Swimming Swans Portuguese Water Dogs

We are a small kennel located in the heart of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Our dog and our bitch are both UK born and bred, which means that our line Is 100% British. Our dogs are part of our home and are members of our family.

Our Dogs and Our Story

We are a small kennel located in the heart of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Our dog and our bitch are both UK born and bred, which means that our line Is 100% British. Our dogs are part of our home and are members of our family.


We are an international family, which is why we chose to breed international dogs. We were first introduced to the Portuguese Water dog during a chance encounter in an Edinburgh park. They were friendly, lovely in stature, and just brilliant. After spending years with Labradors, we began to research the Portuguese Water Dog. Needless to say, less than a year later, we welcomed Wookie Wu, our first male Portuguese Water Dog.


 Having had issues with dog health in the past, we were adamant about finding a breeder who had health and temperament at the top of their priority list. The breeder we chose to go with at the time sold her dogs mainly in the service world (a testament to the breed's temperament and her breeding), but she also did more extensive health screening than all of the breeders we researched. We have not been disappointed; our dog is healthy and is an all-around 'good boy.' He is also a great family dog!


After much discussion, we decided we wanted to try to breed Wookie. We completed health checks on him and he was clear of everything that we tested for, making him one of the healthiest studs in the UK! After speaking with some breeders and researching lines online, we became very interested in a specific breeder's line out of Portugal. Her kennel won numerous titles in numerous countries. While at Crufts (the world’s largest dog show), we skimmed through the dogs that were to be shown and one of the dogs from her Kennel was listed. After leaving Crufts, we immediately contacted the owner of that dog and she happened to have a litter from that line.


Enter Chaussette, our bitch... we have not been disappointed. All of her grandparents have two to six country show champions in their titles, while her sire is an Irish show champion. She is BEAUTIFUL, but most importantly, she is healthy and has a GREAT temperament.
Don't hesitate to get in touch with us if you’d like to know more. We plan to breed our next litter in the fall of 2024.

Health Screening

Both dogs had their hips and elbows tested and excellent scores were returned. The vet tested their eyes in the fall of 2024, following OFA guidelines and the results were also excellent.


DNA checks include:


GM1 Gangliosidosis
prcd - PRA Progressive Retinal Atrophy 
Microphthalmia
Juvenile Dilated Cardiomyopathy (JDCM)
CDDY Chondrodystrophy 
CDPA Chondrodysplasia 
Improper Coat 
All test results are available upon request.

Coefficient of Inbreeding (COI):


The COI is frequently overlooked by breeders, including those considered ‘reputable,’ which is unfortunate. However, just as it's crucial in human genetics, it is equally vital in dog breeding. Various sources, such as the American Kennel Club's Canine Health Foundation's website, emphasize the significance of maintaining a COI threshold of 10% or less to prevent a significant loss in vitality.
Our kennel operates with a COI of <6%.

Our Dogs

Wookie Wu

male

Chaussette

Female

What are you waiting for?

Ready to take the next step? Let's talk together to bring a new puppy to your home. Together, we'll make it happen.

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Contact us

To be put on a waiting list, please get in touch with Kerry


You can see some of our dog pictures on the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/swimming.swans.pwds/


Please note that all puppies sold will be sold with a contract. We also will request information about your home before letting one of our puppies come home to you.