That the Portuguese Water Dog has been around for a long time is without question. There is documented evidence of
the breed being around in the 12th century, or at least of a dog which closely resembled the modern PWD being a dog which
had a “black coat of rough hair, cut to the first rib and with a tuft on the tip of his tail.”
The dog was originally bred to assist the fishermen and the work it does is unique. It is taken out on the fishing boats,
and works as a retriever of tackle that falls or is washed over-board, fish that jump the nets or line, a life saver, and
as a courier from boat to boat or shore as the need arises. As well as being a strong swimmer he has the ability to
dive underwater if needed. The Portuguese Water Dog has very keenly developed senses with
a good sense of smell, acute hearing and keen eyesight. His intense loyalty and sensitivity to the atmosphere around, not
forgetting a loud and fairly deep bark, made him useful as a guard on the fisherman's boat. He was highly valued and was
treated as part of the crew, receiving a ‘wage’ which took the form of part of the catch. As technology developed
the Water Dog’s role diminished and, in the 1960s, it was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the rarest breed
of pedigree dog. The PWD is tireless and, although keen to learn, he does have a very definite streak of
obstinacy, being wilful and determined, traits that need to be controlled from a young age as, without firm direction, he
may become unruly. The PWD is the eternal optimist of the dog world and always ready to join in activities, especially games
and definitely prefers company. He mixes well with other breeds of dog and has a seemingly endless supply of energy. He
is well suited to canine activities such as agility and working trials and although quite capable of obedience exercises
to a good standard he is likely to find this work at the higher levels a little stifling for his exuberant nature. He really
prefers more physical activities which allow him the freedom to express his personality. This is a dog with a fair amount
of coat to look after and regular grooming is essential to keep it in good order. This is not a breed for everybody,
being a coated, lively outgoing character with a mind of its own. In the right hands with correct training he is a valued
member of the family that will repay the time invested in him without any ulterior motives. There
is a great deal of information on this web site that I cannot reproduce here. Have look at the PWD page where they
describe all the traits of the breed and introduce the grooming of them. http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/portuguesewaterdog.htm
This is another link to a web site with a detailed view on how the PWD found its way from the Steppes of Asia
to the Algarve. Alot of work as been done here and is worth a long look. A brief and consise history of the breed is that the PWD is the consummate working water dog. The Portuguese water
dog probably shares some of his ancestry with the poodle, puli, Newfoundland & barbet. Their ancestors were
herding dogs from the central Asian steppes, either brought to Portugal by way of the Visigoths in the fifth century or by
way of the Berbers and then Moors in the eighth century. Once in Portugal, this breed distinguished himself through his affinity
for water, eventually herding fish into nets, retrieving lost nets or equipment, and serving as a boat-to-boat or boat-to-shore
courier. Later these dogs were part of trawler crews fishing the waters from Portugal to Iceland. The breed is known in his
native land as cao de agua (pronounced kown-d'ahgwa), which means dog of water. He comes in a long-haired variety known as
the cao de agua de pelo ondulado and a curly-coated variety known as the cao de agua de pelo encaradolado. With the demise
of traditional fishing methods, the Portuguese fishermen and their dogs began to disappear from the coast in the early 20th
century. The breed was saved largely through the attempts of one man, Vasco Bensuade, a wealthy shipping magnate. He promoted
the breed, and through his efforts, the breed club was reorganized, a standard was written and the first dogs were exhibited
in the show ring.
Have a look at this web site. It has detail of how the breed developed across the thousands of years of development.
The accuracy of it is not assured but it gathers much of the information that we know about the PWD breed. I feel that
it is something that if owners are interested in a breed gives a great background as to how the breed developed.
A review of the history of the water dog across Europe reveals that there are two conflicting theories of how the dog
arrived here. One is that it was a dog that came across the Steppes and Tundra of the Asian continent by a tribe called
the Goths. These tribes journed across the European continent 2000 to 1500 years ago. They used a dog similar
to the breeds that we know now as the Barbet (pronounced bar-bay) and over the milenia, various breeds developed.
