Water Spaniel: characteristics, types and subtleties of content

The water spaniel is one of the largest dogs in the world and one of the oldest. These animals are hardy, bold and quite playful. They are distinguished by high intelligence and the ability to hunt, so the pet is often brought as a reliable family or sports dog.

Water Spaniel is one of the oldest dogs in the entire spaniel family. During archaeological excavations near Lake Lagor, the remains of such an animal were discovered - according to rough estimates, they belong to the 7th-8th centuries. These animals could be found in southern Ireland on the banks of the Shannon River. According to surviving chronicles, several water spaniels were presented to the King of France by Sir Robert Cecil in 1598.

In 1607, the very first description of spaniels who love to splash around in water was given. Distinctive features of such an animal was long hair in small curls and a smooth tail - it was for this unusual appearance that the dogs were called rat-tailed.

In the 19th century, dog breeding began to rapidly gain momentum in the countries of the Old World; during this period, most breeds were crossed. The spaniel did not escape a similar fate - it was crossed with an Irish setter, a poodle and a curly retriever. Since 1859, these animals began to take part in international competitions and exhibitions, and in 1866, representatives of the breed managed to take first place and gain worldwide recognition. However, the official breed standard was approved only a century later - in 1990, and in 2001 some amendments were made to it.

The rattailed spaniel received the maximum distribution in Ireland, England, and also in America. The animal is recognized as an excellent hunter for aquatic game, these dogs are hardy and strong swimmers.

Water spaniels have a number of distinctive features that distinguish them from other breeds. These are medium-sized dogs of the noblest kind. A characteristic feature is curly hair. The body is large, but at the same time not so that the animals seemed bulky.

The temperament of the water spaniel is quite balanced, they always find a common language with the kids, often behave like senior nanny educators. The cheerfulness of such a pet can be envied by any other pets - spaniels are ready to please their owners with optimism and friendliness from morning till night. These dogs are truly attached to the owner and all members of his family, trying to show joy every time they are near.

Water spaniels are nowadays often used for hunting waterfowl, while they are tasked with driving the birds out of the thickets of aquatic vegetation - the hunters take up the matter further. However, on land, these pets will be a good help.

Water spaniels extremely inquisitive, they show great interest in knowing everything new and unknown. Keep in mind, these dogs categorically cannot stand severe education, hard training using whip methods. It is not allowed to raise the voice and physically affect the dog. During training, it is worth giving preference to a consistent repetition of the lesson, otherwise the dog will grow up aggressive, nervous and potentially dangerous to humans.

The breed is different high activity, so the owner must provide the pet constant presence of sports loads, daily walks with the ability to run and frolic. Prolonged incubation in the aviary and in the loneliness of a city apartment does not lead to anything good - the animal begins to languish, becomes apathetic and can even become seriously ill.

In accordance with breed standards, the length of the spaniels at the withers usually does not exceed 46 cm, the weight of the bitches corresponds to 18 kg, and the males - about 20 kg.

The head must be proportional to the body. The muzzle is elongated, her expression is very clever and quick-witted. The skull has a wide and strong shape. The nose usually stands out, it is quite wide with large nostrils of a dark brown, almost black hue. The lips are close to the teeth, their surface is rather smooth.

Eyes slightly rounded, usually wide set. The iris is yellowish brown or dark. The eyelids are very tight against the eyeballs. The ears drop down at the eye level of the animal.

The length of the tail is medium; it curls in an arc. Forelegs are moderate in size, well developed and strong, straight and very strong. The muscles on the hips are developed. The hair is curly, soft, undercoat is always present.

The following breeds are most common.

• Irish. This dog is a little more than all the other relatives. Body weight reaches 30 kg, and growth reaches 60 cm. A characteristic feature of such animals is the rat tail. The entire body is covered with rather small curls, with the exception of the muzzle and lower parts of the limbs - there the coat is smooth and rather short. When probing the dog, you can feel a light crunch of the coat. A small forelock hangs from the head of dogs of this species - it protects the eyes.

• Dutch. These spaniels are brown or black, less common are suits with whitish spots. The dog has an aggressive disposition, therefore it is suitable for breeders with a solid and tough character, capable of shortening the rebellious disposition of the pet.

• English. The dog is black-piebald or chocolate-piebald, the body covers the hair with curls, in the parietal region it is longer.

