Differences Between the Spanish and Portuguese Water Dog

There are several water dog lines, each with its own traits, though some are hard to tell apart at first glance. The best-known differences between the Spanish and Portuguese Water Dog are weight and coat, though there are other traits that help tell them apart too.

Thinking about adopting a water dog and not sure which variety to go with? Here are the characteristics and differences between the Spanish and Portuguese Water Dog.

Characteristics of the Spanish Water Dog

As its name suggests, this water dog is native to Spain, where it's bred as a herding dog. The exact time of its arrival on the peninsula is unknown, though some theories claim it was brought over by Muslims from North Africa.

The Spanish Water Dog stands between 44 and 50 cm (males) and 40 to 46 cm (females). Its weight also ranges between 14 and 22 kilos.

As for body size, it's medium, rugged, and well-balanced. It stands out for its muscular build, without ever looking bulky.

The eyes are almond-shaped and expressive. The iris varies in shade: coffee, chestnut, and hazel. The coat is curly, short, and woolly, forming cords as it curls. The coat comes in several shades: solid white, black, or brown; or bicolor in black-and-white or white-and-brown combinations.

It's a playful, loyal, work-oriented dog. You can train it without much effort, since it learns quickly and is very intelligent.

Spanish Water Dog

Characteristics of the Portuguese Water Dog

The Portuguese Water Dog originates from the Algarve, from where it spread across Portugal in ancient times, though the exact timing is unknown.

This dog was a crucial part of Portuguese fishing, since it was used to retrieve fish. For this reason, it's a breed built for work.

The breed stands between 50 and 57 cm (males) and 43 to 52 cm (females). As for weight, it ranges between 16 and 25 kilos.

The Portuguese Water Dog is medium-sized, muscular, and has straight lines. The eyes are rounded and set slightly apart, with a black or chestnut iris, framed by eyelids in the same tones.

As for the coat, it's abundant and grows in two forms: long and wavy, or short and curly. In both cases, it lacks an undercoat. Dogs with the wavy coat have a soft, matte-toned coat, while the curly variety is opaque with tight curls.

Like the Spanish Water Dog, the Portuguese one's coat can be solid or bicolor. They share the same shades mentioned above, with the difference that the Portuguese dog's skin is black with bluish tints.

It's very athletic and loves outdoor activities, especially swimming and playing in the water. It's obedient, easy to train, and very intelligent. It also has excellent eyesight and sense of smell.

Portuguese Water Dog

Differences Between the Spanish and Portuguese Water Dog

As you've probably noticed, these two breeds share a lot of traits, like how easy they are to train and their personality. Even so, there are some things that set them apart:

• Coat: while the Spanish only has a long coat, the Portuguese can have a long or short one. Also, the Spanish dog's coat grows into cords, while the Portuguese one forms more defined curls.
• Size: though only by a few centimeters, the Portuguese Water Dog is bigger than the Spanish.
• Weight: along with its bigger size, the Portuguese Water Dog is also heavier than the Spanish.
• Build: both are strong water dogs, but working alongside fishermen led the Portuguese breed to develop a more solid, noticeable musculature.
• Eyes: the Spanish Water Dog's eyes are almond-shaped, while the Portuguese one's are round. The iris color also varies between the two.
• Muzzle shape: the Portuguese Water Dog's muzzle is noticeably longer than its Spanish counterpart's.
• Tail: both dogs' tails are set high, but the Portuguese one's tapers noticeably in size the farther it gets from the base.

These are the differences between the Spanish and Portuguese Water Dog. Which one will you adopt now?