American Water Spaniel: Your Complete Guide
The American water spaniel, known as the AWS, is a fairly rare, medium-sized sporting dog. This breed is one of the few dog breeds that were developed in the United States. They originated from the Upper Midwest of the United States, most notably in Wisconsin and Minnesota, during the 1800s.
American water spaniels carry many of the traits you would expect to see in their type, though they also have unique characteristics that make them stand out, such as a curly brown coat and a temperament that can get surprisingly independent. At the end of the day, however, they are spaniels and love the water and activities that get their athletic bodies moving.
In this breed guide, Dog Academy will walk you through everything you need to know about the American water spaniel. Read on to learn about their history, personality, physical traits, care needs, health, and more.
Table of Contents
Quick Look at the American Water Spaniel
Here’s a quick look at the American water spaniel in terms of their basic characteristics. We will dive deeper into each point in the coming parts below.
| Weight/Height | 25-45 pounds / 15-18 inches |
| Coat Type | Medium-length double coat |
| Grooming Needs |  |
| Shedding |  |
| Temperament | Cheerful, playful, intelligent, work-oriented |
| Good With Kids | |
| Good With Other Animals | |
| Intelligence |  |
| Easy to Train | |
| Energy Level | |
| Barking Habits | |
| Lifespan | 10-14 years |
What Is the History of American Water Spaniels?
The American water spaniel’s history dates back to the early 1800s. The early European settlers in Wisconsin and Minnesota utilized various spaniel dogs for hunting waterfowl as one of the primary ways to survive. They especially favored spaniels that could ride in small boats, retrieve from cold water, and work dense cover on land.
Coupled with the challenges of hunting waterfowl in and around the Great Lakes, the settlers began breeding different spaniel varieties to create a sporting dog that could meet their needs. In just a few decades, the result was a hardy spaniel with retriever ability, waterproof curls, and unmatched stamina that was just the perfect American waterfowl hunting dog.
However, it took a while for the American water spaniel to gain recognition outside Wisconsin and Minnesota, as it took the American Kennel Club until 1940 to recognize the breed. Today, American water spaniels are very few in numbers, mainly utilized as family companions rather than working dogs, though there’s a sizable population of these dogs still providing assistance in hunting.
What Do American Water Spaniels Look Like?
American water spaniels have brown-colored coats that are also described as liver and dark chocolate. There can also be a little white on their chests and toes. This coat color is one of the easiest ways to tell American water spaniels apart from other spaniels, except for the Boykin spaniel, which can also have the same brown coat color but with a flat to slightly wavy coat texture rather than curly.
What Size Is an American Water Spaniel?
The American water spaniel is a medium-sized dog breed, with both males and females standing between 15 and 18 inches tall at the withers. As for weight, females are 25 to 40 pounds, and males are 30 to 45 pounds. They fall somewhere in between when compared to other spaniel dog breeds in terms of size. They are larger than the cavalier King Charles spaniel but smaller than the Irish water spaniel, for example.
What Is an American Water Spaniel’s Coat Type and Length?
American water spaniels have medium-length double coats that are typical of spaniel dog breeds. The coat is naturally water repellent and dirt resistant, which is one of the top qualities you would expect to have in a spaniel dog breed. However, there’s one quality of the American water spaniel that stands out among others, which is their overly curly coats.
What Is an American Water Spaniel’s Temperament?
The American water spaniel has a temperament that’s noticeably different from other spaniels. While they are affectionate and trainable using appropriate training methods, American water spaniels have a few distinctive personality traits, mainly shaped by the breed’s history.
For one, they were prioritized for work above all else, as waterfowl hunting wasn’t for sport but rather for making ends meet for settlers in Wisconsin and Minnesota. As such, American water spaniels are highly work-oriented dogs with a high prey drive and the ability to think for themselves. Even though they are kind and affectionate, their temperament requires an owner who can guide their strong, independent personality in the right direction.
We cover the American water spaniel’s temperament traits below in terms of family life, aggression, barking habits, and their affectionate side.
Are American Water Spaniels Good With Kids?
American water spaniels are generally good with kids, especially with active kids who can play with them endlessly. If you have a fenced-in yard and a few toys for a kid and an American water spaniel to play with, you will have endless entertainment and a dog and a kid that’s tired and satisfied with their day after an hour or so.
However, their energetic side can be troublesome for families with young kids, requiring supervision. Even though American water spaniels are medium-sized, they can get hyper and bump into kids, which can lead to accidental injuries that will put an end to the fun. Supervision, regardless of the kids’ age in the family, is essential in ensuring everyone gets along well with one another.
Are American Water Spaniels Good With Other Animals?
American water spaniels are fairly sociable dogs that enjoy meeting with other friendly dogs during walks and parks. They pair best with dogs that are similar in size and energy levels so that they can run with them endlessly safely. These dogs aren’t prone to dog aggression, so they should be fine with most dogs as long as they are socialized properly early on, especially in public situations.
As with other animals, their high prey drive can get in the way of them accepting smaller animals, including cats and smaller prey animals like guinea pigs. However, they can do well with animals of all sizes if they are raised together from a young age and taught boundaries when interacting with other animals.
Are American Water Spaniels Aggressive?
American water spaniels aren’t known to be aggressive. Any well-socialized and trained American water spaniel will greet friendly dogs with a wagging tail and play gently. The same goes for strangers greeting American water spaniels; as long as a stranger knows how to greet dogs, they should react to their presence calmly and might even be willing to accept pets happily.
However, some American water spaniels can display same-sex aggression, though it isn’t a hallmark trait that most owners should worry about. If you notice the early signs of this despite your socialization efforts, take action to address it immediately to prevent it from becoming a much bigger issue.
Do American Water Spaniels Bark?
American water spaniels bark as much as an average dog barks. They tend to bark when there’s a reason for it, such as someone coming close to their territory or something out of the ordinary appears suddenly. However, an American water spaniel can also bark to speak their minds when they want something like attention or more treats.
Fortunately, the expressive side of the American water spaniel makes it easy for owners to tell the reason behind their barking after spending a few months with their dogs. You can get to the bottom of any excessive barking behaviors easily once you identify what triggers your American water spaniel to bark.
Are American Water Spaniels Affectionate?
The American water spaniel isn’t as affectionate as other spaniel dogs. While they enjoy occasional cuddles and scratches on the side of the body, they don’t crave constant attention as many spaniels do. This makes the American water spaniel a great dog for those looking for a canine companion that can cope with being alone, thanks to being much less prone to separation anxiety than other spaniels.
When provided with the right socialization, training, and upbringing, this affectionate nature makes the American water spaniel a fun dog that spreads positivity everywhere they go, making them extremely rewarding to have.
Are American Water Spaniels Intelligent?
As one of the most favored waterfowl hunting dog breeds the United States has ever seen, there’s no doubt about the American water spaniel’s intelligence. They are highly intelligent and capable dogs that can learn a wide variety of commands, skills, and jobs.
This intelligence surely sounds like a great quality to have, but it can be troublesome if you don’t provide these dogs enough opportunities to use their smart minds. They require a high degree of mental stimulation to stay satisfied with their lives. If an American water spaniel doesn’t get enough of this, they can quickly develop behavioral issues like destructiveness, reactivity, and excessive barking.
Are American Water Spaniels Energetic?
Because American water spaniels were bred to hunt tirelessly alongside their humans, it is safe to say that they are full of energy. These dogs need to be provided with at least an hour of physical exercise per day, in addition to mentally enriching challenges to keep them fulfilled in life. Training, solving dog puzzles, scent work, exploring new places, and playing with friendly dogs can provide this fulfillment to an American water spaniel.
This aspect of having an American water spaniel is the most important part of caring for this breed. For individuals and families with a matching lifestyle, this high-energy nature of the American water spaniel makes them a fitting dog. However, for those who lead a calm life, they can be extremely high-maintenance dogs that are hard to keep up with. Be sure that you can keep up with the appropriate lifestyle before getting an American water spaniel.
Are American Water Spaniels Easy to Train?
The American water spaniel can be easy or difficult to train, depending on how you approach training and what you train them for in terms of the end goal. Using positive reinforcement training, you can make significant progress with an American water spaniel, but if it’s something that goes against their nature, like keeping their composure with small animals running around, it can quickly become something demanding.
Nonetheless, for most training goals, including any obedience drill or essential skills like loose leash walking, training an American water spaniel doesn’t take much effort. Simply follow positive reinforcement training and keep training sessions brief, and you will have a highly trained dog sooner than you expect.
If you need help training your American water spaniel, browse our selection of online dog training courses. We have video lessons on a variety of training subjects, including obedience training, leash walking, puppy training, behavior modification, crate training, and working dog training, such as psychiatric service dog training.
Are American Water Spaniels Good Watchdogs?
Whether or not an American water spaniel is a good watchdog ultimately depends on individual temperament. Most of these dogs are natural watchdogs. They have a good awareness of their surroundings, which enables them to notice unfamiliar people, sounds, or changes in their environment. When an American water spaniel notices these, they generally bark to alert.
However, American water spaniels shouldn’t be mistaken for guard dogs. They are fairly protective but not capable of taking on actual protection work. If an intruder comes close, they are far more likely to start wagging their tails to invite them for play or run away to seek protection from you rather than the other way around.
Are American Water Spaniels Good Service Dogs?
American water spaniels aren’t the best choice when it comes to service dog work, not due to their trainability or capabilities, but due to their extremely high prey drive that can make them abandon their duties to chase after a squirrel.
While there’s no doubt that they can certainly perform their duties to assist a handler with a disability flawlessly, their reliability is a big concern. Due to this, American water spaniels aren’t considered to be a good choice for service dog work.
How to Care for an American Water Spaniel?
We’ve covered many different aspects of caring for an American water spaniel. Here’s more about their care needs to help you build realistic expectations about what it is like to have an American water spaniel at home.
Do You Need to Groom an American Water Spaniel?
Yes, you need to groom an American water spaniel, not only so that your dog has a good appearance but also for their overall health and well-being. They need to be brushed about two times a week to prevent matts and tangles on their curly coats, in addition to their basic grooming needs like nail trimming, teeth brushing, ear cleaning, and caring for their paws.
You can give an American water spaniel a bath every month or as needed, but because their coat naturally repels water and resists dirt, they tend to keep a very clean coat. That’s, of course, unless they’re rolling around in nature or swimming.
Do American Water Spaniels Shed?
American water spaniels are overall low-shedding dogs that don’t require much upkeep. As long as you brush them regularly and give them a bath as needed, you won’t need to worry about shedding. However, note that American water spaniels are far from hypoallergenic. They shed a lot less than most other spaniels, but it is still enough to trigger allergic reactions if you’re allergic to pet dander.
What Health Problems Do American Water Spaniels Have?
American water spaniels are among the healthiest dog breeds. They suffer from very few health conditions, with many of them leading long, healthy lives. However, as with any dog breed, there are certain health issues that may affect American water spaniels.
Some of the major health issues American water spaniels are at risk of developing include hip dysplasia, cardiac abnormalities (mitral valve disease, patent ductus arteriosus and pulmonic stenosis, and eye conditions like progressive retinal atrophy and degenerative myelopathy.
While some of these health issues are hereditary, regular vet check-ups play an important role in helping an American water spaniel lead a healthy life. Working with a responsible breeder who screens the health of their breeding stock against health issues common to this breed also plays a critical role. Check out our puppies for sale page to connect with American water spaniel breeders in your area.
How Long Do American Water Spaniels Live?
American water spaniels have an average lifespan of 10 to 14 years, which is average considering a medium-sized dog breed. The lifespan of this breed is also average compared to other spaniel breeds.
What Should an American Water Spaniel Eat?
An American water spaniel should eat a diet that supports their overall well-being and lifestyle. You can feed these dogs commercially available dog food, a homemade diet, or raw, as long as what you feed meets their nutritional requirements and benefits their health.
Your American water spaniel’s life stage is also a key factor to consider when picking a dog food option or a diet. Regardless of their diet, it must be specifically formulated for their life stage. Puppies, for example, should be fed a diet that supports their growth, while seniors should eat a diet that preserves muscle mass without promoting excess weight gain.
Is an American Water Spaniel the Right Dog for Me?
The American water spaniel is a highly driven, energetic, and intelligent sporting dog breed that needs an active owner who can satisfy their physical and mental needs on a daily basis. They are for those who want a hiking buddy and a dog to keep them company as they explore the outdoors. With their high trainability and motivated nature, they can also be an ideal match for people who want a driven dog for advanced training types.
All these come down to accepting a dog that’s high-maintenance in terms of exercise, mental stimulation, and training. If you’re up for the challenges and the possible frustration of having a dog like the American water spaniel early on, then this breed can be the right dog for you.