Gundog group · Spain
Spanish Water Dog
Also called Perro de Agua Espanol, SWD, Turco Andaluz.
What makes them remarkable
Despite the name, this curly-coated Spanish dog has a long history of herding sheep and goats as well as water work.
- Faithful
- Diligent
- Affectionate
- Athletic
- Watchful
- Size
- Medium
- Weight
- 14 to 22 kg31 to 49 lb
- Lives
- 12 to 14 years
- Energy
- High
- Trains
- High
- Barks
- Moderate
Training
Training a Spanish Water Dog
Gundog breeds. Quick to learn and quick to get over-excited. The work is calm around distractions, not obedience.
Coat care
Start here
Curly coat cords naturally, never brush, but clip 1-2 times yearly.
Dual Purpose
Bred for both herding and water work, loves swimming and retrieving.
Strong Guardian Instinct
Natural protective instinct requires early socialisation with strangers.
The app turns this into five to fifteen minutes a day.
Add your Spanish Water Dog 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
- 1.5-2 hours daily. Swimming, retrieving, and active play.
- Grooming
- Unique maintenance. Never brush, clip coat 1-2 times yearly.
- Drool
- Low
- Coat
- Curly, Woolly, Forms cords naturallyBlack, Brown, Beige, White, Bicolour
- 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 active breeds
Progressive Retinal Atrophy
Moderate
Inherited eye disease
Allergies
Mild
Environmental and food sensitivities
Where they come from
History
Ancient breed from the Iberian Peninsula, used for herding goats and sheep and as water retrievers for fishermen. Related to other water dogs like Poodles and Portuguese Water Dogs.
Similar breeds
All breeds
Brittany
Despite once being called a spaniel, the Brittany points at game rather than working like a flushing spaniel.
Medium · Gundog
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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Lagotto Romagnolo
Once a waterfowl retriever, this Italian dog found a new career sniffing out buried truffles.
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Vizsla
This Hungarian pointer nearly vanished after the Second World War, then was rebuilt from surviving dogs.
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