The Portuguese Water Dog is an intelligent, hard working dog that was bred to help fishermen. They generally get along well with other dogs but should be socialized when young for other pets. If at all possible, they need plenty of exercise and if there can be water involved, you’ve a happy dog. They are said to love children. As a reminder, never leave a child unsupervised with a puppy or dog.

*Approximate Adult Size. The approximate adult size (two years old or older) of the Portuguese Water Dog is 16 to 22 inches to the withers (highest point of the shoulder) and 35 to 55 pounds.

*Special Health Considerations. Most dog breeds have certain inherited health problems associated with that specific breed and the Portuguese Water Dog is no exception. Be on the lookout for skin conditions, Canine Hip Dysplasia (genetic based looseness in the hip joint that can lead to arthritis pain and lameness) and Progressive Retinal Atrophy (inherited disease of the retina that can cause vision loss and blindness). This disease list is an informative guideline only. Other diseases may also be significant threats, please contact your veterinarian for a complete list.

She should visit the veterinarian several times in the first year for shots, boosters and check up. Then, as an adult, she should visit the veterinarian yearly for shots and check up. As she gets older, six years and on, she should visit the veterinarian twice a year for check ups and shots. Remember; avoid feeding your dog sweets.

*Grooming. The Portuguese Water Dog has a profuse, heavy coat of either curly or wavy hair. She should be brushed regularly. Brushing will help her maintain a clean and healthy coat, avoid mats, help you keep a closer eye on her health and strengthen your emotional bond with her.

Her ears should be checked once a week and be kept clean. If you have her professionally groomed, make sure ear cleaning and inspection is part of the package. No water or excess fluid should get in the dogs ears, and don’t try to irrigate the ears. Ear cleaning is too complicated and critical to teach here. Look for hair growing in the ear canal, excess wax, or moisture. If her ears have a discharge, foul odor or she seems to be in distress and you suspect an infection, or tumor, consult your veterinarian.

Her teeth should be brushed at least twice a week with toothpaste and toothbrush designed for dogs. Brushing removes the accumulation of plaque and tartar which can cause cavities (rarely) and periodontal disease. Dog periodontal disease can lead to pain, loss of teeth, bad breath and other serious disease.

Her toenails may need to be examinedfor growth and clipped regularly. The toenails of the rear feet grow slower than the toenails of the front feet.

*Life Span. The Portuguese Water Dog can live between 10 and 14 years with proper nutrition, medical care and excellent living conditions.

*History. The Portuguese Water Dog comes from Portugal where they were used to herd fish for fishermen. They were first registered by the American Kennel Association in 1983.

Some Registries:
*Portuguese Water Dog Club of America
*UKC United Kennel Club
*NKC National Kennel Club
*CKC Continental Kennel Club
*APRI Americas Pet Registry Inc.
*AKC American Kennel Club
*FCI Federation Cynologique Internationale
*NZKC New Zealand Kennel Club
*KCGB = Kennel Club of Great Britain
*ANKC = Australian National Kennel Club
*ACR = American Canine Registry

Litter Size: 4 to 8 Portuguese Water Dog puppies

Category: Sporting Group, Gundog

Terms To Describe: Obedient, spirit, robust, good swimmer, alert guard, companion, loyal, brave, intelligent,

*SPECIAL GOOD POINTS
Makes a good watch dog.
Makes a good guard dog.
Little to no shed.
Slow growing coat.
Fast learners.
Love the water.

*Other Names Known By: Cao de Agua, Sea Dog, Diving Dog, Portuguese Fishing Dog

*Every dog is an individual so not everything in this information may be correct for your dog. This information is meant as a good faith guideline only.

Each year, more and more new dog breeds are added to the already growing list. Currently, the American Kennel Club, or AKC, recognizes over 150 different breeds and has seven different groups to categorize them. These groups include; sporting, working, toy, terrier, hound, herding, and non-sporting breeds.

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The working category of breeds refers to those canines who aren’t merely pets or companions for humans, but rather are working animals that are now or have been trained to perform certain tasks. The working breed category includes: border collie, boxer, german shepherd, great dane, labrador retriever, rottweiler, st. Bernard, siberian husky.

