Portuguese Water Dog

Portuguese Water Dog

The Portuguese Water Dog, known as the Cao de Agua “dog of the water” and the Portuguese Fishing Dog, was once popular all along Portugal’s coast where he was said to be prized by fishermen as a companion and guard dog. During this time, the dogs lived and worked on boats where they herded fish into nets, retrieved lost tackle or broken nets and acted as couriers from boat to boat to shore. These tasks required that the dogs be excellent swimmers. They were also capable of diving underwater to retrieve gear and to prevent fish from escaping from the nets. Modern technology, however, nearly caused the extinction of the breed.

Although there are many theories about the Water Dog’s history, there is no doubt that he has an ancient ancestry and is said to predate the Poodle. In pre-Christian times, it is said that the “water dog” was seen as nearly sacred. The breed was first brought to the United States in the late 1960s and by early 1970, there were only 25 known Portuguese Water Dogs in the world. However, because of dedicated breeders, by 1981 there were over 500 dogs in the U.S. Today, there are thousands living all over the world and though still not a common breed, it is no longer rare or in danger of extinction.