Gundog group · Ireland
Irish Water Spaniel
Also called IWS, Rat Tail Spaniel, Whiptail.
What makes them remarkable
The tallest spaniel is a specialist swimmer, bred to retrieve from cold Irish waters.
- Playful
- Hardworking
- Brave
- Alert
- Clownish
- Size
- Large
- Weight
- 20 to 31 kg45 to 68 lb
- Lives
- 12 to 13 years
- Energy
- High
- Trains
- Moderate
- Barks
- Moderate
Training
Training an Irish Water Spaniel
Gundog breeds. Quick to learn and quick to get over-excited. The work is calm around distractions, not obedience.
Early Socialisation
Start here
Can be reserved with strangers. Extensive early socialisation helps develop balanced temperament.
Sense of Humour
IWS are known for being clowns. Channel their playfulness into training by keeping sessions fun and engaging.
Water Work
True to their name, they excel in water. Incorporate swimming and water retrieves for happiest training.
The app turns this into five to fifteen minutes a day.
Add your Irish Water Spaniel and it builds the plan around their age, where they came from and what they already know, one step at a time.
Free to start. iPhone. No card needed.
At home
Living with one
Bred to find, flush and retrieve game alongside a person. Biddable, busy, and happiest with a job.
Gets on with
- ChildrenHigh
- Other dogsModerate
- StrangersModerate
- CatsModerate
Breed averages. Early socialisation and the individual dog matter more.
- Exercise
- 1-2 hours daily. Swimming is ideal, along with retrieving and active play. Needs mental stimulation.
- Grooming
- High. Weekly brushing to prevent mats, regular trimming every 6-8 weeks. Hypoallergenic coat.
- Drool
- Low
- Coat
- Curly, Dense, Water-repellent, HypoallergenicLiver
- In a flat
- Needs more space than a flat gives.
Health
Things to ask a breeder or vet about
Hip Dysplasia
Moderate
Joint condition common in larger breeds
Hypothyroidism
Mild
Thyroid deficiency causing metabolism issues
Drug Sensitivities
Moderate
May have sensitivities to certain medications and anaesthetics
Where they come from
History
The tallest of all spaniels, developed in Ireland in the 1800s, though ancestry may date back centuries. The breed's exact origins are mysterious, possibly involving Portuguese Water Dogs or Poodles. Prized for exceptional water retrieving ability in cold Irish waters.
- Dooney · Famous foundation sire in the mid-1800s, influential in establishing the modern breed type
Similar breeds
All breeds
Irish Setter
The famous red coat was not always the rule: early Irish Setters were red and white.
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English Springer Spaniel
Springers and Cockers once came from the same litters, with size deciding which job each puppy would do.
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Gordon Setter
The Scottish setter was shaped for stamina on rough ground, rather than just a flashy turn of speed.
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Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
This retriever plays along the shoreline to lure curious ducks closer, then switches to retrieving them.
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