Terriers are a lively group of dogs that were originally bred for hunting small animals such as rabbits and foxes, with most types coming from the British Isles. This category includes some well known dog breeds such as: american pit bull, australian, boston, bull, cairn, fox, jack russell, rat, scottish, welsh, west highland.

Also called teacup or tiny, the Toy category features the smallest of dogs who generally weigh under 20 to 25 pounds and include: Bichon Frise, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Chihuahua, Dachshund, Havanese, Maltese, Papillon, Pekingese, Pomeranian, Pug, Shih Tzu, Toy and Miniature, Poodles, Yorkshire Terrier.

There are also categories that use other criteria to describe dogs, such as those that are considered hypoallergenic or non-shedding. Some of these include: Airedale, Basenji, Cairn, Kerry Blue, Norfolk, Tibetan, and Welsh Terriers; Chinese Crested, Poodle, Schnauzer

A growing number of ‘designer dogs’ that mix certain breeds are becoming popular. These include many dogs that are part Poodle:

- Labradoodle (Labrador and Poodle)
- Cockapoo (Cocker Spaniel and Poodle)
- Goldendoodle (Golden Retriever and Poodle)
- Maltipoo (Maltese and Poodle)
- Schnoodle (Schnauzer and Poodle)

Dog breeds may also be grouped by the size and weight of the dog.

- Toy breeds are 10 pounds or less.
- Small breeds are 10 to 25 pounds.
- Medium breeds are 25 to 50 pounds.
- Large breeds are 50 to 75 pounds.
- ExtraBigbreeds are over 75 pounds.

While any dog can be trained to be good around children and toddlers, there are those who seem to have an extra affinity and tolerance for kids. And of course, any dog who isn’t trained or poorly socialized won’t do well with children. Some of the breeds known for being good for families with children include:

- Basset Hound
- Bulldog
- Collie
- English Setter
- Golden Retriever
- Newfoundland
- Samoyed
- Standard Poodle

How to Choose the Right Dog Breed for You

There are many different variablesto take into account when trying to decide on the right breed of dog for you and your family. Before trying to pick which type of dog would do best in your home, ask yourself the following questions:

Training: All dogs require some type of obedience training and house training, but some need a bit more work than others. Do you have the time and patience necessary to train certain types of dogs?

Size: Do you’ve the room in your home and yard to accommodate a dog, and if so, what size?

Exercise/walking requirements: Do you have the time and energy it takes to see that a dog has the proper amount of exercise they need to stay happy and healthy?

Grooming and shedding: Is anyone in your home allergic to animals? Do you have the resources and time to devote to grooming your dog on a regular basis?

The Golden Labrador is a designer dog’. A mutt, cross-breed, or mongrel, but in general, it certainly is a lovable one. It is the cross between a purebred Golden Retriever and a purebred Labrador Retriever. The look and the temperament of the Golden Labrador can vary as much as that of its proud parents, the Retrievers.

In many ways, the Golden Labrador will look like both parents. It could have the chunky head of the Golden Retriever or the refined head of the Lab, as well as the refined sleek body of the Lab or the long haired, stout body of the Golden Retriever. The Golden Lab will most likely be a good water dog and most certainly can be trained as a ‘gun dog’. It also could be considered seriously as a service dog and would be quite capable of making decisions without prior training.

The ideal thing about a Golden Labrador perhaps, is the fact that it is a cross breed and therefore, would be less likelyapt tohave certain genetic failures of the two parent breeds. Hip and elbow dysplasia, ear infections, certain cancers such as hemangiosarcoma, followed by lymphosarcoma, mast cell tumor, epilepsy and osteosarcoma are all common in the retrievers, that are not so frequently seen in the Golden Labs. Heart, joint and skin diseases are also somewhat lessened while cross-breeding.

All in all, a Golden Labrador is a mighty fine dog to have. They are sensitive, intelligent, active and live long, healthy lives, if well cared for. They make superiorcompanions, children’s pets and the Golden Lab should never be over-looked as a perfect ‘Man’s Best Friend’.

