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Animal register · DogIn the app

Portuguese Water Dog

Cão de Água Português, Portie, Algarvian Water Dog

The Portuguese Water Dog comes from Portugal, where it worked with fishermen. The Royal Kennel Club standard describes a robust, almost square, very strongly muscled dog — very intelligent and tremendously energetic, with great swimming and diving skills — standing 50–57 cm (males) and 43–52 cm (females) and weighing 19–25 kg (males) and 16–22 kg (females). Its profuse single coat has no undercoat and comes in black, white, brown, or black or brown with white; the traditional lion clip leaves the muzzle and hindquarters short.

The Royal Kennel Club recommends up to an hour of exercise a day and grooming every day, notes that the breed does not shed and suits a large house, and gives its lifespan as over 10 years. The PDSA describes very friendly, loving dogs that get on well with other pets, make excellent family pets and need training and socialisation at a young age; it adds clipping and shaping by a professional groomer during the year.

Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).

Updated:

Portuguese Water Dog — photo (AI)
AI-generated photo

At a glance

Size
medium — The Royal Kennel Club S404
Adult weight
males 19–25 kg, females 16–22 kg — The Royal Kennel Club S403
Daily exercise
up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S404
Brushing
every day — The Royal Kennel Club S404
Shedding
does not shed (not the same as hypoallergenic) — The Royal Kennel Club S404
Lifespan
more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S404

Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.

Who it suits

Good for:

  • family lifeS405
  • families with childrenS407
  • a large house and gardenS404
  • homes with other petsS405
  • homes that prefer less sheddingS404

Keep in mind:

  • needs brushing several times a weekS404S405

The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

What it needs

From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.

Exercise

  • Daily exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S404

Coat and grooming

  • Coat: medium length — The Royal Kennel Club S404
  • Brushing: every day — The Royal Kennel Club S404
  • Shedding: does not shed (not the same as hypoallergenic) — The Royal Kennel Club S404

Meals

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • 8–12 weeks: 4 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 3–6 months: 3 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 6–12 months: 2 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • Adult: at least 2 meals a day — VCA Animal Hospitals S19
  • Senior: 2–3 meals a day, smaller portions — Dogs Trust S14

Lifespan

  • Lifespan: more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S404

Life stages

  • Reaches adult size at: about 12–15 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • Puppy: until about 6–9 months — AAHA S11
  • Young adult: until 3–4 years — AAHA S11
  • Senior: the last 25 % of the expected lifespan — AAHA S11

Size and weight

  • Size: medium — The Royal Kennel Club S404
  • Height at the withers: males 50–57 cm, females 43–52 cm — The Royal Kennel Club S403
  • Adult weight: males 19–25 kg, females 16–22 kg — The Royal Kennel Club S403

Training

  • FCI standard no. 37, group 8 (retrievers, flushing dogs and water dogs); origin: Portugal. — FCI S402

Questions and answers

Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.

How much exercise does a Portuguese Water Dog need?

According to our sources, the Portuguese Water Dog needs this much exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S404.

How long does a Portuguese Water Dog live?

According to our sources, the lifespan of the Portuguese Water Dog is: more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S404.

How big does a Portuguese Water Dog get and how much does it weigh?

Size and adult weight of the Portuguese Water Dog, according to our sources: Size: medium — The Royal Kennel Club S404; Adult weight: males 19–25 kg, females 16–22 kg — The Royal Kennel Club S403.

How much grooming does a Portuguese Water Dog need?

Coat and grooming of the Portuguese Water Dog, according to our sources: Brushing: every day — The Royal Kennel Club S404; Shedding: does not shed (not the same as hypoallergenic) — The Royal Kennel Club S404; Coat: medium length — The Royal Kennel Club S404.

Who is the Portuguese Water Dog a good fit for?

Our sources describe the Portuguese Water Dog as a good fit for: family life — PDSA S405; families with children — PetMD S407; a large house and garden — The Royal Kennel Club S404; homes with other pets — PDSA S405; homes that prefer less shedding — The Royal Kennel Club S404. Keep in mind: needs brushing several times a week — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S404S405.

