American Water Spaniel
A breed of dog belonging to the gun dog breed that is not very well known in other areas other than in North America is the American Water Spaniel.
The American Water Spaniel can grow to about 15 to 18 inches (or 36 to 46 cm) tall and weighs between 25 to 45 pounds. Female American Water Spaniels are around 25 to 40 pounds on the average, while male American Water Spaniels weigh somewhere between 30 to 45 pounds (or 11 to 20 kgs).
American Water Spaniels are suitably covered with thick, curly coat to enable them to withstand the cold in North America. Their protective covering may be liver or brown or chocolate in color, although in certain instances, there may be a bit of white color on the chest or toes. Their eyes may appear like dark yellow or chocolate, and their tails are characteristically small. Their heads, too, are quite expansive, although not too much in a way that they are still well apportioned to their other features.
Generally, American Water Spaniels are friendly, smart and charismatic. Extremely likeable, American Water Spaniels are fond of pleasing their masters. In fact, they will always try to please their masters at whatever cost. They are overly protective of their masters, and they will make a great companion at home. However, American Water Spaniels can be possessive, and they may have a tendency of taking control over the whole household. They need a good amount of training to enable them to become the kind of friend that pet lovers often seek or long for.
American Water Spaniels may bark rather excessively, making them unfit for owners who are beginners in this kind of thing. It is therefore recommended of beginners to go to an obedience class for this particular breed, and to spare ample time with their American Water Spaniels.
Intelligent that they are, they can be easily trained, although they do have a mind of their own. A patient and dedicated trainer can even bring out the best in them. The training should have a lot of variety, though, to enable the American Water Spaniel to respond best. For many of the American Water Spaniels, cruel or rigid training methods are not advisable as they may be looked upon as offensive, causing them to retaliate in fear, or worse, bite. In other words, a trainer for this kind of breed must be fair and just, and unswerving in all things.
American Water Spaniels love to hunt feathered and furred animals, but hunting is not a requirement to their eventual happiness. Interestingly, they love to eat bananas. Even though they have a rather soft mouth, they can play tug-of-war pretty well, if they are well trained. Perhaps, just like any other dog or creature for that matter, American Water Spaniels, too, are not exempted from diseases. They may be afflicted with a host of diseases such as diabetes and allergies, cancer, hypothyroidism, hip dysplasia, follicular dystrophy, even cataracts and epilepsy. It is recommended, therefore, that American Water Spaniels must have undergone thorough testing of the hips and heart, and must be cleared by no less than the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals and the Canine Eye Registration Foundation prior to breeding. Any buyer must ensure that he is given a guarantee by the breeder regarding these health issues.
The history of American Water Spaniels may be traced back to as early as the 1800s, although how they came to be remains a mystery. Experts tend to agree to the notion that American Water Spaniels may have evolved in Wisconsin, specifically in the Fox River and Wolf River Valleys.
Although there seems to be no record to point out the kind of breed used for the eventual development of American Water Spaniels, a certain Doctor Pfeifer of New London, Wisconsin, theorized that American Water Spaniels evolved by cross-breeding the English Water Spaniel and the Field Spaniel. This discovery of Doctor Pfeifer earned him some recognition in the 1920s.
Later, however, it became apparent that other breeds were involved in the development of American Water Spaniels as well. These other breeds include the Curly Coated Retriever, the Irish Water Spaniel, and the Tweed Water Spaniel. Even the Chesapeake Bay Retriever is thought to have played a role in the development of American Water Spaniels.
The American Water Spaniel gained recognition as a purebred dog only in 1920 through the United Kennel Club. This was much later supported by the Field Dog Stud Book in 1938, and a couple of years after, by the American Kennel Club in 1940. American Water Spaniels became very popular during this period, although their popularity has gradually waned throughout the years. Still, they are not likely to be extinct in the near future.
The reason for the development of American Water Spaniels could be linked to the need for a hunting dog that could function both on land as well as on marshland without occupying a lot of space. Small that they are, American Water Spaniels could very well fit into a canoe without taking a lot of space.
