, rinse and dry the coat and ears. It excels at reward-based training, but it needs variety, new challenges and clear rules from its first days at home.
How much should the Portuguese Water Dog eat?The calculator starts from this breed’s typical weight: calories and grams a day.Health and breed-related conditions
The Portuguese Water Dog usually lives 12–15 years and is considered a generally healthy breed, largely thanks to breed club health programs. The Royal Kennel Club recommends that breeders use DNA tests for progressive retinal atrophy (prcd-PRA and EOPRA) and GM1 gangliosidosis, plus hip and elbow screening. GM1 gangliosidosis and juvenile dilated cardiomyopathy are fatal diseases of puppies, so testing the parents is especially important. Addison's disease, hypothyroidism and cataracts are also described. The breed is in Category 1 of Breed Watch. Ask the breeder for both parents' DNA test results.
- GM1 gangliosidosisA fatal inherited storage disease of the nervous system in puppies; a DNA test makes it avoidable.
- progressive retinal atrophy (prcd-PRA and EOPRA)Inherited retinal degenerations leading to blindness; DNA tests are available.
- juvenile dilated cardiomyopathy (JDCM)An inherited heart disease in puppies aged 2 weeks to 8 months, often ending in sudden death.
- hip dysplasiaThe Royal Kennel Club recommends hip and elbow screening for breeding dogs.
- Addison's diseaseUnderactive adrenal glands; when caught early, the dog can live a normal life.
Health tests to ask the breeder about
- GM1 DNA test
- prcd-PRA DNA test
- EOPRA DNA test
- hip and elbow X-rays (HD/ED)
- eye exam (ECVO)
This is general breed information, not a diagnosis. If something worries you, talk to your veterinarian.
Breed history
The FCI standard says that in the past the Portuguese Water Dog was found along the entire coast of Portugal, and as fishing methods changed, it survived mainly in the Algarve, considered its cradle. The Royal Kennel Club links its roots to the water dogs of the Mediterranean basin, which may have been brought by Moors trading with Portugal. The dogs swam alongside boats, herded fish into nets, retrieved broken nets, carried messages between boats and barked to help the boats find each other in fog. Modern trawlers took away their work, and in the 1950s and 1960s the population dropped sharply. Enthusiasts saved the breed, and today it is one of Portugal's national breeds.
Fun facts
- Dogs of this breed carried messages between boats and barked to help fishermen find each other in fog.
- The FCI standard describes two coat varieties: a long, wavy coat and a shorter, densely curled one.
- The Portuguese Water Dog has no undercoat, which is why its coat barely sheds.
- In the 1950s and 1960s the breed came close to disappearing as fishing became mechanized.
Frequently asked questions
Are Portuguese Water Dogs hypoallergenic?
No dog is fully hypoallergenic. This breed has no undercoat and barely sheds, so many allergy sufferers tolerate it better, but allergens are also found in saliva and dander. Spend time with dogs of this breed before deciding.
How much exercise does a Portuguese Water Dog need?
A lot: at least an hour and a half a day, ideally with some mental work and swimming. A leash walk alone isn't enough; without something to do, the dog quickly gets bored, barks and destroys things.
How long do Portuguese Water Dogs live?
Usually 12–15 years. Breed club health programs and DNA testing of parents have helped reduce the most serious inherited diseases, such as GM1 gangliosidosis.
How often does a Portuguese Water Dog need grooming?
Usually a trim at the groomer every 4–6 weeks, with brushing several times a week in between. Pet dogs most often have a short, even trim, while show dogs wear the traditional lion clip.
This breed also appears in
Sources
- 1FCI standard nr 37 – Portuguese Water Dogfci.be
- 2Royal Kennel Club – Portuguese Water Dogroyalkennelclub.com
- 3Purina UK – Portuguese Water Dogpurina.co.uk
- 4PetMD – Portuguese Water Dogpetmd.com
- 5Purina Pro Club – Portuguese Water Dog breed healthpurinaproclub.com
Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
