The American Water Spaniel (often abbreviated to AWS) is a breed of
spaniel
A spaniel is a type of gun dog. Spaniels were especially bred to flush game out of denser brush. By the late 17th century, spaniels had been specialized into water and land breeds. The extinct English Water Spaniel was used to retrieve water ...
which originated in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
. It was developed in the state of
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
during the 19th century from a number of other breeds, including the
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
and
English Water Spaniel
The English Water Spaniel is a breed of dog that has been extinct since the first part of the 20th century, with the last specimen seen in the 1930s. It was best known for its use in hunting waterfowl and for being able to dive as well as a duck. ...
s. The breed was saved by Dr. Fred J. Pfeifer, who set up the
breed club Breed clubs are associations or clubs with activities centered on a single, specific breed of a particular species of domesticated animal. The purpose of the association will vary with the species of animal and the goals and needs of the members of ...
and
standard Standard may refer to:
Symbols
* Colours, standards and guidons, kinds of military signs
* Standard (emblem), a type of a large symbol or emblem used for identification
Norms, conventions or requirements
* Standard (metrology), an object th ...
, and whose work led to recognition for the breed by the
United Kennel Club
The United Kennel Club (UKC) is a kennel club founded in 1898 in the United States. In contrast with the American Kennel Club, which is non-profit and which only clubs can join, the United Kennel Club is a profit-making corporation, open to indivi ...
, and later, the
American Kennel Club. While they are the
state dog of Wisconsin, they remain a rare breed.
They are medium-sized dogs, and have a double layered coat, which comes in a variety of brown related shades. A versatile hunting dog, they are also suitable for apartment life due to work by breeders to develop a breed with an even temperament. The AWS may have been involved in the development of the
Boykin Spaniel
The Boykin Spaniel is a medium-sized breed of dog, a Spaniel bred for hunting wild turkeys and ducks in the Wateree River Swamp of South Carolina, in the United States. It is the state dog of South Carolina, where it was discovered and further ...
.
History
Originating in Wisconsin, the American Water Spaniel is the Wisconsin state dog. The breed originated in the areas along the
Fox River and its
tributary
A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drai ...
the
Wolf River during the early 19th century. Hunters needed a dog that could work on both land and water, a versatile hunter skilled at bringing in a variety of game. Hunters also wanted a hunting dog compact enough to be transported in a small skiff, one that was able to withstand Wisconsin's cold water temperatures.
[ Spiotta-DiMare (1999): p. 30] Breeds involved in the creation of the American Water Spaniel are thought to have included the
English Water Spaniel
The English Water Spaniel is a breed of dog that has been extinct since the first part of the 20th century, with the last specimen seen in the 1930s. It was best known for its use in hunting waterfowl and for being able to dive as well as a duck. ...
,
Irish Water Spaniel
The Irish Water Spaniel ( Irish: ''An Spáinnéar Uisce'') is a breed of dog that is the tallest of the spaniels.
Description Appearance
The Irish Water Spaniel is a sturdy, cobby dog native to Ireland. The coat, consisting of dense cur ...
,
Curly Coated Retriever
The Curly-coated Retriever (not always hyphenated, and often called the Curly for short) is a breed of dog originally bred in England for upland bird and waterfowl hunting. It is the tallest of the retrievers and is easily distinguishable by t ...
,
native Indian Dogs, the
Poodle
The Poodle, called the Pudel in German and the Caniche in French, is a breed of water dog. The breed is divided into four varieties based on size, the Standard Poodle, Medium Poodle, Miniature Poodle and Toy Poodle, although the Medium Poodle var ...
,
[ Smith (2002): p. 21] and either the
Sussex Spaniel
The Sussex Spaniel is a breed of dog native to Sussex in southern England. It is a low, compact spaniel and is as old a breed as and similar in appearance to the Clumber Spaniel. They can be slow-paced, but can have a clownish and energetic te ...
or another type of field spaniel.
This little brown dog created was known at the time as the American Brown Spaniel, and weighed around . It had a thick curly coat that protected it from the cold temperatures of the water and winter. It was used to hunt waterfowl,
ruffed grouse
The ruffed grouse (''Bonasa umbellus'') is a medium-sized grouse occurring in forests from the Appalachian Mountains across Canada to Alaska. It is the most widely distributed game bird in North America. It is non-migratory. It is the only specie ...
,
greater prairie chicken
The greater prairie chicken or pinnated grouse (''Tympanuchus cupido''), sometimes called a boomer,Friederici, Peter (July 20, 1989)"The Last Prairie Chickens" ''Chicago Reader''. Retrieved August 27, 2014.(Chinese ä¸æ–‡ï¼šå¸•è‰ºæ˜Žå½©å¤§å‡¤å‡ ...
and a variety of fur–bearing animals.
[ Spiotta-DiMare (1999): p. 31]
An American Water Spaniel's coat is water resistant
Over the years the numbers of the breed began to dwindle due both to a reduction in the duck population through those valley areas, and because of a switch in
hunting
Hunting is the human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products ( fur/ hide, bone/tusks, horn/antler, ...
