Portuguese Water Dog vs Chinese Chongqing Dog - Breed Comparison

The Portuguese Water Dog is a working dog hailing from the Portuguese region of the Algarve. The dog has always been a friend of the sea, working around fishing boats, loving his life around water.

He descends from dogs that have always been used by Portuguese fishermen, and its believed he has Poodle in him. Known also as the Cao de Agua, which means Dog of the Water, the Portie as he is also known, almost disappeared.

Their numbers dropped in the early 20th century, but a certain Vasco Bensuade saved the breed, forming a breed club, writing a breed standard.

They then also made their way to England and the United States. It was in 1972 that the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America formed. In 1983, the AKC recognized the dog as a distinct breed.

The Chinese Chongquing Dog is a very rare and unusual breed found only in China and now in Canada. The Chongquing is native to the city of Chongquing, China. This is an ancient breed that is believed to have lived in China over 2000 years ago during the Han Dynasty. It was a hunter and protector and still functions in those roles today., although there are very few left in China. Following the revolution and creation of the People’s Republic of China, the CQ Dog was only found in the rural areas of the country.

Pottery versions of the Chongquing Dog and burial figurines have been found in excavation sites from tombs of the Han Dynasty. In this isolated and mountainous area of eastern China, the dogs were unknown throughout the rest of China. Because of this the breed is relatively untouched by human intervention and is today about the same as it was 2000 years ago. There has been no interbreeding to change the natural evolution of the breed. They have their own unique personalities and temperaments.

At this time, it is believed that the Chongquing Dog is more endangered and rarer than the panda. Current breeding is diluting the breed as there are so few true bloods cross breeding and inbreeding is occurring. The knowledge of the exact breeds that contributed to the original Chongquing Dog was lost ages ago. The CQ Dog is known for loyalty, noble character, bravery and protecting its own. Today there is one kennel breeding these dogs outside China in Canada.

Standing at between 43 and 57cm in height and weighing in the region of 16 to 27kg, the Portuguese Water Dog is a medium-sized, curly-coated dog.

It is believed that the dog is hypoallergenic. He does however shed, though not a lot. He just loves the water and is always ready to plunge in. One of the distinctive characteristics of this dog is its webbed feet.

Temparament:

The Portuguese Water Dog is an intelligent dog that will do well with training and socialization.

It won’t be troublesome training this dog as he is intelligent. They're also calm dogs. Referred to fondly as the Portie, this is a fun-loving dog, friendly and social, getting on well with all members of his human family.

These dogs get on well with children and other family pets. They can be reserved toward strangers, but this makes them good watchdogs.

This breed is not well known, even in China. However, its likeness has been found in pottery dating back to the Han Dynasty. It is now beginning to be show in select dog shows. The general appearance upon which a current standard is being developed includes:

The Chongquing is a medium sized, compact and square dog that is powerful, muscular and strong. He is unique in appearance, tail and coat. His head is large, broad and flat. There are wrinkles from the muzzle to the forehead between his eyes. His eyes are brown, and the rims are black. He has high set, small ears that are triangle shape. Its frame is sturdy and strong. He is very muscular, and his strength and speed are explosive.

The Chongqing Dog can be one of three sizes: small, medium and large. All are hunters, but each hunted different prey. The appearance of all three sizes are proportionally the same.

With training, your Portie can make a splendid pet. He is also adaptable to different living situations, and is capable of living in the city or in the countryside, just so long as his exercise needs are met.

He is such an affectionate and loyal, fun-loving dog while also being hard working, and all these wonderful characteristics mean that he can be a treasured pet and companion.

The Chongqing Dog is a confident, passionate, fearless and loyal dog. He is brave, alert, thoughtful and elegant. They make good companions for their people, but they are very wary of strangers and are ready to attack in order to protect their people. They are affectionate and loving with their people, including older children. They should never be off-leash in the company of other dogs.

Portuguese Water Dogs are generally healthy, but like most other dogs they are more prone to certain heath conditions, though your pet is unlikely to get any of them. Still it pays to know of some of the more complicated- and disabling ones.

Hip Dysplasia:

This is where the thighbone doesn't fit properly into the hip joint. Hip dysplasia spells pain for your dog and he may show lameness with one or both rear legs. Arthritis can develop too.

Hip dysplasia is hereditary, but it can be worsened by allowing your dog to become obese and from injuries from leaping off your bed for instance.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA):

This is a degenerative eye disorder that can lead to blindness, but fortunately it is detectable long before the dog shows signs of blindness.

Reputable breeders have the eyes of their dog certified each year by a veterinary ophthalmologist and they don’t allow the dogs to produce puppies.

The Chinese Chongqing Dog is a very healthy breed by reason of its isolation and seclusion in the far regions of eastern China. There has been no human intervention in the natural development of this breed and no health issues have followed.

Your Portie is a dog that loves outdoor life and lots of exercise. Take him with you on your walks and give him a run off his leash. When he gets home, if you have a pool h’ll be the first to plunge right in. He makes a great pet to have at the sea too.

Provide him with plenty of nice chewy toys, balls and ropes so he doesn’t get bored.

Provide him with a nice, dry, warm sleeping area and don’t allow him to be disturbed when he retreats there.

Keep his vaccines up to date to prevent some life threatening illnesses.

Provide him with high quality food that has lots of vitamins and minerals instead of fillers, preservatives, colorants and toxins.

There are some excellent commercially manufactured dog foods which can be convenient and good for your pet. Try and provide him with some tasty homemade food occasionally. Nothing spicy and exotic. Dogs thrive on simplicity and consistency.

Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta, carrots, spinach and sweet potatoes chopped up and added twice week to the dry kibble is all your dog requires to keep him energetic happy, thankful, healthy and happy.

A little bit of raw meat added in from time to time will be superb. See that he always has access to clean, cool water.

Feeding

The best food for this dog is made yourself of human grade foods. Either raw or cooked yourself . This will keep their skin, teeth and coat healthy.

Health issues

This is a really healthy breed especially due to the isolation and natural selection of their history.

Exercise and games

He needs about 30 minutes of exercise today. He has no history of participation in canine games.