For me, raising a puppy is one of the most difficult jobs in the process of having dogs.
It is clear, the more I learn about dogs, the more there is that I haven’t learned.
Luckily in my day to day job, outside of Portuguese Water Dogs, I talk to people every day about dogs. In every single conversation I have, I try to learn something new so that I can expand my understanding.
Our puppies leave us when they are around 12 weeks of age. We are one of the few breeders to do this. I have learned over many years that there are far superior results to be achieved when the puppies have had their extra opportunity with us. It thrills me to slow down the growth process so I can make the puppies as well rounded before they go.
Check out this picture below: our pups are introduced to the water from 8 weeks of age, and also introduced to our other adult dogs, plus dogs of other breeds. Here the pups are learning by watching and engaging with some of our bigger dogs learning how to retrieve. This is an exciting time for us, and we are always amazed to see the pup’s natural instincts when it comes to swimming.
It is important if you want your dog to be an accomplished water dog that the owners continue to provide regular positive water experiences for the pup.
When it comes to dogs, and I say this a lot: the more I learn the more I realise how much more there is to learn. And this sums it up pretty well:
