Not a lot is known about the origin of the American Water Spaniel. Many regions in the USA claim the development of the breed, but it is most closely identified with the Midwest area, and it is also the official state dog of Wisconsin. The American Water Spaniel was bred solely to be a hunting dog. They also do very well with the flushing of birds on land and in the water. Even today still the American Water Spaniel are an excellent hunting dog, although they are not as popular as many of the other hunting breeds.
Temperament
The American Water Spaniel is a very calm, kind and loving dog, but at the same time also a very lively hunting dog. They are also extremely clever working dogs, and get along very well with children and other animals in the family. These dogs can however be hostile toward strange dogs. If these dogs are socialised well from an early age onwards, it will prevent aggressive behaviour later on. This breed makes wonderful companion dogs and they will also behave well in the house if they have been trained properly. American Water Spaniels tend to bark a lot, but they make excellent watch dogs. They are however not good guard dogs due to their size.
Care
The American Water Spaniel has an oily coat that should be brushed thoroughly twice during the week. If these dogs are bathed too often, it might result in the natural oils being removed from the coats. This will leave their skins dried out. You will notice the coats of these dogs to have a strong smell due to the oils. American Water Spaniels are average shedding dogs.
Training
This breed loves to please its owner, which makes it a joy working with them. The American Water Spaniel is a highly trainable dog, but they should be socialised well when they are still puppies. If this is not included in the training process, it can cause problems later on. American Water Spaniels are easy to housebreak and they do very well with crate training seeing that they are very clean. Variety in the training program is recommended, but these dogs will be tolerant if the training is repetitive. These dogs have lots of energy, and the training process should involve some exercise periods which will allow the dog to associate training with some fun.
Health problems
In general the American Water Spaniel is a very strong breed, and they are only occasionally troubled by hip and eye conditions. American Water Spaniels that are used in field events should be checked for ticks after every excursion to avoid any possible infections that can be caused by these ticks. Some American Water Spaniels also suffer from dislocation of the kneecaps and skin allergies
