black and white dog breeds medium

named for the nation where they originated,portuguese water dogs were used for centuries by fishermen off the coast of portugal toherd fish into nets. these hard-working dogs would also retrieve lost tackle and delivermessages from ship to shore. porties' athletic bodies and waterproof coats make them excellentswimmers, and they're still used today for water rescue. porties are medium-sized working group dogsthat typically weigh between 35 and 60 pounds and stand up to 23 inches tall. their thick,soft coats can be wavy or curly and doesn't tend to shed. coloring can be white, black,brown, or combinations of all three. known to be hard workers and loyal companions,porties are active dogs that need vigorous

exercise on a regular basis. this intelligent breed takes well to obediencetraining and makes an excellent working companion and family pet, and is the breed chosen bypresident barack obama who has two portuguese water dogs.