Irish Water Spaniel

The Irish Water Spaniel loves people and becomes deeply attached to his family. He is cautious around strangers. Because of his size and devotion to the family, he makes an impressive watchdog.

Irish Water Spaniel breed facts

Irish Water Spaniels in the late 1100s were known as Shannon Spaniels, Rat-Tail Spaniels or Whip-Tail Spaniels.

The Irish Water Spaniel is often called the clown of the spaniel family, possibly due to the peak of curly hair between the eyes.

Information you should know before owning an Irish Water Spaniel

Irish Spaniels coats are naturally water-shedding.

The Irish Water Spaniel can't always control his exuberance and zest for life.

The Irish Water Spaniel is happy in the country or the city and is always ready to play.

The Irish Water Spaniel is a breed that generally does well with people with allergies.

The Irish Water Spaniel is a dog of very ancient lineage, and there is evidence of Irish Water Spaniel-type remains going back as far as the 7th and 8th centuries AD. In the late 1100’s, dogs found in southern Ireland below the River Shannon were called Shannon Spaniels or Irish Water Spaniels, among other things. Specimens were given to royalty, and records document the "Water Spagnel" with "long, rough, curled hair and a tail somewhat bare and naked."

"Boatswain," the famous sire of many outstanding gun and show dogs, is often credited as having been the first of the breed as it is known today. Bred by Justin McCarthy in the 1830s, Boatswain lived to be almost 20 years old and left a clear type that was bred, exhibited, and accepted by kennel club officialdom. In 1849, the first special class for the breed was provided, and the first Westminster Kennel Club show in American shows an entry of four Irish Water Spaniels in 1877.

Is this a vulnerable breed? Yes, No	No
What size is this dog? Small, Medium, Large	Large
How much excercise is required? 30 mins a day, 1 hour a day, Over 2 hours a day	Over 2 hours a day
How long is this dog's coat? Short, Medium, Long	Medium
How much grooming is required? Once a week, More than once a week, Every day	More than once a week
Does this dog shed? Does shed, Does not shed	Does not shed
What area is this dog best suited to? Town, Country, Either	Country
What size house is required for this breed? Flat/Apartment, Small House, Large House	Small House
What size of garden is required? Small Garden, Large Garden, No Garden	Large garden

	General Appearance Smart, upstanding, strongly built, compact.
	Characteristics Enduring, versatile gundog for all types of shooting, particularly in wild fowling.
	Temperament Initially aloof, staunch and affectionate; with an endearing sense of humour and a stable disposition.
	Eyes Comparatively small, almond-shaped, medium to dark brown, intelligent and alert.
	Mouth Jaws strong, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
	Neck Strongly set into shoulders, powerful, arching and long enough to carry the head well above level of back.
	Forequarters Shoulders powerful and sloping; chest deep, reasonable width and curvature between forelegs. Forelegs well boned and straight.
	Body Ribs carried well back, so well sprung behind shoulder as to give a barrel-shape. Back short, broad, and level, strongly coupled to hindquarters. Loins deep and wide.
	Hindquarters Powerful; well angulated stifle and low set hock.
	Feet Large round and spreading, well covered with hair over and between toes.
	Tail Short, not reaching to hock joint, straight, thick at root and tapering to a fine point. Low set, straight and below level of back. 7.5-10 cms (3-4 ins) of tail root covered by close curls which stop abruptly. The remainder bare or covered by short straight, fine hairs.
	Gait / Movement Smart, upstanding, strongly built, compact.
	Coat On body, dense, tight, crisp ringlets, free from woolliness. Hair having natural oiliness. Forelegs covered down to feet with curls or ringlets. Abundant all round, though shorter in front. Below hocks, hindlegs should be smooth in front and with curls or ringlets behind down to feet. On skull covering of long curls forming a pronounced ‘top-knot’, growing in a well defined peak to a point between the eyes. Ears covered with long twisted curls. Neck covered with curls similar to those on body. Throat smooth, the smooth hair forming a V-shaped patch from back of lower jaw to breast bone.
	Colour Rich, dark liver with purplish tint or bloom peculiar to the breed and sometimes referred to as puce-liver.
	Size Height: dogs: 53-58 cms (21-23 ins); bitches: 51-56 cms (20-22 ins).