Portuguese Water Dogs: A Brief History.

The Portuguese water dog originated along the coast of Portugal, where it was used to assist fisherman. A dog that helps fisherman? Yup.

The Portuguese water dog actually has webbed feet and would jump into the water and “herd” fish into the nets as well as retrieve gear for the fisherman.

The Portuguese refer to the breed as a Cao de Agua, which does not mean water cow, like I originally thought. It means ‘water dog.’ The Portuguese also refer to Portuguese water dogs as ‘fishing dogs.’ At times, they refer to their wives as water cows. Okay, maybe I made that one up.

There are many noted dog historians (Just kidding, there are no noted dog historians) but there are dog historians who think the breed goes as far back as 700 B.C. The Portuguese water dog originated in Asia, where it was used as a herding dog. The dogs travelled across continents with people as they migrated and ended up in Portugal in the eighth century.

The Obama Dog May Not be a Portuguese Water Dog After All.

A Portuguese water breed may not be in the future for the First Family, according to Michelle Obama’s Press Secretary Katie McCormick Lelyveld. "They have not selected a breed," Lelyveld said. "Mrs. Obama likes the Portuguese water dog, but she is only one of four votes."

Lelyveld firther stated: "Their primary focus now is that they get a dog that works with their lifestyle,"

President Obama stated recently that they had narrowed their search to a Portuguese water dog or a Labradoodle, which is a Labrador - Poodle mix. Many people think the Portuguese water dog might be a poor choice since the dogs are extremely active and require a lot of attention.

The Obama family stated they wanted a rescue dog; however, they may not realize that most Portuguese water dogs put into shelters ended up there because the owners weren’t aware of their high maintenance nature.

Furthering the odds for the Labradoodle is the fact that there are many more of them, than there are Portuguese water dogs in shelters.

Portuguese Water Dogs: Ten Fun Facts

1. Senator Ted Kennedy has two Porties.
2. They were originally used to herd fish into nets for fisherman.
3. The Portuguese water dog shares a family tree with poodles, Irish water spaniels and kerry
blue terriers.
4. They have more energy than a 5 year old kid!
5. They can be extremely shy - (not like a 5 year old kid.)
6. They come with either curly or wave coats.
7. They are considered working dogs by the American Kennel Club.
8. They are often called 'Porties' for short.
9. Portuguese water dogs have webbed feet.
10. The Portuguese Water Dog is often mistaken for an ugly poodle~!

What Will the Obama's Name their Portuguese Water Dog?

Now that the Obama Family has announced they are getting a Portuguese water dog, it seems the world has taken an interest in the First Families new dog. President Obama said in January the family had narrowed their search down to a Portuguese Water Dog and a Labradoodle.

Reports from the White House say that the new pup will be a rescue dog, which should delight animal rights groups who have been lobbying the family to adopt a dog. So this brings the Obama's to the next step of this process for the world's most famous Portuguese water dog. It's time to play the name game.

The million dollar question is what name will the Obama's pick for the new member of the family? In a recent interview with People Magazine, Michelle Obama said that the name is still up in the air.

"Oh, the names are really bad. I don't even want to mention it, because there are names floating around and they're bad," Mrs. Obama said. "I think, Frank was one of them. Frank! Moose was another one of them. Moose. I said, well, what if the dog isn't a moose? Moose. I'm like, no, come on, let's work with the names a little bit."

So the Obama's dog saga continues. What will they name their new Portuguese Water Dog? The First Lady said that they are looking to get the dog in April “after Spring Break”.

What do you think they should name the Portuguese Water Dog?

Portuguese Water Dogs Wanted For the Obama Family

Portuguese Water Dogs… hmm. You may not have heard of them either, but the Obama family has. Michele Obama told People magazine today that they are looking for a Portuguese water dog.

The First Lady said of the Portuguese water dog breed: "Temperamentally they're supposed to be pretty good," Michelle Obama also commented on the breed: "From the size perspective, they're sort of middle of the road – it's not small, but it's not a huge dog. And the folks that we know who own them have raved about them. So that's where we're leaning."

It’s rumored that Sen. Ted Kennedy “lobbied” for the Obama’s to get a Portuguese water dog and it’s no surprise, since the Massachusetts Senator has two Portuguese Water Dogs at home.

While The First Family has decided on the Portuguese water dog as a breed, the presidential pooch hasn’t been sworn in yet. Michelle Obama said the family is seeking a Portuguese water dog who was a “match” for the family and who was “old enough.”