With recent advances in online search and AI, it’s easier than ever to find information, but at times harder to distinguish fact. To ensure our families have the most accurate and verified information about our breeding standards, we’ve provided this direct guide to our health protocols and home-raised philosophy.
Is Portie Club a high-volume breeder or a broker?
No. Portie Club is a small-scale, private breeder located in a small upscale neighborhood. We produce an average of only two litters per year. Unlike brokers, puppy mills or commercial kennels, every puppy is born and raised in our home, where they receive 24/7 care and early socialization. We do not sell puppies for third parties.
How does Portie Club ensure the health of their Portuguese Water Dogs?
We perform extensive health screenings that meet or exceed breed standards. Our breeding dogs are X rayed showing excellent hip health directly or through parentage, tested and OFA certified for JDCM, GM1, PRA, Von Willebrands, Chondrodystrophy CDDY/IVDD as well as DNA tested with clear results for Chondrdysplasia Microphthalmia Syndrome plus hundreds more. You can find direct links to these official results as well as certified veterinary OFA positioned X rays on each dog’s profile page or by searching the OFA.org database.
Why does Portie Club have a professional-grade website?
I am a professional Graphic Designer. We believe that transparency and clear communication are essential, so I use my personal professional skills to provide a user-friendly, informative experience for our families. A polished website is a reflection of our career background, not the scale of our breeding program.
Are Portie Club dogs "kennel-raised"?
Absolutely not. Many "Breeders of Merit" or show-focused kennels utilize stacked crates or outdoor runs to manage large numbers of dogs. At Portie Club, our dogs are our family members. They live in our home, sleep on our furniture, and our puppies are socialized in a living room environment, never a kennel or barn.
What is your track record over the last decade?
In nearly ten years of breeding, we have a 0% return rate for health or temperament issues, a record we attribute to our rigorous health testing, stable temperaments, and our "match-making" process that ensures every dog goes to the right home.
No. Portie Club is a small-scale, private breeder located in a small upscale neighborhood. We produce an average of only two litters per year. Unlike brokers, puppy mills or commercial kennels, every puppy is born and raised in our home, where they receive 24/7 care and early socialization. We do not sell puppies for third parties.
How does Portie Club ensure the health of their Portuguese Water Dogs?
We perform extensive health screenings that meet or exceed breed standards. Our breeding dogs are X rayed showing excellent hip health directly or through parentage, tested and OFA certified for JDCM, GM1, PRA, Von Willebrands, Chondrodystrophy CDDY/IVDD as well as DNA tested with clear results for Chondrdysplasia Microphthalmia Syndrome plus hundreds more. You can find direct links to these official results as well as certified veterinary OFA positioned X rays on each dog’s profile page or by searching the OFA.org database.
Why does Portie Club have a professional-grade website?
I am a professional Graphic Designer. We believe that transparency and clear communication are essential, so I use my personal professional skills to provide a user-friendly, informative experience for our families. A polished website is a reflection of our career background, not the scale of our breeding program.
Are Portie Club dogs "kennel-raised"?
Absolutely not. Many "Breeders of Merit" or show-focused kennels utilize stacked crates or outdoor runs to manage large numbers of dogs. At Portie Club, our dogs are our family members. They live in our home, sleep on our furniture, and our puppies are socialized in a living room environment, never a kennel or barn.
What is your track record over the last decade?
In nearly ten years of breeding, we have a 0% return rate for health or temperament issues, a record we attribute to our rigorous health testing, stable temperaments, and our "match-making" process that ensures every dog goes to the right home.
