On June 10, 2023, the membership unanimously approved Janis Watts as Honorary Member of the Rio Salgado Portuguese Water Dog Club of Arizona.
In 1984, just as Portuguese Water Dogs were fully recognized by the American Kennel Club, and with only 182 registered PWDs in the United States, Janis acquired her first PWD “Lucy”. In 1985 she acquired her foundation bitch, Gentileza do Mar (later Ch.) and in 1988, she acquired the highly regarded CH Thor of Dell Mountain. With direct ties to CH Charlie de Alvalade and Farmion kennels, she began with the best, and in 1988 Legado Kennels was born. Legado was one of the 23 kennels described in detail in the Second Edition of the New Complete Portuguese Water Dog (1997). Legado, Portuguese for legacy or envoy, is a most appropriate name for this important breeding program.
Janis, and a small group of Phoenix PWD owners, organized a Supported Entry in October 1990 attended by PWD legends Maryanne Murray, Letty Afong, Bev Rafferty, Bob Arends, and Sonja Santos. On May 8, 1991, a group of 12 held the first meeting of the Rio Salgado Portuguese Water Dog Club. Janis served as President in 1992, 1995, 2000-2002; Vice-President 1996, 2003, 2011; Recording Secretary 1998-1999; Corresponding Secretary 2012; and Director 2005-2006, 2010. In addition to Supported Entries, Janis led or encouraged club activities such as Ports in the Pines (trail hikes), Brags and Cries, educating members about PWDs, and the beloved Golden PWD Celebration. She so loved her dogs and the breed, that any PWD that reached the golden age of 10 and beyond, should be honored and celebrated. While working with her fabulous dogs (names always beginning with “L”) in conformation, obedience, rally, tracking, therapy, agility, scent work and water, she helped many with training in these sports, and was awarded the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America’s AKC Outstanding Sportsmanship Award in 2017. This award honors those individuals who deserve special recognition who have made a difference in the sport of purebred dogs, who embody the AKC Code of Sportsmanship, and who is an active and valued member of the PWDCA. She also assisted Judy Seibert in making the first PWD grooming video (VHS) in 1996. Janis is an AKC Breeder of Merit, producing champion PWDs that excel in performance as well as the show ring.
Her contributions to the breed are outstanding as she has served several times as Board Member of the PWDCA, aided the development of the first Water Trial Program and the first National Specialty. She has served on a number of PWDCA committees including By-Laws, Nominating, Regional Sanctioning, Committee Reviews, and Futurity/Maturity Program where she served as Coordinator for over 10 years. She has been a liaison for the Top Twenty and PWD Canadian Club water trials, Area Representative, and AKC delegate. She is a licensed AKC Conformation Judge, judged PWDs at the 2016 National Specialty (both America and Canada) and was breed judge at the 2018 National Specialty where she spoke at the awards banquet, stressing the importance of the working ability of the Portuguese Water Dog, and encouraged all breeders to at least attend water trials, even if they do not participate, to watch the breed at work. She has been a long-time member of the Judges Education Committee, holding seminars and mentoring judges for the breed.
Janis Watts is hereby awarded Honorary Life-Time Membership in the Rio Salgado Portuguese Water Dog Club of Arizona for extraordinary contributions to the club and to the breed.
