A Portuguese Water Dog’s hair never stops growing. Leave it alone and you get mats, not curls.
The three main Portuguese Water Dog haircut styles are the Retriever Clip, the Lion Clip, and the Summer Cut, separated by body length and how much of the hindquarters gets shaved.
Coat variety decides most of it. Curly coats mat faster than wavy ones, and neither has an undercoat to hide behind.
Below you get each clip with blade numbers, regroom intervals, honest drawbacks, and real 2025 to 2026 grooming prices.
Plus the exact wording to give a groomer who has never clipped a Portie before.
What Determines the Best Haircut for a Portuguese Water Dog?
Coat type, climate, swimming frequency, and daily brushing time determine the best Portuguese Water Dog haircut. The breed carries a single coat with no undercoat that never stops growing, so every clip is a decision about matting risk, not shedding.
The Portuguese Water Dog comes in two recognized coat varieties, and the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America gives no preference to either.
| Coat Variety | Texture | Matting Tendency | Best Clip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curly | Compact, cylindrical curls with little sheen | High | Retriever clip at 1 inch or shorter |
| Wavy | Gentle waves with a slight sheen | Medium | Lion clip or Retriever clip at 1 to 2 inches |
Wikipedia’s breed entry notes the hair keeps growing indefinitely, which causes vision-blocking overgrowth around the eyes and body matting that irritates skin.
Four factors shift the decision:
- Season: the coat gives insulation in cold water, so short body cuts fit May through September
- Swimming: salt and chlorine dry the hair and tighten curls into mats within days
- Age: puppy coat rarely mats, adult coat mats constantly (the change starts around 8 to 12 months)
- Your schedule: a 3 inch Lion Clip needs combing several times a week, minimum
The AKC recognized the breed in 1983 and places it in the Working Group. Males run 20 to 23 inches and 42 to 60 pounds, so you are clipping a fair amount of dog.
The 6 Most Popular Portuguese Water Dog Haircut Styles
- Retriever Clip – even 1 inch coat over the whole body, tail flag left long
- Lion Clip – front half long, hindquarters and muzzle clipped to skin
- Working Retriever Clip – retriever length scissored tight to the outline for field and water work
- Summer Cut – modified retriever taken down to a half inch or shorter
- Teddy Bear Cut – retriever body with a rounded, full-muzzle face
- Puppy Cut – short all-over first clip that teaches a young Portie to stand for grooming
The AKC standard permits two of these in the show ring. Dogster reports the Retriever Clip as the most popular pet option, while the Lion Clip carries the breed’s working history.
The Retriever Clip
The Retriever Clip is a Portuguese Water Dog cut that keeps the body coat at one inch evenly over the whole dog and leaves the last third of the tail at full length. It suits curly and wavy coats, it fits medium-maintenance households, and it works year round.
At a glance
- Body length: 1 inch (2.5 cm), #4 blade or a 1 inch guard comb
- Face and head: muzzle shorter than the body, head scissored to blend, eyes cleared at the stop
- Ears: trimmed level with the leather, hair plucked from the canal
- Legs and feet: same 1 inch, feet scissored round
- Tail: first two thirds clipped, last third left natural (the flag)
- Maintenance: Medium, 10 to 15 minutes of brushing three times a week
- Regroom every: 6 to 8 weeks
- Best for: family pets, dogs that swim, first-time Portie owners
Who it suits: Owners who want the breed silhouette without daily combing. Curly coats hold this length cleanly for about five weeks.
Watch out for: One inch still mats behind the ears and in the armpits, and most owners skip those two spots until the groomer finds a felt pad.
The Lion Clip
The Lion Clip is the traditional working trim for the breed: the front half stays at natural length (at least 3 inches), the hindquarters from the last rib back are clipped short, and the muzzle is shaved. It suits wavy coats and owners with high maintenance tolerance, and it fits cold-water work.
At a glance
- Body length: front half at least 3 inches, scissored to follow the dog’s conformation
- Hindquarters: clipped from the midpoint between forechest and ischium, #10 to #4 blade
- Face and head: entire muzzle clipped from the inside corner of the eye to the nose, definite stop
- Tail: last quarter to third left full as the plume
- Maintenance: High, combing several times a week on the front half
- Regroom every: 6 to 8 weeks
- Best for: show dogs, cold climates, water sport
Per the PWDCA grooming guide, either coat variety may be shown in either the Lion Clip or the Retriever Clip, with no discrimination against a correct presentation of either.
Who it suits: People who want the breed’s original look. The clipped rear made the dog faster in water while the long chest coat protected the heart and lungs.
Watch out for: The long front half mats faster than any retriever length, and a neglected chest turns into a solid mat that only comes off with a shave down.
The Working Retriever Clip
Retriever length, tighter execution. The Working Retriever Clip keeps the coat between a half inch and one inch and hand scissors it to hug the dog’s outline, with the muzzle and throat taken down with a #10 to #4F blade.
