The Irish Water Spaniel is a breed of dog that is the largest and one of the oldest of spaniels.
Other names: Whiptail, Shannon Spaniel, Rat Tail Spaniel, Bog Dog.
Appearance
The Irish Water Spaniel is a sturdy, cobby dog native to Ireland. The coat, consisting of dense curls, sheds very little. (see Moult) The colour is liver/puce and has a very definite purple hue unlike the colour of any other known breed. The non-shedding characteristic of the coat means that people usually allergic to dogs might have less of an allergic reaction to Irish Water Spaniels.
IWS have several distinguishing characteristics which place them among the more recognizable of all breeds: The topknot of long, loose curls growing down from the head which often covers the eyes; a “beard” growing at the back of the throat often accompanied by “sideburns”; and a curled, liver (“puce”)-coloured coat. The most distinguishing characteristic of these dogs is the smooth “rat tail”, completely free of the long coat except at the base where it is covered for 2–3 inches with curls. The face is entirely smooth-coated and, unlike the poodle, should require little or no trimming to stay that way. An IWS is ruggedly built with webbed feet to aid in its powerful swimming. Altogether, the IWS presents a picture of a smart, upstanding, strongly built but not leggy dog, combining great intelligence and rugged endurance with a bold, dashing eagerness of temperament.
They are the largest of the Spaniel group. Dogs range in height from 22 to 24 inches (56–61 cm) and weigh 55 to 65 pounds (25–30 kg). As their name would imply these dogs love water.
Temperament
Like most dogs of the American Kennel Club Sporting group, the Irish Water Spaniel is essentially an active, willing and energetic companion. Because it has been bred from stock used to fetch game and return it to hand without a fuss, it has the natural instinct of wanting to please. Its keen sense of working as a team makes it a relatively easy dog to train and discipline. Because of its great intelligence and quizzical nature, it has the reputation of being the clown of the spaniel family and will do ordinary things in extraordinary ways to achieve that which is asked of it. Some individual dogs can be very wary of strangers and not every IWS can be trusted to get along with other pets. Early socialisation and training is a must.
History
The Irish Water Spaniel is a native Irish breed believed in Irish folklore to be the descendant of the Dobhar-chú. It is probable that more than one ancient breed of spaniel has gone into its makeup. It is not known from which other breeds Irish Water Spaniels were developed. The acknowledged father of the breed, Justin McCarthy from Dublin, left no breeding records. All manner of dogs have been suggested including the Poodle, Portuguese Water Dog, Barbet, generic old water dog, the now-extinct English Water Spaniel as well as the Northern and Southern Water Spaniels, but whether Irish Water Spaniels are antecedents, descendants, or mixtures of these other breeds is a matter of some speculation. What is clear is that the breed has ancient roots. The modern breed as we know it was developed in Ireland in the 1830s.