Portuguese Water Dog Care

The Portuguese Water Dog (PWD, or simply "Portie") is a medium-sized breed that's believed to be descended from the Standard Poodle. Dogs of this breed were originally developed to assist fishermen, so they love the water--but nowadays their swimming is more of the recreational kind, as they're fun-loving, intelligent family pets. Luckily for owners, Portuguese Water Dog care isn't too time-consuming. Below you'll find plenty of details on maintaining your Portie: puppy development, exercise needs, diet and nutrition, and more. For answers to all your Portuguese Water Dog-related questions, keep reading!

As with any breed, Portuguese Water Dog exercise is vital to its happiness, longevity, and peace. Since these dogs were historically developed to be fishermen's helpers, they love nothing more than a good swim--but they're great jogging companions as well, and they're probably up for a good long game of fetch anytime their owners are.

But specifically how much exercise does a Portie need each day? The typical adult PWD, depending on its age and overall activity level, will need about 45 minutes of proper physical activity on a daily basis. You can begin exercising your Portie puppy at three months of age by taking it on short (5- to 10-minute) walks, then increasing the walks' frequency and duration as the puppy grows.

Some precautions to consider when exercising your Portuguese Water Dog: first, puppies younger than nine months old shouldn't participate in exercises that include a lot of jumping and running, as doing so can injure their still -developing joints and bones and cause major joint issues once they mature. And regardless of age, dogs of this breed have moderate prey drives and wandering tendencies, so some Porties might require a leash when in public to keep them from running off. Even when you're exercising in your own yard, it's probably a good idea to do so in a fenced area to avoid the dog from taking off after interesting-looking critters like squirrels or birds.

Safeguards aside, it's important to exercise your PWD every single day. These dogs are known to become extremely frustrated--and in turn, destructive--if not exercised enough, so consistent physical activity will be great for both the dog and you. A few exercise ideas:

• Walking/Jogging: Two 20-minute walks (or 15-minute jogs) per day is a good target
• Fetch: Your Portie will chase a ball or stick until you're tired of throwing it
• Swimming: A natural, instinctive activity for these dogs (they even have webbed toes!)
• Dog Park: A PWD normally loves the company of other dogs
• Hiking: Excellent bonding activity

When indoors, it's a good idea to give your Portie access to one or more balls or chew-toys that will allow the dog to burn off any excess energy. It's also recommended that you establish a consistent daily exercise schedule for the dog, such as walks or jogs after breakfast and dinner and a play period in the afternoon.

Care needed for these dogs in terms of shedding and drooling is very low overall. Portuguese Water Dog shedding problems are basically non-existent; so, too, is the breed's tendency to drool.

Porties have curly or wavy, single-layered coats--which means there's no undercoat to shed hair. But does a Portuguese Water Dog shed at all? It does, but very little. This and other breeds that are considered hypoallergenic still shed hair and skin dander, only the amount is usually not enough to trigger allergies in humans. Still, breed experts recommend that anyone considering a "hypoallergenic" Portie (or any breed, for that matter) should spend a little time with one first to see what their allergic reactions are.

A Portie may also drool a bit in anticipation of food or when it pants in extremely hot weather, but very little otherwise. If your Portuguese Water Dog is drooling excessively, it may be a sign of a medical issue, in which case a veterinarian's care may be needed.

The Portuguese Water Dog diet is essential to keeping these dogs healthy and long-living. As with any breed, Porties will need food that's high in animal proteins and carbohydrates--and since this breed has spent centuries working with fishermen, fish has been a big part of its diet. The best Portuguese Water Dog food, then, is a premium dry kibble, as this type has the above-listed nutrients a Portie requires; cheap, generic, "store-brand" foods simply won't provide enough long-term nutrition for the dog to remain healthy. PWD owners are also urged to include fresh or canned fish (cod, sardines, tuna, or swordfish, among others) to their dogs' meals at least three times per week.

Regarding daily portions for your Portie: a mature PWD, depending on its age, size, and activity level, will need about three cups of premium dry food per day, divided into two meals. A Portie puppy, again depending on its age, will need somewhat less: about two cups per day, divided into three meals (not two) until six months old. It's a good idea to feed a young PWD puppy food for its first nine months or so, then you can transition to adult food by mixing the two types for a few days. It's also recommended that you establish a consistent feeding schedule for your Portie so it gets used to eating at the same time every day.

For more details on feeding a Portuguese Water Dog, see this chart:

*--Around this time, transition to adult food by first mixing just a bit of adult formula with the puppy formula. Over the course of a week, with each meal add a little more adult food to the mixture until the dog is eating it entirely.

Try to stick to the above-listed portions. Though a Portie could eat much more, these amounts are ample enough--and your PWD will possibly become obese if overfed too often, which will lead to joint, breathing, and digestive problems, not to mention a shortened lifespan. You can control a Portuguese Water Dog's weight in several ways: by establishing regular feeding and exercise schedules; by not feeding the dog table scraps; and by not leaving food in the dog's bowl all the time, thereby allowing it to eat anytime it wants. It's better to put your Portie's bowl down only at mealtimes, then pick it up a few minutes after the dog begins eating.

If you're worried your Portuguese Water Dog is overweight, give the dog this simple test: run a hand along its side, and if you can't feel any ribs, it's diet time. Reduce your Portie's daily food consumption by one-fourth, and add an extra walk, jog, or play period to its daily exercise schedule.

Technically speaking, the Portuguese Water Dog is both an inside and outside breed. While these dogs will need a good bit of outdoor exercise each day, they'll be much happier living inside with their human family members. And for the Portuguese Water Dog, apartment living can be okay--just make sure your PWD gets a chance to get out and stretch its legs on a daily basis!

Another consideration for owners of a Portuguese Water Dog: weather. In reality, these dogs are pretty adaptable to most climates, and will be comfortable in all but extremely hot or cold temps.