At home
Straight into any water
Pools, fountains, puddles: if it holds water, they are in it.
What's going onThey were bred to spend the day swimming off a fishing boat. Swimming is their best exercise here, as long as they can get out safely.
Breed guide · Dogs
Portuguese Water Dog
He'll jump into any fountain he can reach. There's a towel in my car for him now.
- Lifespan
- 10 to 14 years
- Size
- Large
- Weight
- 16 to 27 kg
- Shedding
- Light
Last updated 14 October 2026
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The Portuguese Water Dog at a glance.
Are Portuguese Water Dogs good family dogs?Yes, affectionate and funny. They thrive on company, a job and plenty of your time.Do Portuguese Water Dogs shed?Lightly. The curls keep growing instead, so they need daily brushing and a groomer.How long do Portuguese Water Dogs live?Usually 10 to 14 years. Regular eye and hormone tests catch problems early.What health problems do Portuguese Water Dogs have?Hips, eyes, hormones and teeth. Addison's Disease runs in the breed, and its signs can come and go.Can a Portuguese Water Dog cope with the Dubai heat?Yes, with water and shade. In summer, walk before sunrise and after dark, and keep the coat clipped short.Why does my Portuguese Water Dog jump in every pool?They were bred to swim. They worked all day off fishing boats, and water is still their favourite place.
Portuguese Water Dog traits
What they brought with them.
Tap a card to see what is going on.
At home
Barely a hair on the sofa
Almost nothing on the cushions, but the curls get longer every week.
What's going onTheir curls have no undercoat, so they shed little and the hair keeps growing. Left long, it mats and holds heat and sand. Regular grooming and a short summer clip keep them comfortable.
At home
They learn fast, good and bad
They learn to open the fridge as fast as they learn to sit.
What's going onA dog who worked with a small crew had to pick things up quickly. Give them a job before they invent one with the pool floats, the garden hose or the family's shoes.
At home
They want to be with the crew
Wherever the family is, that is where they lie down.
What's going onThey were bred to live on a boat with their people. A long day alone in a flat is hard for them. A midday walk or a visit breaks it up.
At home
Off colour, then fine again
Flat and off their food for a day, then back to normal the next.
What's going onAddison's Disease (the adrenal glands not making enough hormone) runs in the breed. If those off days keep coming back, it needs testing.
At home
Unsure on the stairs at night
Happy all day, then a pause at the top of the stairs once the lights are low.
What's going onProgressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA, gradual loss of sight) is a risk in the breed from puppyhood. Hesitating in dim light can be an early sign, and their eye evaluations are part of their plan.
A Portuguese Water Dog in Dubai
The bit nobody tells you.
Their day
Built for: On a fishing boat with their crew.
In Dubai: Often a long day in a flat.
Their water
Built for: Swimming, diving and bringing things back.
In Dubai: A pool they may not be allowed near.
Their coat
Built for: A coat made for a life at sea.
In Dubai: A coat that needs a groomer.
The stolen shoes, the missing floats and the restless evenings mostly come from that gap.
You cannot give them a fishing boat. You can give them a job, and the ten things below are how.
Your plan is built around their breed: the health risks for a Portuguese Water Dog at every age, and the care that goes with each one.
Join the founding families. AED 1,999 of essential care for AED 199.
Daily care for a Portuguese Water Dog
Ten things that make their life better.
Tummy upsets are common in puppies of this breed, and a clever dog finds food fast.
Every age, most of all puppies
Why
Tummy upsets are common in puppies of this breed, and a clever dog finds food fast.
What to do
Practise "leave it" every day, at home first and then outside. If someone else walks them, give the walker the rules: the treats you hand over and nothing else.
They cope with the UAE climate, given proper water and shade.
Every age
Why
They cope with the UAE climate, given proper water and shade.
What to do
From May to September, walk before sunrise and after dark. Put the back of your hand on the pavement for five seconds. If you cannot keep it there, they cannot walk on it. Take water and find shade. Brush their coat every day, and book regular grooming with a short summer clip.
They were bred to live with their crew, and a bored, clever dog finds their own work.
Every age, hardest from 6 months to 2 years
Why
They were bred to live with their crew, and a bored, clever dog finds their own work.
What to do
If you are out for more than a few hours, arrange a midday walk, a visit or daycare. Leave a puzzle feeder or a stuffed chew. If they are distressed when you leave, contact your vet rather than trying to fix it at home.
A quick learner in their teens learns every bad habit too.
6 months to 2 years
Why
A quick learner in their teens learns every bad habit too.
What to do
From six months to two years, expect jumping, mouthing and testing the rules. Keep the rules the same every day. Two short training sessions a day, paid with part of their dinner.
Under all those curls, small changes are easy to miss.
Every age, most of all from 4 years
Why
Under all those curls, small changes are easy to miss.
What to do
Once a week, part their coat and run your hands over their whole body, and lift their lip to look at their gums, because dental disease becomes common from four. Brush their teeth every day, and weigh them once a month.
They were bred to fetch whatever went overboard, and they will fetch whatever is on your floor.
Every age, most of all 6 months to 2 years
Why
They were bred to fetch whatever went overboard, and they will fetch whatever is on your floor.
What to do
Keep a floating toy and a soft toy that are theirs. When they take something they should not, swap it for a treat. Do not chase them, because that makes it a game they win.
Fetching from water is their original job, and they will keep going if you let them.
Every age
Why
Fetching from water is their original job, and they will keep going if you let them.
What to do
Five to ten retrieves, then stop. Throw into water where you can, or along the ground. Ask them to wait before you send them, which works their head as well as their legs.
A lean dog puts less strain on their hips, and hip trouble runs in the breed.
Every age
Why
A lean dog puts less strain on their hips, and hip trouble runs in the breed.
What to do
Weigh their daily food on kitchen scales and take treats out of that amount. Feed part of each meal by hand while you train. A Body Condition Score (a check on whether they are the right weight) is in your plan at their puppy visits.
Swimming is the exercise they were built for, and their curls hold water against their skin.
Every age
Why
Swimming is the exercise they were built for, and their curls hold water against their skin.
What to do
Use any water they are allowed into. Show them the steps out of the pool every time, and never leave them near one alone. After a swim, rinse out the salt or chlorine and dry them right through, ears included.
Hip Dysplasia (a poorly fitting hip joint) is the main health risk in the breed from puppy to prime adult, and arthritis follows as a senior.
Every age, most of all while growing
Why
Hip Dysplasia (a poorly fitting hip joint) is the main health risk in the breed from puppy to prime adult, and arthritis follows as a senior.
What to do
Put rugs or runners where they turn and run on marble. Lift them in and out of the car, or use a ramp. Keep them lean, and keep jumping to a minimum while they are growing. Hip screening (a check of how well the hips fit) is in your plan from six months to four years.
Three of these are in your plan. The rest you can do at home.
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Portuguese Water Dog health by age
Their health, at every age.
How old are they?
Their age
Portuguese Water Dog Puppy health
the first six months
What to watch for
- Developmental or early clinical signs of Hip Dysplasia (HD, a poorly fitting hip joint)
- Congenital or early inherited ocular disease related to Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA, gradual loss of sight)
- Early or congenital expression of Addison's Disease (the adrenal glands not making enough hormone)
- Juvenile onset of allergies
- Gastrointestinal upset and conformation-related feeding intolerance
The care that goes with it
- Core vaccinations, microchip and Dubai Municipality registration
- Deworming, and flea and tick prevention
- Body Condition Score (a check on whether they are the right weight), dental, growth and nutritional evaluation, and early socialisation
- Hip Dysplasia (HD, a poorly fitting hip joint) screening
- Early follow-up for any signs of Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA, gradual loss of sight)
The full care detail
- Core vaccination programme, microchipping and Dubai Municipality registration. Titre testing discussion where clinically appropriate; not a substitute for completing the core vaccine series
- Deworming and external parasite prevention tailored to Dubai exposure
- Body Condition Score (BCS), Muscle Condition Score (MCS), dental, growth and nutritional evaluation, and early socialisation
- Baseline screening focused on Hip Dysplasia (HD)
- Early diagnostic follow-up for signs suggestive of Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
Their age
Portuguese Water Dog Juvenile health
6 months to 2 years
What to watch for
- Emerging Hip Dysplasia (HD) with exercise intolerance or lameness
- Progression or first clinical detection of Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
- Young-dog presentation of Addison's Disease
- Recurrent or persistent allergies
- Developing risk of Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (GDV, bloat, a twisted stomach)
The care that goes with it
- Hip Dysplasia (HD) screening
- Ophthalmic evaluation (eye exam)
- Neutering or spaying, timed for a large breed
- Endocrine testing (hormone tests)
- Finding the cause of signs that keep coming back, rather than treating each one on its own
The full care detail
- Hip screening
- Ophthalmic evaluation
- Neuter/spay timing discussion that accounts for large-breed growth and disease risk
- Endocrine testing
- Investigate recurrent signs rather than repeatedly treating presumed Addison's Disease
Their age
Portuguese Water Dog Young Adult health
2 to 4 years
What to watch for
- Hip Dysplasia (HD)
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
- Addison's Disease
- Allergies
- Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (GDV, bloat, a twisted stomach)
The care that goes with it
- Hip Dysplasia (HD) screening
- Ophthalmic evaluation (eye exam)
- Endocrine testing (hormone tests)
- Allergy treatment
- Emergency care, because bloat (a twisted stomach) cannot wait
The full care detail
- Hip screening
- Ophthalmic evaluation
- Endocrine testing
- Allergy treatment
- Emergency care
Their age
Portuguese Water Dog Prime Adult health
4 to 7 years
What to watch for
- Hip Dysplasia (HD)
- Addison's Disease
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
- Hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid)
- Dental Disease
The care that goes with it
- Joint care
- Hormone therapy if Addison's Disease is confirmed
- Eye monitoring
- Thyroid support if hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid) is found
- Dental cleaning
The full care detail
- Joint care
- Hormone therapy
- Eye monitoring
- Thyroid support
- Dental cleaning
Their age
Portuguese Water Dog Senior health
7 to 10 years
What to watch for
- Dental Disease
- Arthritis
- Addison's Disease
- Heart Disease
- Kidney Disease
The care that goes with it
- Dental care
- Pain relief
- Hormone regulation, to keep Addison's Disease under control
- Cardiac monitoring
- Renal therapy (kidney care)
The full care detail
- Dental care
- Pain management
- Hormone regulation
- Cardiac monitoring
- Renal therapy
Their age
Portuguese Water Dog Geriatric health
10 years and over
What to watch for
- Kidney Disease
- Heart Disease
- Cognitive Dysfunction (dementia in older pets)
- Arthritis
- Dental Disease
The care that goes with it
- Pain relief
- Cognitive support
- Cardiac monitoring
- Kidney function tests
- Quality-of-life assessments
- Palliative care (comfort care)
- End-of-life planning with your vet team
The full care detail
- Pain relief
- Cognitive support
- Cardiac monitoring
- Kidney function tests
- Quality-of-life assessments
- Tailored palliative and comfort-focused care plan
- Compassionate end-of-life planning with your veterinary team
Breed predispositions indicate an increased risk rather than certainty of disease. What is right for them always comes from their own history and an evaluation.
