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American Water Spaniel

charming / eager / happy
Sporting Group >>

Average sizes and life
expectancy of the breed.

Height

15-18 inches

Weight

30-40 pounds (male)

25-40 pounds(female)

Life Expectancy

10-14 years

Breed Traits & Characteristics

Affectionate With Family
  • Independent Lovey-Dovey
    60% 60%
How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.
Good With Young Children
  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    60% 60%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.
GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS
  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    60% 60%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

  • No Shedding Hair Everywhere
    20% 20%
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

  • Monthly Daily
    60% 60%
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

  • Less Likely to Drool Always Have a Towel
    18% 18%
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

  • Reserved Everyone Is My Best Friend
    60% 60%
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

  • Only When You Want To Play Non-Stop
    60% 60%
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

  • What's Mine Is Yours Vigilant
    60% 60%
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

  • Lives For Routine Highly Adaptable
    60% 60%
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

  • Self-Willed Eager to Please
    100% 100%
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

  • Couch Potato High Energy
    60% 60%
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

  • Only To Alert Very Vocal
    60% 60%
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

  • Happy to Lounge Needs a Job or Activity
    60% 60%
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

Affectionate With Family

  • Independent Lovey-Dovey
    60% 60%

How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.

Good With Young Children

  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    60% 60%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.

GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS

  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    60% 60%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

  • No Shedding Hair Everywhere
    20% 20%
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

  • Monthly Daily
    60% 60%
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

  • Less Likely to Drool Always Have a Towel
    18% 18%
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

  • Reserved Everyone Is My Best Friend
    60% 60%
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

  • Only When You Want To Play Non-Stop
    60% 60%
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

  • What's Mine Is Yours Vigilant
    60% 60%
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

  • Lives For Routine Highly Adaptable
    60% 60%
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

  • Self-Willed Eager to Please
    100% 100%
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

  • Couch Potato High Energy
    60% 60%
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

  • Only To Alert Very Vocal
    60% 60%
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

  • Happy to Lounge Needs a Job or Activity
    60% 60%
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

About the Breed

The American Water Spaniel is a happy, active outdoor dog that enjoys swimming and hunting. It is a native of the upper Midwest lake country. They are reputed to be cheerful, enthusiastic, and endearing, albeit reserved with strangers and a little headstrong. American Water Spaniels are powerful mid-sized gundogs who are not very showy in appearance or behavior. They can be identified by their lush brown coat, which is either tightly curled or wavy. These spaniels were bred to work the frigid waters and marshy banks of the Great Lakes region, and they are well-suited for the task thanks to their thick, waterproof coat, heavily cushioned feet, webbed toes, and petite bodies that allow them to hop into and out of skiffs without wobbling. Admirers of the breed describe it as a happy, bright, and adaptable spaniel that is suitable for a number of dog activities. They blend the hunting abilities of retrievers and spaniels. Activity is the key to an American Water Spaniel’s happiness, especially when it involves its beloved owner. A dog with little work might be noisy and naughty.

 

What To Expect When Caring For a American Water Spaniel

Owning a dog is not just a privilege; it’s a responsibility. They depend on us for, at minimum, food and shelter, and deserve much more. When you take a dog into your life, you need to understand the commitment that dog ownership entails.

Health

The majority of American Water Spaniels, like dogs of all breeds, will live long, healthy lives if given the right care and frequent veterinary checkups. Breeding stock will be examined for conditions such as hip dysplasia, eye problems, cardiac anomalies, and degenerative myelopathy by a reputable breeder.
Recommended Health Tests From the National Breed Club:
  • Hip Evaluation
  • Cardiac Exam
  • Ophthalmologist Evaluation

Grooming

The strong, water-resistant coat of the American Water Spaniel can be either tightly coiled or wavy. The breed's insulating, double-layer coat makes it possible for it to function in the chilly waters of the Great Lakes region, where it was developed. Weekly grooming is necessary, although it's a rather straightforward procedure. The coat is sparser in the summer and can be shaped with a rubber-tipped pin brush. The dead hair from the undercoat should be removed using a slicker brush the rest of the year, but especially during shedding season. The American Water Spaniel's nails should be frequently cut, as with all breeds.  

Exercise

American Water Spaniels are athletic outdoor dogs who enjoy swimming and hunting, therefore they require a lot of activity. Without enough exercise, they may become belligerent and destructive. Every day, they must engage in strenuous play sessions in a park or a big backyard with their owner or another dog. But when given a task to do, they actually flourish and make excellent hunting partners—after all, it's in their DNA. The American Water Spaniel will have the opportunity to use all that extra energy constructively by competing in field trials, obedience, agility, or dock diving competitions.  

Training

Early socialization puppy training programs are very advised for all breeds. Between the ages of approximately 7 weeks and 4 months, the puppy should be gently socialized, which will aid in his development into a well-adjusted, well-behaved adult. American Water Spaniels are cheerful dogs who only want to please their owners. However, they are frequently reserved with strangers and some may even exhibit a hint of stubbornness. They are thus simple to teach and enjoyable. Due to this breed's enthusiasm and natural abilities, owners and their dogs love competing in dog sports including tracking agility, barn hunts, and flyball as well as field competitions, which train the dog to flush out game and recover ducks.  

Nutrition

The American Water Spaniel should thrive on a portion of premium dog food, whether it is produced commercially or is made at home under the guidance and consent of your veterinarian. Whatever the dog's age (puppy, adult, or senior), the diet should be suitable. Watch your dog's calorie intake and weight level because certain dogs are prone to obesity. Treats can be a valuable training tool, but offering them in excess might lead to obesity. Discover which foods fit the bill for canine consumption and which don't. If you have any worries about your dog's weight or diet, consult your veterinarian. Fresh water that is clean should always be accessible.  

History

The evolution of American breeds is a prime example of “Yankee ingenuity”—a special talent for repurposing resources from the Old World to address issues in the New World. The “coonhounds” that helped drive our country’s westward development by providing a consistent source of meat and fur are a clear example of how American settlers used European breeds. The American Water Spaniel is just another excellent illustration of Yankee inventiveness.

The region’s abundant waterfowl provided food for the European immigrants who inhabited Wisconsin and Minnesota. To handle the special problems of hunting in and around the Great Lakes, they developed the American Water Spaniel over many generations by combining numerous European breeds. The exact details of when, where, or how the breed was developed will likely never be known. History has referred to the curly-coated retriever, English water spaniel, and Irish water spaniel as potential component breeds.

The American Water Spaniel’s creators, whose names have been lost to history, saw it as a versatile hunting companion with an excellent nose who was skilled at retrieving downed waterfowl (they swim like seals, according to the breed’s admirers) but also capable of springing upland game birds like grouse, quail, and pheasant. The breed has even been reported to engage in a little supplemental rabbit hunting.

Before you set your heart on this dog, be advised that these days the breed is scarce. The American Water Spaniel Club estimates that there are probably no more than 3,000 in existence.

The American Water Spaniel entered the AKC Stud Book in 1940 and was named Wisconsin’s official state dog in 1985.