Spanish Water Dog: description, nature and content of the breed

Choosing a pet, especially a dog, is a responsible decision, because this animal will be with you and your children for at least 10 years. Therefore, it is worth considering the description of such a breed as the Spanish Water Dog, as well as familiarizing yourself with the rules for keeping these animals and their character traits.

The first mentions of this breed in Spanish sources date back to 1110. It is not known for certain how exactly these dogs first came to the territory of Spain, but the two most popular versions say that they either came to the Iberian Peninsula from North Africa together with the Moorish conquerors in the VIII century, or were brought by merchants from the territory of modern Turkey. In Spain itself, this breed has long been called the "Turkish dog". For a long time these animals were indispensable helpers of peasants and were used primarily for grazing livestock. Other activities were not alien to them - many of them were trained to help fishermen in pulling nets out of the water and even for hunting, where they were used to pick up killed game.

Over time, the aquatic breed was gradually displaced from the pastures by German and Belgian shepherd dogs. By the beginning of the last century, isolated populations remained only in northern Spain (Asturias and Cantabria), as well as in western and southern Andalusia. Only in 1973, the "Perro de Aqua Espanyol" (as the name of this breed sounds in Spanish) attracted the attention of professional breeders, who started breeding it and forming standards. Finally, in 1992, the standard of this breed was recognized by the International Cynological Federation under number 336.

According to the breed standard, its purebred representatives have certain external characteristics.

• Curly wool, which begins to curl into a cord with age. The color should be white, black or brown. The presence of white, black or brown spots on the coat is allowed.
• Height at withers should be 40 to 50 cm for adult males and 38 to 45 cm for adult females. The weight of males should be in the range from 16 to 20 kg, while for females this figure should be from 12 to 16 kg.
• Head should be massive with a flat skull and a pronounced transition from muzzle to forehead. The nose should be dyed the same color as most of the animal's fur.
• Eyes should be of different shades of brown (from hazel to dark brown) and be relatively far apart.
• Ears should be pendant and triangular in shape.
• The dog must have wide and deep chest with prominent ribs. The back should be almost straight with a slightly sloping croup. The belly of these animals should not protrude. The neck should be short but rather muscular.
• Paws should be powerful and have cat-like pads.

Correctly brought up representatives of the Spanish water breed are distinguished by their affectionate and friendly character, which they show not only to the owner, but also to the rest of his family. Even to strangers, these pets, instead of aggression, show only caution.

These animals are strongly attached to the owner and do not tolerate separation from them. In addition, they feel the need for constant activity and rarely sit in one place. This is especially true for puppies, who can play almost all day.

The very name of this breed hints at their love for water treatments. Seeing a reservoir, the animal will happily rush to it, even if it is a small puddle. So in rainy weather it is worth walking the "Spaniards" on a leash.

Despite a fairly good level of health and resistance to most diseases, this breed has several characteristic diseases that can also be transmitted to offspring, namely:

• eye diseases - glaucoma, progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts, distichiasis (the appearance of additional rows of eyelashes);
• thyroid disease;
• hypoadrenocorticism (insufficient secretion of adrenaline and cortisol);
• pancreatic insufficiency;
• various allergies;
• dysplasia (developmental disorder) of the hip joints.

Despite the love of these dogs for swimming, it is important to make sure that they do not spend too much time in cold water, otherwise partial or complete hearing loss is possible.

At an early age, puppies of this breed are often injured, so the owners should limit their level of activity, not leave them alone for a long time.

The average lifespan of these animals is 10 to 14 years.

Spanish Water Dogs are generally quite unpretentious. However, their energy and the need for physical activity determine the main requirement for the maintenance of the breed - the obligatory walking in the morning and evening for at least an hour.

The main feature of caring for these animals is that they do not need to be combed.... Their fur itself curls into curls and laces, and brushing it will not only cause discomfort to the animal, but also ruin its appearance. Instead of combing, the wool can be cut (but not more often than once a year). Grooming of these dogs is purely optional and is required only if you are going to take your pet with you on a hunt. When clipping, please note that according to the breed standard, the length of the coat on the entire body of the animal should be the same.

It is also not recommended to bathe these pets too often. Bathing is recommended only if the dog is very dirty. Wash such a dog in warm water using a neutral pet shampoo. It is advisable to dry the wool outdoors.

Ears and eyes are vulnerable spots of this breed, so it is important to brush them regularly. The ears are cleaned at least once a week using cotton swabs that can be moistened with saline or veterinary lotion. Dogs need to wash their eyes at the first sign of inflammation or visible contamination. To do this, you can use gauze pads or cotton pads moistened with water, saline or lotion.

Since until the 70s of the last century, the breed was not considered as decorative and was used mainly in rural conditions, there are no special requirements for the diet of Spanish dogs. It is important to adhere to general recommendations for feeding dogs and include in the diet meat (not too fatty, preferably cooked), meat offal (liver, heart, kidneys, stomachs), buckwheat or rice porridge, boiled vegetables, low-fat dairy products (cottage cheese or kefir). It will not be superfluous to include in the diet also sea fish, but not more than twice a week and must be deboned.

The use of dry feed, in particular, complete feed, is not prohibited either. It is important to change the water in the drinking bowl at least once a day.

The main advantage of this pet is its friendliness towards both people and animals. Historically, these dogs were accustomed to coexistence with sheep, goats and other domestic animals, therefore, outbreaks of aggression towards another animal among the Spanish aquatic animals practically do not occur.

Another advantage of this variety of dogs is that due to the relatively recent interest of professional breeders, this breed has not lost its shepherd and hunting instincts, which means that it can be recommended to owners of farms and hunting grounds, where it can fully demonstrate its skills.

The main disadvantage of the breed is its natural energy and the need for regular physical activity. Walking with such a pet should be given more time (from two hours a day) than more calm breeds of dogs. Otherwise, the animal can misbehave at home, become depressed and even get sick.

Another disadvantage of Spanish dogs is energetic and independent character, because of which you need to spend a lot of time with the dog and carefully adjust its behavior, especially in the early stages of training. At the same time, due to the innate peacefulness, such a dog cannot be used as a watchdog.

Despite good health, this breed is susceptible to a number of dangerous diseases, which are important to identify in the early stages, otherwise their vision, hearing or endocrine system will be irreparably damaged. With a general unpretentiousness in care, these dogs require constant monitoring of the condition of the ears and eyes.

Finally, the breed is not very common in Russia, so in order to get a purebred puppy, you will have to look for it for a long time (or order it in Spain), while shelling out from $ 650 to $ 2000.

For more on the characteristics of the breed, see the next video.