Fresh Food for Portuguese Water Dogs
The Portuguese water dog gained 21st-century fame for a stint occupying the White House, but this breed served for hundreds of years as a fisherman’s workmate. Today, the “Portie” retains its webbed feet and its athletic, water-loving nature. They require vigorous daily exercise to keep them from boredom and destructive behavior—all the better if that exercise includes swimming. Porties have a dense single coat, which may be wavy or tight-curled and they don’t shed much. Though no dog is truly hypo-allergenic, they are considered low-allergen.
A diet of fresh dog food for your Portuguese water dog is the best way to support their health and happiness—along with daily exercise, regular vet care, and an occasional dive in a lake.
What’s the best dog food for Portuguese water dogs?
A diet of fresh dog food for your Portuguese water dog contributes to a healthy, active life, and could help stave off some of the ailments common to this breed.
Why fresh is best for your Portuguese Water Dogs
Highly processed kibble can contribute to many issues that can compromise your Portuguese Water Dogs’s health. Recipes from The Farmer’s Dog are made with fresh, human-grade ingredients, steamed to retain nutrients, and pre-portioned to help maintain weight.
Feed Fresh TodayProtect joints
Portuguese water dogs are prone to joint issues. Maintaining a lean body condition can help. And fresh food from The Farmer’s Dog contains Omega-3 fatty acids, proven to reduce inflammation and improve arthritis. Even if kibble contains these healthy fats, they can go rancid sitting on the shelf for long periods. Rancid fats don’t deliver the intended health benefits, and in fact can contribute to inflammation. Fresh food delivers these powerful nutrients intact to your Portuguese water dog.
Dial up dental health (and fresh breath!)
For dogs like Portuguese water dogs, who may be prone to dental disease, don’t look to a dried pellet to clean teeth. Kibble is an ultra-processed food—it sticks to teeth, contributing to plaque, and it can contain substances that actually fuel inflammation in the tissues of the body, including the mouth. Eating for dental health means eating for overall health. A fresh, whole-food diet promotes a healthier immune system, which helps ward off dental infections—and it doesn’t stick to teeth.
Know what’s in the bowl
For Portuguese water dogs with dry and itchy skin, sensitive stomachs, or other signs of food allergies and sensitivities, it’s important to know exactly what you’re feeding—something that can be impossible with kibble, which often contains ingredients not listed on the bag. Allergies and intolerances to food are all too common and many dog owners notice symptoms clear up when they switch to fresh food.
Maintain a healthy weight
It’s critically important to avoid overfeeding any dog, big or small. Being even a little overweight can increase your Portuguese water dog's odds of developing a host of diseases like arthritis, diabetes, and even cancer. A fresh-food plan, tailored to your dog’s needs, and delivered in pre-portioned packs, makes weight maintenance easy.
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