Portuguese Water Dog
- Group 8: Retrievers - Flushing Dogs - Water Dogs
- Section 3 Water Dogs
- Without working trial
Male 50-57 cm Female 43-52 cm
Male 19-25 kg Female 16-22 kg
- Wavy long hair
The Cão de Água Português, also Portuguese Water Dog, is a recognized by the FCI Portuguese breed (FCI Group 8, Section 3, Standard No. 37).
Origin and History
Maybe water dogs were already introduced in pre-Christian times by the Persians to Portugal. There was the canis turcus or the great mongrel dog already mentioned around 600 BC. When the Romans occupied the Iberian Peninsula, it was reported from canis piscator, a fishing dog. At the same time a dog named canis leo was known in Rome under Emperor Augustus; a dog that was trimmed like a lion. The current breed standard was after the dog Leao, who lived in the 1930s, formulated. Leao was derived from a Portuguese fishing from Albufeira and was in possession of Vasco Bensaude.
Today, water dogs have lost their meaning in fishing and were therefore almost disappeared in the first half of the 20th century. In the early 1970s there were approximately 50 registered worldwide Cães de Água Português, 2008 already 10,000. Recently, to Portuguese Water Dogs are enjoying a new boom. When VDH only two breeders were conducted with the labeling breeders in the VDH in July 2010.
Description
Medium-sized (up to 57 cm, 25 kg) and massive dog. Typical of the Cão de Água Português is that the whole body is covered with abundant resistant hair without undercoat. There are two variants hair: wavy long hair and shorter hair curled, colored or multicolored. The solid colors are mainly black, rarely brown or white in different color intensities. The multi- colored, mixtures of black or brown with white, the white portion the ratio 1/3 should not exceed. The ears are close to the head and the tail carried over the back like a sickle. Another characteristic of the breed are webbing between toes that help the dogs swim.
In order to protect the lungs and heart from the cold of the water and at the same time to obtain a maximum of legroom in the rear, had shaved the dogs from the center back down. This is a relic of the past, but is still so kept and referred to as " lion Chur ". In European dog shows and competitions this then " work virgin " is now mandatory. The body is robust and strong, the movement of calm and in control. The head is short, roundish with a broad muzzle.
Use
The Cão de Água Português is a fishing dog, who took over all tasks that could afford a dog for the fisherman: He guarded boat, gear and catch, he smelled the fish shoals and gave the fishermen signal to eject the nets, jumped into the water and drifted the fish into the net, he drove escaped fish back into the net, helped with the hauling of the nets and kept in touch from boat to boat and to the mainland. Previously it was used on the entire coast of Portugal. With the modernization of fishing he lost his area of responsibility. Today you can find him as a faithful house-dog in many countries. Because of its gentle, friendly nature and his willingness to bond to the people he is valued as a child-friendly family dog and bred by different breeders worldwide. In the U.S., the breed is often used in animal-assisted therapy. Due to the fact that the Cão de Água Português hardly sheds, he is regarded as one of the breeds that appear suitable for animal hair allergies.
Nature
In the description of the FCI breed he is described as follows: Torn temperament, self-willed, proud, tough and tireless. His eyes: penetrating and attentive. He is exceptionally smart and understands all the commands of his master and obey them. He is alert, but not a barker. Since he is very eager to learn, he is very versatile. So he has a lot of pleasure in sports activities such as Agility, Obedience or amateur sports and the training to rescue dog. However, a training in the protection dog is only conditionally possible. Because of its good characteristics, it is used in Portugal and America as a therapy dog. Especially when dealing with children, most water dogs prove to be extremely considerate with a very high threshold.
Genetic diseases
In the race there are genetic diseases whose occurrence can be prevented by appropriate genetic testing and breeding measures. These include progressive retinal atrophy ( PRA), Storage Disease (GM -1) and Juvenile Dilated cardiomyopathy ( JDCM ). A breeding without genetic testing poses a high risk of the occurrence of these diseases. The tests are still not required by VDH. In the VDH European Winner Show in May 2009, a handout of the first community of interest for the Cão de Água Português been distributed, in which the breeder pointed to the increasing demand, the rarity of the breed and its genetic problems and the need for responsible breeding strategies.
Popularity
A Portuguese Water Dog named Bo is known as the First Dog of the United States, the President Obama had promised his two daughters to move into the White House. The dog is a gift from Sen. Edward Kennedy to the Obama family. As a result, the consequent media coverage, the demand for puppies of this breed has risen sharply, so that they could become a fashion dog.