With the Obama family’s adoption of Bo, a six-month-old purebred Portuguese Water Dog, Porties have been thrust into the limelight -- causing demand for the breed to shoot off the charts.
Although one might think having a Portie as First Dog could have only a positive impact on the semi-rare breed, the sudden upheaval could also lead to problems for the pooches.
For one thing, breeders fear that the rapid increase in popularity could cause people to adopt the dog without really evaluating whether the breed is right for them, according to breeders cited in an NJ.com article.
Porties are very difficult to maintain due to their high energy level and need for constant activity, according to some breeders, who believe that despite making great family dogs, they may not be a best fit for all.
Porties already carry a heavy price tag, selling above $1,500, and their newfound popularity may cause prices and exploitation to skyrocket.
With a sudden increase in demand, puppy mills could rapidly emerge in an attempt to make a quick buck, a long-time concern held by The Humane Society. Puppy mills are breeding facilities that produce purebred puppies in large numbers, often in poor conditions, and animal-rights advocates have long opposed them.
Breeders also express concerns because Porties are a semi-rare breed and the creation of puppy mills and mass demand will rapidly increase the numbers of dogs and somewhat interrupt traditional breeding methods.
Portuguese water dogs derive from the coast of Portugal, where they were used to help fisherman catch fish and acted as a courier from ship to ship at sea. There were only 12 known purebred Porties in America in August 1972, according to the American Kennel Club. A decade later there were 650 and the numbers continue to increase.
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