Of all the breeds they could’ve chosen, the Obamas did choose a dog that is well-known for its trainability and good temperament. And they didn’t choose a cute, two-month old puppy. They chose a rehomed dog from a reputable breeder. They did provide a good example on how you should select a dog. Of course, knowing Senator Kennedy, who really does know dogs, certainly helps.
The NY Daily News has an article on the Portuguese water dog, which is quite informative for anyone not familiar with the breed.
No breed is perfect, and Portuguese water dog’s biggest flaw is its very narrow gene pool. There are some genetic disorders The second biggest flaw it has coat that is hard to care for. It has to be trimmed, and not everyone is prepared for that sort of commitment.
The person responsible for getting me into dog shows many moons ago bred Porties. (I’ve now come over to the dark side, but that’s another story.) I helped show several Porties for her and the main thing I remember about them was how springy they were. Literally bouncing and leaping like a fish trying to get off a line. But in the ring, they were all business and very easy to show. The other thing, and this is just a personal bias, is that some of them are groomed so that you can’t see their eyes and I find I can not bond with dogs whose eyes I can’t see. But it looks like the Obamas have chosen the type of coat that you can see the eyes.
Except for English show labs and goldens and Newfoundlands, Landseers, and Leonbergers, most water dogs are bouncy.
Somehow I think they’ll be able to handle the grooming. :)
I know they will. However, what about the people who want one because Obama has one?
Just trying to pass along some helpful info.
But the dog is already very well-trained and well-groomed. In fact, because he’s really trained, the dog whisperer’s 2 cents aren’t worth that much. But we got them.
i like PWDs in a lion clip and maybe pays a little homage to history? But I am not a fan of fuzzy muzzled dogs. PWDs have two coat types; wavy and curly. I like the wavy.
Yes, the Obamas have done it right, and I sincerely hope the dog and the family are a successful match! What with Teddy and the breeder serving as mentors, and the fact the PWD people are a pretty tight, supportive community, the chance of this being a successful pairing are good.
The Breed Club and the breeders are very protective of their stock. I think the chances of the breed falling into the hands of high volume breeders and millers is slim, and they certainly aren’t the dog for the average American family.
However, I sent an email condolence card this morning to several of my PWD owning friends, including one who is a breeder.We all know what fame can do to irresponsible dog breeding and ownership.
Don’t ever get me wrong. I love Portuguese water dogs. I think they are perfect for some people, and they aren’t bad family dogs. But they are living, breathing creatures with emotions and brains. They are not status symbols or novelties.
And we have to keep this in perspective whenever we talk about choosing a dog for ourselves. Does this dog fit well with me? Can I give it the live it deserves?
Just ran across your website, and I have a question about porties. I just enrolled a dog in my dog daycare who’s owners says is a PWD, but with a fairly common genetic flaw in her coat. (According to the breeder she bought the dog from. This dog looks somewhat like a flat-coated retriever, although much smaller. Have you heard of this?
Yes, I’ve heard of this, and can I ask you a favor?
Can you get me a picture of this dog?
I have mentioned it somewhere on this blog that a few Portuguese water dogs had the flat-coat type fur, and it is possible that dogs of this type could have been the ancestors of the St. John’s water dog.
I’ve seen only one photo of one with this coat type.