The American Kennel Club has approved a standard for the Portuguese Water Dog as submitted by the PWDCA, which we have exerpted here.  To view the full standard, please visit the AKC's web site.

General Appearance

 

    Known for centuries along Portugal's coast, this seafaring breed was prized by fishermen for a spirited, yet obedient nature, and a robust, medium build that allowed for a full day's work in and out of the water. The Portuguese Water Dog is a swimmer and diver of exceptional ability and stamina, who aided his master at sea by retrieving broken nets, herding schools of fish, and carrying messages between boats and to shore. He is a loyal companion and alert guard. This highly intelligent utilitarian breed is distinguished by two coat types, either curly or wavy; an impressive head of considerable breadth and well proportioned mass; a ruggedly built, well-knit body; and a powerful, thickly based tail, carried gallantly or used purposefully as a rudder. The Portuguese Water Dog provides an indelible impression of strength, spirit, and soundness.

 

Size:

• Males, 20 to 23 inches. The ideal is 22 inches.
• Females, 17 - 21 inches. The ideal is 19 inches.
• Weight - For males, 42 to 60 pounds; for females, 35 - 50 pounds.

Coat:

A profuse, thickly planted coat of strong, healthy hair, covering the whole body, evenly, except where the forearm meets the brisket and in the groin area, where it is thinner. No undercoat , mane or ruff. There are two varieties of coat:

• Curly - compact, cylindrical curls, somewhat lusterless. The hair on the ears is sometimes wavy.
• Wavy - Falling gently in waves, not curls, and with a slight sheen.

No preference will be given to coat type, either curly or wavy.

 

Clip:

Two clips are acceptable:

• Lion Clip - As soon as the coat grows long, the middle part and hindquarters, as well as the muzzle are clipped. The hair at the end of the tail is left at full length.
• Retriever Clip - In order to give a natural appearance and a smooth unbroken line, the entire coat is scissored or clipped to follow the outline of the dog, leaving a short blanket of coat no longer than one inch in length. The hair at the end of the tail is left at full length.

No discrimination will be made against the correct presentation of a dog in either Lion clip or Retriever Clip.

 

Color:

Black, white, and various tones of brown; also combinations of black or brown with white. A white coat does not imply albinism provided nose, mouth, and eyelids are black. in animals with black, white, or black and white coats, the skin is decidedly bluish.

 

Sources:

• The American Kennel Club, www.akc.org
• The Portuguese Water Dog Club of America, www.pwdca.org