Males 20 to 23 inches (the ideal is 22) 42 to 60 pounds
Females 17 to 21 inches (the ideal is 19) 35 to 50 pounds
Do they Shed?
They do not shed very much, but they do shed ( all mammals shed at least a little). PWD's, as well as other single-coated breeds ( Poodles, Bichon Frises, Kerry Blue Terriers, do not have an undercoat that sheds. that undercoat shedding is what most people with allergies have problems with.
PWD's are hypoallergentic...
Portuguese Water Dogs are considered to be hypallergenic because they are single coated. There is no such thing as a complete "hypoallergenic" dog.
Are they good with children?
The PWd get along great with children. You need to remember, however, that dogs are not human. PWD's will often consider a child as a liter mate and could play harder that you would want.
Can they stay by themselves all day?
PWD's are people-oriented and long to be with their family. Thus they do not do well in a kennel environment or left alone for long periods of time.
What are the Health issues I should be conserned with?
The health issues of a greatest concern within theis breed include Canine Hip Dysplasia, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, storage disease, and Juvenile Dilated Cardiomyopathy. Testing is done to try to eliminate these issues from the breed. Please check with breeder to get copies of the testing that has been done on your future dogs parents.
