Irish Water Spaniel Dog Breed

Great Britain

The non-initiated can be forgiven if he/she confuses the Irish Water Spaniel with the Poodle or Wool Dog. Although the Irish Water Spaniel does not have the sophisticated elegance which is the poodle's most outstanding characteristic; both breeds still have so much in common – after all there was a time when the poodle was used as a water retriever.

The Irish Water Spaniel was formed from various types of different Spaniels that were common in Ireland and Scotland at the end of the 19th century. Although it was recognized as a breed in Great Britain earlier than most of the pointing dogs, it was still numerically rare.

The Irish Water Spaniel must have a robust constitution, it is eager to fulfill its mission, it is intelligent. The fur is an important characteristic: it must have some natural oiliness and it must consist of tight curls that are abundant everywhere except on the snout, the eyes and the tail where the curls stop abruptly at a few centimeters from the base.

The color is invariably dark brown with a purple shade. The height at withers is 53 to 59 cm in males and 51 to 56 in females.