Water spaniel: characteristics, types and subtleties of the content

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

The 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 the southern part of Ireland on the banks of the Shannon River. According to surviving chronicles, several water spaniels were donated to the King of France by Sir Robert Cecil in 1598.

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

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-haired retriever. Since 1859, these animals began to take part in international competitions and exhibitions, and in 1866 the 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 rat-tailed spaniel got 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 set them apart from other breeds. They are medium-sized dogs of the noblest species. Curly hair is a characteristic feature. The body is large, but at the same time not so large that the animals seem bulky.

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

Water spaniels are still often used to hunt water birds in our time, while they are tasked with driving the birds out of the thickets of aquatic vegetation - then the hunters get down to business. However, on land, these pets will be a good help.

Water spaniels extremely inquisitive, they show a great interest in learning everything new and unknown. Keep in mind, these dogs categorically do not tolerate harsh upbringing, hard training using whip techniques. It is not allowed to raise your voice and physically influence the dog. When training, it is worth giving preference to the sequential 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, everyday walks with the opportunity to run and frolic. Prolonged incubation in an open-air cage and alone in a city apartment does not lead to anything good - the animal begins to wither, becomes apathetic and may even get seriously ill.

In accordance with breed standards, spaniels usually do not exceed 46 cm at the withers, females weigh 18 kg, and males around 20 kg.

The head must be in proportion to the body. The muzzle is elongated, its expression is very intelligent and quick-witted. The skull is broad and strong in outline. The nose is usually prominent, it is quite wide with large nostrils of a dark brown, almost black shade. The lips are close to the teeth, their surface is rather smooth.

The eyes are slightly rounded, as a rule, set wide apart. The iris is yellowish brown or dark. The eyelids fit very tightly to the eyeballs. The ears drop down at the level of the animal's eyes.

The length of the tail is average, it curls in an arc. Forefeet of moderate size, well developed and strong, straight and very strong. The muscles of the thighs are well developed. The coat is curly, soft, with an undercoat.

The most common varieties of the breed are as follows.

• Irish. This dog is slightly larger than all its other relatives. The body weight reaches 30 kg, and the height reaches 60 cm. A characteristic feature of such animals is the rat tail. The body is covered with rather small curls entirely, the only exception is the muzzle and the lower parts of the limbs - there the hair is smooth and rather short. When probing the dog, you can feel a slight crunch of the coat. A small forelock hangs from the head of dogs of this variety - it protects the eyes.

• Dutch... These spaniels are brown or black, less often suits with whitish spots. The dog is distinguished by an aggressive disposition, therefore it is suitable for breeders with a firm and tough character, capable of cutting off the pet's rebellious disposition.

• English. The dog is black-piebald or chocolate-piebald in color, the body is covered with 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 kennels can be counted on one hand, and announcements about the offer of such puppies do not pop up often - not a single specialized breed nursery is officially registered.

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

It is desirable to feed water spaniels with high quality natural products. This not only contributes to the dog's well-being, but also helps to maintain the normal condition of his coat. If, due to your employment, you do not have the opportunity to engage in grocery shopping and cooking mash, then you can turn to ready-made feeds, but always premium or super-premium.

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

• it is forbidden to give pets sweets, fatty and smoked food;
• it is advisable to avoid bread and other baked goods;
• 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 high-quality offal to them - liver or heart;
• from time to time you can give chicken and turkey, but you should not completely transfer your pet to poultry meat;
• fish is allowed once every 10 days, but always white low-fat varieties;
• the remaining 30% should be cereals, as well as vegetables and fruits;
• it is imperative to add chopped greens or sprouted grains of cereals to the mash;
• once a week, eggs and low-fat cottage cheese are allowed.

Puppies are fed up to six months 4-5 times a day. Upon reaching 6 months of age, the number of feedings is gradually brought to 2, and the volume of the proposed portion, on the contrary, is increased.

Please be aware that Spaniels are tall dogs with powerful sternums, so it can be difficult for them to eat from a bowl on the floor. It is advisable to use a support that matches the height of the sternum.

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

It is preferable to keep the water spaniel in a private house with a large garden plot. It is allowed to place a pet in an aviary; 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 - 2-3 single walk lasting at least an hour, preferably on a specially equipped dog playground. The dog should be able to run and swim at least once or twice a week. Are welcomed active games imitating hunting, giving out tasks for finding objects and contacts with other dogs.

Very important take proper care of the coat, grooming is pretty simple, but it should be frequent. The advantage of the breed lies in the weak severity of seasonal shedding, however, the coat needs regular combing.If you do not pay enough attention to this procedure, then the dog's curls will begin to fall off and close access to the skin for checking it for the appearance of parasites - ticks and fleas.

The wool is combed out at least 2 times a week. First, use a brush with medium-hard bristles, which collects the accumulated dirt, and then a comb with fine teeth is used to remove dead hair and massage the hair follicles.

During the warm season you should regularly allow the dog to swim in the pond - it 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 conditioner is not desirable, as it leads to unwinding curls.

The Water Spaniel is a quick-witted and highly intelligent dog that, in good hands, lends itself well 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. You should not let the pet down for his lack of desire to obey, but at the same time, gross physical influences and screaming only lead to the fact that the animal withdraws into itself and no longer wants to continue learning.

It should be borne in mind that The Irish Spaniel performs well in a variety of sports, as a rule, they participate in agility competitions.

The upbringing of the dog should be done only by the owner, who, with his calm, but confident actions, will achieve 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 follow the commands given to it.

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

However, there are pathologies typical for this breed, which can occur in lines with a certain frequency, these include:

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

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