“American Water Spaniel” or commonly known as AWS is from a line of spaniels that derived from a significant group of line that is born in the United States. Originally from Wisconsin in the 19th centenary, AWS is a mix of Irish Water Spaniel and English Water Spaniel.
Before the disappearance of AWS line, a prominent doctor by the name Fred J Pfeiffer, who is in charge of the dog line association and benchmark, decided to save the line from extinction. Dr Fred J Pfeiffer introduced AWS in to the United Kennel Club as well as the American Kennel Club. Even though they are from Wisconsin, AWS are dogs that are extraordinary when it comes to obtaining them as pets.
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American Water Spaniel Introduction
“American Water Spaniel” is a dog that was cultivated by huntsman because they required a dog that functions on water and land and is the right size to be carried on a miniature boat. Huntsman wanted a dog that could also live and play in the chilly water. The AWS was previously named American Brown Spaniel and was 18kg in size.
Their fur is solid and it serves to their benefit during winter and when the water is cold. AWS is a master at hunting and their main prey was chicken, grouse or any animals that has fur. The reason why the AWS is few in numbers is because at one point of time, the duck colony was scarce and people were using other type of breeds such as pointers and different spaniels for their hunting pleasure.
American Water Spaniel Appearance
Because the "American Water Spaniel" is so rare, its appearance has remained largely unchanged since the 19th century. The AWS is medium in size with 3 distinctive coat colours and they are solid liver, brown or chocolate. They are 38 – 46 centimetres tall and 11 – 30 kilograms in size.
AWS look very much like the Irish Water Spaniel except for its height and size. AWS has two fur types and that is either curly or wavy. AWS fur is rough so that water doesn’t sip in to their skin easily. The follicle of their fur allows their body to regulate easily. Their fur has a slippery feel to it and sometimes may release an odour that can be kept at bay with regular care.
The eyes of the AWS should be the same colour as their fur. Any other eye colour such as yellow should be a warning sign to the owner. They have a wide head that is accompanied with droopy lengthy ears. They are attached to a long tail.
American Water Spaniel Diet
The "American Water Spaniel" is a lively and energetic breed. It is important to pack the AWS with the right amount of nutritional food so that they can replace the calories that they burn during their active outing. Feeding the AWS with food that contain high levels of carbohydrates and proteins will allow the AWS to continue being an active and wholesome dog.
It can be hard to feed an AWS when you are on the go so feeding your dog 3 days before your outing will resolve this issue immediately. One of the best foods to feed AWS when they are in an outing is canned pumpkins as the fibre content in the pumpkin will provide them with a full stomach effect.
Breeding
“American Water Spaniel” was bred as dogs that live in a cluster, which means they were always with other dogs. Breeders have now started breeding AWS with good attitudes which can adapt to hunting life as well as a family unit life. A few guidelines to ensure the AWS breeding is done appropriately is by its size, proportion, head, neck, top line, body, coat, colour, gait and temperament. As for size, AWS male and female vary about 5lbs. Pertaining to proportion, AWS should be long and not to compressed.
The AWS head must be in proportion in terms of expression, eyes, ears, skull, stop, muzzle and nose. The AWS neck must be steady, the top line must be levelled and the body needs to be well developed. The AWS coat must be from wavy to curly and the colour preset is solid liver, brown or dark chocolate. Most importantly, the AWS must not have yellow eyes.
Predators
There are no predators recorded for “American Water Spaniel”. However, if AWS is used for hunting in the jungle, then its main predators would be wild animals that are bigger than the AWS.
Facts and Figures
The “American Water Spaniel” has an obsession for bananas. There is no concrete proof on what encourages their craziness for bananas but it is believed that the soft texture of the banana suits the AWS’s gentle mouth.
Life Cycle and Life Style
“American Water Spaniel” has a total of 12 – 15 years to live. The AWS requires a lot of exercises. They could range from running, hiking or heavy duty activities that will make AWS tired easily.
Habitat
Given the "American Water Spaniel's" size, they are well-suited for apartment or condominium living, provided they receive their daily exercise. It is better for AWS to be living in a house with a yard that is fenced up so that they can run around at their will.
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Images, Pics, Photos and Pictures of American Water Spaniel :
American Water Spaniel Behaviour
The “American Water Spaniel” is not as lively as other Spaniels but their ability in retrieving is as good as a Labrador. The AWS can adapt to any environment. They may not be fast swimmers but they are very strong in the water. They are athletic and happen to be the first dog breed that won a fly ball event.
The AWS love the limelight and is known to be a voiced type of dog. They are great with families and will develop a strong relationship with one person in the family. The AWS is very independent in their thinking and will normally shine when they are trained by owners to their full potential and capability. AWS need to be multi trained so that they don’t get bored easily.
There are certain AWS dogs that tend to be the pack leader and can be fixated on food. AWS can be persistent dogs and grows up at a slow pace in terms of their mental capabilities. Some AWS dogs that are bred wrongly can be fierce and stubborn. However, most of the AWS love children and can’t wait for playtime.