Irish Water Spaniel is a beautiful, well-built sporting dog who is very intelligent, happy, obedient, intelligent, sensitive and playful. Combining endurance and bold character, active and enthusiastic temperament. Distinctive features are the long, loose curls on the top bun, and the body is covered with thick, well-defined liver-colored curls that contrast with his smooth face and smooth "rat" tail. As a companion dog, you need to solve the problem of how to keep the curls neat and clean.

Irish Water Spaniels are small in size and should contain 200-250 grams of meat in their daily feedings, and add a moderate amount of vegetarian food such as cooked vegetables, biscuits or rice Wait. When feeding, in addition to paying attention to the cleanliness and hygiene of the food, it is also necessary to control the amount of food, and must not overfeed, so as not to cause obesity and loss of beauty [2].

The need for exercise of the Irish Water Spaniel exceeds that of other dog breeds, so it should be given enough activity time every day to allow it to achieve the required amount of exercise.

The Irish Water Spaniel loves to be clean and should be brushed daily to keep it clean and shiny. Bathe it regularly, depending on the weather. In spring and autumn, the air is cooler. Dry the hair with a hair dryer immediately after bathing to prevent colds. Take a bath in winter, but do a good job in this area.

The Irish Water Spaniel is relatively easy to be trained, so it should be trained from an early age. In addition to teaching it to obey orders and obey the master's command, it should also be taught not to tear clothes and curtains at home without teeth and claws , tablecloths, sofas and other objects, it should also be taught to know how to clean and sanitation, to go to the specified place to facilitate drowning.

The Irish Water Spaniel also has a special habit, that is, it likes to bark. It's not noisy to disturb people.

Irish Water Spaniel is a beautiful, solidly built A sporting dog, very intelligent, happy, obedient, intelligent, sensitive and playful. Combining endurance and bold character, active and enthusiastic temperament. Distinctive features are the long, loose curls on the top bun, and the body is covered with thick, well-defined liver-colored curls that contrast with his smooth face and smooth "rat" tail. As a companion dog, you need to solve the problem of how to keep the curls neat and clean. Originated in the 19th century. The variety was bred under the auspices of Justin McCarthy because of his The breed's origins are closely guarded, so it's difficult to know for sure the Irish Water Spaniel's ancestry. It has been suggested that it may have been the result of a cross between the Portuguese water dog or other long-haired breeds such as the poodle and the native Irish dog. It is mainly used to hunt wild ducks, wild geese and other waterfowl and waterfowl in rivers, lakes and swamps. They are very capable swimmers, capable of hauling prey as large as geese ashore from deep water.

History

Originated in the 19th century. The breed was bred under the auspices of Justin McCarthy, who has kept the origin of the breed closely guarded, so it is difficult to know exactly where the Irish Water Spaniel comes from. It has been suggested that it may have been the result of a cross between the Portuguese water dog or other long-haired breeds such as the poodle and the native Irish dog. It is mainly used to hunt wild ducks, wild geese and other waterfowl and waterfowl in rivers, lakes and swamps. They are very capable swimmers, capable of hauling prey as large as geese ashore from deep water.

Appearance is medium in size, very imposing in appearance, tough, compact and well developed. The head is straight and arched; the mouth is square; the nose is relatively large, fully extended, dark reddish-brown. The eyes are small, brown, and very energetic. The long, oval ears hang down the cheeks. The curved neck is strong and powerful. The short tail is thick at the base, narrow at the end and tapered. The forelegs are straight and powerful, with good bone structure. The hind legs are long and robust. The coat is thick, covered with dense small curly hair all over the body, relatively long curly hair on the head, smooth and smooth hair on the muzzle and the front of the hind legs below the hock joint, and a V-shaped smooth short hair on the chest. The tail is bare or with smooth short hair except at the base. Hair is impermeable to oil. The color is reddish-brown with a slight purplish tinge.

Strong build and bone mass, Irish Water Spaniel A moderate length with a slightly rectangular appearance. He is very well-proportioned and does not appear slender or rough with legs. Males are 22 to 24 inches tall at the withers; females are 21 to 23 inches tall. Males weigh about 55 to 65 pounds; females weigh about 45 to 58 pounds.

