Is the PWD right for me? Discussions

Discussion in 'Portuguese Water Dog' started by Cardinal, Jul 29, 2014.

  1. Cardinal

    Cardinal New Member

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    Darry
    Azz and 6JRT's like this.

    Is the PWD right for me?

    Hello there Breedia!
    I did a quick google search for a PWD forum and found this page and decided it was a good a place as any to ask this question. Plus, I have been looking for a good online community full of dog-people (we are our own breed it seems sometimes!)

    So I have been looking into the PWD and from everything I have seen so far, this is the perfect breed for me. A little about myself and what I am looking for in a future dog:

    I have grown up in a family of dog-people, and learned to walk holding onto our old lab, Phil. My family is definitely a retriever family, and I have grown to love all things labrador. I started getting more into dogs though when I was nine and my parents brought home a fat yellow lab pup named Luke. Luke started everything for me and I could not have asked for a better dog to open these doors and to teach me more about dog care and training -and also about myself as a handler, I would not be the person I am or going in the direction I am going had Luke not come into my life. Luke really was the teacher for me, he played guinea pig and took all my mistakes and frustrations in stride with a wagging tail. I started with basic obedience and trick training and eventually we worked our way up to playing agility and disc in the back yard, he was the first dog I ever had vaulting off my back, and I love every scar and scratch that he left me with.
    When Luke passed away I knew I needed a dog to continue where he had left off and take me into competitive dog sports - it has been one of my dreams to compete in agility since I was 5 years old and used to sit around glued to the tv absolutely addicted to a show called Top Dogs. - and along came Murphy. Murphy is a border collie x lab x big honking farm dog that was most likely a pyr mix of some sort. Murphy is also my best friend and my absolute heart-dog, I could not have asked for a better dog to show me the world of dog sports. Murphy is only 3 this year, but to think about all we have done and how we have grown together, it feels like I have spent a life time with this dog. He has molded me into the trainer and handler and person I am today, and showed me a passion for dog sports I never thought I would have. Murphy has changed my life and it's amazing to think about how much of an impact one dog can have. At a year old Murphy had a vocabulary of over 100 commands and we do trick demos at festivals and various events as well as Extended Care Homes. We started trialing in agility just over a year ago on Murphy's second birthday, and competed in the regional championships this year and placed in the top ten for a couple of our runs. We bikejor all summer and skijor all winter. We also play disc dog with passion though don't compete due to just being way too far out of the way and not having access to clubs or competitions. Murphy is the absolute retriever and will swim until he drops (seriously, I have to limit him closely because he will go until he just can't go anymore.) his life revolves around fetch and the dock is his utopia. He is a hard working sporting dog, patient, forgiving but driven and also simply an incredible companion who is happy to go anywhere and do anything. He has been called a terrier-in-a-lab-body, and I think that is the perfect description.

    My perfect dog would be everything that Murphy is, in a smaller package. Murphy is 67lbs skinny (conditioned weight.) and 27 inches tall. With all the sports we do, especially disc with vaults and stalls and jumping, Murphy's size concerns me and for that reason my next dog will have to be smaller and lighter, but still robust and able to endure (and enjoy!) vigorous exercise and training in multiple dog sports from agility to disc and dock diving to jorring and weight pull (we do light weight pulling for conditioning.) The weight and size range for the PWD is perfect.
    My perfect dog has to be active, active, active. A dog that will go anywhere and everywhere and do everything. This includes camping and traveling and hiking and biking and sports and everything in between, my dogs do it all. I need a dog with a head as hard as mine, one that will work hard but also challenge me and push me just as much as I can push it -maybe even a little more, you can learn a lot from being pushed just a little too far. - Murphy is through and through, and easy dog, and I honestly would love to live and work with a dog with just a little more sass.
    My dogs have to be swimmers and retrievers. Growing up with labs, one of my favourite pass times is taking my dogs down to the dock to play a good game of fetch, I love watching dogs swim and I could stand there throwing their dummies for hours. I also love taking out the paddle boats in the summer and Murphy is always happy to sit in the front of my boat and relax on the lake after a hard swim. :)
    I like a dog I can work hard with, and play hard with. Goofy dogs with a good humor that know how to keep things interesting and my cup of tea.
    Another thing I love about PWD is their coat, I love grooming my dogs. Murphy though, doesn't bring much to the table, he is short coated and though he sheds a lot and requires regular brushing, I would like to be able to style and care for a more high-maintenance coat. I can sit and brush Murphy for a good hour, it's honestly really relaxing.