If you intend to purchase a water spaniel, it is best to contact overseas nurseries. The fact is that in Russia and the CIS countries the number of nurseries can be counted on the fingers, and announcements of proposals for such puppies pop up infrequently - not a single specialized pedigree nursery has been officially registered.

You can find a good puppy by contacting American and English clubs or at FCI. In the United States, the price of a puppy starts at $ 900, and in England you can buy them for 1000 pounds.

It is desirable to feed water spaniels with natural products of high quality. This not only contributes to the well-being of the dog, but also helps to maintain the normal condition of its coat. If, by virtue of employment, you do not have the opportunity to shop for groceries and prepare mixes, then you can turn to ready-made feeds, but always premium or super-premium.

When feeding any water spaniel, certain rules should be followed:

• It is forbidden to give sweets, fatty and smoked food to pets;
• it is advisable to avoid bread and other bakery products;
• feeding should be balanced - about 70% of the diet should be meat products (veal, beef and lamb);
• once or twice a week, you can add to them high-quality offal - liver or heart;
• from time to time you can give chicken and turkey, but you should not completely transfer your pet to poultry;
• once every 10 days, fish is allowed, but always white low-fat varieties;
• the remaining 30% should go to cereals, as well as vegetables and fruits;
• crushed greens or sprouted grains of cereal crops must be added to the mash makers;
• Once a week, the inclusion of eggs and low-fat cottage cheese is allowed.

Puppies are fed 4-5 times a day until six months. When they reach 6 months of age, the number of feedings is gradually brought to 2, and the volume of the offered portion, on the contrary, is increased.

Keep in mind that Spaniels are tall dogs with powerful sternum, so it can be difficult for them to eat from a bowl located on the floor. It is advisable to use a stand whose height corresponds to the height of the sternum.

Half an hour after feeding, the bowl must be removed even if the proposed food is not eaten.

It is most preferable to keep a water spaniel in a private house with a large garden. Pets are allowed in the enclosure, in this version the booth must be insulated. But in any case, the animal should be able to walk freely around the yard most of the day.

It should be noted that water spaniels can quite easily adapt to life in an apartment, but in this case the owners must provide them with constant physical activity - a 2-3-time walk lasting at least an hour, preferably on a specially equipped dog training area. The dog should be able to run on and swim at least once or twice a week. Welcome active games that simulate hunting, issuing quests for finding objects and contacts with other dogs.

Very important to properly care for the coatGrooming is quite simple, but it must certainly be frequent. The advantage of the breed lies in the low severity of seasonal molting, however, the coat needs regular combing.If you do not pay enough attention to this procedure, then the curls of the dog will begin to fall off and close access to the skin to check for parasites - ticks and fleas.

The hair is combed out at least 2 times a week. First, use a brush with medium hard bristles that collects accumulated dirt, and then a comb with small teeth is used - with its help dead hair is removed and hair follicles are massaged.

In the warmer months regularly let the dog swim in the pond - this contributes to the formation of curled curls. In cold weather, the dog needs to be bathed in the shower, special shampoos for dogs are suitable for this, but the conditioner is not desirable, since it leads to unwinding of curls.

Water Spaniel is a smart and very smart dog, which in good hands lends itself perfectly to training and education. An animal of this breed needs early and comprehensive socialization, it needs a soft, but at the same time confident approach. It is not worth letting the pet have a lack of desire to obey, but at the same time gross physical influences and screaming lead only to the fact that the animal closes in itself and no longer wants to continue learning.

Keep in mind that Irish Spaniel performs well in a variety of sports, as a rule, they participate in agility competitions.

Raising a dog should be done only by the owner, who through his calm, but confident actions will seek the respect of the dog. A standard drill, repeated repetition of the same lesson does not lead to good results - the dog begins to get bored and simply refuses to carry out the commands given to it.

In general, water spaniels live 10-14 years. They have good immunity by nature, these dogs were distinguished by endurance and excellent health. They quickly adapt to the most adverse life situations and therefore rarely get sick.

However, there are also pathologies typical for this breed, which can occur in lines with a certain periodicity, they include:

• hyperthyroidism;
• hip dysplasia;
• inversion of the eyelids;
• tumor processes;
• epilepsy;
• ear pathologies;
• skin diseases.

You can learn more about how to care for a spaniel.