American Water Spaniel. Paul R. Morrison

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American Water Spaniel - Paul R. Morrison Comprehensive Owner's Guide

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a true yodel, it does fall a little short of the annoying howls we often attribute to other canines. Oftentimes the yodel seems to be roused by happiness or excitement, such as during play, at feeding time or when guests arrive for a visit. One of my first American Water Spaniels was a champion yodeler who loved to hear himself so much that I was able to teach him to respond to the command to yodel with good reliability. Not all American Water Spaniels bear this trait, but once found within a household, it is one that is sorely missed should it ever fall silent.

      When it comes to housing, this is not a breed that does well living in a pen, fenced-in yard or chained to a tree all day, every day. Because the AWS enjoys, and in some cases demands, human contact, these dogs should not be left alone for long periods of time. Such abandonment will lead to excessive barking, lack of social skills and unwanted behaviors like digging or fence climbing. The AWS should be a member of the family brought into the household, loved and cared for just like any other family member. When this is done, and the proper steps are taken to train and socialize the dog, it will be a canine companion like few others.

      American Water Spaniels are active dogs that do best when given a job to do and some good physical exercise. While they do not need long periods of exercise it is best to give them the opportunity to run off some of their sporting energy regularly. Of course, a good 20-or 30-minute walk each morning and night will serve to keep them in the best physical and mental condition but so too will a nice romp in the back yard each day or a few play dates at the local park each week. An idle AWS will become overweight and bored, leading to both health and behavior problems like excessive chewing or barking. If you have an American Water Spaniel, take the time to enjoy his company by playing fetch in the back yard or learning a sport like hunting, agility or competitive obedience so both of you will be rewarded with a long and healthy relationship.

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       The activity level of a sporting breed is normally quite high, and the American Water Spaniel is no exception; this AWS can hardly contain himself, waiting to get back into the water.

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       California Chocolate Chip, better known as “Callie,” demonstrating the AWS’s capacity for retrieval.

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       “Well, are you coming or what?” The AWS must be given plenty of exercise and duties to remain a delightful companion.

      Some AWS owners will tell you that the breed is a “garbage can,” willing to devour anything and everything that enters its mouth. Stories have been told of American Water Spaniels who have eaten various articles of clothing, tennis balls, golf balls, rubber door stops, plastic plates and much more. The breed will seemingly search out and locate the vilest items around the field or yard and promptly make a feast of them. Therefore it is best to train a puppy as to what is a proper chew toy or food item and to teach him the “Leave it” command for when you want something left alone or immediately dropped, if the dog already has it in his mouth.

      There have been some breeders and individuals who claim the American Water Spaniel is “hypoallergenic,” making it a safe breed for allergy sufferers to bring into their home. Unfortunately this is not truly the case. The breed sheds hair and produces dander, both of which can be a catalyst to allergic reactions. Despite anecdotal claims that people with allergies are less sensitive to the AWS than to other breeds, it is not recommended that allergy sufferers, especially those with severe allergies, introduce an AWS into their home.

      The AWS is probably best described as a moderately shedding dog that constantly loses coat. Most owners do not see the shedding as a nuisance except, perhaps, for the one time each year when many of the dogs will shed their winter coats over a period of a few weeks, leaving behind enough hair to outfit another dog. The coat texture of an AWS is normally fine rather than coarse, and the shed hair does not have a tendency to embed itself into the carpet or other fabric the way the coat of other breeds can. The few problems that do come from shedding can be partially alleviated by regular brushing and bathing when necessary.

       IN THE FIELD

      The American Water Spaniel has always been an all-around hunting dog and, with luck and support, will remain one for many years to come. As a hunting dog it possesses sufficient energy to work the fields and woodlands for all types of game, ranging from pheasants to grouse and even the occasional rabbit. While it holds an energy level that allows it to go all day in the field, it also maintains the willingness to sit patiently in the blind waiting for the next flight of ducks or geese to swoop in to the decoys. Patience is not a virtue that comes without training, however, and it is the wise owner who begins this training at an early age.

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       Alex Glam Streeter or “Mad Max” proudly poses for the camera with his hunter.

      As a retriever the American Water Spaniel is best suited to work marshes, rivers, small lakes and the like for waterfowl. While more than a few American Water Spaniels have been used to retrieve from the big waters of the Great Lakes and along the ocean shorelines, when a sudden storm develops such water can quickly become too much of a challenge for this medium-sized breed.

      The breed is good at marking the location of fallen game, and it will normally do so quickly and with great enthusiasm. It is not unusual to hear hunters tell stories of six or eight birds falling from the sky and their American Water Spaniels sitting patiently, waiting for the command to retrieve. Once sent on the retrieve the dog often successfully gathers each and every bird without further direction from the owner. Despite such stories, though, it is the wise owner who takes the time to thoroughly train the AWS in the proper field manners of retrieving dogs. Teaching the dog to sit quietly as it waits to be sent on its task and instructing it on how to be directed to a downed bird are just a couple of the trained behaviors most owners should work on. Through judicious and consistent training, owners will find that the AWS will perform in the stylized fashion of many of the common retriever breeds.

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       Historically, the need for a medium-sized field dog that wouldn’t “tip the boat” on a hunt gave rise to the development of the AWS.

      When hunting the uplands for pheasants, grouse or rabbit, the AWS makes good use of its exceptional nose. It is not unusual to hear owners brag of their dogs scenting birds well out of gun range. Similarly, it is quite common to hear stories of dogs that tracked wounded game for several yards and then dug it out of cover so dense that the hunter could not see the dog once it entered the cover. Such is the power of the AWS’s nose and the tenacity of the breed’s spirit. Though a flushing breed, the AWS is not what some would describe as a hard-flushing dog. Instead the American Water Spaniel tends to put a bird to flight with more of a soft flush as it moves into the bird judiciously as opposed to recklessly. Once the bird is put to flight the AWS will chase after it unless taught the proper manners of being steady to the flush of the bird or at least heeding the command of its owner to sit.

      Field training should begin at an early age with basic obedience and simple retrieves. This is not the time to overdo the work expected of the dog, so short sessions of no more than a 10-or 15-minute duration held 2 or 3 times each day will quickly form a solid basis on which to develop a good working dog. As training progresses the introduction of birds, guns, gunfire, decoys and other typical aspects found while hunting can begin. It is very important that all of these things be introduced in a systematic and positive manner so as to encourage the dog

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