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GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

The American Water Spaniel is a friendly and outgoing dog interested in being near the action and often times wanting to take center stage. Seldom do you meet up with an aloof AWS who seemingly wants nothing to do with you. The visitor to an American Water Spaniel’s home will often find the dog begging for a petting, offering up a ball for a game of fetch or snuggling into a comfortable place in the visitor’s lap. For most dog lovers this is a minor inconvenience, and for many others it is a welcome reception. Still owners should understand that such behavior is not always welcome by guests and take steps to teach the dog to come under more acceptable control when required.

Not only a force to be reckoned with in the field, the American Water Spaniel is second to none as a loyal companion as well.

American Water Spaniels are often described as intelligent dogs that take to training well. The breed loves attention and is very willing to please its trainer. Because of this it often trains quickly, leading many newcomers to the breed to cease to continue with the training after the dog has picked up on the basic commands; this is where trouble can begin. Without continued training, an AWS will begin to be obedient enough to avoid getting himself into too much trouble but not obedient enough to be the pleasant companion he can be. When this happens some will describe the dog as manipulative or cunning. In reality the dog has simply learned that by exhibiting specific behaviors at the shortterm expense of others, he is able to get his way most of the time. Diligent owners who regularly train and socialize their dogs through early adulthood will find that they can avoid this type of behavior.

People searching for a new companion often raise the question of just how compatible the breed is with children, strangers and other dogs. While there are exceptions to the rule, most American Water Spaniels do well with all of these. When it comes to children it is always best to err on the side of caution. The wise owner will be very watchful of the interaction between the dog and children, especially children under five years of age. The fast moves and loud play of young children are sometimes stressful to dogs, and such stress can result in negative canine behaviors. Parents need to understand that it is as necessary to train their children in the proper way to behave around the dog as it is to train the dog in how to act with children.

A dog that demonstrates a dislike of strange people and other dogs is sometimes nothing more than a dog that was not properly socialized during early puppyhood. Of course this is not always the case, and some dogs are simply born with an aversion to strangers of all types. Luckily with the AWS this is not normally the case. To help assure that a more pleasant personality is brought out in the AWS puppy, new owners should attend puppy socialization classes and take steps to introduce their dogs to new experiences throughout their formative years.

HEART-HEALTHY

In this modern age of ever-improving cardio-care, no doctor or scientist can dispute the advantages of owning a dog to lower a person’s risk of heart disease. Studies have proven that petting a dog, walking a dog and grooming a dog all show positive results toward lowering your blood pressure. The simple routine of exercising your dog—going outside with the dog and walking, jogging or playing catch—is heart-healthy in and of itself. If you are normally less active than your physician thinks you should be, adopting a dog may be a smart option to improve your own quality of life as well as that of another creature.

Neither rain, nor sleet nor snow can keep the versatile American Water Spaniel down. This AWS is ready for whatever Mother Nature throws at him.

The American Water Spaniel is often described as possessive and protective. These traits bear some relationship to one another and are sometimes reflective of the dog’s understanding of its rank within the family unit or pack. The breed has a tendency to occasionally challenge its rank within the social hierarchy of the household and will attempt to move up the pecking order if given the opportunity. As this occurs owners may see signs of the breed’s possessiveness as their AWS growls or quickly grabs an object when the owner reaches for it. When this happens the dog is saying, “This is mine and you cannot have it” and illustrating his possessive tendency. A thorough training and socialization program can help to minimize or even prevent this type of behavior from ever developing. If such behavior should occur, it is often correctable with the use of a regimented retraining program supervised by a qualified trainer.

If there is one single annoying behavior to be found in the American Water Spaniel, it is its propensity to bark. This is a vocal breed that seemingly loves to hear itself and will even “give tongue” when chasing rabbits in the field or other dogs in play. The slightest noise or movement can set off a series of barks so incessant that it will drive even the most patient of individuals crazy. American Water Spaniels have been known to go into a prolonged barking frenzy over things like songbirds feeding in the back yard, squirrels foraging for nuts or a shoe dropped on the floor. Training will help this problem, but it is one that will stay with many for their entire life. For this reason many breeders do not recommend the breed as one for apartment living unless steps can be taken to minimize or eliminate the dog’s inclination to bark.

While immensely enjoying its own vocalizations may not sound like an endearing quality, some American Water Spaniels do have the ability to turn this sometimes annoying characteristic into a rather charmingly attractive occurrence. Those are the dogs that are blessed with the ability and propensity to yodel. While the sound emitted by a yodeling AWS is more like a howl than what one might recognize as a true yodel, it does fall a little short of the annoying howls we often attribute to other canines. Oftentimes the yodel seems to be roused by happiness or excitement, such as during play, at feeding time or when guests arrive for a visit. One of my first American Water Spaniels was a champion yodeler who loved to hear himself so much that I was able to teach him to respond to the command to yodel with good reliability. Not all American Water Spaniels bear this trait, but once found within a household, it is one that is sorely missed should it ever fall silent.

