By Heidi Clayton
While at the National Dog Show a few weeks ago, I spent some time with a breed I have had little experience with. I will admit to becoming a bit smitten with the breed known as the Irish Water Spaniel. Keeping in mind that there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog, I learned that the Irish Water Spaniel is considered a low-shedding dog. People with allergies report having little to no symptoms living with them.
Known to their fans as the “IWS,” this breed is one of the oldest dog breeds of the British Isles. They appeared in books as early as 1607. The first known painting of one is dated in 1841. Rat-tailed spaniels were known for working the waterways of Ireland as retrievers for some time. A man named Justin McCarthy took the best traits of those spaniels and created the breed now known as the Irish Water Spaniel in roughly 1859. By the 1870s, they were known to be one of the most dedicated and willing retrievers around. They made their way to the United States and became an official breed registered with the American Kennel Club in 1884. During the late 1800s, the IWS was ranked third in registration in the sporting group.
What I noticed about the IWS was that they were all jovial and clownish. Those are traits unique to their breed. They are known to be the most devoted and enthusiastic of all of the retrieving dogs. Their breed club describes them as “active, willing, and energetic companions.” They were bred to be “personal retrievers” so while they are perfectly fine with strangers, they are a breed that doesn’t necessarily care if they meet and greet every person they see. Their owners report that they are extremely intelligent dogs, but have a mischievous side to them that will require you to turn a lot of their training into a game. Their owners call it having a “streak of the Irish” in them.
The average size for a male IWS is about 55-68 pounds. Female IWS’s average size is between 45-58 pounds. They have a signature waterproof coat that is composed of loose, curly liver-colored ringlets. These dogs also have a rat-like tail and webbed feet. They are a low-shedding breed but will require some brushing here and there. However, for the most part, the shedding is minimal. Unlike designer mixed breeds, their coat has remained the same for hundreds of years.
The IWS is now considered a low-entry breed in the American Kennel Club. Fewer than 200 are registered in a year. Their parent club does a tremendous job of keeping this breed from extinction. They have also done a fantastic job of keeping them out of the hands of puppy mills, so very few are ever available for rescue. Breeders of IWS test all of their stock for hip and elbow dysplasia prior to breeding as well as ensure that they are free from heart and eye diseases. The Irish Water Spaniel Club of America encourages those interested in the breed to visit a breeder and spend time with the adult dogs to get to them.
Check out the Irish Water Spaniel if you are looking for a dog that loves to swim, is a natural at duck hunting and retrieving, and has a happy, devoted (and possibly a bit of goofy) disposition. You can learn all about them at IWSCA.org.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net.
Heidi Clayton started Four On the Floor Dog Training to provide positive, reward-based dog training in South Jersey. She breeds, trains and shows bull terriers under the SoraBully’s Bull Terriers kennel name. Email questions to heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net or learn more at https://fouronthefloordogtraining.net
