The Irish Water Spaniel is very beautiful and has a compact and sturdy body structure. It is a sporty dog, smart, strong, courageous, and active. The top bun has fluffy and loose curls, and the body is covered with thick and clear liver-colored curls. This is its typical appearance. Its special shape and texture of hair and its smooth face The “mouse” tail forms a strong contrast, which is impressive.
The breed is lively, optimistic, well-behaved, obedient, and very obedient to the owner. Of course, it occasionally shows its naughty and sensitive side. Among the hounds, it belongs to the burliest type, so it performs in hunting animals, especially waterfowl. Quite outstanding.
The Irish Water Spaniel has good endurance and is very alert and curious. Usually, Irish Water Spaniels have certain reservations about strangers and will not trust them too much.
Regardless of the reason, if the dog is aggressive or excessively shy or timid, it is flawed. A stable temperament is the basic requirement of a hound.
The origin of the development of the Irish Water Spaniel
The dog originated in Ireland in the 19th century. Its main breeder was Justin McCarthy. However, because he kept the source of the dog extremely secret, it is difficult to know what kind of dog the Irish Water Spaniel was used by other than him. Bred by planting. Some people speculate that it may be obtained by crossing the Portuguese water dog or other long curly-haired breeds, such as the poodle, and the Irish native dog.
Until 1864, an oil painting of a hound named “Rick” attracted people’s attention. Many people thought that the “Rick” in this oil painting was a dog with the pedigree of the ancient Pottswand. The ancestors of this breed are outstanding gun hounds, display dogs, and may also be the ancestors of the Irish Water Spaniel.
Because this dog breed is very good at swimming and its fur can be dehydrated, it is very suitable for working in swamps and muddy environments. In the past, people often let them hunt water birds and catch ducks, swans, and other water birds back. They are fully capable of getting out of deep water. Drag these large waterfowl ashore.
By now in the 21st century, Irish Water Spaniels are no longer just used for hunting. Their smart, loyal, easy-to-train and tame advantages have been highly praised by people, and more and more people are willing to train them into Family companion dogs.
Suitable population for Irish Water Spaniel
Because of the personality and unique physical characteristics of the Irish Water Spaniel, it is necessary to take care of the long and loose curls on the top bun every day, and spend more time on daily maintenance, so busy work with not much free time The race is not suitable for keeping this breed of dog.
Characteristics of Irish Water Spaniel
Overall: The body structure is strong and strong, the bone mass is sufficient, the length is medium, and the appearance is slightly rectangular. The body is well-proportioned, and the legs are neither too slender nor too rough. Generally, the shoulder height of male dogs is about 22 to 24 inches; females are about 21 to 23 inches. Males weigh about 55 to 65 pounds; females weigh about 45 to 58 pounds.
Head: The outline of the head is neat and clear, without “cheeky”, and the length is also moderate, with a wedge-shaped proportion, but it does not look short. The head is slightly larger, the top is dome-shaped, the posterior occiput is more convex, and the stop is gradually transitioned.
Eyes: Medium laughter, slightly almond-shaped, tight eyelids, and generally hazel-colored eyes, and the darker the eyes, the better. Facial expressions are very rich, sometimes sharp and alert, sometimes clever and cunning, sometimes straightforward and curious.
Ears: Long, leaf-like, with a low tail base. If the auricle stretches forward, the length can reach the tip of the nose. The ears are covered with long curly hairs that can extend to 1 to 2 inches below the auricle.
Muzzle/jaw/teeth: The muzzle is square and slightly longer. The mouth opening is deeper, and the texture of the lips is more delicate. The teeth are neat and strong, with scissors or forceps bite.
Neck and body: The neck is long, arched, muscular and strong, and blends smoothly into the neat, slightly inclined shoulder blades. It is of medium length and slightly angular. The chest is deep, and the bottom of the chest can extend to the elbow. The ribs are back and well supported. The ribs behind the shoulder blades immediately flattened, allowing the forelimbs to move freely, and then gradually rounded. The waist is short and wide, but muscular, and the body has no obvious tendency to lift.
