Mill RiverPortuguese Water Dogs · Connecticut

AKC Portuguese Water Dogs since 2013

Water dogs raised in our home, bred for health and temperament.

Every Mill River puppy is born and raised in our house, handled every day, and placed with families we keep in touch with for life.

Ask about a puppySee our litters
Black and white Portuguese Water Dog standing on a lawn

About us

A small kennel with a long memory

We raise one or two litters a year, from parents we own, know and health test. Our puppies grow up underfoot: whelped in the house, socialized with children, other dogs, car rides and everyday household noise before they go home at eight weeks.

We keep records on every puppy we have bred, from birth weight to their latest vet visit, and we stay in touch with their families for the whole of their lives.

Brown and white dam nursing newborn black and white puppiesBrown and white puppy standing with paws on a chair

The breed

The Portuguese Water Dog

Portuguese Water Dogs come from the fishing villages of Portugal's Algarve coast, where they worked alongside fishermen: herding fish into nets, retrieving gear that went overboard and carrying messages between boats. That history shows today in a strong, athletic swimmer who loves a job and a family.

They have a single coat, curly or wavy, that sheds very little, in black, white, brown or a mix of black or brown with white. They are smart, eager and energetic, and do best with daily exercise and something to think about.

Males20–23 in · 42–60 lb
Females17–21 in · 35–50 lb
CoatCurly or wavy, low shedding
AKC groupWorking · recognized 1983

Our dogs

The dogs behind our litters

Domino

Justlyd's Let's Play Domino

Sex
Male
Born
2016
Color
Black, white markings

OFA hips 27 G · AKC DNA

Ori, black and white Portuguese Water Dog

Ori

Mill River's Oreo Cookie

Sex
Female
Born
2025
Color
White

AKC registered, full

Izzy

Izzy

Mill River's Queen Isabella

Sex
Female
Born
2022
Color
Brown, white markings

OFA hips 27 G

Irish Girl

Mill River's Irish Girl

Sex
Female
Born
2016
Color
Black, white markings

OFA hips 27 G

In memoriam

Over the Rainbow Bridge

The dogs who started it all and are with us only in memory now.

Kokini

Sharmink's Kokini

Sex
Female
Born
2010
Color
Black, white markings

Forever loved. Add a few words about her here.

AKC DNA

Una

Mill River's Una Dos Tres

Sex
Female
Born
2013
Color
Black, white markings

Forever loved. Add a few words about her here.

AKC registered, full

Schnookums

Mill River's Bermuda Girl

Sex
Female
Born
2016
Color
Black, white markings

Forever loved. Add a few words about her here.

OFA hips 27 G

Chloe

Mill River's Hurricane Chloe

Sex
Female
Born
2020
Color
White

Forever loved. Add a few words about her here.

AKC registered, full

Litters

Every litter we have bred

19 litters and 97 puppies since 2013, newest first. Counts are the puppies on each AKC litter registration.

  1. Justlyd's Let's Play Domino×Mill River's Queen Isabella
    4 puppies
  2. Justlyd's Let's Play Domino×Mill River's Queen Isabella
    8 puppies
  3. Rocky×Mill River's Irish Girl
    3 puppies
  4. Justlyd's Let's Play Domino×Mill River's Hurricane Chloe
    4 puppies
  5. Justlyd's Let's Play Domino×Mill River's Irish Girl
    7 puppies
  6. Justlyd's Let's Play Domino×Mill River's Una Dos Tres
    2 puppies
  7. Justlyd's Let's Play Domino×Mill River's Una Dos Tres
    7 puppies
  8. Justlyd's Let's Play Domino×Mill River's Irish Girl
    5 puppies
  9. Coldplays Dioge×Mill River's Irish Girl
    10 puppies
  10. Justlyd's Let's Play Domino×Mill River's Una Dos Tres
    5 puppies
  11. Coldplays Dioge×Mill River's Irish Girl
    3 puppies
  12. Justlyd's Let's Play Domino×Mill River's Bermuda Girl
    1 puppy
  13. Justlyd's Let's Play Domino×Mill River's Una Dos Tres
    6 puppies
  14. Justlyd's Let's Play Domino×Mill River's Una Dos Tres
    6 puppies
  15. Surf-N-Turf's Rio At Coldplay'S×Mill River's Una Dos Tres
    9 puppies
  16. Surf-N-Turf's Rio At Coldplay'S×Mill River's Una Dos Tres
    10 puppies
  17. Surf-N-Turf's Rio At Coldplay'S×Sharmink's Kokini
    1 puppy
  18. Coldplays Uss Triton×Sharmink's Kokini
    5 puppies
  19. Goldwater's Mariner O Kamolot×Sharmink's Kokini
    1 puppy
Newborn black and white puppies sleeping together
Newborns, first week
Dam resting with three black and white puppies
With mom, five weeks
Brown and white puppy on the lawn
Ready for home
Available puppies: No puppies are available right now. Send an inquiry to join the list for our next litter.

Health

Health testing we do

Our breeding dogs are health tested before they are bred, and results are listed under each dog. Every puppy goes home with its vaccine and worming records, microchip number and AKC paperwork.

  • HipsOFA evaluation
  • PRA-prcdDNA test
  • GM1DNA test
  • JDCMDNA test
  • ParentageAKC DNA profile

Puppy inquiry

← Back to home

Tell us about your family

All fields must be filled out completely, including a photo of your backyard, or your inquiry will be rejected.

A secure yard is required. Your puppy will need a securely fenced yard, either a physical fence or an invisible fence, to keep them from wandering and to protect them from predators.