Breed Description

The Irish Water Spaniel is the largest and among of the oldest of the spaniels. This chubby and stout dog originated in Ireland. This sturdily built breed weighs an average between 55-65 pounds, and stands from 22-24 inches in height.

Coat

The Irish Water Spaniel's distinguishing characteristic is its coat. Their coats are crisp in texture, with solid brown color. They have a curly topcoat lined with dense inner coat that serves to insulate from cold water. Majority of their bodies are covered with this tightly coiled hair. The face, ends of rear legs and tail all have smooth short hair.

Activity

Irish Water Spaniels require extravagant daily exercise. They enjoy retrieving, hunting, swimming, and a long brisk walk. This breed is not for apartment dwelling since they love the outdoors so much, and would be at their happiest if provided with a large securely fenced yard they can freely roam in.

Temperament

The Irish Water Spaniel is an active breed often found in an actual working retriever setting. They are alert, curious, intelligent, and quick to learn. They may display comical antics at times, earning their clownish reputation. With proper socialization, this breed can be placid with family and children. But can be naturally shy around strangers if not acclimatized to social places as puppies.

Overview

The Irish Water Spaniel is known to be the clown of the spaniels since they are known to think of variety of ways to complete a task given to them. They are intelligent and sturdy, and have a very distinctive coat that sets them apart from the other breed of dogs.

Care

The coat of the Irish Water Spaniel requires regular trimming. Mats can easily form, so they require weekly brushing and/or combing. This breed is ideal for allergic individuals as they are relatively shed less than the average breed.

Training

The Irish Water Spaniel is intelligent and is relatively easy to train if started early. They require a dominant and firm authority figure to handle them effectively. They are highly skillful at problem solving, although obedience can be a problem if kept without a pack leader. Professional training is highly recommended for first time dog owners, and they should be present during training sessions to establish authority in this breed's mind. If authority is not determined, this dog will only listen and obey to the person he considers the most dominant in his day-to-day life.

The quality and amount of exercise that owners provide their Irish Water Spaniels highly reflect their behavior. Due to their very energetic disposition, they should always be well-exercised before starting the training session.

Character

The Irish Water Spaniel is a friendly pet, and fun around family with a sense of humor. They love to exercise, and swimming is what they enjoy the most. They are intense, self-willed and intelligent, and tend to be snappy or shy in new settings or with new people if not socialized properly.