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Spanish Water Dog breed guide
AKC calls the inexhaustible Spanish Water Dog a dual-purpose breed whose hallmark is a coat of wooly curls, used as both a herder and a waterfowl retriever in its homeland.
Rustic is the word often used for the look of this sturdy medium dog and in full coat the facial hair covers the expressive brown eyes.
- Height
- 17.5 to 19.75 inches male, 15.75 to 18 inches female
- Weight
- 40 to 49 pounds male, 31 to 40 pounds female
- AKC group
- Herding Group
Spanish Water Dog temperament
A lively family companion and vigilant watchdog, the Spanish Water Dog is highly intelligent and active, both mentally and physically. AKC says it thrives on the problem-solving nature of positive training with a clicker or similar style.
SWDs are extremely biddable and willing to please and are proving highly capable and versatile.
Spanish Water Dog lifespan
Spanish Water Dogs live 12 to 14 years. Responsible breeders screen for hip dysplasia and eye anomalies.
Spanish Water Dog care
The most important guideline for a properly groomed Spanish Water Dog is that the coat is never brushed. It should be the same length all over. How often to clip is the owner's choice of hair length and some owners let it grow for many months to form cords.
SWDs benefit from a good run at least once a day. Once they reach full maturity and the bone growth plates close, they have the capacity for lengthy, strenuous exercise and make great running, hiking or snow-shoeing companions.
Spanish Water Dog history
The Spanish Water Dog has been a fixture of the Iberian Peninsula's lakes and meadows for so long that nobody is sure how it got there. One theory says the Moors brought it from North Africa and another says Turkish traders introduced it, which explains its old nickname The Turkish Dog.
It was always dual-purpose, used as both a waterfowl retriever and a sheepherder.
AKC trait ratings
| Trait | AKC rating | Scale |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Level | 4 of 5 | Couch Potato to High Energy |
| Trainability Level | 4 of 5 | Self-Willed to Eager to Please |
| Shedding Level | 1 of 5 | No Shedding to Hair Everywhere |
| Barking Level | 3 of 5 | Only To Alert to Very Vocal |
| Adaptability Level | 3 of 5 | Lives For Routine to Highly Adaptable |
| Good With Young Children | 4 of 5 | Not Recommended to Good With Children |
| Good With Other Dogs | 3 of 5 | Not Recommended to Good With Other Dogs |
| Watchdog/Protective Nature | 3 of 5 | What's Mine Is Yours to Vigilant |
More Herding Group guides
Sources
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Spanish Water Dog by Томасина, CC BY-SA 3.0
