The Irish Water Spaniel dates back to the early 1100s, when they were actually known as Shannon Spaniels, Rat-Tail Spaniels or Whip-Tail Spaniels. Often known as the clown of the Spaniel group, probably because of its great head of hair, the Irish Water Spaniel is energetic and has trouble hiding his exuberance for life.

As its name implies the Irish Water Spaniel is an excellent water dog. Its curly coat is built to repel water and keep the dog warm in extreme weather conditions. In addition, the Irish Water Spaniel has webbed feet, making it an excellent swimmer.

The Irish Water Spaniel is also characterized by an innate desire to please its master. This highly intelligent breed is a natural retriever and does very well in obedience training. Because the Irish Water Spaniel is a relatively uncommon breed when it comes to AKC registrations, the breeders have been able to protect many of this breeds natural hunting abilities and instincts. As a result, the Irish Water Spaniel is an excellent hunting partner and performs flexibly in a variety of hunting environments, from water retrieves to upland hunting.

Clubs and Organizations

• Irish Water Spaniel Club of America
  http://clubs.akc.org/iwsc
• Sporting Irish Water Spaniel Club
  http://www.siwsc.org.uk

Health Information

• IWS Health
  http://clubs.akc.org/iwsc/health.htm

Rescue Information

• IWS Rescue
  http://clubs.akc.org/iwsc/rescue.htm