BBS Breed Spotlight: Portuguese Water Dog
This week, Best Bully Sticks is highlighting a dog breed with a rich history and lovable nature. The Portuguese Water Dog, with its endless energy, gentle and loyal personality makes for a wonderful pet yet has demanding grooming needs. Read about this great breed and let us know what you think!
History & Background: As the name suggest, the Portuguese Water dog hails from Portugal where it served as a working dog in the ocean. This dog fetched broken nets, dove for fish, carried messages between boats and to shore and guarded the boats while their masters were away. First called the Cao de Agua, or “water dog”, the breed almost went extinct in the 20th century but was re-established by the work of a Portuguese shipping magnate starting in the 1930s.
This breed is still somewhat rare but has been rising in popularity recently for a few reasons. One of these reasons is the adoption of a Portuguese Water Dog by the First Family, the Obamas. Another reason has to do with the unique features of the PWD’s coat, which is seen as hypoallergenic because they do not shed. Read more