At a glance
- Body length: 0.5 to 1 inch, scissored to the body line rather than clipped flat
- Face and head: muzzle and throat short, front feet rounded, back feet clipped close
- Tail: flag preserved at the tip
- Maintenance: Medium, brushing every other day
- Regroom every: 5 to 7 weeks
- Best for: dock diving, field work, agility
Who it suits: Active dogs that work in water weekly. Less coat means less drying time and fewer burrs after a field session.
Watch out for: Hand scissoring adds 30 to 45 minutes of salon time, so this trim usually costs more than a straight clipper job on the same dog.
The Summer Cut
The Summer Cut is a modified retriever clip taken down to a half inch or less, usually with a #7F or #5F blade over the body. It suits both coat varieties, it is the lowest maintenance option in the breed, and it works for June through August.
At a glance
- Body length: 1/4 to 1/2 inch, #7F or #5F blade
- Face and head: short muzzle, minimal topknot
- Tail: tuft kept at the tip, or clipped fully for pure practicality
- Maintenance: Low, a quick comb twice a week
- Regroom every: 8 to 10 weeks
- Best for: hot climates, senior dogs, dogs that swim daily, mat recovery
Who it suits: Owners in Texas, Florida, or anywhere the July heat index passes 100. Also the right call after a bad matting episode, since a short reset beats hours of painful dematting.
Watch out for: Short cuts strip the insulation that this breed evolved for cold Atlantic water, so a Portie in a half inch clip needs a coat in winter and sunscreen on a pale belly.
The Teddy Bear Cut
The Teddy Bear Cut pairs a retriever body with a full, rounded muzzle instead of a shaved one. Body sits at 1 to 1.5 inches, the face is scissored into a soft circle, and the topknot blends into the beard. It suits wavy coats and owners who brush daily.
At a glance
- Body length: 1 to 1.5 inches, #3 or #4 blade
- Face and head: full muzzle, rounded profile, beard and mustache left long
- Ears: blended into the head for a continuous round shape
- Maintenance: High on the face, medium on the body
- Regroom every: 5 to 6 weeks
- Best for: pet homes, dogs that do not swim much, owners who like a softer look
The same face shape drives the popularity of the teddy bear look on doodle coats, and Portie owners started asking for it for the same reason.
Who it suits: People who want warmth over working structure. It softens the breed’s long head into a rounder expression.
Watch out for: A long muzzle collects water, kibble, and mud. Skip a few days of face brushing and the beard mats into a hard clump under the chin.
The Puppy Cut
The Puppy Cut is a short, even first haircut run at 1/2 to 1 inch over the whole body, with light face and feet tidying. It suits the soft puppy coat, it keeps maintenance low, and it works best between 4 and 10 months.
Breeder guidance from Cold Harbor PWD recommends 10 to 15 minutes of grooming twice a week from the day the puppy comes home, because puppy coats carry heavy oils and rarely mat, which makes early sessions painless.
At a glance
- Body length: 1/2 to 1 inch
- Face and feet: light tidy only, eyes cleared
- Maintenance: Low
- Regroom every: 6 to 8 weeks
- Best for: dogs aged 4 to 10 months, first salon visits
Who it suits: Every young Portie. The point is the routine, not the haircut.
Watch out for: Owners who wait until six months to start brushing end up with an adolescent that fights the slicker brush and a groomer that charges a handling fee.
How to Choose the Right Portuguese Water Dog Haircut
Work through five checks in order:
- Match the cut to the coat variety. Curly coats do better short, wavy coats hold length.
- Factor in the season. Insulation matters from October to March.
- Estimate brushing time honestly. Under 10 minutes a day rules out the Lion Clip.
- Count the swims. Weekly water access pushes you toward retriever length or shorter.
- Consider age. Seniors sit through short grooms better than long ones.
| Grooming Style | Maintenance | Best Season |
|---|---|---|
| Retriever clip | Medium | Year-round |
| Lion clip | High | Fall and winter |
| Summer cut | Low | Late spring through early fall |
| Teddy bear cut | High (especially on the face) | Year-round for indoor dogs |
Coat texture varies inside the breed, and plenty of Porties carry curly bodies with wavy ears and tails. Owners of other wavy coated breeds run into the same mixed-texture problem.
The clip tradition here borrows directly from the Poodle, which explains why the blade numbers and the pattern language overlap so closely with the standard poodle trims.
How Often Should a Portuguese Water Dog Be Groomed?
A Portuguese Water Dog needs a full groom every 6 to 8 weeks and brushing down to the skin two to three times a week, minimum.
Wikipedia’s breed entry puts the trim interval at roughly every two months with brushing every other day. Ondakina Portuguese Water Dogs and the UK breed club both land on the same 6 to 8 week figure.
