Throughout the years, Portuguese Water Dogs raised or whelped at Casa Lago Kennels have acquired many awards and championships. Please click here to view a complete listing.

Neecho – Am/Can CH Rising Star Veludo Sanjar, CGC, TDI, AWD – was born 4/1/90. He is a black loose wavy about 22 inches tall and about 60 pounds. Neecho received his AKC Championship in May of 1991. Our first “Show Dog” got us hooked on Conformation. As a Special, he attained the rank of # 6 PWD in AKC in 1992. In 1996, we sent him to Canada for his Canadian Championship. At 6 years old, he finished the requirements in five shows. Neecho probably has the all time record on attempting his Apprentice Water Dog title. Although Neecho knew all of the exercises at his first try in 1992, handler error disqualified him. Because he is so smart and liked the attention crowds gave him, he quickly learned to “play the game”. It took 21 trials and 4 trainers to finally outsmart him in order to get his title.

Neecho retired from his show career years ago. At our 2002 PWDCA National Specialty, Neecho won Veteran Sweepstakes at 12 Years of age, and came in third in veteran regular classes. At 13, he is a vibrant dog that still likes to jump off the pier chasing sticks and swims everyday. His coat is still as black as the day he was born, but with the distinguished markings of grey around his muzzle. He has always been healthy and has never had any illness of any kind.

Frankie – CH Fantaseas Cachorra Quente, JWD – born 11/14/90. She came to live with us in January 1991. Frankie’s Portuguese name means “Hot Dog” so we called her Frankie. She was black wavy with a white chest and chin. She received her AKC Championship at 17 months. Neecho and Frankie went to different classes every night of the week. They were into conformation, tracking, agility, Water Work, and obedience. They went everywhere with us, from the short drive to the mailbox to weeks on the road for Dog Shows.

Frankie was the matriarch of the dog family. She trained the younger ones and would not let them get away with anything. If guest dogs arrived, they would have to obey Frankie’s rules before they would be allowed to play. She was a hunter and would sit motionless for hours awaiting the young groundhogs to come out of their holes on the hillside.

Frankie developed Diabetes when she was 6 years old and struggled with enormous amounts of insulin injections every day. The Diabetes caused immediate cataracts and she was blind almost overnight. She got along well as a blind dog in the few weeks from the diagnosis of Cataracts and the scheduled lens replacement surgery. We were amazed at the kindness her housemates showed her. They would lead her where she wanted to go, and they would go get her if she got confused and was “lost” on the property. Her lens replacement surgery, although expensive, was the best present we could have given her. When she awoke from her surgery, she opened her eyes and wagged her tail at us and smiled. Frankie was a diabetic for three years. Two years ago, she woke up not feeling well. We knew it was different than something related to her diabetes. It was cancer – Hemangiosarcoma – and she was gone in just a few hours, leaving a huge hole in our hearts.

Azi - CH Encanto Azelador de Casa Lago – was born on 5/12/93. Azi is a tight black curly with a white chest and feet who we have always called A combination of Fred Astaire and David Niven. He is light on his feet, can jump over the back of the couch without a sound and is so charming in his tuxedo suit. Azi is a small dog – at 38 pounds and 18 inches tall, he finished his Championship at 11 months from the puppy class. Azi divides his time between Michigan and Florida on a sailboat. His size and stature make him a perfect deckhand.

Vada – 3 time Best In Show Am/Can CH Nautique’s Noite de Casa Lago AOM – a black curly , was born 4/18/94. We wanted a girl who could “go out and beat the boys”, and that is just what Vada did. She began her Show Career in November 1994, finished her AKC Championship in January 1995 at 8 months of age, and finished her Canadian Championship at 12 months of age with a Puppy Best In Show. Her three year Specials Career has made her the #1 All Time female in Portuguese Water Dog history. Vada is the only female in PWD history ever to win breed at the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. She has won Best of Opposite Sex and Awards of Merit at our National Specialties. Her first time out as a Veteran at the Minnesota Specialty, she took Best of Opposite Sex from the Veteran Class. At the National Specialty in Rhode Island that same year, she was Best in Veteran Sweeps over a huge entry. She has tied the PWD Best In Show record (only she and Charlie Brown have three BIS) and surpassed all other show records for any PWD, male or female, in the history of our breed. Vada retired from her Specials career to become a mother. She has had two litters of puppies --13 puppies, who are carrying on her tradition in the conformation rings.

Vada's Litter's

Myke-Myke - Am/Can CH Nautique’s Phlash Phyre at Casa Lago AOM –also a black curly, was born 11/1/94. Myke didn’t begin her conformation events until she was 14 months old, finishing in just seven shows. Mykie’s only litter of ten was born just two days before Vada won Best of Breed at Westminster KC Dog Show. It was thrilling to be playing with the puppies at the same time we were watching Vada on TV in the Working Group. Mykie’s second breeding didn’t produce puppies and she was diagnosed with Mammary Cancer. We thought it wasn’t in her best interest to have more puppies, she was spayed as soon as possible after her mastectomy. She has taken over Frankie’s role as Matriarch of the family. She loves sitting in the grass watching the world go by as much as she enjoys keeping all the puppies in line.

Mykie’s Litter

Buns - (Am/Can CH Casa Lago’s Praia Coelhinho) Her Portuguese name means “Beach Bunny” therefore we call her Buns. Buns earned her AKC title the same day as brother Oscar, and went on to Canada after her brother Max came home. Buns was # 1 PWD in Canada in 1999. She came back home and became # 8 PWD in the States in 2000, # 9 PWD in the States in 2001. She received Awards of Merit at both the 1999 and 2001 National Specialties, won Best of Opposite Sex at Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in 2001. She retired from her show career in January 2002 to become a mother. Her first litter of seven was whelped 4/2/02, her second litter of eight was whelped 4/23/03.

Buns’ Litter's