American Water Spaniel: the chocolate-coloured rarity that swims like a seal

The American Water Spaniel is an all-round hunting dog, and although it has all the right qualities, it is for some reason very rare. The official dog of the state of Wisconsin, it performs well not only in the field, but also as a family pet.

The American Water Spaniel is mostly restricted to the Great Lakes region, but is also very rare in the United States. 3,000 of them are thought to live in the mainland.

History

Its development dates back to the 19th century, around the American Fox and Wolf rivers. European immigrants who settled in Wisconsin and Minnesota depended on waterfowl for their livelihood. They needed the perfect hunting dog, which they developed using European breeds. Presumably the Irish Water Spaniel, the now extinct English Water Spaniel and the Curly-Coated Retriever. It was important that the breed developed should have a good sense of smell, be able to retrieve, be comfortable on the water and fit into the hunters’ boats. The American Water Spaniel performed these tasks perfectly.

Fans of the breed say, it swims like a seal. But it also holds its own on land, and has been used to hunt quail, pheasants and rabbits. After the Second World War, a growing number of dog breeds appeared in America: different setters, spaniels and pointers, specialised for a particular job. The all-purpose American water spaniel was somewhat overshadowed. An enthusiastic breeder, Dr Fred J. Pfeifer, rushed to the breed’s rescue. He bred a lot of dogs and sold them at a good price so that as many people as possible could get to know them. The dog, then known as the American Brown Spaniel, was “advertised” as a pure American breed, bred with great care over many years to be an excellent hunting dog and companion. This was his way of trying to appeal to people’s patriotism.

As a consequence, the breed was recognized by the United Kennel Club and later by the American Kennel Club. The American Water Spaniel was introduced in 1985 as the official dog of the State of Wisconsin as the official dog of Wisconsin. Despite all these efforts, however, it is still a rare breed, especially outside the United States.

Breed standard

From American Water Spaniel is a medium-sized dog breed. An active, muscular dog with a wavy or curly coat. The head is in harmony with the body, moderately long. His gaze is alert, intelligent and self-conscious. The muzzle is moderately developed, not pronounced. Skull broad, powerful. Nose dark brown or black. Nostrils wide to aid sniffing. Lips firm, not drooping. Bite pincers or scissors. Eyes are moderately large, set apart, rounded and not bulging. Eye colour can vary from yellowish brown to brown, matching the colour of the coat. Yellow eye colour is not allowed. The ears are pinned along the eye line, long and broad, reaching to the tip of the dog’s nose.

Neck of medium length, strong and muscular. Trunk well developed, strong but not compact. Straight muzzle, strong loins. Chest neither too broad nor too narrow; strong. Moves in a well-balanced, well-balanced manner. Forelimbs straight, well boned, hindquarters dynamic, powerful. Paws proportionate to the dog’s stature, fingers close fitting, pads well padded. Tail moderately long, slightly curved, tapering towards the tip, covered with flagging hair.

The coat may be wavy or curly, alternating on different parts of the body. Undercoat dense, weather resistant. Uni-coloured liver or chocolate brown. A little white is allowed on the fingers and chest. Height at withers 38–46 cm, weight 11–20 kg depending on sex.

Expected lifetime 13–15 years.

Character

He is lively, energetic, intelligent and always likes to be given a task, which he is happy to do. He is happy to please his owner, friendly and obedient. With the right socialisation and positive reinforcement positive reinforcement is also essential. This is how he becomes a well-balanced, willing and kind companion. He is people-oriented and gets on well with other dogs. He loves all members of the family, but there is typically always one person who is particularly close to his heart. It is worth doing various dog sports with him, such as flyball, agility or dock jumping in the case of the latter, we can also make use of his love of swimming.

Ideal environment

American Water Spaniels do not like solitude, so keeping them outside only is not recommended at all. It likes to be close to people and used to be kept as a pack dog, so it definitely needs company. If you don’t get that, and bored, he may develop behavioural problems, he may bark a lot and destructive behaviour. Also, work is very important to him, and he needs to have a job. Without mental stimulation he may also have the problems mentioned above. He is also an active and lively breed, so he needs to be exercised by his owner. It can be kept in an apartment and is very fond of children, being friendly with them. It is therefore not only a hunting dog, but also a great family pet.

Care

The variety has a dense, weather-resistant coat with a slightly oily surface to repel water. For this reason, it does not require bathing unless it gets very messy. The coat is easy to care for, just brushing every few days, more often during the moulting season. A ears and eyes should always be kept clean, and trim the claws if they become too long.

Common health problems

From American Water Spaniel is a healthy breed: it has not become a fashion dog and has changed very little over time. A cataract and an eye disease called entropion, which causes the eyelids to turn inwards. He may show dermatitis caused by a lack of growth hormone, which can cause hair loss. This usually occurs in males between 1 and 5 years of age. Symmetrical shedding of hair on the body, where the skin also darkens. Treatment is expensive, but if left untreated the whole animal can become bald except for the head and limbs. Neutering can be a solution to this inherited problem. It can occur he may have allergies or hypothyroidism or hypothyroidism.