American Water Spaniel
The American Water Spaniel is a spaniel breed which has its origins in the United States. The breed was developed from various other breeds in ‘Wisconsin’ during the 19th century. These include the Irish and English Water Spaniels. The American Water Spaniel was hoarded by Dr. Fred J. Pfeifer, who established the breed club and standard. His work led to credit for the breed by United Kennel Club, and afterward, the American Kennel Club.
American Water Spaniel is a medium-sized dog with a double coated fur, which comes in a variety of brown related shades. As an adaptable hunting dog, American Water Spaniel is also appropriate for apartment life due to work by breeders to produce a breed of friendly nature.
The average weight of American Water Spaniel ranges between 25 to 45 pounds (11 to 20 kg), and the average height of the breed is about 15 to 18 inches (38 to 46 cm) at the withers.
Appearance
The scant popularity of American Water Spaniel reduced the development of the breed, resulting in the breed being comparatively unchanged since its origins in the 19th century. The dog has a similar structure to the Irish Water Spaniel, but the Irish breed is somewhat larger.
Coat and Color
The American Water Spaniel is a medium-sized pooch, with a curly liver, brown, or chocolate colored fur. The dog’s coat can be divided into two different categories, either tightly curled or the marcel design, where the coat falls in waves. The working and show lines have not separated as with some other types of spaniel, and both look similar, with show dogs of this breed being rare.
The coat has a rough outer layer which keeps water away and safeguards the dog from foliage. The inner layer gives insulation to keep the dog warm. The breed’s standard identifies the color of eyes should correspond to the coat color, and should never be yellow. The skull is broad, with long and wide ears. The tail is not naturally docked.
Temperament
On the ground, the American Water Spaniel is less excited than English Springer Spaniel, but it is as accomplished in retrieval as Labrador or Golden Retriever. It is adaptable irrespective of its type. In the water, the dog is not the fastest swimmer but has a high level of stamina. The breed is also good at agility and flyball, as the first breed got ‘Flyball Championship Title’ in 1993.
The American Water Spaniel is a one family dog, often likes the company of one specific person. For many years, the dog was "pack bred", where they were permitted to live in a group. Since then, the breeders are working to breed even-tempered dogs that are appropriate for both hunting and family life.
Training and Socialization
The breed responds well to a suitable training and particularly excels at different types of training rather than routine drills. Though, some members of the breed may have issues with food greediness. They can be stubborn, and mentally they are sluggish to be matured. Some dogs of the breed still have dominant and aggressive nature. Mostly the American Water Spaniel is friendlier with children and likes playing with them, even though the dog was basically bred for hunting. But due to its size, the dog is acceptable for apartment life as long as they get sufficient exercises.
History
American Water Spaniel was developed in Wisconsin, the state of USA during the early 19th century. The predators looked-for a dog that could work on both land and water, a multipurpose hunter that capable to participate in multiple games. The breeds involved in the formation of American Water Spaniel are comprised; English Water Spaniel, Irish Water Spaniel, Curly Coated Retriever, Native Indian Dogs, Poodle, Sussex Spaniel, or other types of spaniel.
After the work by Dr. Fred J. Pfeifer, United Kennel Club introduced the American Water Spaniel in 1920. Afterward, Mr. John Scofield of Missouri and Mr. Thomas Brogdan of Rush Lake (Wisconsin) worked with AWSC and introduced the breed at American Kennel Club in 1940. Then the dog was made ‘the state dog of Wisconsin’ in 1985. The American Water Spaniel was a rare breed during 1998, and only 233 puppies were listed with American Kennel Club. In 2010, the dog was a popular breed in the United States. The dogs are not categorized exactly as either Retrievers or Spaniels.
Also see: Cute Pictures of American Water Spaniel Puppies