Hi, our names are Rana and Julian, owners. We've have been married for over 20 years.  We have 3 teenagers: Jaina, she's 19 and in college; Caleb, he's 17 and in high school; Isaiah, 13 and he's in middle school.

We have been Portuguese Water Dog owners since October 2017 and dog owners our whole lives.

Since 2017, we have had 4 Porties and now we have settled on the perfect two to start breeding.  Our first litter was born on December 23rd, 2024 and we plan on having 3 or 4 litters with these two.  Chichu, the dam, is 3 years old, and Chaco, the sire, is 3 years old.   We live in Accokeek, Maryland on 1/3 acre of land with a huge, wide open back yard with plenty of running space every day.  They both get tons of exercise and love.  

 

FOOD

Their diet consists of all raw foods.  The staple is chicken thighs, quarters, and legs, followed by a small portion of beef liver, chicken liver, beef kidneys, sweet potatoes and other veggies, and occasional rice and other grains.  They also get vitamin supplements every day.  They have never had processed food.  Even their snacks are either freeze dried jerky or dehydrated meat strips.

 

Kids

We have 3 children, all teenagers, so the dogs are excellent with kids! This breed is super friendly. They have always played nice with toddlers and little kids. They don't care about tail pulling and grabbing their face and poking around at their teeth.  They have never snapped at anyone or bitten anyone.  They get a little upset when you brush the hind legs with the much-needed grooming rakes, but that is to be expected with this breed, which needs to be frequently groomed.

​

Temperament 

They are always ready to bark at the sign of activity beyond the fence.  They are great warning dogs but do not expect them to take down any intruders.  They look like big bears but they are teddy bears.  They are super quiet when they are happy inside sitting next to you.  Chichu does not lick your face, but she wants to be rubbed and gets jealous if you are petting Chaco.

Chaco is a licker, so any time your hands are swinging, you are wearing shorts or no shoes, he will say hi by licking you.  He likes to get in your face no matter what, so that just tells you how different they are.

 

Play Time

Porties are very smart & love to play. Chichu is super fast, and will fetch balls and kongs for hours, and she will outrun Chaco by a mile.   Chaco likes to fetch sticks and weird objects, but hes's not really a ball fetcher.  They are great on the leash.  They always walk or run next to you or when you're on roller blades, bikes, or skateboards, they are able to keep up!

Of course they both swim!

They have been in the river, the pond, the open ocean, and the bay.  If they swim, they are happy.

​

They love the freezing cold snow, and they are happiest between 32-50 degrees. During the summer, they play a lot, so they need to drink lots of water and stay in the shade.  If it is hot, they will either dig to make a spot in the dirt to stay cool, or they are inside.  

​

The hard part

Owning a Portie is not easy.  They require lots of attention, grooming care, and must be trained!  Without proper training, they can get bored, jumpy and crazy, which drives owners nuts.  However, with training, they will be able to come when called, sit, stay and do any number of obedience training tricks.

Porties can fetch by color! 

​

​