Portuguese water dogs general advice wanted Discussions

A family I know are thinking of getting one of these. They are a nice sensible family, two girls aged 9 and 5, but they are first time dog owners.

They are thinking of getting a dog from here
http://www.chatervalley.co.uk/home/portuguese-water-dogs

Personally it's ringing alarm bells for me. I think as the breed isn't that common and the litter is avaluable now, and the people seem nice, they are following hearts not heads.

What are common health issues in this breed? Do they make a good family dog? They say these KC registered (big whoop! Doesn't mean she's good breeding stock) and that she's been "fully health checked" but fail to mention the results such as hip scores. Seems they "luckily" found a stud dog up the road....seems to me that they just bred with the most local male.

I wish they would go to the breed club. The mum has her heart set on the puppies and told me how she was trying to tell the breeder everything to convince her that they would give a dog a good home. I said it should be the other way around, that they should grill the breeder on WHY her puppies are good enough for them to take home it's a two way thing.

Sigh. It's not my dog and I don't feel right nagging them but it's one of those litters where they've had because "they felt the bitch should have at least one litter"

I mean they might get lucky and everything will be fine, but having seen what poor breeding has done to Cain, I am dead against breeding from any dog who will not better the breed.

Do any general advice about this breed and how best to go about it would be great.

I've just had a quick look on the KC Health test Finder site - the Dam has a good hip score, but the Grandmother (Dam's Mother) is a carrier for PRA. The Dam has not been tested for PRA.

The Sire appears to be AM CH Driftwood's N Makitso War Ambassador (from the same kennel as the Dam, Robenger). He is hereditarily clear from PRA but has no hipscore. His progeny have all tested clear of PRA and appear to have good hipscores, but there is an elbow score of 1 from one of his progeny (0 is the best, 2 the worst). So basically not the best health testers in the world (would prefer all hipscores and PRA DNA tests to be done considering the relatively new breed status in the UK), but there shouldn't be any disasters from this breeding. Fingers crossed. ;-)

Oh thank you SO much I couldn't see have health test results on the website at all so I was worried. Clearly you know where to look far better than me Thank you, thats put my mind at rest a bit. Just they are so excited about this puppy and clearly the lady who bred them is not a professional breeder but she's not a mass producing BYB or breeding only for money and she seems to be taking good care of th puppies etc.

The health scores really worried me but am i right in thinking that the puppies should be clear (or at worst carrier) for PRA? You have to have two carriers or affected to produce affected puppies, right? You can't get affected dogs if one parent is clear? Shame about the sire's , but mums is well below the average of 18 which should help if the sire's aren't great. Perhaps not the most ideal circumstance on the world, but I really didn't want to have to go and burst their bubble - and it is their choice where they get their puppy from.

I'll get them to make sure they focus on the mothers temperament when they visit and not just get distracted by the puppies. Hopefully if she's sound, and they still want to proceed, finger crosses it'll work out for them As they are nice people and I think they'll be great owners so I just want them to have a sound dog.

Thanks again Rip, your research has made me feel a lot better than if they were getting from two totally untested dogs

Robenge is a well respected kennel of PWD.. so their should be some history of health checks in the lines..

Have to admit the web site looks a bit iffy, but hopefully not.

I would make sure your friends research the breed 100% these dogs are not for those who have limited time to give......... they are high energy dogs looks are deceptive, so they need to make sure they have the time for the pup it deserves .

But yes they do make wonderful family dogs.........

Thanks, that's good to hear. I know nothing about PWD breeders etc.

I thought the website looked a bit odd to but I think that's because the owner is clearly a farmer not a breeder. Story is that they wanted to let their bitch have one litter before getting her spayed not the best reason IMO, but the puppies are here now so no use crying over spilt milk. And they do seem like they love their dog and puppies. My friend says the owner is very nice, so not a terrible situation.

I will buy them a book as a present I think. Can anyone recommend a good PWD book? I also thought I'd get them The Perfect Puppy my Gwen Bailey.

They met the breed while in Canada and fell for it. They know it's a lot of grooming etc. Now the kids are a nice age to cope with a dog. Mum is a stay at home mum so lots of time to give to the dog. They are going to take it to my dog trainer's puppy classes. They are sensible people and I'm sure will be open to lots of advice. Plus I get to play with the puppy when I babysit

There's a great write-up on them here:

Portuguese water dogs hope that helps.

