Congrats, Simon!

SIMON IS OUR DECEMBER DOG OF THE MONTH If you think “our” Simon looks familiar, reminds you of someone’s dog, you are correct! Simon probably reminds you of Bo – who belongs to President Obama’s family! Simon is a Portuguese Water Dog. We don’t know if this is a reflection of his “parents” political position or not Our Simon joined the host of other friendly dogs when he became a day care dog at Central Bark in the spring of 2010. Portuguese Water Dogs (PWD) have been known for centuries along Portugal’s coastal towns and was prized for its strength, spirit, and soundness. They also love being in and around water. HOWEVER, Simon must not recall those generations of PWD’s because he absolutely hates being in water! While most every dog here loves soaking in our swimming pools, you can’t get Simon near one – even on the hottest of days! He really has a strong dislike of water. He will tolerate being groomed, but tolerate is about all we can say! Strangely, Simon loves riding on the family’s boat and that is his favorite thing to do during summer vacation. We are positive that the occasional splash of water must strike him, but he ignores it if he is on the boat! PWD’s are known for their waterproof coats and their ability to swim all day! This breed is medium-sized and can be found with coats of curly, wavy hair that is black, white, or brown, or combinations of these colors. They were bred to accompany fishermen on their boats. This dog would/can retrieve broken nets, dive for fish, carry messages between boats and to shore, and would guard the boat of his master when in a foreign port. Sometime in the early 20th century, this breed started to disappear. Technology made this dog obsolete. However, a wealthy Portuguese shipping magnate and lover of dogs saved the breed. The Portuguese Water Dog is an active breed and requires daily, vigorous exercise. He is very intelligent and responds well to obedience training. Another plus is that his coat is hypoallergenic, but does require regular maintenance. His cutest look is the lion clip where the coat on the hindquarters and muzzle are clipped to the skin. The retriever clip, clipping the entire coat to one inch in length, is also popular. There you have it, Simon, the December Dog of the Month. While he may not have the typical personality of the PWD’s, he is definitely a charmer and a keeper – and we hope you will congratulate Simon and his family on being the DOM!