The specific origin of the American Water Spaniel is still a mystery, but in the past United States, many hunters early on recognized its advantages and used it for hunting.
Because this breed was primarily recognized and bred in the Midwest, it is now considered to have primarily evolved and developed in the Midwest. Although this theory is not absolute, when analyzing its coat color, coat, and conforming to breed standards, people generally consider the Irish Water Spaniel, the Curly-coated Retriever, and more recently, the Old English Water Dog to be its ancestors.
The American Water Spaniel is a medium-sized, muscular breed that is full of strength. It is very keen on hunting and can be controlled in the wild, demonstrating its intelligence, agility, friendliness, and gentleness. It has a keen sense of smell and excellent swimming skills, making it fully qualified to be a trusted guard for its owner.
Before 1940, the American Water Spaniel was already considered as a pure gun dog. It was not officially recognized by the American Kennel Club until 1940. It was never introduced to dog shows because its enthusiasts were concerned that showcasing it would compromise its exceptional hunting ability. However, they soon realized that participating in competitions would actually enhance its value and popularity, and attract more enthusiasts.
As a hunting dog, it never lets go of anything it desires. It will keep an eye on the four or five birds shot by the hunter and quickly and cheerfully retrieve them one by one. It can easily and accurately find and retrieve wild rabbits, grouse, quails, ring-necks, and wild ducks. It also has excellent swimming skills, so injured waterfowl rarely escape from it, especially in turbulent waters where its tail can act as a rudder.
It can hunt in various environments, with a keen sense of smell. It relies on its sensitive sense of smell to locate prey in bushes, rough terrain, or hiding places. Its enthusiasm and precision are great sources of confidence for hunters. Combined with its joyful nature and ease of training, it quickly learns to retrieve shot or flying game, although occasionally its eagerness makes it seem overly impatient.
The American Water Spaniel is particularly fond of and skilled at hunting, so owners must have the time and patience to accompany them outdoors for outdoor activities. This not only helps release energy, but also contributes to the dog's health. Busy office workers and the elderly relatively do not have the time and energy for this, so they are not suitable for keeping.
1. Canine Infectious Diseases
Common infectious diseases in dogs include canine distemper and canine coronavirus. Common clinical symptoms include fever, loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea, drowsiness, difficulty breathing, bloody stools, purulent eye discharge, dry nose, cracked paws, etc.
In general, this type of infectious and fatal disease is more common in dogs during the weaning period or around 1 year old. Puppies are more susceptible and have a lower cure rate, and are more likely to have sequelae.
How to prevent:
When bringing a dog home, it is recommended that the owner choose a regular channel to select the dog, and vaccinate the dog on time. The house should also be regularly disinfected. Do not take the dog out for a walk before the vaccination is completed, and do not come into contact with unfamiliar dogs. Do not allow others to touch the dog's mouth or nose at will.
2. Canine Skin Diseases
Because dogs often go for walks outside, they may accidentally get infected with various skin diseases. If a dog is infected with mites, bacteria, or fungi, there is a risk of long-term difficult healing once it is contracted. Therefore, pet owners must pay attention to this. Clinical manifestations of canine skin diseases include greasy skin, peeling, redness, itching, papules, ulcers, pus, hair loss, scabs, etc.
How to prevent:
In daily care, it is necessary to keep the dog's living environment clean and tidy. Avoid dark and humid environments. In addition, disinfect the dog's living environment regularly, do internal and external parasite control for the dog, use special dog shampoo, comb the dog's hair regularly, and supplement vitamins and fish oil.
3. Canine Parasites
Common parasites in dogs include roundworms, heartworms, ticks, fleas, etc., which often cause skin diseases and intestinal diseases in dogs, and may cause vomiting and diarrhea, affecting the quality of life and physical development of dogs. Dogs with parasites are generally thin and listless.
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How to prevent:
When feeding, pet owners need to pay attention. Try not to feed the dog with non-sterilized raw meat or unknown sources of meat. Internal deworming for dogs is required once every 3 months, and external deworming is required once every month. When going out, prevent the dog from eating or licking indiscriminately, and avoid going into the grass. After returning home, be sure to check carefully.
1. As a hunting dog, teeth are particularly important for the health of the American Water Spaniel. Unhealthy oral and dental conditions can hinder food digestion and be detrimental to the dog's body. If there are food debris remaining in the gaps between teeth, it can lead to bacterial growth, causing tooth decay or gum inflammation. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly examine the dog's teeth and help clean them to remove food residues.
2. Use a wet cotton ball dipped in tooth powder to remove plaque. Generally, brushing the teeth once a week is sufficient. In addition, it is important to regularly feed the dog with bones to satisfy its desire to chew and to achieve the purpose of grinding and strengthening teeth.
1. Do not bathe frequently
The frequency of bathing a dog depends on the dog's hygiene condition. In hot weather, you can bathe the dog more often, maybe once or twice, while in winter you can reduce it to once or twice, but the total should not exceed 5 times. Otherwise, it will damage its fur and skin!
2. Brush regularly
Dogs shed their fur almost every day, especially in spring and autumn. Regular brushing is an important step to promote healthy fur growth. Pet owners can use a pet-specific comb to help the dog remove natural shed fur and prevent tangling. Brushing once in the morning and once in the evening for about five minutes each time is sufficient.
3. Sunbathe
Sunbathing is beneficial for the dog's fur growth. Besides making the fur more shiny, sun exposure can also help kill bacteria. While sunbathing, you can let the dog exercise a bit, which can improve its physical fitness, promote blood circulation, and help grow healthier fur.
4. Parasite control
Poor fur condition is closely related to parasites. Parasites absorb a large amount of nutrients from the dog's body, leading to malnutrition. Therefore, parasite control is essential. It is recommended to do internal and external parasite control together. Also, parasite control medication can cause significant damage to the dog's gastrointestinal tract, so it is advisable to supplement with probiotics to relieve gastrointestinal discomfort.
5. Pay attention to diet
In order to have shiny fur, dogs must have a good nutritional foundation, so paying attention to daily diet is important. On the one hand, feed the dog nutritious and healthy dog food that is suitable and sufficient to meet their needs. On the other hand, you can also give the dog a moderate amount of lean meat, cooked egg yolks, and vegetable oil, etc.
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