Portuguese Water Dog Breed Magazine - Showsight

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Official Standard of the Portuguese Water Dog General Appearance: Known for centuries along Portugal's coast, this seafaring breed was prized by fishermen for a spirited, yet obedient nature, and a robust, medium build that allowed for a full day's work in and out of the water. The Portuguese Water Dog is a swimmer and diver of exceptional ability and stamina, who aided his master at sea by retrieving broken nets, herding schools of fish, and carrying messages between boats and to shore. He is a loyal companion and alert guard. This highly intelligent utilitarian breed is distinguished by two coat types, either curly or wavy; an impressive head of considerable breadth and well proportioned mass; a ruggedly built, well-knit body; and a powerful, thickly based tail, carried gallantly or used purposefully as a rudder. The Portuguese Water Dog provides an indelible impression of strength, spirit, and soundness. Size, Proportion, Substance: Size - Height at the withers - Males, 20 to 23 inches. The ideal is 22 inches. Females, 17 to 21 inches. The ideal is 19 inches. Weight - For males, 42 to 60 pounds; for females, 35 to 50 pounds. Proportion - Off square; slightly longer than tall when measured from prosternum to rearmost point of the buttocks, and from withers to ground. Substance - Strong, substantial bone; well developed, neither refined nor coarse, and a solidly built, muscular body. Head: An essential characteristic; distinctively large, well proportioned and with exceptional breadth of topskull. Expression - Steady, penetrating, and attentive. Eyes - Medium in size; set well apart, and a bit obliquely. Roundish and neither prominent nor sunken. Black or various tones of brown in color. Darker eyes are preferred. Eye rims fully pigmented with black edges in black, black and white, or white dogs; brown edges in brown dogs. Haws are dark and not apparent. Ears - Set well above the line of the eye. Leather is heart shaped and thin. Except for a small opening at the back, ears are held nicely against the head. Tips should not reach below the lower jaw. Skull - In profile, it is slightly longer than the muzzle, its curvature more accentuated at the back than in the front. When viewed head-on, the top of the skull is very broad and appears domed, with a slight depression in the middle. The forehead is prominent, and has a central furrow, extending two-thirds of the distance from stop to occiput. The occiput is well defined. Stop - Well defined. Muzzle - Substantial; wider at the base than at the nose. Jaws- Strong and neither over nor undershot. Nose - Broad, well flared nostrils. Fully pigmented; black in dogs with black, black and white, or white coats; various tones of brown in dogs with brown coats. Lips - Thick, especially in front; no flew. Lips and mucous membranes of the roof of the mouth, under tongue, and gums are quite black, or well ticked with black in dogs with black, black and white, or white coats; various tones of brown in dogs with brown coats. Bite - Scissors or level. Teeth - Not visible when the mouth is closed. Canines strongly developed. Neck, Topline, Body : Neck - Straight, short, round, and held high. Strongly muscled. No dewlap. Topline - Level and firm. Body - Chest is broad and deep, reaching down to the elbow. Ribs are long and well-sprung to provide optimum lung capacity. Abdomen well held up in a graceful line. Back is broad and well muscled. Loin is short and meets the croup

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