Purina

Other names/Nicknames:

• None

Country/Date of origin:

• United States
• Late 1800’s

Height:

• 15 to 18 inches

Weight:

• Females: 25 to 40 pounds
• Males:  30 to 45 pounds
  

Personality:

• Intelligent and trainable.
• A natural retriever.
• Affectionate towards people.
• Gets along well with other dogs.
• Noisy.
• A watchdog that will bark an alarm.

History:

One of the few breeds native to the United States, the American Water Spaniel was obviously created by mixing Irish Water Spaniels and Curly-Coated Retrievers.  Not particularly handsome, it is a tireless worker and adept at flushing upland game or retrieving waterfowl.  Recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) since 1940.

Body Type:

• A long-legged, medium-sized, spaniel.
• The long tail is covered with hair.  It is not altered.
• Long, wide ears are set high on the head.  Ears are heavily feathered and are not altered.

Coat:

• A dense coat of moderately-long, close curls.  Water-resistant.
• Always chocolate or liver in color.
• Does not have a topknot.
• Hair on the forehead is smooth, but the ears are covered with close curls of a longer length than the body hair.

Health and Wellness:

• Skin allergies.

What you should know:

• A very rare breed.
• Puppies will be extremely difficult to find.
• Most of the American Water Spaniels are in the Midwest.