The Irish Water Spaniel is one of the oldest and tallest of the spaniel breeds which is instantly recognisable from a host of distinguishing features, not least its curled coat and rat-like tail.
It is ruggedly built and has webbed toes to aid powerful swimming. Its dense waterproof coat is made up of tight crisp curls and is solid liver in colour which cover most of its body, although its face, neck and front of its limbs have a short smooth coat marking a distinct contrast. This is all topped off by a flourish of twisted curls on the top of its head. This breed has a fun-loving and affectionate personality and makes a great family pet that gets on with children and other dogs. This is a willing dog, eager to please its owners and, as such, makes it very easy to train. They can be wary of strangers, so early socialisation can help enormously to counter this. Regular long walks at least two hours a day together with opportunities to swim are essential for this breed, although once back home they will readily settle down in the company of their owners.
History
The Irish Water Spaniel was developed in Ireland in the 1830s, although very few records about its development exist. It is thought that the ancestry of the breed includes the French Barbet, the English Water Spaniel (now extinct) and the Poodle. Although classified as a spaniel, this breed was developed to retrieve from water.
