My Portuguese Water Dog, Miss Millie, came to the world on May 13, 2011.
Miss Millie at 4 Weeks Old
Her registered name is Pili Lani Ke Aloha Keike Mile. Her breeder asked for their registered names to be Hawaiian to follow their love of the state. I complied and in my world, this means My Beloved Baby Millie. At least it is what the Google translator I found put together for me. And in epic Heather style I forgot the ‘s on her kennel name so instead of Pili Lani’s she is just Pili Lani.
Miss Millie is my second dog ever, my first pure bred, and the first dog I’ve competed with in anything. Knowing the breed, I knew we needed to start training on the first day. She passed her puppy, beginner, and intermediate obedience classes at the San Diego Humane Society. We also did our CGC training there but she was too young when we took the test to pass the first two times so we took a break.
I found our permanent trainer in Jan 2012 and we have been with her ever since. She offered water classes and would focus on training with Portuguese Water Dogs (come to find out she had one of her own)…bingo! Millie started swim lessons in the Pacific Ocean in January…yea probably not the best idea but that’s how I think. By April was swimming pretty successfully on her own. As long as I was in the water with her or she was jumping off a boat and swimming back to me. She wouldn’t leave me on land and swim away but I trained her to be my sidekick so it wasn’t surprising.
Miss Millie’s Achievements
She has gone on to pass her Canine Good Citizen test, as well as the Canine Good Citizen Advanced and Canine Good Citizen Urban.
Miss Millie has received AKC titles in Novice and Open Agility Standard Preferred, Novice and Open FAST Agility Preferred, and Novice and Open Agility Jumpers with Weaves Preferred.
She has a Junior Portuguese Water Dog Certificate and we have attempted her Apprentice Portuguese Water Dog title 10 times….and if her human wasn’t a total dork she would have passed twice. When in doubt it is always my fault she isn’t more successful.
Miss Millie has also received her Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced Trick Dog titles. She has been altered so she will never receive her Championship nor will she have puppies…which is a great thing because they would all live with me.
Miss Millie with the zoomies at the beach
Miss Millie’s formal name is:
Pili Lani Ke Aloha Keike Mile OAP NJP OFP CGCA CGCU TKA
Besides being an awesome performance dog, she is the most loveable dog on the planet. My niece and nephews love her and she is so sweet with children.
When she isn’t cuddle up on the couch or running around like a crazy dog you can find her begging for food, possibly counter surfing (a PWD specialty), digging holes for her prized bones and chews (the standard ones get chewed on), or acting like a statue on the chair.
Come follow us on social media to see what Miss Millie is up to.
My Portuguese Water Dog