A dog whose title includes half the alphabet is an accomplished dog! As part of our “Not Just a Pretty Face” series in which we bring you dogs who can do the job for which their breed was created, we introduce you to “Gilligan,” a Portuguese Water Dog (known from show catalogs as Fishbay’s Merchant of Venice CD BN RE OA AXJ CGCA TKA WWD MAC-2 SROM).  Gilligan has a “frequent flier” in Portuguese Water Dog Club of America water trials, each trial designed to test and demonstrate the traditional working function of this breed. Throughout the various levels the dogs show their ability to make retrieves, dive underwater for gear, deliver messages between boats, and place nets and buoys. As Gilligan’s owner, Rachel Cullen, tell us, it’s a fun and very challenging venue for which to train, and nothing makes Gilligan happier than water work. Deriving joy from a bred work ethic must make his breeder, Linda Adams, happy as well.

To see the other dogs that have been featured as part of this series, simply do a search on our website for “Not Just a Pretty Face.” If you have a dog who has proved that he or she is not just another pretty face by having excelled in both conformation and other disciplines, we want to hear about it!  Send your over-achiever’s “resume” and photograph to us here. 

Photo of “Gilligan” by Nancy Gaffney