The Canadian Kennel Club congratulates Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family on their newest addition to the family, a
Portuguese Water Dog named Kenzie. The breed is also a favourite with President Barack
Obama, who has owned Portuguese Water Dogs since 2009.
“This is the perfect breed for our Prime Minister and his Family,” said Donna Gottdenker, CKC Member and long-time Portuguese Water Dog breeder. “The breed is intelligent and can be trained to do just about anything that does not require fingers and thumbs, and they are resourceful, problem solvers, protective of family and of course very good looking.” Gottdenker has had great success with her Portuguese Water dogs, most notably, Platinum GCH Claircreek Impression De
Matisse, winner of 238 Best in Shows and multiple awards.
The Portuguese Water Dog, originally bred to work with fisherman, was first recognized by CKC in April 1992. There were 877 Portuguese Water Dogs registered with CKC in 2015 and overall, the breed ranked as the 12th most popular CKC-registered breed last year.
As always, the CKC strongly encourages prospective dog owners to give great consideration to the lifetime commitment required when caring for a dog, and guides prospective dog owners every step of the way, from
deciding to buy a dog and
choosing a breed, to
finding a reputable breeder. CKC encourages everyone to buy a dog from a member in good standing with the CKC. As CKC members, our breeders agree to follow the
CKC Code of Ethics, and
CKC Code of Practice for Member Breeders which include a specific standard of health and welfare for their dogs. Although CKC does not recommend individual breeders, new buyers may contact CKC
accredited Breed Clubs who can refer buyers to breeders in their area.
CKC also encourages new dog owners and their dogs to attend obedience training and recommends the
CKC Canine Good Neighbour Program as a good first step. The CGN program provides caring owners and their canine companions with a fun, rewarding experience that benefits the family home and the community at large.
For more information about CKC’s 175 registered breeds, visit
thepuppylist.ca.
Photo: Prime Minister Trudeau’s two-year-old son playing with their new Portuguese Water Dog puppy, Kenzie. Courtesy of Prime Minister Trudeau’s Twitter Account.