International Travel with a Portuguese Water Dog: Airline Policies and Country Rules

Portuguese Water Dogs – Porties, as their owners often call them – are athletic, intelligent dogs that handle novel environments better than many breeds. Their adaptability makes them a good candidate for international travel, and their medium size puts them in a manageable weight class for cargo transport.

Cabin or Cargo?

Adult Portuguese Water Dogs typically weigh 16 to 23 kg. This is above most airlines’ cabin pet weight limits (usually 6 to 8 kg combined). For international flights, Porties travel in the cargo hold.

The crate requirement is typically an IATA-compliant Kennel 400 – measure your individual dog using the nose-to-tail and height-at-ears method to confirm. A well-trained dog that is comfortable in its crate will handle cargo travel significantly better than an anxious or crate-naive one.

Breed Restrictions by Country

Portuguese Water Dogs are not classified as dangerous or restricted in any major destination country. They do not appear on national breed ban lists in the UK, USA, EU, Australia, Canada or New Zealand.

Coat and Water Exposure

Porties have a single-layer, non-shedding coat that can be either curly or wavy. The coat is relatively low-maintenance in a travel context – it does not pick up debris easily and does not become matted as readily as some other water-resistant coats. Keep the coat clean and dry before travel; damp or dirty fur in a sealed crate is uncomfortable and can cause skin irritation.

If your Portie has been recently groomed (particularly a lion cut), the reduced coat coverage means less insulation in cold conditions. Factor this in if flying through cold-climate hubs in winter.

Health and Exercise Before Flying

Portuguese Water Dogs are energetic. The best thing you can do before placing your Portie in a cargo crate for a long international flight is give them a good 2 to 3 hour walk or exercise session the day before travel and a moderate session 4 to 5 hours before cargo check-in. A physically tired dog will settle and sleep; an unexercised, high-energy dog will be miserable.

Documentation

Standard documentation requirements apply:

ISO microchip
Current rabies vaccination
Health certificate from an accredited vet, government-endorsed as required
Titre test if the destination country requires it (Japan, Australia, New Zealand, UK for non-UK origin pets)
Import permit where required

For popular expat destinations that the breed’s country of origin (Portugal) is connected to, see: