We strongly believe that both poodle and Portuguese water dogs are great breeds, they are both caring and extremely intelligent. One thing you’ll notice with these dogs is that they have very similar personality traits which you’ll appreciate in many different ways.
Both breeds are always known to be on the alert, while not being aggressive at the same time. Continue reading so that you’ll have a better understanding of these amazing dog breeds.
Poodle vs Portuguese Water Dog
Poodles – Standard, Miniature and Toy
Origin
There are many people who think that poodles were bred in France, but that’s not the truth, they were actually bred in Germany as a water dog to retrieve fowl. This eye-catching dog, that is said to be one of the most intelligent dog breeds in the world has been bred in three size varieties – standard, miniature and toy.
Temperament
There’s no doubt that poodles are one of the most intelligent dog breeds out there that can be easily trained. Apart from being intelligent, they are also known to be very energetic. Poodles really enjoy playing around in the yard especially when they have company to play with.
While poodle breed such as standard poodle doesn’t respond well with strangers, it will only take some minutes before they actually become comfortable and start behaving friendly. When it comes to the three poodle breeds, standard poodles are the one that is great for families with children, so if you do have kids, then you should opt for a standard poodle.
Health
Poodles are considered to be an healthy breed. We rarely notice any health problems with these types of dogs. With that said, just like any other dogs, there are a variety of health issues that you’ll need to keep an eye out for.
Some of the most common health conditions you may notice with your poodle include:
- Addison’s Disease: One of the most common health conditions for poodles is addison’s disease. It’s considered to be less deadly and it denoted by defective adrenal glands. There’s no doubt that poodles have a very relaxed temperament by nature, but whenever their adrenal glands aren’t capable of producing normal levels of cortisol, this calm behavior that you are experiencing from your poodle might just be a sign of addison’s. Symptoms with this disease include unexplained lethargy, slow heart rate, lack of appetite, vomiting and canine diarrhea, etc.
- Thyroid Disease: At some point in time your poodle may eventually develop thyroid disease. It’s safe to say that as your dog ages, they are prone to be affected by a wide variety of health problems. Their system will begins to fail, lack of nutrients and vitamins and their body will not be able to recover easily from injuries. The biggest concern for older poodle will always be thyroid.
- Bloat: Bloat is very common among dogs and it usually happens when gas gets trapped inside a dog’s stomach. At this moment the stomach became twist as much as 180 degrees which prevents the flow of digestion from happening which results in a build up of gas.
Life Expectancy
Poodles tend to have a long lifespans. The life expectancy for poodles ranges from 11 to 15 years, depending on their size and overall health. Base on studies, it is said that larger dog breeds have a shorter lifespan compared to smaller dogs. The standard poodle lifespan is around 12 years, while the miniature poodle will live about 15 years and the toy poodle 16 years.
Exercise
Poodles are great for owners who have a decent backyard space or those who would enjoy taking the dogs on daily walks. As I’ve mentioned before, these dogs are very energetic and like any energetic dog, not getting the right amount of exercise can lead to destructive behavior.
Portuguese Water Dog
Origin
The Portuguese water dog is said to bred from Portugal. Similar to poodle, these dogs are considered to be water dogs. Rather than hunting fowls, these dogs are said to be fishermen bestfriend as they were initially developed as a working breed used for retrieving lost tackle or broken nets, etc.
Temperament
Similar to the poodle, Portuguese water dog are extremely intelligent and loving. If you’ve taken the time to socialize these dogs, they will become very friendly with strangers and other animals, so you never have to worry about them being aggressive. Like the poodle, they are great family dogs as they tend to get along with children quite well. Once your Portuguese water dog is in a comfortable home, you will be reward with a fun, loving and loyal dog.
Health
One thing for sure is that all dog breeds are prone to health issues, but with the Portuguese water dog they are known to be affected by certain conditions compared to other dogs. While you won’t necessarily have to treat your dog on a regular basis, there are things you should keep in mind. Bear in mind that a Portuguese water dog that comes from a superb bred line has a lower chance to experience these issues:
- Benign Juvenile Epilepsy: This is known to be an idiopathic disorder in which your puppies will experience some form of seizures starting at 5 to 9 weeks of age and then resolve around the 8 to 13 week mark. This tend to be a very scary situation and there are many puppies who also shows sign of neurological disease as well.
- Hip Dysplasia: Just like the poodles, the Portuguese water dog if not properly bred is likely to experience some form of hip dysplasia. It is a crippling disorder of the hip socket that requires costly surgery to treat.
Life Expectancy
Portuguese water dog is said to have roughly the same lifespan as poodles. Whereas the poodles lifespan ranges from 12 to 15, Portuguese water dog have an average lifespan of 15 years. They do have a long life expectancy for a larger dog, due to the fact that smaller dogs live longer.
Exercise
These dogs are extremely energetic which makes them very similar to poodles. So in this case you can tell that they need a good amount of exercise. Having a decent backyard would be much appreciated and we highly recommend that you take them on daily walks in the neighborhood or even the parks.
Conclusion
As you can see, both poodle and Portuguese water dogs are amazing dogs to be apart of your family. They both are very intelligent, energetic, loving, fun, friendly and loyal. We are a huge fan of both breeds and you just can’t get enough of either dogs because of their life changing personality.