Dogs

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN Ireland

MOST SUITED AS Hunting dog and family pet.

SIZE
The shoulder-height is 53 - 59cm (20 1/2 - 23 1/2in) for dogs and 51 - 56cm (20 - 22in) for bitches.

COAT
The oily coat of the Irish Water Spaniel consists of dense, permanent curls which should never be fluffy. The only recognized colour is a dark shade of liver.

CARE REQUIRED
Do not groom them too much to prevent the coat becoming fluffy. After a thorough brushing, the dog should be washed or allowed to swim to put the curl back in the coat. It is likely that the coat will require trimming from time to time to keep it in accordance with the breed standard. A major advantage of this coat is that loose hairs are not shed, so that few will be found on the carpet. For showing they require more specialized grooming.

CHARACTER
Irish Water Spaniels are lively and cheerful, with considerable stamina and drive, a very good nose, they are intelligent, cunning, equable, and tough on themselves. It can have something of a mind of its own.

TRAINING
Training needs to begin early with these dogs. They learn quickly but require a handler that is consistent. If you let them have their own way too much and are too forgiving in the dog's eyes, then the struggle will eventually be lost and the dog will do as it pleases. Bring as much variety as possible into training and make sure the dog enjoys it. They can be very bad tempered and cannot be expected to perform consistently.

SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
This breed usually gets on well with children. There is no problem with the company of cats and other pets provided the dog has been socially trained when young. They will bark to warn of danger but that is all. With strangers, they are rather cautious.

EXERCISE
These are hunting dogs with tremendous stam­ina. They are mad keen on retrieving and water, so let them swim regularly - when the climate permits. They will gladly leave their basket for a good long walk.