My dear darling Aurique – the Golden Prince – is a Golden Labrador. He was designed by chance and not because of human interference. His Motherwas a pure bred black Labrador Retriever and his father was a yellow purebred Golden Retriever. Aurique was one of the resulting litter of 12 puppies. He came to me by a friend, who wanted only to rescue him, since the owner was going to shoot the puppy, because he followed people who would walk on the road for exercise, rather than stay home. My friend thought since I lived in the woods and my beautiful Border Collie, Gemstone was very old and crippled, that I would need a dog to replace her. In spite of not wanting another dog, I took him to save his life. He was three months old on August 21st, 1999, the day he was brought home for good. In bringing Aurique into our home, he saved the life of my precious Gemstone. Because of his tenacity, he forced Gemm to get up and walk, forced her into his type of therapy and played with her another four years, before she finally died painlessly at 18 years old. Because of his loved and care for Gemstone, he has found a place in my heart that no other can take. Of the twelve puppies he is the only survivor. Ironically, the other siblings to my golden prince were all killed on the road, one-by-one.

West Highland Terriers, which are more commonly known as Westies, are hypoallergenic dogs. This is good news for allergy suffers who love these adorable little bundles of fur.

One in ten people suffer from allergies to dogs, suffering from watering eyes and even attacks of asthma. Westies pose a considerably less serious risk than most other breeds of causing an allergic reaction to their hair and dander.

Actually, pet hair isn’t the cause of allergic reactions in humans. It is the dander common to the dogs and more commonly to specific breeds, which causes the sneezing and breathing problems in allergy prone humans. Dander is microscopic dead skin scales like human dandruff that pets shed as a natural action. The dander is so minuscule you just don’t see it, but it circulates in the air and it stays on the furniture, the drapes and the carpeting.

Besides the west highland terrier, other hypoallergenic breeds of dogs are most terriers including the American hairless, the border, the cairn, the Kerry blue, the soft coated wheaten, the Tibetan, the wire haired fox and the Yorkshire. Other dog breeds noted for their hypoallergenic traits are Basenji, Chinese crested, Havanese, Maltese, miniature schnauzer, Portuguese water dog, Shih-tzu, Spanish water dog, and both standard and toy poodle. No dog is ever 100 percent hypoallergenic.

The very good news for owners and enthusiasts of the precious West Highland terrier that on the list of hypoallergenic dogs, starting with least offensive to allergies, Westies are number seven.

Westies have their own fine qualities as well. They love to be with their owners and family and travel well. Generally they like to swim althoughthey must be supervised. Adult Westie males do not always get along well with other male dogs that haven’t been altered, however. They are hunters by nature and must be kept on a leash out of doors or they will take off in a split second to chase a butterfly, squirrel or rabbit.

Right here can be an write-up I found on this subject:

The “herniated disc” is often a typical back again damage in people who consider a fall or strain their backs. Likewise, dogs can suffer from herniated vertebral discs which could trigger serious pain or paralysis. Dr. Dianne Dunning, veterinary surgeon formerly inside the College of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana, explains that though these injuries could be serious, there are effective treatment options, such as physical rehabilitation and surgery.

In between each and every pair of vertebrae there sits an intervertebral disc, which Dr. Dunning compares to a jelly donut. “An outer fibrous ring called the annulus fibrosis is like the cake donut, and it is filled with a dense, shock-absorbing substance called the nucleus pulposus, which is just like the jelly.”

When the “jelly” gets calcified and hard, it manages to lose its shock-absorbing capability. Strain or trauma can result in the calcified substance to bulge or explode into the nearby spinal canal, which houses the spinal-cord, a procedure known as herniation. The resulting strain for the spinal cord can result in medical signs ranging from pain to complete reduction of feeling and function of the limb.

Classically, you can find two kinds of disc herniation: “disc extrusion” occurs when the nucleus pulposus explodes into the spinal canal and “disc bulging” is when the nucleus pulposus protrudes into the spinal canal. This latter sort may possibly be the sort normally suffered by individuals.

Some dog breeds, especially “dwarf” breeds with extended bodies and brief legs (such as Basset hounds, dachshunds, and Pekingese), are at risk of disc extrusion because they encounter a condition know as chondroid metaplasia, exactly where the discs begin to deteriorate and calcify as early as 1 12 months of age. Large breed dogs (such as Labradors, German shepherds, and Doberman Pinschers) are much more prone to disc protrusion, much like what is observed in individuals.

