Portuguese Water Dogs

Visit the kennels and breeding centre for the Portuguese Water Dog at Marim which is the research centre for the Ria Formosa. The Portuguese Water Dog has been selected by President Barack Obama and his family for life at the White House.

An excellent swimmer and highly efficient diver, the Portuguese water dog was, for a long time, an inseparable companion of the local fishermen, whom it helped in their fishing activities, whilst also protecting their boats and property. Today, the so-called Algarve water dog is rarely used as a working animal, but continues to be a dedicated and faithful friend and provides valuable help to those who make their living from the sea.
Being from a native Algarve breed and unusually intelligent animals, these fishing dogs are brave, affectionate and full of stamina, with a happy and proud appearance, resulting from their robust, muscular bodies. One of the interesting characteristics that is specific to these dogs is the membrane that has formed between their toes, which gives them the webbed paws that they need to be excellent swimmers and divers.

In the past, the Algarve water dog was an essential member of any crew, playing an important role in the most troubled moments at sea. Always ready to help and most attentive to the movements involved in the work of fishing, the dog quickly learned how to catch the fish that slipped through the nets or escaped from the hooks, and it could easily recover any object that had fallen into the sea. There were even reports of great acts of lifesaving!

Always ready to help, the willing dog was used to carry messages from one boat to another, fetch the torn nets from the sea or pull the ropes that were used for mooring the boats to the land. Its unique capacities meant that the fishermen considered the Portuguese water dog as being one of them, with a right to enjoy its share of the fish and even a part of the money earned from the catch, so that it was never short of food and drink.

The great friendship that was thus forged between the animal and its owner meant that, despite their enormous value, the water dogs were never sold, but always given as presents, a gesture that indicated that these docile dogs were considered to be priceless. Despite so many years of dedication, the thoroughbreds of this breed of dog were in danger of extinction only a few years ago, but the Quinta de Marim, in the Ria Formosa Natural Park, refused to allow this tradition to die and opened a kennel to recover and breed the Algarve water dog.

Home | More photos | Villa in Algarve | Tavira | Birds | Ria Formosa | Tariff | Climate | Map | Contact