What shifts the interval:
- Lion Clip: pulls it toward 6 weeks because the long front section mats
- Summer Cut: stretches it to 8 to 10 weeks
- Heavy swimming: shortens it, since salt and chlorine tighten curls into mats
- Puppy to adult coat change: temporarily doubles brushing time for about two months
Rinse the coat with clean water after every swim. Skipping the rinse leaves salt in the hair, makes combing painful, and causes skin problems.
Hair grows inside the ear canal in this breed, so ear care runs on the same schedule. Cleaning after swimming with wipes made for canine ears prevents most infections.
Portuguese Water Dog Haircut Grooming Cost and What to Tell Your Groomer
A full groom for a Portuguese Water Dog runs $90 to $140 in the US, and at a 7 week average interval that lands around $700 to $1,000 a year.
Bestie Paws Hospital puts the national full groom average at $90 to $140 for large dogs and $65 to $85 for medium dogs. The same report shows grooming prices have climbed roughly 40 to 50 percent since 2019, driven by a shortage of professional groomers.
PetCareBooker’s 2025 data places high-maintenance large breeds at $1,080 to $1,800 annually. UK owners at Oldeely PWD report £60 or more per clip on an 8 week cycle.
| Grooming Service | Typical Add-on Cost |
|---|---|
| Dematting | $15 to $60, often billed in 15-minute increments |
| Mobile grooming | $15 to $25 above the standard salon price |
| Difficult handling fee | $10 to $30 |
| Standard tip | 15% to 20% |
What to say at the salon
Name the clip and the number. Groomers who have never touched a Portie will default to a doodle-style teddy trim unless you specify.
A script that works:
- “Retriever clip, one inch body with a #4 blade, muzzle shorter, leave the last third of the tail long as a flag.”
- “Lion clip, clip the hindquarters from the last rib with a #10, leave the front at three inches, plume at the tail tip.”
- “Feet scissored round, ears plucked, clear the eyes at the stop.”
Bring a photo. The flag tail is the detail most commonly lost, and once it goes you wait four months to get it back.
One more thing: book the next appointment before you leave. Mobile grooming in most metro markets is booked months out, which is exactly how a 7 week schedule quietly becomes an 11 week one.
FAQ on Portuguese Water Dog Haircut Styles
What is the most popular Portuguese Water Dog haircut?
The Retriever Clip is the most popular choice for pet Porties. One inch of coat over the whole body, a shorter muzzle, and the last third of the tail left long as the flag.
What is the difference between the lion clip and the retriever clip?
The Lion Clip shaves the hindquarters and muzzle while leaving the front half at three inches or more. The Retriever Clip keeps one even length across the entire dog.
Why do Portuguese Water Dogs have shaved back ends?
The shaved rear comes from fishing work in Portugal. Less coat behind the ribs meant less drag while swimming, and the long chest coat kept warmth over the heart and lungs.
Can you shave a Portuguese Water Dog in summer?
Yes. A summer cut at a quarter to half an inch works well in heat, though it removes the coat’s insulation, so a shaved Portie needs a jacket come winter.
How often does a Portuguese Water Dog need a haircut?
Every 6 to 8 weeks for a full groom. Brushing runs two to three times weekly, down to the skin, and daily on a Lion Clip’s long front section.
What clipper blade is used on a Portuguese Water Dog?
Blades range from #10 to #4 depending on the section and the owner’s preference. A #4 blade or one inch guard comb gives standard retriever length, and #10 handles the muzzle.
Do Portuguese Water Dogs shed?
Barely. They carry a single coat with no undercoat, so hair keeps growing rather than dropping. Low shedding does not mean low maintenance, since that same coat mats constantly.
Can you groom a Portuguese Water Dog at home?
Yes, with a slicker brush, a greyhound comb, clippers, and a high velocity dryer. Start the routine in puppyhood. Adult dogs that were never handled young fight every session.
Which haircuts are allowed in the AKC show ring?
Two clips only: the Lion Clip and the Retriever Clip. Both coat varieties, curly and wavy, may be presented in either one with no penalty either way.
What is the flag tail on a Portuguese Water Dog?
The tuft of full-length hair left on the last quarter to third of the tail. Groomers unfamiliar with the breed often clip it off, and regrowth takes months.
Conclusion
Choosing between Portuguese Water Dog haircut styles comes down to two questions: which coat variety you own, and how many minutes a day you will spend with a comb.
The Lion Clip carries the working history from the Algarve. The Retriever Clip carries the workload of a normal week.
Neither one survives a skipped brushing routine, and dematting a felted curly coat costs more than the groom itself.
Buy a decent slicker brush and a greyhound comb before you book anything.
Keep the sanitary trim tidy, plucked ears clean after swims, and the topknot out of the eyes.
Then pick your clip, learn the blade numbers, and say them out loud at the salon. Specificity is what separates a good Portie groom from a doodle haircut.
