A strong swimmer and diver, the Portuguese Water Dog was once numerous along Portugal's coast where it worked with fisherman to herd fish into the nets, retrieve gear from the water and carry messages back and forth from boat to boat or boat to shore. The breed was utilized in Portugal for several centuries but quickly declined in numbers in the early 1900's when fishermen vanished from the coastline.
The Portuguese Water Dog is an exceptionally intelligent, self-willed dog with a spirited disposition and limitless stamina. |
