Portuguese Water Dogs are not that smart. German Shepherds are usually very smart, so I have to agree with Biden here. A Portie was a horrible choice for a first dog for 2 kids living in the WH. They need lots of hard exercise of they get bored and they can be destructive. I have sent several dogs to my handler to be shown and finished and I asked him about Porties when they got it. He is less than impressed with the breed and he sees them at every show he goes to.
Then again, you can see why they are a natural fit for the Kennedy family. They fit right in with the rest of the pack.