– from a means to gather food for survival to that of recreation. Additionally, following
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
,
new types of dogs became available in Wisconsin such as
setters,
pointers and other
spaniel
A spaniel is a type of gun dog. Spaniels were especially bred to flush game out of denser brush. By the late 17th century, spaniels had been specialized into water and land breeds. The extinct English Water Spaniel was used to retrieve water ...
s, allowing additional specialization in hunting.
Dr. Fred J. Pfeifer, from
New London, Wisconsin
New London is a city in Outagamie and Waupaca counties Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1851, the population was 7,295 at the 2010 census. Of this, 5,685 were in Waupaca County, and 1,640 were in Outagamie County. The city has an annual Sain ...
, set up Wolf River Kennels in order to save the breed. Numbers held by the kennel fluctuated but at times went up to 132 dogs.
He advertised the dogs widely across the country, selling male dogs for $25 and females dogs for $20.
Part of a sales pitch that Pfeifer mailed to prospective dog owners read, "The American Brown Spaniel is distinctively an American production. Hunters have known this type for years and it was through their efforts that this dog was propagated.... For years we have bred only selective stock, breeding for gameness, stability, courage, intelligence, and beauty. They are dogs to admire and trust under all conditions whether in the home circle or in the field with the outdoor man."
Due to Pfeifer's work, the breed was recognized by the
United Kennel Club
The United Kennel Club (UKC) is a kennel club founded in 1898 in the United States. In contrast with the American Kennel Club, which is non-profit and which only clubs can join, the United Kennel Club is a profit-making corporation, open to indivi ...
(UKC) as the American Water Spaniel in 1920, and by the
Field Dog Stud Book The Field Dog Stud Book is the oldest purebred dog registry in the United States having started registrations in and currently maintaining records from 1874. The Field Dog Stud Book currently registers around 5,000 litters each year and has registe ...
in 1938. Dr. Pfeifer's own dog, named "Curly Pfeifer" was the first American Water Spaniel to be registered with UKC.
John Scofield of
Missouri
Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...
and Thomas Brogdan of
Rush Lake, Wisconsin
Rush Lake is an unincorporated community located in the town of Nepeuskun, Winnebago County, Wisconsin, United States. Rush Lake is located at the junction of County Highway E and County Highway V north of Ripon
Ripon () is a cathedral ...
worked together with the American Water Spaniel Club (AWSC), gaining the breed recognition with the
American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1940.
Prior to recognition by the AKC, the breed had not been shown in the
show ring before.
The breed has links to the
Boykin Spaniel
The Boykin Spaniel is a medium-sized breed of dog, a Spaniel bred for hunting wild turkeys and ducks in the Wateree River Swamp of South Carolina, in the United States. It is the state dog of South Carolina, where it was discovered and further ...
, and is thought to have been the main breed used to develop the Boykin. The differences between the Boykin and the AWS are negligible with some dog historians suggesting that the original Boykin, called "Dumpy", who was found on the streets of
Spartanburg, South Carolina
Spartanburg is a city in and the seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. The city of Spartanburg has a municipal population of 38,732 as of the 2020 census, making it the 11th-largest city in the state. For a time, the Off ...
, was actually an American Water Spaniel who had been misplaced in transit. However the breed clubs for the Boykin do not agree with this account.
The breed was made the
state dog of Wisconsin in 1985.
The American Water Spaniel remains a rare breed. During 1998 only 233 puppies were registered with the AKC, with an estimated 3,000 dogs in existence mostly around the
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of the United States. I ...
,
in particular in Wisconsin,
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
and
Michigan
Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...
.
In 2010, the breed was ranked 143rd most popular breed in the United States, out of 167 breeds. This is a decrease since 2000, when the breed was ranked 125th.
The dogs are not classified specifically as either retrievers or as spaniels and so may not compete in AKC field trials, but may compete in AKC hunt tests (spaniel and retriever tests) and retriever hunting tests sponsored by the AWSC, the breed club in the United States.
The American Water Spaniel Field Association was set up in 1993 by breed enthusiasts supporting AKC Spaniel classification and looking to provide field training opportunities to owners of the breed.
[ Spiotta-DiMare (1999): p. 33] In a vote held of members of the AWSC in 1999, they chose to keep the breed unclassified.
Appearance
An AWS with a marcel pattern coat
The limited popularity of the American Water Spaniel restricted development, resulting in the breed being relatively unchanged since its origins in the 19th century. They are a medium-sized dog, with a curly liver, brown, or chocolate colored coat.
The average height at the
withers
The withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of an animal, typically a quadruped. In many species, it is the tallest point of the body. In horses and dogs, it is the standard place to measure the animal's height. In contrast, cattle a ...
for the breed is , and their weight around . They have similar features to the
Irish Water Spaniel
The Irish Water Spaniel ( Irish: ''An Spáinnéar Uisce'') is a breed of dog that is the tallest of the spaniels.
Description Appearance
The Irish Water Spaniel is a sturdy, cobby dog native to Ireland. The coat, consisting of dense cur ...
, but the Irish breed is larger at between and weighing .
