Portuguese Water Dog Rescue

A Portuguese Water Dog rescue is a great place to search for your next best friend. Learn what these rescues are all about.

PWDs are in demand.

Often, when a breed of dog becomes popular in the media, people flock to buy the latest "trend" in dog ownership. This results in people getting a dog that they don't know much about and, unfortunately, a dog that doesn't always fit well with their lifestyle or needs. When this happens, dogs end up in shelters or even abandoned. One article from the Wall Street Journal states that since the Obamas decided to get a PWD, the demand for this breed increased 100 percent from the previous year. For breeders, this can be very disturbing because their precious PWD puppies have now become a trend instead of a life-long companion.

When you adopt a dog from a rescue, you are helping a homeless dog get another chance. Getting a dog from a Portuguese Water Dog rescue will assure that you have a healthy, pure-bred dog that needs a secure home and family to love. The dog you adopt may have nothing wrong with his temperament or behavior. He may have just been the wrong fit for his previous family.

Portuguese Water Dogs are high energy dogs that need a lot of exercise and proper training. These needs are not often considered by families who purchase a puppy on a whim without first researching the breed. However, for a family who has done their research, a PWD can be a wonderful family companion.

There are several ways that PWDs end up in rescues:

• They may have come from shelters.
• Owners surrender them because they cannot care for them for whatever reason.
• They may have been strays that were found on the street.
• They may have been found through ads in the paper offering them for sale.

When you decide to find a new pet through a Portuguese Water Dog rescue, there are a few things that will take place. First, you will need to fill out a detailed application. Although some prospective owners feel these applications are too detailed, they are this way for good reason. The rescue organization wants to be sure that your home is the perfect forever home for the dog in question.

The rescue wants to know that you have adequate space for a dog. They may require that you attend obedience classes with your dog. Your history of dog ownership will also be discussed. If you have had multiple pets, the rescue may want to know more details such as if you still have them and if not, why. Another important question is if you have children or not. You may find other questions on the application as well. Some may not pertain to you, but the more thorough you are filling out the application, the more likely you are to be approved.

After your application is accepted, many rescues require a home visit, or at the very least a face to face interview. If you are across the country a phone interview will suffice, although some rescues will only allow their dogs to be adopted locally. In this way they are assured that only the best homes are considered for their dogs.

Finding a Portuguese Water Dog rescue is not an easy task, and this likely be your biggest challenge. The number of dogs available is very limited. Therefore, few find their way to rescues. However, with the sudden interest in the breed, this may change in the near future.

If you are considering adding a PWD to your family, first do your research. Be sure that this is the breed that will fit your family's lifestyle. Are you prepared to commit to the training and exercise requirements of this breed? If so, consider contacting a rescue first. If you cannot find what you are looking for, try to contact a reputable breeder. In either case, be prepared to go through a strict approval process with the possibility of rejection.

Contact the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America to find a rescue near you. They have many resources for PWD owners as well as those hoping to be an owner in the future. They can guide you in the right direction.

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