Breeding also produced spanials and water dogs. There is another theory that a breed of dog, once agains
described like a Barbet was brought over from North Affrica by the Moores. And once again with breeding and
selection, the spanial breeds developed. The spanish and Portuguese water dogs also developed over
the hundreds of years since the Moores arrived. Have a look at the American Barbet web site at
http://barbetfanciers.com/?page_id=21 . The development of the PWD can be found there.
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| ROBENGER Porties on the beach at Bournmouth |
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| Holly at speed in the Sulehay quaries |
The following is attributed to the American
Kennel Club of America.
The Portuguese Water Dog once existed all along Portugal's coast, where it was
taught to herd fish into the nets, to retrieve lost tackle or broken nets, and to act as a courier from ship to ship, or ship
to shore. Portuguese Water Dogs rode in bobbing trawlers as they worked their way from the warm Atlantic waters of Portugal
to the frigid fishing waters off the coast of Iceland where the fleets caught saltwater codfish to bring home. In Portugal,
the breed is called Cao de Agua (pronounced Kown-d'Ahgwa). Cao means dog, de Agua means of
water. In his native land, the dog is also known as the Portuguese Fishing Dog. Cao de Agua de Pelo Ondulado is the
name given the longhaired variety, and Cao de Ague de Pelo Encaradolado is the name for the curly-coat variety. A
calm, intelligent breed of fine temperament, rugged and robust, with a pro-fuse non-allergenic, non-shedding, waterproof coat
and webbed feet, he is an ideal outdoor dog, capable of limitless work. He stands 20 to 23 inches (17 to 21 for bitches) and
weighs between 42 and 60 pounds (35 and 50 for bitches) - a variation explained for by the fact that small dogs were more
practical for small boats, and larger dogs for the larger boats. He is shown in either of two clips - the lion clip,
with the middle, hindquarters and muzzle clipped short and the rest of the coat left long, and in the working-retriever clip.
Adherents of the lion clip say it shows off a good rear and displays the muscles better, while advocates of the working-retriever
clip like the fact that it is easy to care for, and prepares the dog for all sorts of outdoor adventure. Some belief
exists that the breed traces as far back as 700 B.C. to the wild Central-Asian steppes, near the Chinese-Russian border, terrains
and waters guaranteed to nourish ruggedness. The early people who lived here raised cattle, sheep, camels, or horses, dependent
upon where they lived. They also raised dogs to herd them. Isolated from the rest of the world, these dogs developed into
a definite type, very much like the heavier long-coated Portuguese Water Dog. One theory of these long-perished times
is that some of the rugged Asian herding dogs were captured by the fierce Berbers. The Berbers spread slowly across the face
of North Africa to Morocco. Their descendants the Moors, arrived in Portugal in the 8th century, bringing the water dogs with
them. Another theory purports that some of the dogs left the Asian steppes with the Goths, a confederation of German
tribes. Some (the Ostrogoths) went west and their dogs became the German pudel. Others (the Visigoths) went south to fight
the Romans, and their dogs became the Lion Dog. In A.D. 400, the Visigoths invaded Spain and Portugal (then known only as
Iberia) and the dogs found their homeland. These theories explain how the Poodle and the Portuguese Water Dog may have
developed from the same ancient genetic pool. At one time the Poodle was a longer-coated dog, as is one variety of the Portuguese
Water Dog. The possibility also exists that some of the long-coated water dogs grew up with the ancient Iberians. In early
times, Celtiberians migrated from lands which now belong to southwestern Germany. Swarming over the Pyrenees, circulating
over the whole of western Europe, they established bases in Iberia, as well as in Ireland, Wales, and Brittany The Irish Water
Spaniel is believed to be a descendant of the Portuguese Water Dog. Interest first began in the United States in 1958
when Mr. and Mrs. Harrington of New York received a pair from England as part of a trade of rare breeds. Among those taking
an early interest in the breed were Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Miller of Connecticut, who acquired the first direct import to this
country from Portugal - a puppy bitch purchased from Senhora Branco, a former lady bullfighter who had inherited Dr. Bensuade's
kennels in Portugal.
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