    To sum it up, my perfect dog would be an active, go-anywhere, do-anything type of dog with a big personality that is just a tad head--strong and will give me a challenge but also be rewarding to work with. A dog that will excel and enjoy dog sports and vigorous training while also being happy to pull a bike and goof off as an active, happy and exuberant companion. Medium size, robust and agile with a coat that I can play with. My search for a curly clown on a mission has lead me straight to the Portuguese Water Dog.

    All that being said, I can read all the article in the world and still not know these dogs the way their owner's do. I have met a number of Portis at sporting events and my neighbour's also own two and I have yet to meet one I don't like.
    I would love to hear from some Porti owners and I am wondering if, based off of your experiences, you think this breed would be a good fit for me. Also, tell me all about your PWD, I want to know the full picture, and all the dirty bits. Tell me their weird quirks and the things that will drive me crazy if I decide on this breed in the future. I want to know what life is like being owned by these dogs!

    In case there is any curiosity, here are a couple photos of my boy Murphy ;) (aka Moo)
    944454_10152323281985639_1195630530_n.jpg 1622609_10201435171941234_238445839_n.jpg 10255204_10202068601656581_3943874525028507576_n.jpg 10371939_10202211611631741_1290118737563233176_n.jpg DSC_0043.JPG
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  3. Jackie

    Jackie Member

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    You have described the breed to a tee...

    Firstly welcome to the site, and your boy is lovely, you sound liek the ideal owner for a Portie, if you look at my profile and some of my threads you will see my boy nicknamed the "norty portie"

    There are a couple of portie owners her , but if you search on the book place you will find a few communities for own breed, i`m guessing you are not from the UK , so that may be helpful for you too.

    I`ll start with the easy bit, coat care..(well not that easy) it will all depend on the clip you want to keep your dog in, either the lion or retriever clip, one is extremely more time consuming to keep, than the other, but BOTH do need to be maintained, one thing I will say is what ever clip you go for start early and do little and often to ge tyour pup used to it.

    BOY OR GIRL.......... that`s down to preference, obviously the boys will be somewhat bigger then the girls, I have a boy and from what I am told the boys are more loyal, the girls can be a little bit more independent, but again it will be down to individuality.

    Figo is my first portie, and all the research I did before still did not prepare me for the breed ( I had Boxers before) so thought I understood active dogs !!!!!!!:lol:

    The Portie is a breed that although does have an off switch they can be up and ready for anything at any time, you can think you have tired them out, and within mins they would be ready for more if you gave it to them....they are always on "alert" they sleep with one eye open and have a need to check out any noise or disturbance (think that comes from the guarding their catch instinct) ... they are WILLFUL , note the capitals , because they have an ability to just look at you as if you are stupid and decide for themselves that what you are asking is beneath them.

    they are an extremely intelligent active willfull breed, yet are very very trainable, they learn quickly and sometimes are one step ahead of you, the sports you mention are ideal for this breed, many portie owners do agility , obedience and water trials (that may be something for you to get into) Google Rodrigo O Pinto (casa da buba)

    Th breed gets under your skin, they are wonderful family dogs they love everyone and every thing, they are active , need plenty of stimulation , they are the ultimate working breed, dont be fooled by the cute puppy fluffy dog look to them, they need to have a job to do, and they will give you yrs of devoted loyalty .

    Cant think of anything else as them, but ask away if you want to know more.
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 31, 2014
  4. Jackie

    Jackie Member

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    I have no idea why the writing has gone bold or small???
  5. katygeorge

    katygeorge Member

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    I know nothing about pwd'd but wanted to say welcome and wow what a busy life your dog leads. Me and phoebe are tired from just reading it.
  6. CaroleC

    CaroleC Member

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    Hello Cardinal, and welcome to Breedia. You might also like to Google - 'Richard Curtis and Disco, Portuguese Water Dog'. There are several YouTube videos of his performances in K9 Freestyle - some are quite funny. Disco has retired now but was very successful, and quite a character!
  7. Azz

    Azz Adminstrator

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    Sounds like a PWD could well be the dog for you Darry! @Jackie who owns Figo and @curly who owns Crusoe are regulars here, so hopefully they can chime in with their thoughts too (I see Jackie already has!)

    Please keep us updated on your journey :)

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