The Irish Water Spaniel originated in Ireland and was bred to retrieve game from lakes or rivers. It is thought that this breed is a mixture of the Barbet, Poodle, Portuguese Water Dog and Curly Coated Retriever but this is not certain. Although they make great working dogs both alone and along side their master, they also make excellent family pets, they are just not as well known as some of the more popular breeds of today.
This breed has a very unique coat being made up of all tightly coiled ringlets. This will help protect them from cold weather, as well as cold water making it much easier for them to hunt/retrieve. The Irish Water Spaniel has a lean, muscular body, a slender long tail, and strong toned legs making the swim to retrieve game faster. They have large floppy ears and a long powerful muzzle to carry birds in, but should be noted that they are quite gentle with their owners catch!
The Irish Water Spaniel is a head strong, willing, and happy dog that will be a great pet as well as a hard working partner. They get along well with children and smaller family pets as long as they both treat the dog with respect. This breed is not for a family or owner that has had no experience raising or training dogs because they have a stubborn attitude at times and will require more exercise and attention than the everyday house pet.
