Skipper
4 years old · Kennebunkport
A curly-coated lion-clip regular who still tries to jump in every puddle on the way to the trailer.
Breed Grooming Guide 5.0 · Southern Maine
Portuguese Water Dog Dog Grooming.
Portuguese Water Dogs were bred to swim alongside fishermen off the Portuguese coast, herding fish into nets and retrieving gear from the water — which explains a dense, curly or wavy coat that grows continuously and never really stops. Whether you want the traditional lion clip or a simple all-over puppy trim, that coat needs a real plan. K-Pup grooms PWDs mobile — one dog, one trailer, parked right in your driveway.
Coat, Curl & Trim Style
Curly or wavy, this coat is a job either way.
PWDs carry either a tightly curled or a looser, wavier single coat, both of which grow without a shedding cycle. For background, see the AKC Portuguese Water Dog breed page.
The Curly Coat
Dense, tight ringlets of a compact, harsh texture with a natural water-resistant quality. It doesn't mat as easily as some curly breeds but needs regular line brushing since it doesn't fall out on its own.
The Wavy Coat
Looser, glossier waves that lie closer to the body and carry a bit of natural sheen. It's often a touch easier to maintain than the curly variety but still requires consistent brushing and cutting.
The Traditional Lion Clip
A working-dog trim that shaves the muzzle, throat, and hindquarters short while leaving a full coat over the chest and front half, plus a plume on the tail tip. It's striking, functional for swimming, and takes real time to execute cleanly.
The Retriever (Puppy) Clip
An even, all-over trim of roughly the same length everywhere, favored by most pet owners for how much easier it is to keep mat-free between visits without sacrificing the breed's curly texture.
Built For A Working Water Dog
A non-shedding coat that still demands a schedule.
Line brushing before every bath
Curly and wavy coats both mat at the skin first, especially behind the ears, under the collar and in the armpits. Brushing in sections before water touches the coat keeps a bath from setting tangles tighter.
Cutting, not just brushing, controls length
Because the coat never sheds out on its own, hair has to be trimmed on a real schedule or it just keeps growing into a heavy, mat-prone mass. That's the trade-off for such a low-shed breed.
Full dry down to the skin
A PWD's dense coat traps moisture close to the skin. A complete high-velocity dry after every bath prevents the damp, musty coat and skin irritation that comes with air-drying alone.
An athletic dog who wants a job
PWDs are smart, energetic and food-motivated, which usually makes them cooperative on the table as long as the visit stays engaging and doesn't drag on too long without a break.
The Portuguese Water Dog Club of America publishes breed history, health and coat-care resources for owners.
Services
Portuguese Water Dog grooming services.
01
Lion Clip Groom
The traditional shaved hindquarters and muzzle with a full coat left over the chest and a tail plume, plus bath, full dry, ears and nails.
02
Retriever Puppy Clip
An even, all-over trim that keeps the curly or wavy texture but stays short enough to resist matting between visits.
03
Bath, Brush-Out & Tidy
A maintenance visit between full clips — line brush, bath, full dry, sanitary trim, ears and nails.
Our Process
How we groom a Portuguese Water Dog.
Every portuguese water dog appointment follows the same order, start to finish, in the trailer in your driveway. Typical appointment time: about 2 hr, one dog at a time.
Line-brush before bathing
Full-body brushing in sections to clear tangles at the skin before water ever touches the curly or wavy coat.
Bath and full high-velocity dry
A thorough wash followed by a complete dry down to the skin so no dampness lingers in the dense coat.
Lion clip or retriever clip
Shaving the hindquarters and muzzle for the traditional lion look, or clippering the whole body evenly for a low-fuss puppy trim.
Scissoring the outline
Hand-scissoring the chest coat, tail plume or overall silhouette into a clean, breed-correct shape.
Sanitary trim and paw pads
Trimming the sanitary area and clearing hair from between the pads for comfort and traction.
Ears, nails and final check
Ear cleaning, nail trim and a last look over the coat before your Portuguese Water Dog heads back inside.
This is the full step-by-step process K-Pup Dog Grooming uses for Portuguese Water Dogs in southern Maine.
Client Spotlight
Our favorite Portuguese Water Dogs.
A few of the Portuguese Water Dogs we look forward to seeing on the schedule — regulars from around southern Maine who hop up on the table like they own the trailer.
Marina
2 years old · Cape Porpoise
A wavy-coated retriever-clip pup whose owners chose the easy-care trim after her first serious mat behind the ears.
Captain
8 years old · Scarborough
A senior PWD kept in a short, even trim these days, though his tail plume is always the last thing anyone touches.
Fun Facts
The best things about Portuguese Water Dogs.
We groom a lot of Portuguese Water Dogs, and every one of them reminds us why the breed has such a loyal following. Here's what we love about the portuguese water dog.
A fisherman's working partner
Portuguese Water Dogs herded fish into nets, retrieved lost gear and carried messages between boats off Portugal's coast.
The lion clip was functional first
Shaving the hindquarters while leaving the chest coat full helped these dogs swim efficiently while keeping vital organs insulated in cold water.
A White House favorite
A Portuguese Water Dog named Bo lived in the White House during the Obama administration, boosting the breed's popularity nationwide.
Webbed feet, built to swim
Unlike most dogs, PWDs have webbing between their toes, giving them a genuine swimming advantage in open water.
A coat that never stops growing
Like several other low-shed breeds, the PWD's coat grows continuously, which is why cutting on a schedule matters as much as brushing.
Related Breeds
Similar coats we groom.
Portuguese Water Dogs share brushing, drying, and trimming needs with these breeds — each guide covers coat care, timing, and pricing for mobile grooming in southern Maine.
Where We Groom Portuguese Water Dogs
Portuguese Water Dog grooming across southern Maine.
Looking for a Portuguese Water Dog groomer near you? The K-Pup trailer runs southern Maine every week — pick your town and book a driveway appointment. See all our locations →
Kennebunkport Portuguese Water Dog GroomingKennebunk Portuguese Water Dog GroomingCape Porpoise Portuguese Water Dog GroomingGoose Rocks Beach Portuguese Water Dog GroomingArundel Portuguese Water Dog GroomingBiddeford Portuguese Water Dog GroomingSaco Portuguese Water Dog GroomingWells Portuguese Water Dog GroomingOgunquit Portuguese Water Dog GroomingYork Portuguese Water Dog GroomingOld Orchard Beach Portuguese Water Dog GroomingScarborough Portuguese Water Dog Grooming
Portuguese Water Dog Grooming FAQ
Questions Portuguese Water Dogs owners ask us.
How often should a Portuguese Water Dog be groomed?
Every 6 to 8 weeks for most pet trims, since the non-shedding coat keeps growing and needs regular cutting to avoid matting.
What's the difference between the lion clip and puppy clip?
The lion clip shaves the hindquarters and muzzle short while leaving a full coat over the front half and a tail plume — the traditional working style. The puppy clip trims the whole body evenly and is easier for most owners to maintain.
Do Portuguese Water Dogs shed?
Very little. The coat grows continuously rather than blowing out seasonally, which is part of why the breed is popular in allergy-sensitive households, but it means hair has to be cut on a schedule.
Is curly or wavy coat harder to maintain?
Both need regular brushing and cutting, but tightly curled coats can be slightly more prone to matting at the skin if brushing lapses, since the curl itself tangles more readily than a looser wave.
Are Portuguese Water Dogs easy to groom?
Generally, yes — they're intelligent, food-motivated and used to being handled, which usually makes for a cooperative, engaged grooming session.