For Portuguese Water Dogs Virginia Should Be Prioritized

By Andrew Hayes


According to the information provided by the American Kennel Club, there are many breeds of dogs classified as working dogs and the Portuguese Water Dog is one of them. As suggested in the name, these breeds originated from Portugal from a place called Algarve. The name of the dog in Portugal translates to dog of water in the English language. There are several other names used for the dog in Portuguese, including Algarvian water dog and Portuguese fishing dog.

From Algarve, the dog quickly became popular in other parts of the coastal region of the country and then to the rest of the world. When in need of well-groomed Portuguese water dogs Virginia is the state to visit. Virginia is home to many highly specialized and experienced breeders who produce high quality canines. One can visit their facilities and choose from a huge number of puppies. These breeders also offer friendly costs given the high quality of puppies they provide.

The standard poodle is thought to be the closest relative of PWD. Thus, the two breeds have a lot of features in common. For instance, they both have curly coats and the toes are webbed to help with swimming. PWDs do not shed their coat either and are a very intelligent breed. One of the differences between standard poodles and PWDs is that PWDs are more robustly built and have stout legs.

The male PWD grows to attain a height of between 51 and 58 centimeters tall. Their body weight ranges between 18 and 27 kilograms. The females are slightly smaller, growing to a height of between 43 and 53 centimeters at the shoulders. Full grown female PWDs weigh between 16 and 23 kilograms. The coat usually has a single layer and never sheds. This makes this breed to be preferred a lot by people with dog allergies.

There are several color shades in which these dogs come in. Common color shades as observed in conformation shows are silver strips, white, plain black, plain brown, and white and black coats. Dogs that are black of brown in color also tend to have spots on their paws, chest, and legs. White-coated dogs are more uncommon than those with black coats.

There are two main types of coats in PWDs, that is, curly and wavy. Most dogs have coats that combine the two hair patterns. The combination of the two patterns involves the ears and tails having wavy hair while the rest of the body having curly hair. Leaving the hair untrimmed and unattended makes it to grow indefinitely, causing several problems.

When the hair is left to grow without being attended to, it causes skin irritation. The hair also impedes vision. One can avoid the issues related with long unattended hair by having the hair trimmed once after every two months. Brushing the hair after every two days is also a requirement.

These dogs make good companions. They are highly intelligent, independent, and loving. The level of trainability is also very high, being able to be trained in agility skills and obedience. They get used to strangers easily when they are introduced well.




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