WOW! It's been a busy few days here with the arrival of the new member of the White House. The phones haven't stopped and the emails are still being answered.
While these dogs may look like cute little cuddly teddy bears, they can be a handful as the new owners of "BO" are finding out.
A few things you should know about Portuguese Water Dogs if you are considering one for your family. They love paper, paper towels are a favorite. Nothing is safe on counters. They bring a whole new meaning to 'cleaning off the counter top. Mr. Big, as little as he is, is a prime example of counter shopping (table in this case).
They require training, grooming (hair cuts every 6-8 weeks), a lot of interaction with people and dogs as young dogs and adults, brushing and lots of exercise. They are also notorious chewers. Anything at their level is fair game, shoes, table or chair legs, that antique buffet you got from your great grandmother, clothes, Barbies, Kens, other dolls, toy trucks, steering wheels, couch cushions, whatever it is, they will try to chew it. They will also help with the landscaping. Don't like what you have? Tell them, they will rearrange things for you. They are great at removal. Maybe not exactly what you would consider, but it's satisfactory to them. Need a post hole? Just tell them where to dig, they're the best in the business!
Yes, I love my dogs, but my yard, which at one time had lovely flowers inside the fence and around the house has turned into dog heaven. The flowers are gone, the holes have appeared and the grass is nice and green these days.................... where it survives! Life goes on, the dogs are happy and don't complain about the dirt.
The good things about the breed outweigh the bad, but they are not a breed for everyone. You need a lot of love, energy, patience and most of all... a great sense of humor for this breed. Several of the dogs you see here are in show coats, the others are in their everyday wear.
Just think how much I save on fertilizer! It's been a long few days for the group, Birdie says it's time for a nap!
