The Portuguese Water Dog is super-smart and easy to train and eager to please. The Portuguese Water Dog’s dense, profuse coat is hypoallergenic but requires regular and extensive grooming. The coat ranges in appearance from tight and curly to loose and wavy. The breed can be groomed in two styles: The retriever clip (the entire coat is clipped to one inch in length, with the tail tip at full length) or the more check-me-out lion clip, where the coat on the hindquarters and muzzle is clipped down to the skin.  An athletic, active breed, the Portuguese Water Dog requires vigorous exercise every day to keep him healthy and happy. This can come in the form of long daily walks and play sessions with his owner. For many enthusiasts, the most special of all the training and exercise options for the Portie is water work. He is demanding of attention and human contact, and greets friends and family with unbridled enthusiasm.