The Portuguese Water Dog boasts having a single, but extremely thick and water resistant coat that can be harsh with very tight curls or moderately long with much looser curls. A dog's hindquarters are usually clipped which is often referred to as a "lion clip" because all that's left on a dog's tail is a plume of hair on the tip. This task is best left up to an expert dog groomer and it would need to be done a few times a year to keep things tidy.
They are high maintenance on the grooming front because their coats need a daily brush even though they are non-shedding dogs to prevent any matts or tangles from forming which is particularly true of longer coated dogs. As such a daily brush is necessary and it helps reinforce a bond between an owner and their dog. It's also important to check a dog's ears on a regular basis especially as they love to be in water and to clean them when necessary. If too much wax is allowed to build up in a dog's ears, it can lead to a painful infection which can be hard to clear up. The same can be said if too much moisture gets into a dog's ear canal so if a dog has been in the water, it's really important to make sure their ears are thoroughly dried afterwards. In short, prevention is often easier than cure when it comes to ear infections.
The Portuguese Water Dog is a high energy, intelligent dog and as such they need to be given the right amount of daily exercise combined with as much stimulation as possible for them to be truly happy, well-rounded and obedient dogs. Ideally, they need to be given at least 2 hour’s exercise a day and as much mental stimulation as possible which should include lots of interactive games.
A shorter walk in the morning would be fine, but a longer more interesting one in the afternoon is a must. These dogs also like to be able to roam around a back garden as often as possible so they can really let off steam. However, the fencing has to be extremely secure to keep these energetic dogs in because if they find a weakness in the fence, they will soon escape out and get into all sorts of trouble.
With this said, PWD puppies should not be over exercised because their joints and bones are still growing. This includes not letting a dog jump up and down from furniture or going up or down the stairs. Too much pressure placed on their joints and spines at an early age could result in a dog developing problems later in their lives.
If you get a PWD puppy from a breeder, they would give you a feeding schedule and it's important to stick to the same routine, feeding the same puppy food to avoid any tummy upsets. You can change a puppy's diet, but this needs to be done very gradually always making sure they don't develop any digestive upsets and if they do, it's best to put them back on their original diet and to discuss things with the vet before attempting to change it again.
Older dogs are not known to be fussy or finicky eaters, but this does not mean you can feed them a lower quality diet. It's best to feed a mature dog twice a day, once in the morning and then again in the evening, making sure it's good quality food that meets all their nutritional requirements. It's also important that dogs be given the right amount of exercise so they burn off any excess calories or they might gain too much weight which can lead to all sorts of health issues. Obesity can shorten a dog's life by several years so it's important to keep an eye on their waistline from the word go.
Because Portuguese Water Dogs are prone to suffer from bloat, it is really important that they be fed twice a day instead of giving them just one larger meal a day. It's also a good idea to invest in a stand to place their feed bowl which makes it easier for these large dogs to eat comfortably without having to stretch their necks down low to reach their food. You should never exercise a dog just before or just after they have eaten either because this puts them more at risk of suffering from gastric torsion.