The coat of the American Water Spaniel can fall in two different patterns, either tightly curled or in the "marcel pattern" where the fur falls in waves. Working and show lines have not diverged as with some other breeds of spaniel, and both appear the same,
with show dogs of this breed being rare.
[ Smith (2002): p. 107]
The coat has a coarse outside layer which keeps water away and protects the dog from foliage such as briers. The inside layer provides insulation to keep the dog warm. The coat has an oily feel to it, which gives off a "doggy smell".
[ Spiotta-DiMare (1999): p. 37] The breed standard specifies color of the eyes should harmonize with the color of the coat, and should never be yellow. The skull is broad, and carries long, wide ears.
The tail is not typically
docked.
Temperament
In the field, the AWS is less exuberant than the
English Springer Spaniel
The English Springer is a breed of gun dog in the Spaniel group traditionally used for flushing and retrieving game. It is an affectionate, excitable breed with a typical lifespan of twelve to fourteen years. They are very similar to the Wels ...
, but it is as skilled in retrieval as
Labrador
, nickname = "The Big Land"
, etymology =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Canada
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 ...
or
Golden Retriever
The Golden Retriever is a Scottish breed of retriever dog of medium size. It is characterised by a gentle and affectionate nature and a striking golden coat. It is commonly kept as a pet and is among the most frequently registered breeds ...
. It is versatile regardless of the type of terrain, and in the water it is not the fastest swimmer but has a high level of endurance.
[ Spiotta-DiMare (1999): p. 32] The breed is also good at
agility and
flyball
Flyball is a dog sport in which teams of dogs race against each other from the start to the finish line, over a line of hurdles, to a box that releases a tennis ball to be caught when the dog presses the spring-loaded pad, then back to their ha ...
, with the first of the breed receiving a flyball championship title in 1993.
Members of the breed enjoy being the center of attention, and can be quite vocal at times. It is a one family dog, and will often bond with one particular individual. For many years the breed was "pack bred", where they were allowed to live in a group. Since these times, breeders have been working to breed even tempered dogs that are suitable for both hunting and family life.
[ Spiotta-DiMare (1999): p. 34]
The AWS has a mind of its own at times and reaches peak performance with the owner who is dedicated to teaching the dog just what is expected of it. The breed takes well to training, and especially excels at training that offers some variety rather than routine training drills.
However, members of the breed can may have issues with food possessiveness.
They can be stubborn, and mentally are slow to mature from puppyhood. Some lines of the breed still retain dominant and aggressive temperaments; other than these lines, the AWS gets on well with children and enjoys playing with them. Even though they were originally bred to hunt, due to their size, they are suitable for apartment living as long as they receive enough exercise.
[ Spiotta-DiMare (1999): p. 35]
Health
Pack breeding early in its development led to a level of genetic variation, so the hereditary conditions of more popular breeds are not common in the AWS. The breed however is known to suffer from eye issues including
cataract
A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens of the eye that leads to a decrease in vision. Cataracts often develop slowly and can affect one or both eyes. Symptoms may include faded colors, blurry or double vision, halos around light, trouble ...
s and
progressive retinal atrophy.
Inheritance is suspected in both conditions, with the average age of cataract onset at under one year old.
[
Additional concerns are hypothyroidism, allergies, epilepsy, diabetes and glandular disorders which may cause baldness.][ Spiotta-DiMare (1999): p. 38] The hair loss occurs at around six months of age, affecting the neck, thighs and tail; however the frequency has been reduced through work conducted by the breed clubs. Hip dysplasia
Hip dysplasia is an abnormality of the hip joint where the socket portion does not fully cover the ball portion, resulting in an increased risk for joint dislocation. Hip dysplasia may occur at birth or develop in early life. Regardless, it doe ...
is seen in around 8.3% of the breed, according to surveys conducted by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals
The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is a nonprofit organization based in Columbia, Missouri, that aims to research and prevent orthopedic and hereditary diseases in companion animals.
As a private not-for-profit foundation, the OFA has ...
over a twenty five-year period between 1974 and 1999. This was one of the lower results of the sporting breeds, with Greyhound
The English Greyhound, or simply the Greyhound, is a breed of dog, a sighthound which has been bred for coursing, greyhound racing and hunting. Since the rise in large-scale adoption of retired racing Greyhounds, the breed has seen a resurgenc ...
s coming lowest with 3.4%, and the related Boykin Spaniel
The Boykin Spaniel is a medium-sized breed of dog, a Spaniel bred for hunting wild turkeys and ducks in the Wateree River Swamp of South Carolina, in the United States. It is the state dog of South Carolina, where it was discovered and further ...
coming in second highest at 47%. There was no evidence of elbow dysplasia
Elbow dysplasia is a condition involving multiple developmental abnormalities of the elbow-joint in the dog, specifically the growth of cartilage or the structures surrounding it. These abnormalities, known as 'primary lesions', give rise to os ...
found.[ Smith (2002): p. 52] The breed has an average life span of 10–13 years.[ Smith (2002): p. 106]
References
;Specific
;General
*
*
External links
*
{{American dogs
FCI breeds
Gundogs
Water dogs
Wisconsin culture
Rare dog breeds
Dog breeds originating in the United States
Spaniels
Symbols of Wisconsin