When it comes to housing, this is not a breed that does well living in a pen, fenced-in yard or chained to a tree all day, every day. Because the AWS enjoys, and in some cases demands, human contact, these dogs should not be left alone for long periods of time. Such abandonment will lead to excessive barking, lack of social skills and unwanted behaviors like digging or fence climbing. The AWS should be a member of the family brought into the household, loved and cared for just like any other family member. When this is done, and the proper steps are taken to train and socialize the dog, it will be a canine companion like few others.

American Water Spaniels are active dogs that do best when given a job to do and some good physical exercise. While they do not need long periods of exercise it is best to give them the opportunity to run off some of their sporting energy regularly. Of course, a good 20-or 30-minute walk each morning and night will serve to keep them in the best physical and mental condition but so too will a nice romp in the back yard each day or a few play dates at the local park each week. An idle AWS will become overweight and bored, leading to both health and behavior problems like excessive chewing or barking. If you have an American Water Spaniel, take the time to enjoy his company by playing fetch in the back yard or learning a sport like hunting, agility or competitive obedience so both of you will be rewarded with a long and healthy relationship.

The activity level of a sporting breed is normally quite high, and the American Water Spaniel is no exception; this AWS can hardly contain himself, waiting to get back into the water.

California Chocolate Chip, better known as “Callie,” demonstrating the AWS’s capacity for retrieval.

“Well, are you coming or what?” The AWS must be given plenty of exercise and duties to remain a delightful companion.

Some AWS owners will tell you that the breed is a “garbage can,” willing to devour anything and everything that enters its mouth. Stories have been told of American Water Spaniels who have eaten various articles of clothing, tennis balls, golf balls, rubber door stops, plastic plates and much more. The breed will seemingly search out and locate the vilest items around the field or yard and promptly make a feast of them. Therefore it is best to train a puppy as to what is a proper chew toy or food item and to teach him the “Leave it” command for when you want something left alone or immediately dropped, if the dog already has it in his mouth.

There have been some breeders and individuals who claim the American Water Spaniel is “hypoallergenic,” making it a safe breed for allergy sufferers to bring into their home. Unfortunately this is not truly the case. The breed sheds hair and produces dander, both of which can be a catalyst to allergic reactions. Despite anecdotal claims that people with allergies are less sensitive to the AWS than to other breeds, it is not recommended that allergy sufferers, especially those with severe allergies, introduce an AWS into their home.

The AWS is probably best described as a moderately shedding dog that constantly loses coat. Most owners do not see the shedding as a nuisance except, perhaps, for the one time each year when many of the dogs will shed their winter coats over a period of a few weeks, leaving behind enough hair to outfit another dog. The coat texture of an AWS is normally fine rather than coarse, and the shed hair does not have a tendency to embed itself into the carpet or other fabric the way the coat of other breeds can. The few problems that do come from shedding can be partially alleviated by regular brushing and bathing when necessary.

IN THE FIELD

The American Water Spaniel has always been an all-around hunting dog and, with luck and support, will remain one for many years to come. As a hunting dog it possesses sufficient energy to work the fields and woodlands for all types of game, ranging from pheasants to grouse and even the occasional rabbit. While it holds an energy level that allows it to go all day in the field, it also maintains the willingness to sit patiently in the blind waiting for the next flight of ducks or geese to swoop in to the decoys. Patience is not a virtue that comes without training, however, and it is the wise owner who begins this training at an early age.

Alex Glam Streeter or “Mad Max” proudly poses for the camera with his hunter.

As a retriever the American Water Spaniel is best suited to work marshes, rivers, small lakes and the like for waterfowl. While more than a few American Water Spaniels have been used to retrieve from the big waters of the Great Lakes and along the ocean shorelines, when a sudden storm develops such water can quickly become too much of a challenge for this medium-sized breed.

The breed is good at marking the location of fallen game, and it will normally do so quickly and with great enthusiasm. It is not unusual to hear hunters tell stories of six or eight birds falling from the sky and their American Water Spaniels sitting patiently, waiting for the command to retrieve. Once sent on the retrieve the dog often successfully gathers each and every bird without further direction from the owner. Despite such stories, though, it is the wise owner who takes the time to thoroughly train the AWS in the proper field manners of retrieving dogs. Teaching the dog to sit quietly as it waits to be sent on its task and instructing it on how to be directed to a downed bird are just a couple of the trained behaviors most owners should work on. Through judicious and consistent training, owners will find that the AWS will perform in the stylized fashion of many of the common retriever breeds.

Historically, the need for a medium-sized field dog that wouldn’t “tip the boat” on a hunt gave rise to the development of the AWS.

