Portuguese Water Dog (or Portuguese Water Hound)
Appearance
The Portuguese Water Dog is robust and sturdy. Their single-layered and low-shedding coat can either be curly or wavy and needs regular trimming. They can be black, white, brown, or a combination of black and white. Unlike other dogs, they have webbed toes that aid in swimming.
Size
18 inches to 25 inches at the withers and 40 to 60 pounds.
Origin
Coastal areas of Portugal. Known as the Cao de Agua (dog of water) in Portugal. Portugese Water Dogs are excellent swimmers as they were originally bred to help fisherman in their fishing activities (e.g. to herd fish into nets or to retrieve broken fishing nets).
Temperament
Portugese Water Dogs are hardy, affectionate and energetic dogs. They are well-known for their keen intelligence and are easily trained. Although they have a strong retrieving instinct, unlike other retriever breeds, Portuguese Water Dogs like to stay in close proximity to their owners most of the time. As they are very active, regular outdoor exercise is a definite must for this breed. They usually get along well with other dogs and pets. They make good watchdogs due to their loyalty and bravery. They are notorious chewers when they are bored and they can be easily bored. They may also bark excessively and may have a tendency to jump on people when excited. As they are very affectionate and crave companionship, they should not be left alone for long periods of time, thus they are generally unsuitable as pets for busy professionals who are seldom home.
Exercise
Be prepared to put on your jogging shoes or swimming gear more frequently than usual if you are the lucky owner of this active and highly energetic dog. This canine needs to channel his exuberent energy into rigorous physical activity on a daily basis to prevent boredom induced mischief. As is befitting of a "Water Dog", the PWD loves water and is most fond of swimming and other fun aquatic activities.
Life Expectancy
10 to 15 years on average.
Grooming
Grooming is a must for the Portugese Water Dog. Like human hair, the non-shedding coat of the PWD never stops growing and requires regular trimming and clipping every two months or so to keep it in a manageable condition. The PWD does not have an undercoat and should not be left in places where temperatures are very low without adequate protection. The two most common "hair styles" for PWD are the "Lion Clip" and the "Retriever Clip". Consult a professional groomer for more details on these two clip styles. Daily brushing or at the very least brushing a few times a week is required to prevent the hairs on the coat from becoming tangled and matted.
Suited For
Active outdoorsy people who like regular vigorous exercise (with the PWD in tow) and who are able to spend a lot of quality time with their dog. Must not mind having to brush their dogs daily, bathe them regularly and take them for grooming sessions every other month. Needs to be confident and firm during training as the PWD is independent and has a mind of his own. The PWD can tolerate apartment living as long as he has sufficient daily exercise outdoors.
Labradoodle
The Labradoodle is a breed that was developed from a cross between the Labrador Retriever and the Poodle.
Appearance
As the sweet Labradoodle is a relatively new breed that has not firmly settled into a breed standard yet, their appearance could vary, sometimes looking more like their Poodle ancestors and sometimes looking more like their Labrador ancestors. Their coats could consist of tight poodle-like curls or be straight like the Labrador's. And they can come in all the range of colors of the Labrador and the Poodle: Black, Cream, Gold, Apricot, Red, Brown and White.
Size
There are three sizes of Labradoodles:
Miniature (bred from crossing the miniature poodle and the labrador): 14 to 17 inches at the withers.
Medium: 18 to 21 inches at the withers.
Standards: 22 to 26 inches at the withers
Medium and Standard Labradoodles weigh between 40 to 70 pounds.
Origin
The Labradoodle was first bred in the late 1980s in Australia by the Guide Dogs Victoria Association. Their aim was to create a dog that has the low-shedding, hypoallergenic coat of a Poodle and the gentle temperament of a Labrador Retriever to serve as guide dogs for people who suffer from allergies.
Temperament
Labradoodles have the best of both worlds from their Poodle and the Labrador Retriever families resulting in a dog that is lively, friendly, good with children, highly intelligent, very trainable, protective and generally calm and relaxed. Like the Portugese Water Dog, Labradoodles love to swim too. As they are so smart and have such a great sense of humour, they may try to outsmart their owners from time to time ;-)
Exercise
The Labradoodle requires moderate levels of exercise on a regular basis. A brisk daily walk or a slow run will be sufficient to keep your Labradoodle fit and active.
Life Expectancy
13 to 15 years on average.
Grooming
The Labradoodle's coat will need to be trimmed and brushed regularly. But the amount of grooming needed will depend on the type of coat the Labradoodle has. There are basically three types of Labradoodle coats: Wool (tight curls, like a Poodle's coat), Fleece (soft wavy curls) and Hair (similar to a Labrador's coat). Hair coats require the least grooming and do not need clipping but may shed more than the other types of coats and are therefore least likely to be "hypoallergenic". Labradoodles with fleece coats need only light grooming until they are between eight and fourteen months old when they need more grooming to strip out their puppy coat so that it does not become tangled and matted with the adult coat layer. When their adult coat is fully developed, clipping once or twice a year and regular brushing will be sufficient. Wool coats which are similar to a Poodle's are the least shedding but need the most grooming, i.e. clipping several times a year and regular grooming is absolutely necessary.
Suited For
The Labradoodle is great as a family pet. Like Labrador Retrievers and Poodles, they love to be with people and seek human companionship so the owner of a Labradoodle will need to be able to spend quality time on a daily basis to bond with this loyal canine pal. They do best in a house with a yard but are also happy staying in an apartment as long as they have daily exercise.
Both the PWD and the Labradoodle are considered "hypoallergenic" dogs but do keep in mind that for people with allergies, it is important to spend time with the dog that you are planning to bring home first before making any decision, as some people may still be allergic to these hypoallergenic dogs.
For a list of other medium-sized hypoallergenic dog breeds, check out our earlier post here. For additional information on other types of medium dogs, check out Medium Dog Guide.
Tags: hypoallergenic dogs, labradoodle, portuguese water dog, first dog.
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