Water dog

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Water dogs, once called Water Spaniels, are a type of gun dog and count among their number some of the oldest dog breeds. With the advent of kennel clubs many water spaniels were accepted under the names including the designation retriever rather than water spaniel. As the name implies, water dogs were bred to flush and retrieve game from water, often serving the waterfowl hunter. Strong swimming desire is a characteristic of these dogs.

The ancestors of modern water dogs originated in the Mediterranean and other parts of Europe over 2000 years ago.^{[citation needed]}

Water dogs have curly, sometimes corded coats. Most water dog breeds are easy to train and are sociable.

Although there is some overlap with dogs considered to be retrievers, the following breeds are considered water dogs (listed in alphabetical order):

• American Water Spaniel
• Barbet
• Chesapeake Bay Retriever
• Curly Coated Retriever
• English Water Spaniel, extinct
• Epagneul Pont-Audemer
• Flat-Coated Retriever
• Golden Retriever
• Irish Water Spaniel
• Labrador Retriever
• Lagotto Romagnolo (a.k.a Italian Water Dog)
• Portuguese Water Dog
• Spanish Water Dog
• Standard Poodle
• Tweed Water Spaniel, extinct
• Puli
• Wetterhoun

[edit] External links

• AKC Portuguese Water Dog page