Comparison: Irish Water Spaniel and Portuguese Water Dog

Irish Water Spaniel and Portuguese Water Dog are marked as similar in our database. The table compares only the data we have on the breeds.

	Irish Water Spaniel	Portuguese Water Dog
FCI group	8. Retrievers, flushing dogs and water dogs	8. Retrievers, flushing dogs and water dogs
Country of origin	Ireland	Portugal
Category	Medium	Medium
Height at withers	51–59 cm	43–57 cm
Weight	–	16–25 kg
Life span	–	11–14 years
Recognition features	Dense, tight crisp ringlets in a rich puce-liver colour Smooth face and a V-shaped smooth patch on the throat, with curls on neck and body Distinctive "rat tail"	Curly or wavy non-shedding coat Often clipped in a "lion" clip Strong, medium-sized build
Coat	Dense, tight, crisp ringlets entirely free from woolliness but with a natural oiliness; neck covered with curls, throat smooth in a V-shaped patch, forelegs abundantly feathered. A very rich puce liver; white on the chest is objectionable.	Curly or wavy non-shedding coat.
Purpose	A versatile gundog traditionally the choice of the wildfowler; it adapts to most forms of shooting, hunts, often points, and retrieves readily from heavy cover.	Portuguese fishermen used it to herd fish into nets and carry messages between boats.

Breed page: Irish Water Spaniel · Breed page: Portuguese Water Dog

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The information is indicative. Texts are based on available sources and may contain inaccuracies; for binding details (e.g. for breeding or shows) use the official breed standard.