Getting a Portuguese Water Dog puppy in Dubai
Before they come home.
Curly or wavy
Two kinds of coat
Portuguese Water Dogs come with one of two coats: tight curls, or looser waves. Neither has an undercoat, both keep growing, and both need a groomer.
Colours
Black, white or brown
Portuguese Water Dogs come in black, white or shades of brown, and some are black or brown with white.
The first six months
Caring for a Portuguese Water Dog puppy
Their full vaccination course, microchip and Dubai Municipality registration come first. Keep every visit: early signs of hip and eye trouble can show from puppyhood in this breed, and so can tummy upsets.
Puppy health, 0 to 6 months
Getting the home ready
Show them the way out of the pool
From the first day, show them the steps out of the pool, and never leave them near it alone. Put rugs or runners where they turn and run on marble, for growing hips.
Ten things that make their life better
Before you commit
Ask about the parents' hips and eyes
Ask the breeder about both parents' hip x-ray results and eye evaluations. Hip Dysplasia and Progressive Retinal Atrophy can both show from puppyhood in this breed.
Before the clinics open
Join the founding families
AED 1,999 of essential care for AED 199. No payment now.
For a new puppy: First 30 days with a new puppy · Puppy vaccinations in the UAE · Heatstroke in dogs
When to see a vet
When it is not behaviour.
They'll keep finding fountains. If they stop wanting to go in, tell your vet.
Portuguese Water Dog history
Before they were yours.
A Portuguese Water Dog today. Before the 1930s
The Algarve fishing boats
On the south coast of Portugal they swam from the boats to herd fish into the nets, fetched anything that went overboard, and carried messages to the shore. In Portugal they are the Cão de Água, the water dog.
What they still carryThe water, the fetching, and a wish to be part of the crew.
A Portuguese Water Dog today. The 1930s
Found on the last boats
As fishing changed, the dogs nearly disappeared. Vasco Bensaude, a Portuguese shipping businessman, found the ones still working on the boats and bred from them.
What they still carryA breed rebuilt from a small number of dogs.
A Portuguese Water Dog at an American dog show: agility at the Rose City Classic, Portland, Oregon, 2007. Photo: Ron Armstrong, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped). 1983 to 1984
Recognised in America
The American Kennel Club accepted the breed into its stud book in 1983, with full recognition in 1984.
What they still carryOfficial standing, and still a rare dog.
The late 20th century
The family dog
Families took to them, often because their curly coat sheds so little.
What they still carryA working water dog, often chosen for the coat, who still needs a job.
Today
In Dubai
In the UAE they are a rare dog, living in a flat or a villa with no nets to fetch.
What they still carryA dog built to swim all day off a fishing boat, with a pool they may not be allowed into.
Portuguese Water Dog questions
The ones you type at midnight.
How long do Portuguese Water Dogs live?
Are Portuguese Water Dogs good family dogs?
Do Portuguese Water Dogs shed?
How big do Portuguese Water Dogs get?
What colours do Portuguese Water Dogs come in?
Can a Portuguese Water Dog live in Dubai?
What is Addison's Disease in Portuguese Water Dogs?
Where does the Portuguese Water Dog come from?
Breeds like the Portuguese Water Dog
If the Portuguese Water Dog suits you, so might these.
Standard PoodleThe same kind of dog: a curly-coated water dog, a little calmer, in a coat that sheds even less.
Flat-Coated RetrieverThe same retriever and water dog family, with love to spare for everyone, in a flat coat that is easier to groom.
VizslaThe same high energy and affection for their people, in a short-coated hunting dog that hates being left alone.
Springer SpanielA similar size and an active family life, in a spaniel with a lighter coat routine and a little less energy.