When hunting the uplands for pheasants, grouse or rabbit, the AWS makes good use of its exceptional nose. It is not unusual to hear owners brag of their dogs scenting birds well out of gun range. Similarly, it is quite common to hear stories of dogs that tracked wounded game for several yards and then dug it out of cover so dense that the hunter could not see the dog once it entered the cover. Such is the power of the AWS’s nose and the tenacity of the breed’s spirit. Though a flushing breed, the AWS is not what some would describe as a hard-flushing dog. Instead the American Water Spaniel tends to put a bird to flight with more of a soft flush as it moves into the bird judiciously as opposed to recklessly. Once the bird is put to flight the AWS will chase after it unless taught the proper manners of being steady to the flush of the bird or at least heeding the command of its owner to sit.

Field training should begin at an early age with basic obedience and simple retrieves. This is not the time to overdo the work expected of the dog, so short sessions of no more than a 10-or 15-minute duration held 2 or 3 times each day will quickly form a solid basis on which to develop a good working dog. As training progresses the introduction of birds, guns, gunfire, decoys and other typical aspects found while hunting can begin. It is very important that all of these things be introduced in a systematic and positive manner so as to encourage the dog to develop its inherent qualities as a field dog.

For the novice trainer there are many books available to help in getting started with the training process. It is often best to avail yourself of a couple of books to develop an understanding of the various techniques used and to find a program that best fits your needs and personality. There are also numerous training clubs and professional trainers around the country that will assist members in accomplishing the task of creating a good flushing dog or retriever, and new owners will benefit from searching out such groups to assist them with the process. What is most important is that the novice trainer seeks assistance so that the training techniques used are appropriate and will lead to success for both the dog and trainer.

The American Water Spaniel’s webbed feet and all-around field abilities make it a natural and confident water retriever.

SPANIEL OR RETRIEVER

If you find yourself among a number of American Water Spaniel owners and want to effect a strong debate, just ask the question, “Are these spaniels or retrievers?” The answer will vary from owner to owner and probably be centered more upon how each owner uses his dog in the field than on the actual characteristics of the breed.

This has been a long-standing debate among AWS field enthusiasts and is likely the root cause for the delay in classifying the breed with the American Kennel Club. Even the solution to ending the debate over classification involved a compromise of sorts that permitted the two sides of the argument to meet somewhat in the middle with the spaniel supporters gaining AKC classification as a flushing spaniel and the retriever supporters obtaining a requirement that no title is awarded until a dog demonstrates its ability as a retriever in American Water Spaniel Club Retrieving Certificate Tests.

Tangle, owned by Jim McKibben, with one of several ducks retrieved during a morning’s hunt in Wisconsin.

It has long been stated that the chief cause for the debate about “spaniel or retriever” is found in the breed’s name, the American Water Spaniel. If it were not for throwing that word “water” into the name there might never have been this controversy and people may have been more accepting of the breed’s abilities as an all-around hunting dog. It may also have been helpful if there would have been a designation by the American Kennel Club or some other voice of authority defining just what a water spaniel is and what it does so that it could be compared to other types of dogs like retrievers, pointers or spaniels.

While the answer to this debate may never be determined, one can look to noted experts to find a clue to the likely answer that may actually lay this matter to rest. First is to find a definition of just what a water spaniel is, and we get somewhat of an explanation from John R. Falk’s The Complete Guide To Bird Dog Training, where he describes the American Water Spaniel as a dog that was “…developed principally for duck hunting, his versatility was recognized early on and even in the latter part of the nineteenth century he saw considerable work springing marsh birds in the lowlands and ruffed grouse and rabbits in the uplands.” It is this versatility to function both as a retriever and as a flushing dog along the varied cover of wetland areas that makes a water spaniel.

So, according to Falk, we should not look upon a water spaniel as simply a retriever but as much more. It should be a versatile dog that is capable of flushing game and retrieving it from land or water. This is in keeping with the writings of many of the breed’s early developers and supporters, including Driscoll Scanlan, who was quoted by Howard Peterson in 1938 as saying, “As a retriever the American water spaniel is well-nigh perfect by nature...The American water spaniel is equally at home afield or astream. Endowed with a faultless nose, this breed works thicket, rough ground or almost impenetrable covert, depending on body scent for game location...It does not point game but springs it...The dogs are easily trained, quick to learn to drop to wing and shot.”

If that is not enough to help settle the debate one can also read the words of John Scofield, a prominent breeder of the 1940s and 1950s who wrote, “There seems even today some confusion on the part of individuals who want to classify the American as a Retriever. This is a mistake and should never be considered. The American is typical Spaniel; his heritage proves that beyond a doubt, and the American Kennel Club upholds that Spaniel classification.”

Looking back at the writings of the breed’s originators and early promoters helps us to see exactly how they looked upon the AWS and its special fit in the world of sporting dogs. With the advent of American Kennel Club classifications and the special testing program established by the AWSC, maintaining the American Water Spaniel as more than simply a retriever should be easier. With AWS owners able to test the versatility of the breed rather than relegating it to nothing more than retriever tests, the breed should stay true to its root heritage and characteristics.