Google ★★★★★ 5.0 from 57 reviews (Jun 2026)
977+ dogs trained in the Macedon Ranges Read success stories →

Portuguese Water Dog Training

Do you have a Portuguese Water Dog that needs some training help? Natalie from Crazy Kind Calm dog training can help!

With over 900 dogs trained across the Macedon Ranges, Natalie understands the unique personality and needs that come with this wonderful breed.

Portuguese Water Dogs are athletic, intelligent dogs bred to assist fishermen. They're energetic, water-loving, and eager to work — with a curly coat and an enthusiasm that needs proper channelling.

Common Portuguese Water Dog traits and training needs

  • High energy — bred for all-day physical work and needs significant daily exercise
  • Mouthy breed — uses their mouth to carry things and communicate
  • Can be exuberant and jumpy during greetings and when excited
  • Intelligent and needs mental stimulation — boredom leads to destructive behaviour
  • Pulls on lead, especially near water or when excited about activities
  • Can develop separation anxiety if too dependent on their family

Portie owners have an athletic, clever dog who approaches everything with enthusiasm. If yours mouths your hands, drags you towards every body of water, or can't settle without a good run first — that's the working heritage coming through. Their intelligence and eagerness to work with their handler makes them excellent training partners. They just need enough outlets for all that energy.

Mango - Portuguese Water Dog dog training

Portuguese Water Dog Training Options

Whether your Portuguese Water Dog is a new puppy or an older dog with some habits to work on, we've got options to suit.

One-on-one dog training
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One-on-One Training

Personalised sessions in your home, where the challenges actually happen. We work together on your specific goals — whether it's pulling on lead, barking, poor recall, jumping up, or something else entirely.

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Puppy school class
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Puppy School

Group classes in Kyneton for puppies aged 8-16 weeks. Build confidence, learn essential skills, and socialise with other pups in a safe, supportive environment.

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Portuguese Water Dog (and others) Success Stories

★★★★★ Google
"Excellent though I felt a little overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information sat the beginning of the session"

Paul Carter March 2025

★★★★★ Google
"Nat was excellent. I felt she understood my puppy and me immediately. She is clearly very knowledgeable and left me with a very different approach to helping my anxious boy. She was kind towards both my puppy and me and I was confident she understood and cared about dogs - I have had different experiences with other trainers. After our session and the follow up email I have a lot of different tools to use to work with my boy. I would recommend her to anyone looking for help giving a dog its best life. Thanks Nat."

Catherine Martin July 2025

★★★★★ Google
"We have had a great experience with CKC. We have learnt a lot and have been able to apply this training easily to our gregarious pup...now adolescent pup. The training makes sense and logic of your dog's behaviour. Would definitely recommend to all dog owners, no matter how old."

Julie Kluwer October 2023

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Some of the Portuguese Water Dogs (and others) We've Trained

Ludo Portuguese Water Dog dog training
Ludo Trentham
Teddy Cavoodle dog training
Teddy Woodend
Jett Labrador Retriever dog training
Jett Daylesford
Joey Toy Poodle dog training
Joey Sunbury
Greg Whippet dog training
Greg Gisborne
Scout Kelpie X dog training
Scout Woodend
Chip Butty English Staffordshire Terrier dog training
Chip Butty Castlemaine
Indigo Labrador Retriever dog training
Indigo Gisborne
Rex German Shepherd Dog dog training
Rex Sunbury
Ollie Dachshund dog training
Ollie Maldon

Ready to train your Portuguese Water Dog?

Let's talk about your goals and how we can help your Portuguese Water Dog become the best dog they can be.

Get in touch