Want A Portuguese Water Dog? Find Out If One Is Right For You

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (WUSA) -- The First Dog, Bo, has made his debut at the White House. But Portuguese Water Dogs aren't right for everyone.

They are sweet dogs, soft to touch and they are known as very loyal pets. But it's the time and effort of pet owners, that determines whether the breed is a good fit for the family.

The fear is that people are going to go out, and buy dogs like these, just as they did when the movie 101 Dalmatians came out. Many of those dogs ended up in shelters.

Sandy Mejias owns the Olde Towne School For Dogs in Alexandria, and urges people to do their homework on this active breed.

"If you're willing to go out and give one really good run in the park every day, and a couple good walks, that's usually adequate," she said.

When they are puppies, they teethe. Pet owner Trish Schmidt has bite marks on her hand from her dog, Teddy Bear.

"They're mouthy in the beginning when they're teething because they have teeth like alligators," Schmidt said.

"Be careful that the puppy doesn't use the baby or the small child as a chew toy," said Mejias.

The dogs come from a small gene pool, and therefore are prone to disease.

"We have a lot of recessive health problems that crop up like hip dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy, juvenile cardiomyopathy, storage disease, which is a disease of the nervous system," she said.

Because of their hair, owners have to brush them a few times a week, and get them groomed frequently.

"I'm booked a year in advance here because it is so difficult to do the grooming," Mejias said.

By the way, you'll have to shell out around $2,000 if you want one.

The Veterinary Pet Insurance Company covers more than 890 Portuguese Water Dogs in the United States. According to VPI, the most common names for these types of dogs is "Lucy." The insurance company also insures 361 other dogs named "Bo," which is the 153rd most popular names for insured dogs.

*Source: VPI