Thanks Azz, that's great I'll print it off and give it to them, and suggest that they join Dogsey

PWD have been recognized in the UK for a long time it's the Spanish Water Dog that is the more recent importation.

Pat Jones bred them under the Cartmel Affix for ages

They do realize they have to be clipped/groomed out regularly unlike the SWD which aren't even brushed between clips ?

I believe so. I'm having a chat with them tomorrow about my findings, but when they said PWD then first thing I said automatically was "wow, lots of grooming" and she said "yeah I know".

We regularly see a PWD at the park; she's almost the same age as Dex (two).

When she was a bit younger she was a real livewire and she and Dex used to play together and chase and run etc. However in recent months she seems to have really calmed down and now mostly sits with her owners. I've always found her to be a lovely, friendly affectionate girl

Judith Owens Poole campaigns her PWD in Working Trials her affix is Fircroft I think she is now working TD with hers.

>This< thread has some more information after we recently went through a similar process, to get our Portuguese Water Dog.

It is quite difficult with it being such a rare breed, to find out all the information one might want. I took to contacting many of the breeders, which isn't too difficult, as there aren't that many!

As it turns out, the breeder was/is terrible, not the dog, he seems fine, but any hope of support from the breeder is down the pan. They were nice as pie when we first went to see them, but less so when we turned up a few weeks later with money and were already committed and loved the dog, they ignore our phone calls and messages. Conversations with a couple of PWD breeders since have confirmed that the breeder is not well regarded.

However, the difference for us, was that we were after one which was 1-2 years old, not a puppy. So our choices were beyond limited. But it didn't put me off scouring the country, nearest doesn't mean the best choice.

So far it's turned out ok, maybe we've been lucky so far, but in hindsight the breeder is terrible.

Assuming they have read on on the breeds characteristics and temperament etc. We thought we were pretty active, but the stamina this breed has is unbelievable. I can count on one hand the amount of time I think we've really worn him out. We give on average about 1 & half to 2 hours exercise most weekdays, and try to do more at weekends.

This is our boy who's 2 years 5 months, and who we've had for 2 months now. (Any excuse to share my pics! ;-) )

Thanks David, that's really helpful info. I must sat, your boy is absolutely gorgeous

I met somebody in Ireland today who has PWD and she said that many PWD are returned since becoming popular post Obama as many owners had unrealistic expectations and expected them to be couch potatoes when they are definitely not!

So disreputable breeders were cashing in on the post Presidential frenzy and not taking as much care as good ones re homes.

Taking to breeders here (including Davids) they seem to have managed to avoid this here, I know from what I understand, breeders here are still very much protecting their breed and as far as I know not many (if any) go into rescue or are returned, but I agree the expectations can be so way of with this breed, they see a fluffy friendly dog, and see the cuteness, and even when warned about their high energy, they don't fully realize the energy these dogs have.


They are a fabulous breed, but not a breed for the faint hearted , coat wise along with energy levels, and from my experience with breeders here, they are working to make sure the breed does not get exploited.......

Apparently the sire is hip scored, but he was done in America before being imported. He rated as excellent and his tested offspring have rated 6 and 8, well below the average so I think they'll be fine on the hip front.

They are going to view the puppies in two weeks, I thunk they have their hearts set. The mother is busy reading The Perfect Puppy by Gwen Bailey She's just had Before and After you get your puppy by Ian Dunbar delivered too. I've warned her that I'll personally hunt her down if she reads anything be Cesar They are preparing well though, I think they'll do great They have previously booked tickets to take the family to a musical which falls in the week the puppy would come home, so they've asked me to dog sit. How awful, having to play with an 8 week old puppy all night...I must charge double

Can i just point out that the dog is an American import and will of been imported as an adult. He has been hip scored in the US and has been graded 'exellent', with the elbow grade of 'good'.

How has this gone?

Well after some discussion and the info from on here, they decider that they were happy with the health tests and breeder. They went to meet the litter and the mum has a fantastic temperment, apparently she works with autistic children. They wanted a brown puppy but they had all gone so they are bringing a black male puppy home soon. I think they are almost 8 weeks and are picking up the puppy this weekend. The owners have been very good and done a lot of research

I am puppy sitting on the 18th so I'll take photos and post them. Oh and his name is Whistler

That`s fab news, cant wait to see pics of the little boy.

Love the blacks, the brown coat seems to dilute over time, so although would not turn my nose up to one, much prefare the black ;-)