A warm welcome to the Portuguese Water Dog!

The loyal and spirited Portuguese Water Dog (Cão de Água Português) has recently joined The Breed Archive family.

The Portuguese Water Dog is an ancient breed with roots tracing back to at least 1297, when a monk recorded the story of a sailor rescued from the sea by a dog with a “black coat of rough hair, cut to the first rib and with a tuft on the tip of his tail.” This distinctive clip led to the breed’s early nickname, the “Lion Dog.”

Believed to share ancestry with the Poodle, Kerry Blue Terrier, and Irish Water Spaniel, the Portuguese Water Dog became indispensable to fishermen along Portugal’s coast. Renowned for strength, loyalty, and unmatched swimming ability, these dogs retrieved tackle and nets, helped herd fish into nets, and even carried messages between ships and shore.

Robust and athletic, with a single, non-shedding curly or wavy coat, the breed requires consistent grooming and thrives on both mental and physical activity. Webbed feet make them natural swimmers, perfectly suited to their historic life at sea.

Today, the Portuguese Water Dog remains a spirited, intelligent companion—loyal, self-willed, and happiest when engaged in training, exercise, and close human connection.