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Irish Water Spaniel Puppies for Sale
Irish Water Spaniel
(IWS) (Whiptail)
"Miss Ladida (pronounced La-dee-dah)
an Irish Water Spaniel at 5 years old. She is an amazing clown, and the
smartest dog you can imagine. She is almost too smart for her own good!
Ladi's grandma Lois, who is a skilled amateur photographer, has literally
taken thousands of pictures of Ladi, including this one. Ladi has an
extensive wardrobe and enjoys dressing up for the camera--or, indeed, any
other time. She allows her teeth to be brush with an electric toothbrush (I
work for a veterinarian and have NEVER heard of any other dog allowing
this), knows all her toys by name, and knows an amazing number of tricks."
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Pronunciation |
Irish Water Spaniel |
Description |
The largest of the spaniels, the
Irish Water Spaniel is a solid brown (leaning to purple), crisp-textured and
curly-coated. Both the face and tail have short hair as contrasted
with the long curls of the body. It has a rather large head
with an arched skull. The curly outer coat is lined with a dense undercoat, which helps
insulate the dog in even the coldest water. A top-knot of curls on the head hangs down to
cover and protect the eyes. The muzzle is long, square and powerful. The long ears
are covered with curls. The chest is deep, but rather narrow for free movement when
swimming. The hind quarters are as high as or slightly higher than the shoulders. The
front legs are straight and well boned. Webbed feet assist in swimming. |
Temperament
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The Irish Water Spaniel is
intelligent, easy to train, and possesses a desire to please. Eager, bold and confident. Capable of learning a great deal. A loving family dog. With enough mental and physical exercise and owners who convincingly display a natural, firm, confident and consistent leadership over the dog will find it to be easy-going and gentle. A fine working dog
in the field and obedience ring. Devoted and fun-loving. Some are good guard dogs. Generally does well with other pets if properly
introduced. Can be reserved
with strangers. Should be well-socialized as a puppy and does best with children who know how to be little pack leaders.
The Irish Water Spaniel is a quiet dog, barking only when necessary to warn the family. An
excellent swimmer, he has considerable stamina and drive, and a very good nose.
If they sense their owners are meek or passive they can become stubborn, mischievous, timid, nervous, suspicious, and/or even over protective, thinking they need to start making up their own rules as they will not feel their owners are strong minded enough to keep the pack stable and safe. He can refuse commands
from family members who have not established leadership over him. Requires an owner who understands proper human to canine communication. This breed
may drool and slobber. |
Height, Weight
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Height: 20-23 inches (51-58cm)
Weight: 45-65 pounds (20-30kg) |
Health
Problems |
Prone to hypo-thyroidism and eye entropion. Be sure the parents were checked for thyroid problems.
Avoid timid puppies. They may drool and have ear infections.
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Living
Conditions |
Because he needs plenty
of daily exercise and loves the outdoors, he does best in the suburbs or
country. This breed does best with at least an
average-sized yard. |
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Exercise |
These are hunting dogs with
tremendous stamina. They need a daily long,
brisk walk, jog or run.
While out on the walk make sure the dog heels beside or behind the person holding the lead, never in front, as instinct tells a dog the leader leads the way, and that leader needs to be the human. In addition, they will greatly enjoy retrieving and swimming. |
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Life
Expectancy |
About 10-12 years. |
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Grooming |
A lot of care in grooming is needed,
as the coat can tend to mat. Skilled trimming of the coat is necessary. The coat is
usually good for allergy sufferers since it has little dandruff. These dogs shed
little to no hair. |
Origin |
Although there are several different
theories about his origins, the Irish Water Spaniel is probably descended from the Poodle
and Irish Setter, or the Poodle and the Curly-Coated Retriever crosses in early Ireland.
In fact, he looks a lot like a brown Standard Poodle. The Irish Water Spaniel gained
a reputation in England and Ireland for daring retrieves in frigid water. He has also been
used on upland game and even has a soft enough mouth to retrieve dove. The breed became
popular in the United States in the 1800's for duck hunting until the easy-care
short-coated Labrador Retriever displaced him. Now considered a rare breed, the Irish
Water Spaniel is classified as a retriever by the AKC, allowing him to participate in AKC
field sports. The Irish Water Spaniel has the winning combination of strong
retrieving ability in any weather and the disposition of a gentle family dog. |
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Group |
Gun Dog, AKC Sporting |
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Recognition |
CKC, FCI, AKC, UKC, KCGB, CKC, ANKC,
NKC, NZKC, APRI, ACR |
CKC = Continental Kennel Club
FCI = Fédération
Cynologique Internationale
AKC = American Kennel
Club
UKC = United Kennel Club
KCGB = Kennel Club
of Great Britain
CKC = Canadian
Kennel Club
ANKC = Australian National
Kennel Club
NKC = National
Kennel Club
NZKC = New Zealand Kennel Club
APRI = American Pet Registry
Inc.
ACR = American Canine Registry |
Photo Courtesy of Liebran
Kennels.
Photo Courtesy of Liebran
Kennels.
Photo Courtesy of Liebran
Kennels.
Photo Courtesy of Liebran
Kennels.
Hunting Dogs
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