Portuguese water dogs, the new presidential pup

Long before the 2008 presidential race came to an end, Barbara Lachney knew her candidate would emerge as undisputed top dog. Earlier in the year, the Obama campaign volunteer was thrilled to receive a call from Michelle Obama’s assistant asking about a litter Lachney’s dog was due to have in January 2009.

An exhibitor and breeder of Portuguese water dogs (PWD) in Pineville since 1999, Lachney was impressed by the detailed inquiry. “I felt [the Obamas] had done their homework and knew the breed was interactive, energetic and intelligent,” Lachney says. “Obviously, they had been contacting breeders associated with the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America and asking about health and temperament testing.

“My dogs have a wavy coat. Once they decided they wanted a curly, most [PWD breeders] assumed [the Obamas] would choose the same breeder who had provided [Sen.] Ted and Victoria Kennedy with three dogs.”

Whether wavy or curly-coated, in classic black, brown, white or parti-colored (a combination of two of the three colors), American PWDs trace their lineage back to a handful of European dogs imported in the 1960s.

An “antique” breed, the Portuguese water spaniel is considered the ancestor of poodle, kerry blue terrier, Irish water spaniel and other water dogs. As early as the 13th century, this sturdy, intelligent, web-footed breed assisted Portuguese fishermen by herding fish into nets, barking to warn of approaching sharks, retrieving tackle or broken nets and transporting nets between ships or to shore.

While American dogs now show off their prowess primarily in competitions, the modern breed has retained the extraordinary brawn, brilliance of its ancestors and developed a buoyant personality. “These dogs are intelligent and interactive with people,” Lachney says. “They are a challenge. You have to be smarter than they are. Their proactive, problem-solving skills are frightening.”
For example, if an owner were to hide treats on the top of the refrigerator, most breeds would sense the location of the box. Some wily breeds might climb to the top of the refrigerator, knock the box off and eat the biscuits off the floor.

PWDs will scale the countertops, eat the biscuits out of the box and leave it seemingly undisturbed. “You will never know they have been up there,” Lachney says from experience, “until you take the box down and realize the cookies are missing.”

The American Kennel Club Director of Club Communications Lisa Peterson says the Portuguese water dog ranked 64th among 159 breeds in 2008. There are currently only 1,427 AKC-registered PWDs nationwide. However, if history is any guide, those numbers may soon change:

Shortly after being named Dwight D. Eisenhower’s running mate in 1952, a scandal erupted over Richard M. Nixon’s misuse of contributions from wealthy backers. During a nationally televised address to defend himself, Nixon mentioned one gift he would never return: a black and white cocker spaniel puppy, whom Nixon’s daughter named Checkers.

The Checkers speech skyrocketed Nixon’s popularity as well as that of the cocker spaniel. Some 30 years later, many veterinarians refused to examine spaniels without a muzzle because over-breeding resulted in unstable temperament.

While some presidential pups have been trendsetters, some merely followed the trend as when Bill Clinton chose a chocolate lab—the nation’s longstanding, most popular pooch—as his Buddy.

Since the 6-month-old puppy’s April 14 debut on the White House South Lawn, Bo has already made the cover of The New Yorker and has several books in the works.

So what can the Obamas and other new owners of this beautiful breed anticipate?

For starters, a 30- to 60-pound playful companion who requires frequent trips to the groomer. While they don’t have an undercoat, PWDs silky hair grows like human hair and must be brushed regularly and cut about once a month to prevent painful mats.

In addition, “You can expect the first two years to be chaotic,” Lachney explains, “They are slow to mature and have a happy, puppy sense of play. They need to be walked regularly and engaged in all sorts of activities. They like to go for rides in the car and assume they will be going with the family.

“They will test you,” she continues. “They will play in the water bowl, chase the cat and squirrels. With a vertical leap of five to six feet, they are excellent counter surfers [put their paws on kitchen counters looking for food or excitement]. Basically, they do all the things indicative of an inquisitive animal.”

With both Barack and Bo Obama now residing in the White House, Lachney says, “I am proud to have my breed represented for a family I admire. I think [PWDs] were the best-kept secret in dogdom. They are hypo-allergenic, handle changes in temperature, heat and humidity well and are not prone to hot spots. For the right family, they are intelligent, beautiful to look at and live a long life (12 to 15 years), when they come from a responsible breeder.

“Because my breed was chosen by the president’s family,” she continues, “I have to be that much more cautious. I’m going to be screening carefully.”

Lachney suggests families seeking to own quality PWDs also remain wary. Sadly, unscrupulous opportunistic breeders did not go the way of Nixon era. In fact, the breed club is already fighting puppy mills (that raise inferior dogs raised in dangerous conditions) in Oklahoma and literally down the street from a top Florida breeder.

Of course, every breed does not fit every family or lifestyle. Before looking to purchase a PWD, it’s important to research the breed, meet some of the dogs and reflect upon what type of dog best suits your family.

“A good breeder will match the dog’s personality to the family,” she explains.

Ultimately, Lachney admits, “The most important criteria of Portuguese water dog owner is to have a well-developed sense of humor to laugh at the chaos that will occur. They do things to get people to watch them. That’s why they are so wonderful for people who truly love dogs.”

For more information and pictures of water dogs, click here.

For more information on presidential pets, click here.

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