Portugal Dog Names

When thinking of well-known dogs in Portugal, the Portuguese Water Dog comes to mind. Dogs of the breed once lived along the coast of Portugal, where they were used to herd fish into nets, fetch lost tackle and function as a messenger between ships and shore. Fishermen depended on these dogs, who were strong, hard workers who did well at sea. The dogs rode in trawlers from the waters of the Atlantic, which were warm, to the freezing cold waters off of Iceland’s coast. With the advent of technology, the Portuguese Water Dog was no longer utilized for this work, though many dogs continue to work in water rescue.

There are quite a few well-known Portuguese Water dogs, particularly among United States’ politicians. The Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy was a huge fan of the breed, and was regularly accompanied by his three Portuguese Water dogs in his office building, the dogs bringing some fun to a field of work better known for its rules. Kennedy’s dogs were a large part of his tenure on Capitol Hill; his office always had water bowls and tennis balls available. Those working on legislation were able to pat the fuzzy heads of Kennedy’s dog while working and throw tennis balls during meetings. Kennedy’s dogs, named Splash, Sunny and Cappy were welcome nearly everywhere, with the exception of the Senate floor. Splash is the focus of a book called My Senator and Me: A Dog’s Eye View of Washington, D.C.. Written by Ted Kennedy and David Small, the book takes a look at life in Washington D.C. from the perspective of Kennedy and his dog, Splash, walking the reader through a busy day in D.C. The pooch attends press conferences, meetings, committee discussions and a floor vote.

Another well-known Portuguese Water Dog in U.S. politics is Bo, who was adopted by Barack Obama and his family as a puppy. Bo comes from the same stock as Kennedy’s dogs. Apparently, Bo had been with another family, however things did not work out and Kennedy got the pup for the Obama’s, who had promised their children a puppy during the election campaign. The family was originally intending to find a rescue dog, however upon receiving Bo, they have expressed that they will instead donate to the Washington branch of the Humane Society.