The medical symptoms stemming by means of the disc herniation rely upon the place of the pain; a disc injury inside the reduce again can trigger difficulties only within the hind limbs, whereas an injury in the neck might result in dysfunction in all limbs. Dr. Dunning explains that with spinal incidents, neurological purpose is dropped in a specific order, and the chance for recuperation is tremendously influenced by seeking prompt health care consideration.

In the initial stage an animal loses proprioception, or its capability to learn where its limbs are. When this happens, an animal will screen a “drunken” wander, called ataxia. If the issue worsens, the ami will shed its capability to move its legs. Inside the last stage of paralysis an animal seems to lose its capacity to really feel it legs. Paralysis could be progressive, going from poor to even worse, so an ami displaying any of these indicators should be witnessed by a veterinarian quickly.

The treatment for disc herniation depends on the degree and duration of neurological dysfunction. For mild disc injuries without any reduction of strength or voluntary movement, a veterinarian will prescribe relaxation and restricted activity, just being a human health practitioner advises towards heavy lifting or other task that could tension the spine.

For animals who have not responded to conservative management or who’ve experienced several relapses of clinical symptoms of disc sickness or have paresis or weakness in the limbs, surgery is a likely recommendation. Before surgery, diagnostic imaging such as an MRI, myelogram, or CT scan is going to be executed to confirm the result in and area of problem.

Decompression surgery can relieve strain about the spinal-cord caused by disc debris. The veterinarian generates a hemilaminectomy, similar to a surgical “sunroof,” out of the bone overlying the spinal cord and removes the problematic disc material, relieving pressure for the spinal-cord. Above 90 percent of dogs enhance with this particular surgery, if health care consideration is prompt and the level of neurological impairment is not too serious. Both extrusion and bulge herniations could be dealt with with decompression surgery.

In lieu of or in addition to surgery, rehabilitation (known as physical therapy in human medicine) could be an vital component of spinal injury therapy. Rehabilitation can include underwater treadmills and exercises created to strengthen muscles and neurological function. The College of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital is amongst the initial institutions to put into action veterinary rehabilitation.

Sadly, disc herniation is an pain which could consider place repeatedly, in various vertebrae, especially in breeds which have been predisposed. The most frequent websites for disc herniation are the lower back again and guitar neck locations, specifically where the immobile rib cage joins areas of higher motion, leading to stress on those vertebrae.

Masters of dwarf-breed dogs or other dogs that are predisposed can reduce chance of disc incidents or avoid repeated episodes by keeping their dogs fat straight down. Extra total body pounds adds biomechanical load and tension about the discs. A lean, well-muscled, and fit dog can be much better able to recover from injuries if they appear, so Dr. Dunningadvocatesevery day moderate exercise.

Also, use a chest harness rather than attaching leashes to buckle collars which could pull all of a sudden on the neck. If feasible, steer clear of sudden stops and starts which could anxiety the spine, for instance launching away furnishings. Instruction a tiny dog to not leap off home furniture can curb risky habits.

“Most importantly,” Dr. Dunning emphasizes, “owners shouldn’t feel guilty. Disc accidents are never truly anyones fault but instead a functionality of how the compagnon is developed.”

For much more information about disc herniation or other spinal injuries, make contact with your neighborhood veterinarian.

Kim Marie Labak
Information Specialist
University of Illinois
College of Veterinary Medicine

and here’s another a single:

It may consider months just before affected dogs heal entirely. Restricting jumping activities is very important in stopping reoccurrence. Using a glucosamine and chondroitin item supplement is also very suggested to help speed restoration and strengthen the damaged cartilage. A lot more disc Information at the bottom of this page.

from: http://bulldogsworld1.homestead.com/Spinal_Nerve_conditions.html

Update: Cocoa came back again and experienced a normal day actively playing with Goji on Friday. This was a lot before than expected. It was apparently a pinched nerve and he had been much better for many days. He was very bored, so we got the two dogs back together.