Head Head: Clean in outline, not "cheeky" nor short, wedge-shaped. The head is slightly larger, with a domed top, prominent posterior occiput, and a gradual transition at the stop.

Muzzle: Square and slightly longer. The mouth opening is deep and the lips are finely textured.

Nose: Large, liver-colored. Teeth strong and neat, with scissors bite or pincer bite. The hair on the face is short and smooth. Except the beard is a narrow line that grows behind the chin.

Top Bun: A unique feature of this variety , long and drooping, with loose curls growing downward, forming a clear "duck tongue" in the middle of the eyes, and hanging down like a shawl, around the top of the ears and the back of the occiput. Pruning the breed's unique characteristics in an exaggerated manner is very annoying.

Eyes: Medium in size, slightly almond shaped, with tight lids. Eye color is hazel, the darker the better. The expression is sharp, alert, intelligent, straightforward and curious.

Ears: Long, leaf-shaped, set low, extending forward to the tip of the nose, covered with long curly hairs, extending 1 to 2 inches below the pinna.

Hair: Double coat, the neck, back and other parts are hidden in thick and dense curls, the hair on the throat is short and smooth, and the front and rear paws are curled and dense covered with hair.

The neck is long, well arched, strong and muscular, blending smoothly into the neat and sloping shoulder blades.

Topline strong and level, possibly slightly high at the rear, never sloping down, nor showing slack or arching.

Body The body is of moderate length and slightly angular. The chest is deep and the base of the chest extends to the elbows. Ribs well supported and set back. The ribs behind the shoulder blades are immediately flattened, allowing free movement of the forelegs, and then gradually rounded. The loin is short, broad and muscular, with no significant lift.

Forequarters The whole forequarter gives the impression of being very powerful, but not heavy. The shoulder blades are sloping and neat. The forelegs are well boned, muscular and of medium length; the upper arms are of sufficient length to allow for effective extension. The elbows are positioned close to the body. The feet are large, thick and slightly open, covered with hair on and between the toes.

Hindquarters A healthy hindquarters is very important and needs to provide a strong drive during swimming or walking. Above or slightly above the shoulder blades, strong and muscular, the first and second thighs are well developed. Hips broad, knees moderately flexed, hocks low and moderately flexed. The angle of the hindquarters is moderate, and the balance of the angle of the front and rear is crucial.

The hind paws are large, thick, slightly open; covered with hair. The tail is set low enough to give the hindquarters a rounded appearance, raised to the level of the back.

Tail: The tail is the so-called "rat tail" and is a unique feature of this breed. The roots are thick, hiding short rolls of 2 to 3 inches. The tail is tapered with a fine tip. From the base, the curl of the tail is hidden in the short, smooth hair, making him appear to have been cut short. The length of the tail should not extend to the hocks.

A proper double coat is essential for protection at work. The neck, back, sides, and back are concealed in thick, tight, well-defined curls, slightly longer under the ribs. The forelegs are covered with abundant curly or wavy hair. The hind legs are also covered with abundant curly or wavy hair, except on the front under the hocks of the hind legs, which is short and smooth. The hair on the throat is very short and smooth, forming a V-shaped area. All curled areas are neat and clear and of sufficient length to contrast sharply with the smooth coat on the face, throat, tail and below the hocks of the hind legs. The front and rear paws are covered with hair, and there is hair between and on the toes. He can show his natural coat or it can be trimmed. In any case, can the hair be over-groomed or trimmed so that the texture of the frizzy coat becomes less noticeable.

Color is pure liver. White hair or markings are faults unless they are gray-white from old age.

The gait of the Irish Water Spaniel is smooth and stretched. When viewed from the side, reach and drive appear coordinated. Can come or go straight with precision and accuracy. Whether walking or standing, the legs are perpendicular to the ground and the toes are neither turned in nor out.

Temperament is very alert and curious. Irish Water Spaniels are generally reserved towards strangers. In any case, aggressive behavior or excessive shyness are faults. A stable temperament is a basic requirement for a hunting dog.

Defects The Irish Water Spaniel described earlier can work in tough conditions. Any deviation from the above description is a defect and will be deducted according to the length of the deviation, it is very important to maintain the appearance characteristics necessary for the original basic purpose of the breed.