Back: The back is level and the muscles are strong. The back part may occasionally be slightly higher, but it is absolutely impossible to tilt the backdown. At the same time, the back should be loose or arched.
Limbs: The shoulder blades are slightly slanted but very neat. The forelimbs are of moderate length, with well-developed muscles and sufficient bone; the upper arms are long enough to ensure the flexible extension of the limbs. The elbows are very close to the body. The feet are large and thick, slightly splayed, and covered with hair between and above the toes.
Generally having healthy hindquarters is very important for this breed, so that the hindquarters can provide a strong driving force when swimming or walking. Usually, the hindquarters are slightly higher than the shoulder blades, and the muscles are well developed, especially the first and second thighs are quite developed. In addition, the angle of the hindquarters is moderate, and the angle balance between the front and rear legs is very important.
The feet of the hind limbs are large, thick, slightly spread, and the feet are covered with hair.
Hip: The hips are wide, the knee joints are bent at a certain angle, and the hock joints are low and moderately bent.
Tail: The “mouse tail” is one of the typical characteristics of this dog breed. The tail root is thick and low in position. It also hides a short 2-3 inch curl, giving the hindquarters a round appearance. The tail is tapered as a whole, with a delicate tip. Looking down from the root, the curl of the tail is hidden in the short, flat, smooth hair, so that it looks as if the tail has been cut short. It is generally required that the length of the tail can be raised to a position flush with the back, and cannot extend to the hock joint.
Coat: Double layer, moderate thickness, can protect them during work. Its neck, back, sides and back are all hidden under thick and clear curls, and the hair under the ribs is slightly longer than elsewhere. The hair covering the forelegs and hind legs is usually curly or wavy, except for the front under the hock of the hind legs, where the hair is relatively short and smooth. The hair on the throat is also very short and smooth, forming a V-shaped area.
The whole body area covered with curly hair is usually neat and well-defined, and long enough, usually in sharp contrast with the smooth coat of the face, throat, tail, and the area below the hock of the hind legs. The hair on the feet can be natural or trimmed. But be careful not to over-modify or trim, it is easy to make the curl of the coat itself inconspicuous.
Color: pure liver color. Except for gray-white hair when the dog is old, white hair or markings are usually a fault.
How to feed the Irish Water Spaniel
The Irish Water Spaniel is small in size. Generally, 200-250 grams of meat is added to the diet every day, and then an appropriate amount of vegetarian food is prepared, such as cooked vegetables, biscuits or rice, etc., and fed after mixing. In addition to paying attention to the cleanliness and hygiene of the food during the feeding process, the feeding amount should also be strictly controlled. It is not advisable to feed too much, otherwise, the dog will easily gain weight and it will not look good.
The Irish Water Spaniel has a relatively high demand for sports, so it is necessary to ensure that there is enough time for them every day to consume excess energy and physical strength.
The Irish Water Spaniel loves to be clean, so remember to comb its coat every day to make sure the hair is clean, tidy, and beautiful. In addition, you also need to take a bath regularly, the specific frequency can be determined according to the weather. When the weather is cool in spring and autumn, blow dry with a hairdryer immediately after bathing to avoid catching a cold. This is especially true in winter. Take care to prevent catching a cold.
The dog is very easy to train. You can start basic training when you are a puppy. You can teach it to obey orders and obey the instructions of the owner. You can also teach it not to use teeth and claws to bite or tear home items, such as clothing and curtains. And sofas, etc. In addition, hygiene issues should be taught as early as possible, and they should be trained to urinate and defecate in designated places.
The Irish Water Spaniel likes to bark. This problem is tricky. If it is not properly trained, it will often bark and make people very loud. If necessary, consider having a vocal cord removal operation. In short, it is just to make it impossible. Barking, disturbing the work and rest of the family and neighbors around.