Portuguese Water Dog Club of America collection

The collection comprehensively chronicles the club and breed's development over the course of 30 years in the United States.

The meeting minutes, dating back to the club's founding, provide a wealth of information about the breed and the club in the United States. These files may also contain correspondence, memorandum, and other documents. Beginning in 2002, audio and video recordings of club meetings are available.

The club administration files include annual reports (1997-2005), membership directories (1975-2006), AKC breed presentations, breed standards, constitutions and by-laws, the club logo design and ephemera, and more. The correspondence includes a general chronological series of notices, breed standard updates, clippings, and meeting highlights sent out to members from 1975 to 1999. Further correspondence is arranged by subject, such as The Courier, genetics, hair loss and committee related files.

The dog registries materials feature some of the earliest records of the breed in United States -- most significantly, the Portuguese Water Dog litter registry begun in 1971. Also present are import registration certificates, examples of some of the earliest PWDS in the country, and sample registration forms from Portugal.

The publications series contains books, various magazines and clippings, and numerous breed newsletters. In addition to the parent club newsletters, also present are local PWD club-related newsletters, such as, the Cruise Line, a bi-monthly newsletter with an emphasis on PWD owners in the western United States and the southeastern region's The Dixie Courier and The Navigator.

The dog show materials include select National Specialty catalogs, results sheets, premium lists, and photographs. Videocassette recordings are available for Specialties between 1992 and 2001 -- including conformation as well as obedience, agility, and water trials -- as well as a few water trial events and classes in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Realia present are a 1997 Specialty tote bag; flag featuring a Portuguese Water Dog; commemorative pins for the annual shows starting with their first in 1992, which is made of pewter; and ribbons and rosettes won by the preeminent Ch. Charlie de Alvalade.