Breed Standard

Source: Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), FCI-Standard N°37 — Cão de Água Português (Portuguese Water Dog), official language English, published 04.11.2008.

Origin: Portugal

Utilization: Assistance with fishing and retrieving, as well as companion dog.

FCI Classification: Group 8 — Retrievers, Flushing Dogs, Water Dogs. Section 3 — Water Dogs. Without working trial.

Brief historical summary

In ancient times, the Portuguese Water Dog could be found throughout the entire Portuguese coast. Thereafter, due to continuous changes in fishing methods, the breed was located mainly in the Algarve region, which is now considered its original birthplace. Its presence on the Portuguese coast is probably very remote, and thus the Portuguese Water Dog should be considered an autochthonous Portuguese breed.

General appearance

A dog of medium proportions, bracoid tending to rectilinear to slightly convex. Harmonious in shape, balanced, strong, and well muscled. Considerable development of the muscles due to constant swimming.

Important proportions

Of almost square shape, with the length of body approximately equal to height at the withers. The ratio of the height at the withers to the depth of the chest is 2:1; the ratio of length of skull to muzzle is 4:3.

Behaviour / temperament

Exceptionally intelligent, it understands and obeys easily and happily any order given by its owner. An animal with impetuous disposition, wilful, courageous, sober, and resistant to fatigue. It has a severe, penetrating, and attentive expression, as well as remarkable visual and scent faculties.

An excellent and resistant swimmer and diver, it is the inseparable companion of the fisherman, for whom it performs a multitude of tasks, both in fishing and in guarding and protecting its boat and property. While fishing, it will willingly jump to sea to retrieve escaped fish, diving if necessary, and likewise if a net breaks or a cable becomes loose. It is also used as a liaison between boats and shore or vice-versa, even at great distances.

Head

Well proportioned, strong, and broad. Parallel longitudinal axes of the skull and muzzle.

Skull: Seen in profile it is slightly longer than the muzzle (4:3). Its curvature is more accentuated at the back and the occipital protuberance is pronounced. Seen from the front the parietal bones are rounded with a slight depression in the middle; the front is slightly hollow, the frontal furrow extends to two thirds of the parietal bones, and the superciliary arches are prominent.

Stop: Well defined and slightly behind the inner corners of the eyes.

Nose: Wide, with well open and pigmented nostrils. Black in black, white, and pied animals. In brown specimens the nose is the same colour as the coat, but never marbled.

Muzzle: Straight, broader at the base than at the extremity.

Lips: Thick, especially in front. Commissure not prominent. Mucous membranes (palate, under the tongue, and gums) deeply pigmented in black, deep brown in brown dogs.

Jaws / Teeth: Strong, healthy teeth, not visible when mouth is closed. Strong and well developed canines. Scissor bite or pincer bite.

Eyes

Medium sized; noticeable and rounded in shape; set well apart and slightly slanted. The iris is black or brown and the lids are thin and black-edged, brown in brown dogs. Unapparent conjunctive.

Ears

Set above the eye line, held against the head, slightly raised from the rear and heart-shaped. Thin in texture, their extremity never reaches below the throat.

Neck

Straight, short, rounded, well muscled, well set and carried high; connecting to the body in a harmonious transition. Without ruff or dewlap.

Body

Top line: Straight; level.
Withers: Wide and not prominent.
Back: Straight, short, broad, and well muscled.
Loin: Short and well connected to the croup.
Croup: Well proportioned, slightly sloping, with symmetrical and non-apparent hip bones.
Chest: Wide and deep. Its lower edge should reach the elbow. The ribs are long and well sprung, providing great respiratory capacity.
Underline & belly: Gracefully shaped and reduced in volume.

Tail

Natural, of medium set-on, thick at its base, tapering towards the end. Should not reach below the hock. When attentive, curls in a ring, not reaching beyond the middle of the loin. It is a useful aid for swimming and diving.

Limbs

Forequarters — general appearance: Strong and straight. Upright. Slightly sloping pasterns are admissible.
Shoulder: slanting in profile and transversely, strong muscular development. Upper arm: strong and medium in size, parallel to the main body line. Forearm: long and strongly muscled. Carpus (pastern joint): strong bones, broader when seen from the front than from the side. Metacarpus (pastern): long and strong. Forefeet: rounded and flat with slightly arched toes of medium length; the webbing, extending over the whole length of the toes, is composed of limp tissue and covered with abundant, long hair. Black nails are preferred but, according to coat colour, may also be white, striped, or brown; nails do not reach the ground. Hard central pad and normal thickness in the other pads.

Hindquarters — general appearance: Upright and well muscled. Slightly sloping hocks are admissible.
Buttock: strong and well rounded. Thigh: strong and medium in length, very well muscled; stifle joint turned neither in nor out. Second thigh: long and very well muscled, turned neither in nor out, well slanting from front to back; all tendons and ligaments are strong. Hock: strong. Metatarsus (rear pastern): long, without dewclaws. Hind feet: rounded and flat with slightly arched toes of medium length, webbed as the forefeet, with the same nail and pad characteristics.

Gait / Movement

Easy movement with short steps at walk; light cadenced trot and energetic gallop.

Skin

Thick, supple, not very tight; internal and external mucous membranes preferably pigmented.

Coat

Hair: The whole body is abundantly covered with strong hair, with no undercoat. There are two varieties: one long and wavy, and the other shorter and curly. The first is slightly shiny and woolly; the latter is dense, lustreless, and forms compact cylindrical curls. Except for the underarms and groin, the coat is even all over the skin. On the head it forms a topknot of wavy hair in the long and wavy variety and of curly hair in the curly variety. The hair in the ears is longer in the long and wavy variety.

Colour: The coat is black or brown of various shades, or solid white. In black or brown coats, white is accepted in the following locations: muzzle, topknot, neck, forechest, belly, tip of tail, and lower extremities of the limbs, below the elbows and hocks. The white coat must not be albino; consequently the nose, eyelids, and inside of the mouth should be pigmented in black, and brown in brown dogs.

In this breed, partial clipping of the coat, when it is too long, is typical. The hindquarters, the muzzle, and part of the tail are clipped, leaving a plume of full-length hair at the tip of the tail.

Height and weight

Height at withers — Males: 50–57 cm (ideal height 54 cm). Females: 43–52 cm (ideal height 46 cm).

Weight — Males: 19–25 kg. Females: 16–22 kg.

Faults

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault, and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect on the health and welfare of the dog.

Severe faults: Head too long, narrow, flat, or pointed. Muzzle too tapered or pointed. Eyes light, too protruding, or too sunken. Ears incorrectly set, too big, too short, or folded. Tail heavy, dropped in action, or raised perpendicularly.

Disqualifying faults: Aggressive or overly shy. Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities. Size over-sized or under-sized. Jaws undershot or overshot. Eyes wall-eyed, uneven in shape or size. Deafness, congenital or acquired. Tail docked, rudimentary, or non-existent. Feet with dewclaws present. Coat hair different from the described types. Colour albinism, marbled nostrils in whole or in part, or any other colour than described.

N.B.: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum. Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed-typical conformation, should be used for breeding.