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American Water Spaniel
The
American Water Spaniel was bred to be a powerful working gun
dog. It is only one of the few breeds that are credited with
being purely American.
History:
It is believed that the
American Water Spaniel was developed as a breed in the Middle
East before being brought to America. Dedicated breeders
selectively bred the American Water Spaniel until it became
the truly magnificent Spaniel of today. The breed was made up
from crossing various water spaniels such as the Old English
and the Irish, with a contribution from the Curly Coated
Retriever.
Physical
characteristics:
This powerfully built
medium-sized dog has the appearance of an athlete, just
waiting for its owner's command to spring into action. Height:
15 18 in (38 - 46 cm). Weight: 25 45 lb (11.3 - 20.4 kg). It
has a long, lean head with eyes neatly filling but not
protruding from the sockets. The long ears set the face to
provide a very endearing and gentle expression.
The
medium-length muscular neck smoothly flows onto a compact body
with a broad chest. The muscular flanks are complemented by a
long tail which seems to never stop wagging. The dense coat is
closely curled and may be colored dark chocolate or liver,
with just a small amount of white on the chest or toes.
Behavior:
This medium-sized dog has a
gentle nature, but it has managed to retain the qualities of a
working gun dog. It is very intelligent and responds well to
training. As the name suggests, this dog was bred to retrieve
from water, and it is generally an excellent swimmer. Owners
of the American Water Spaniel should not be surprised if their
dog pulls them in the direction of lakes and other bodies of
water.
American
Water Spaniels make very good watch-dogs and will happily
alert their owner to the sound of intruders. In most cases
they get along very well with other dogs but benefit from
socialization as puppies. Like other spaniels, the American
Water Spaniel can make an excellent companion dog for both
single people and families alike. Although they may be content
with only moderate exercise, they will thrive if they are
worked regularly.
These
dogs require regular thorough brushing and particular
attention should be given to their ears.
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