The American Water Spaniel

American Water Spaniel
Dog breed info
Weight: 30 — 40 lbs
Height: 15” — 18”
AKC Rank 2008 #134
Lifespan: 10—12 yrs
Group Sporting
Origin: United Statesbr>

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• Dog Health, Dog Illness, Medical for American Water Spaniels

Dog Breed Info—American Water Spaniel

Breed Overview

Origin: 1800’s. Original function: Bird flushing, retrieving. Today: Bird flushing, retrieving, Field trials. Colors: Solid liver, brown, dark chocolate.

It is likely the American Water Spaniel originally was a cross between the Irish Water Spaniel, the Curly Coated Retriever and the English Water Spaniel. The breed was created in the Midwestern part of the United States and the breed name became the state dog of Wisconsin. The exact origin isn’t clear but the Great Lakes region seems to be the place and somewhere around the mid 1800’s is the time. The dog was needed to hunt and retrieve foul, working from boats and on rugged land. This breed was unsurpassed as a hunting companion and served well. This small dog with waterproof coat and keen nose could hunt anywhere, spring game, and retrieve a variety of game, unfailingly. The breed became quite popular with hunters in the 1920’s and 1930’s and the AKC recognized the breed in 1940. It still has a small following among avid hunters.

The American Water Spaniel is a sensitive, intelligent, eager-to-learn breed. He must be trained in a positive way with no yelling and harsh commands. This dog does well with clicker training and positive reinforcement. You will need patience and a firm “pack leader” command, but with a kind, pleasant tone. Sensitive dogs can be tricky to work with.

Crate Training

Want to crate train your American Water Spaniel puppy? It’s easy and if you’re interested, take a look and you’ll see what to do. Crate training your puppy will save many headaches and problems.

Potty Training

The American Water Spaniel can be a little slow to house train, potty train, toilet train, housebreak or whatever you want to call it. If you have a puppy, decide if you want to crate or paper potty train it. For the best results, we have a page at Crate vs Paper Potty Training which will help you decide and from there you can get all the information you need to get the job done. Always praise the pup profusely when she goes potty in the RIGHT PLACE so she knows she has done a good thing. Either method will work for this breed.

If you have an older dog, take the dog outside every two hours until she gets the idea which door leads to her potty area. Older dogs catch on to the potty or housebreaking pretty fast once they are shown what to do. Top

This is a dog that, as the name suggests, loves water. He has an oily coat and can enjoy the whole day in water. The American Water Dog is a skilled retriever and hunter but it is also an obedient, fun-loving companion and family dog. The dog must have regular physical and mental exercise. He has a lot of energy and has to use it up with productive things such as jogging, long walks, running after game in the fields and so on. This breed is foremost a hunting dog, going for rabbits, duck, quail and pheasant. It’s important to socialize this dog very well starting at 4 or 5 weeks and continuing on through life. Introduce him to many people and situations starting young and he will grow up[ to be a fine house pet as long as he gets plenty of exercise. This breed does bark A LOT and it can become a problem. Some whine, some drool.

If you happen to get a Water Dog with a separation anxiety problem, that can be dealt with by investing a few hours of work on your part and some “tough love.” Top

Friendly Toward Other Dogs

Maybe. Can be aggressive toward strange dogs. Will pick and choose his dog friends. Don’t assume your American Water Spaniel is going to like every dog you see because he won’t.

Friendly Toward Other Pets

Usually okay with other house pets. Introduce to other dogs slowly on common turf outdoors with a dog walk. Introduce to cats over a 4 day period by placing the cat in the room ion a crate for an hour and letting the dog and cat get used to the closeness, then let them co-mingle.

Friendly Toward Strangers

Wary of strangers. Some can be timid if not well socialized. Not overly friendly with people he doesn’t know.

Playfulness

Very playful dog. Loves games, chasing balls in games of fetch, etc.

Fairly affectionate with immediate family members. Tends to bond stronger with one person more than many in the family. Will probably bond with the most gentle but dominant “leader”: in the house.

Good with older, well-mannered kids, 6 or 7 and up, Little tolerance for very young children that scream, push, pull, poke and screech. The American Water Spaniel loves to play games, run and romp with the kids as he’s fun-loving and essentially good-natured.

Too much screaming and rambunctious behavior and the dog can become overly excited which is not good,

Good with Seniors over 65?

No. Needs too much exercise for most seniors.

Living environment

Best in a house with large fenced yard, a farm or ranch is even better. This breed likes to roam and run and is best as an indoor/outdoor dog. Needs to live and sleep indoors with his family to enjoy the human companionship. Top

Energy level

Fairly HIGH. Rate this 9 bares out of 10.

Moderately high. A good jogging partner. OR, several long walks daily and some play time wqith a ball to fetch.

Excellent watchdog. Loves to bark anyway.

Some are good guard dogs. They aren’t as fierce as some of the true guard dogs but they will scare an intruder.

None to almost none for shedding.

Has an oily coat that tend to smell not so good. However, don’t wash the dog because it destroys the oily coat and dries the skin which causes even more problems.

Brush the coat 2 or 3 times a week and try to live with the odor from the oil. Trim as needed.
Check ears frequently for dirt, wax and moisture as this dog is prone to ear infections. Top

Book at the left is an Owners Guide for the American Water Spaniel.

American Water Spaniel Breeders

In the event you decide to go looking for American Water Spaniel puppies, be SURE to find reputable breeders that really know what they are doing. Be sure the puppy has been well socialized and started in obedience training.
American Water Spaniel Breeders with puppies for sale. This is a hard breed to locate. This sire is showing only a dew breeders. Try an online search for American Water Spaniel “Breeder or Clubs or Puppies.”

American Water Spaniel Rescue

In the event you are seriously considering the adoption of an older dog and are looking for an American Water Spaniel Rescue group in your state, here are several links that might help:
Petfinder – Dog Rescue – (Nationwide) Not much luck here. As I write this, Petfinder is showing only 7 American Water Spaniels available to adopt in the USA. That number can change, of course. They searching online.

This is basically a healthy breed. Don’t let the list below scare you! Your own dog will probably never have ANY of these problems. These are the dog illness and medical problems this breed is prone to that have been listed by various veterinarians at different times over the past decade or so and some pertain to puppies and very young dogs that a breeder would deal with.

The information contained herein has been gathered from numerous books by veterinarians and is intended as general information only. Every dog and situation is different. You must see your vet. Our information is for general interest only and not intended to replace the advice provided by your own veterinarian.

Other health problems could occur with your American Water Dog. If you notice any problems with your dog, take it to the vet immediately. This website is for general information only and is not intended to, in any way, be a medical guide

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