Water Work

As mentioned before, Portuguese Water Dogs were bred to be deck hands on the vessels of Portuguese fishing boats. Some duties the PWD was tasked with are: retrieving overboard items, carrying messages and items between boats, or to shore, setting fishing nets or buoys, and guarding the ships while in port. Today's PWDs exhibits eagerness, intensity, and strong swimming and retrieving skills. In an effort to preserve these qualities, the PWDCA has developed a series of water tests. From the PWDCA website, the goals of Water Trials are:

The development of the working attributes of the PWD
A strong bond between dog and owner consistent with the PWD's heritage as a working companion
The creation of a modern water work activity specifically related to the breed's unique abilities and historical function

There are two certificate levels and five titling levels of Water Work. Here is a general overview of each level:

Junior Water Dog (JWD) Certificate

Retrieve Dummy from Shore (25 ft from Shore)
Board Boat and Ride with Handler
Call Dog from Shore to Boat
Timed Swim with Handler (1 minute)

Apprentice Water Dog (AWD) Title

Underwater Retrieve
Retrieve Dummy from Shore (60 ft from Shore)
Dummy Carry to Boat, Boat Ride, and Recall
Retrieve Float Line from Shore (60 ft from Shore)
Timed Swim with Handler (2 minutes)

Working Water Dog (WWD) Title

Gear Bag Retrieve
Retrieve Dummy from Boat
Retrieve Overboard Articles (Dummy, Buoy Ball, Float Line)
Retrieve Dummy between Two Boats
Blind Retrieve of Float Line from Boat

Working Water Dog Excellent (WWDX) Certificate

Dog and handler must qualify two more times at the Working Water Dog level at two different trial sites under two different judges

Courier Water Dog (CWD) Title

Courier Pouch Exchange
Blind Retrieve of Float Line: Boat to Shore
Directed Double Retrieve from Boat
Retrieve Fishing Net
Buoy Ball Placement

Courier Water Dog Excellent (CWDX) Title

Dog and handler must qualify two more times at the Courier Water Dog level at two different trial sites under two different judges

Master Water Dog (MWD)

Double Directed Retrieve Between Two Boats
Shore Retrieve with Discrimination
Net Retrieve with Distraction
3-Way Equipment Exchange
Overboard Blind Retrieve Followed by Article Placement

Our Water Dogs

Registered Name	Call Name	Junior	Apprentice	Working	Working Excellent	Courier	Courier Excellent
Tesouro's Black Jack at Yr Svc	Jack	09/18/2005	10/14/2006	07/21/2007	N/A	09/13/2008
Allyn the Drive	Sammie DoodleBug	07/19/2008	07/15/211	06/30/2012	N/A
Allyn All Perfection to a Tee	Indy	N/A	07/20/2008	07/16/2010	N/A
Allyn the Incantation	Bela	07/15/2011	07/20/2013	08/02/2015	N/A
Allyn Tent on Q	James Bond	N/A	07/20/2013	08/17/2013
Allyn to Catenation	Caly	N/A	10/08/2016	08/26/2018
Allyn All a Perfect Ten	Mila	09/14/2013	08/09/014	08/02/2015
Allyn on the 1 That Really Matters	Keeper	08/01/2015	08/11/2018
Allyn Queen of Hearts Makes 21	Tootsie	N/A	08/01/2015	10/07/2016	N/A	08/25/2018	07/21/2019
Allyn Her Beguiling Beijo	Phoebe	07/17/2016	10/09/2016	07/14/2018	08/26/2018
Allyn A Spring Snowstorm	Snow	08/13/2017	08/14/2017	08/11/2018	08/26/2018
Allyn to Swim the 7 Seas	Fin	N/A	08/14/2017	08/26/2018
Allyn A Spring Splash of Brown Sugar	Korrigan	N/A	08/27/2017	8/11/2018
Allyn Warp Speed 7...Engage	Trek	N/A	07/20/2019	10/04/2019
Allyn the Eagles Are Coming	Airie	N/A	07/20/2019	10/04/2019
Allyn Meriadoc's Quest	Merry	N/A	09/28/2019	09/28/2019	11/02/2019

Photo Credit: Colleen Lemasters & Stewart Event Images

Water Work

Our Water Dogs

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