American Water Spaniel puppies

About the American Water Spaniel

The American Water Spaniel was put together in the Great Lakes region as an all round hunter's dog, small enough to work from a skiff and tough enough for cold water. They stand 38 to 46 centimetres, with a dense waterproof double coat in tight curls or waves. They are eager, clever and closely attached to their owner, rating five out of five for trainability, though they keep an independent hunting brain and do not respond well to heavy handed correction.

They want vigorous activity every day, and swimming and retrieving are what they were designed to do. Weekly grooming keeps the curls in order, with a rubber tipped pin brush in summer and a slicker brush the rest of the year to lift dead undercoat. Without enough work they become barky and destructive. They rate three out of five with children, so supervise and socialise. New owners often buy a rare breed as a pet and forget that they are a working gundog first.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a American Water Spaniel puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A medium breed puppy at eight weeks is a manageable armful that will not stay that way. Most of the growth happens between now and six months, so buy for the adult dog where you can. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming needs are moderate, so build the brushing habit now while the coat is still short and easy. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Hip dysplasia, screened by hip evaluation of breeding stock
• Inherited eye disease, screened by an ophthalmologist evaluation
• Cardiac abnormalities, screened by a cardiac exam
• Degenerative myelopathy, a progressive spinal cord disease detectable by DNA test
• Ear infections under the drop ears, made likelier by frequent swimming and found on regular ear checks

Your American Water Spaniel puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Medium for a American Water Spaniel.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 11.3 to 20.4 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Kit sizes: crate 36 inch (36 x 24 x 26 in, 91 x 61 x 66 cm) for an adult of up to 20.4 kg; chew toys made for medium breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.

Buying guides for this

• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

Other medium breeds

Previous: American Staffordshire Terrier · Next: Anatolian Shepherd Dog

Sources

• akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
• fci.be for country of origin
• Health notes from American Water Spaniel breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/american-water-spaniel/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Photo: awsguy1 Uploaded by Awsguy1 at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.