Game rules, not veterinary advice

How PetPrep simulates it

In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.

Life stageStartsMeals a dayDaily step goal
Puppyarrives at 2 months4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 21,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 6,000 from month 6
Young dogmonth 926,000 steps
Adultmonth 36 (3 years)26,000 steps
Seniormonth 90 (7.5 years)24,500 steps
  • Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 1 hour, so 6,000 steps a day.
  • Learns commands as fast as the mixed breed of the free plan.
  • Becomes a senior in month 90 (7.5 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
  • Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
  • Combing 7 times a week.
  • Care: brushing the teeth every day — a task for the child.
  • Care: a visit to the groomer every 4 weeks — a reminder for the parent.

Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S404S407

Health

For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.

  • Hip dysplasia, a loose, poorly developed hip joint, occurs in the breed and can eventually lead to arthritis. — PDSA S405
  • Progressive retinal atrophy, an inherited eye disease that can slowly lead to blindness, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S405
  • GM1 gangliosidosis, an inherited disease of the nervous system, can occur in the breed; a DNA test of the parents can rule it out. — The Royal Kennel Club S404
  • Bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus), where the stomach twists, can occur in the breed — it is an emergency that needs a vet straight away. — VCA Animal Hospitals S406
  • An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), which can affect weight, skin and energy levels, can occur in the breed. — PetMD S407
  • Addison's disease, a lack of hormones from the adrenal glands, can occur in the breed. — PetMD S407
  • Cataracts, which cloud the lens of the eye and can lead to vision loss, can occur in the breed. — PetMD S407
  • The breed is prone to gum (periodontal) disease, so brushing the teeth every day with a dog toothpaste is advised. — PetMD S407

Before you buy: what to check with the breeder

Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.

For every breed

  • See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
  • The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
  • Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
  • Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
  • National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
  • Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10

Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.

Health tests of the parents for this breed

Tests the Royal Kennel Club recommends as a minimum

  • Genetic diversity — check the inbreeding coefficient — The Royal Kennel Club S404
  • DNA test for progressive retinal atrophy (prcd-PRA) — The Royal Kennel Club S404

Further tests for best practice

  • Elbow X-ray screening for elbow dysplasia (UK: BVA/KC scheme) — The Royal Kennel Club S404
  • Hip X-ray screening for hip dysplasia (UK: BVA/KC scheme) — The Royal Kennel Club S404
  • DNA test for GM1 gangliosidosis (an inherited disease of the nervous system) — The Royal Kennel Club S404
  • DNA test for early-onset progressive retinal atrophy (EOPRA) — The Royal Kennel Club S404

These lists come from the UK's Royal Kennel Club and are an orientation; national kennel clubs can set their own, stricter rules. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.

Similar breeds

Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.

Sources

Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.

  1. S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
  2. S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
  3. S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
  4. S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
  5. S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
  6. S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
  7. S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
  8. S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
  9. S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
  10. S402FCI — FCI breeds nomenclature — CÃO DE ÁGUA PORTUGUÊS / PORTUGUESE WATER DOG (37)https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/PORTUGUESE-WATER-DOG-37.html
  11. S403The Royal Kennel Club — Portuguese Water Dog — breed standard (last updated 1 April 2025)https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/breed-standards/working/portuguese-water-dog
  12. S404The Royal Kennel Club — Portuguese Water Dog — breed page (older address; key facts, Breed Watch, health testing)https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/breed/display.aspx?id=5135
  13. S405PDSA — Portuguese Water Dog breed informationhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/large-dogs/portuguese-water-dog
  14. S406VCA Animal Hospitals — Portuguese Water Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/portuguese-water-dog
  15. S407PetMD (updated Feb. 3, 2023) — Portuguese Water Doghttps://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/c_dg_portuguese_water_dog
  16. K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
  17. K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
  18. K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
  19. K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
  20. K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy

PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.

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