Irish Water Spaniel

Medium size, very majestic appearance, tough and compact body. Head is upright, skull is arched; mouth is square, nose is relatively large, fully expanded, dark reddish brown. Eyes are small, brown, very lively. Long oval ears hang along the cheeks. The curved neck is strong and powerful. The short tail is thick at the base and narrow at the end, tapering. The forelimbs are straight and powerful, with good bone structure. The hind limbs are long and strong. The coat is thick, with dense small curls all over the body, the curls on the head are relatively long, the hair on the muzzle and the front of the hind legs below the hocks is smooth and smooth, and there is a V-shaped smooth short hair on the chest. The tail is bare except for the base or has smooth short hair. The hair is oily and impermeable. The color is reddish brown with a slight purple tint.

Originated from the UK

The Irish Water Spaniel is a handsome, sturdily built sporting dog, highly intelligent, combining endurance and a bold character with an active, enthusiastic temperament. This breed is probably one of the oldest and most distinguished of the British spaniels.

It is said that the term "Irish Water Spaniel" appeared as early as 1,100 years ago. It is used to describe the dogs that haunt the south bank of the Shannon River in Ireland. There is a local folk legend that the ancestor of this dog is actually the legendary mysterious water monster "Dobhar-chú". The word literally means "water hound" and also represents the ancient Gaelic word for "otter".

The Irish Water Spaniel was bred in the 19th century from the Poodle, the Irish Setter and possibly the Bearded Hound. Some believe that the breed is a close relative of the Portuguese Water Dog. The Irish Water Spaniel made its debut in Birmingham in 1862 and the first club was established in 1890.

They have excellent senses of smell, vision and hearing, and are very responsive, making them excellent hunting dogs. Their most important job is to help hunters retrieve waterfowl that have been shot down in the swamps and rivers of Ireland.

According to records, in the 17th century, King James I of England once gave an Irish Water Spaniel to the King of France as a "state gift" in an attempt to improve diplomatic relations between the two countries - this was also the first Irish Water Spaniel to come to France. In the Victorian era, they were also a very popular dog breed, both as working dogs and companion dogs. According to records, the Irish Water Spaniel was the third most popular dog breed in the United States in 1875.

In terms of personality, they are particularly affectionate, gentle and quiet by nature, and usually do not get angry even when faced with children's pranks. They will be appropriately vigilant against strangers, but unless they feel that their family is in danger, it is basically impossible to show aggression. After proper guidance, most of them can live in peace with other dogs or cats in the house. They are very smart, very expressive, and like to please their owners, so it is not difficult to train them, even novice dog owners can give it a try.

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