Spanish Water Dog
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Spanish Water Dog | ||
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| Alternative names | ||
| Perro de Agua Español Turco de Andaluz Andalusian Turk |
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| Country of origin | ||
| Spain | ||
| Common nicknames | ||
| SWD | ||
| Classification and breed standards | ||
| FCI: | Group 8 Section 3 #336 | Stds |
| AKC: | FSS | Stds |
| The AKC Foundation Stock Service (FSS) is an optional recording service for purebred dogs that are not yet eligible for AKC registration. | ||
| KC (UK): | Gundog | Stds |
| NZKC: | Gundogs | Stds |
| UKC: | Gun Dog | Stds |
The Spanish Water Dog or Perro de Agua Español is a breed of dog developed by the shepherds in Spain as a multi-purpose herder who was also used sometimes as a gundog, as well as an assistant to fishermen.
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[edit] Appearance
The SWD is a medium size, athletic, robust dog that is slightly longer than tall. Their tails are usually docked in the US, but undocked tails are not a fault in show dogs if the dog was bred in a non-docking country.
The head should be strong and carried with elegance. The skull is flat and the top is parallel with the top of the muzzle. The nose, eye-rims and paw pads are the same colour as the darkest part of the coat or darker. The eyes are expressive and set fairly wide apart. They should be hazel, chestnut or dark brown in colour, depending on the coat colour. The ears are set at medium height on the skull, and are triangular.
[edit] Coat and colour
It has a distinctive curly coat which is woolly in texture and may form cords when long. The coat should not be clipped or groomed for aesthetic purposes. Instead, it should look entirely natural, as though it is not groomed at all. It should never be trimmed, but sheared down at least once a year. SWD puppies are always born with curly hair.
The SWD can be seen in a variety of colours. It may be black, beige, brown, white or bicolour where the second colour is white (brown and white or black and white). Tri-colored dogs are strictly prohibited by the currently held (world-wide) standards for the breed as are black and tan or brown and tan.
[edit] Size
The Spanish Water Dog is a medium-sized dog. The approximate measurements are:
- Males
- Height (at the withers): 44 to 50 cm (17.32 to 19.69 inches)
- Weight: 18 to 22 kg (40 to 49 lbs)
- Females
- Height (at the withers): 40 to 36 cm (15.75 to 18.11 inches)
- Weight: 14 to 18 kg (31 to 40 lb)
[edit] Temperament
The SWD is diligent, loyal, affectionate, and intelligent. They have very strong natural herding and guarding instincts. SWD’s thrive on work and play. Their athleticism and extremely hard working nature illustrates how they need a lot of exercise. They enjoy working, and can be trained to perform a variety of tasks. They can be wary with strangers, and early and continuing socialization with a variety of people and other animals is essential.
[edit] Grooming
SWD's require minimal grooming.
- SWD's should never be brushed, instead, as the cords grow they should be checked for matting. When matting does occur they should be gently pulled apart without tearing the cords. If there is too much matting the cords should be sheared.
- SWD's should be bathed only when dirty in lukewarm water. Use a neutral shampo, never use human shampoo. SWD's should be allowed to air dry.
- The cords must be sheared one or more times a year.
- Ears and eyes should cleaned as often as they are dirty.
- As with all dogs nails should be trimmed.
- SWD's puppies should be trimed for the first time at around the age of 6 months
[edit] Health
The breed's life expectancy is about 14 years. SWD's have few known health problems.[1] Some health problems seen in SWD's are:
[edit] History
There are many different theories as to its origin. but one of the most popular ones is that it was introduced by the Turks who traded in sheep and used them as sheepdogs. In Spain it is often called the "Andalusian Turk". It was also known by many other names such as, "Perro de Agua", "Perro Turco", "Laneto", "Perro de Lanas", "Perro Patero", "Perro Rizado", "Churro", "Barbeta" and most recently "Perro de Agua Espanol".
Regardless of its exact origins, it is documented that there was a wooly coated Shepherd Dog on the Iberian Peninsula around 1100 AD
Historically, the SWD were primarily used as sheepdogs to move the flocks of sheep and goats from one pasture to another. The dogs were also called upon to work wherever a dog was required. For example, they were taught to work with fishermen as well as being taught to retrieve when hunting with the farmers.
[edit] Revival of the breed
In about 1975, two enthusiasts, Antonio Garcia Perez and Santiago Montesinos travelled around the countryside of Southern Spain, through the remote villages and farms of the mountainous region of Andalucia and bought or borrowed a number of dogs from the shepherds that they felt most fit the type they were looking for to establish a breeding program.
In 1980 the Spanish Water Dog Club (Spain) was formed in order to promote the breed and help get it recognized in its own country.
In 1985, after a lot of hard work and displaying the breed at various venues and dog shows the Spanish Kennel Club accepted it and gave it official status. It was provisionally recognized by Fédération Cynologique Internationale until 1999, when it was permanently recognized.
The SWD was officially recognized in United Kennel Club in 2001 and fully accepted for conformation events in 2004. Jerry and Ken Mann were instrumental in facilitating recognition in UKC. They presented the first SWD to be shown in an AKC Rare Breed Conformation venue in Inverness, Florida in January of 2000. They presented an Introduction Seminar at a UKC venue in South Carolina in 2001 and showed the first SWD at a UKC Mult-Breed show in the Summer of 2004. They spearheaded the first International SWD discussion list and were the first owners to use their SWD for herding in the United States.
[edit] References
- Cristina D. (2003). Spanish Water Dog. NJ: Kennel Club Books, Inc.
- "Health Issues." SPANISH WATER DOG CLUB UK. Spanish Water Dog Club UK.
- Spanish Water Dog Association of America
[edit] External links
