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Short History of the Breed

While the exact origins of the Spanish Water Dog are not known, there is documentation of a wooly coated shepherd dog on the Iberian Peninsula.

In the late 1970's, two enthusiasts, Antonio Garcia Perez and Santiago Montessinos Rubio studied and gathered shepherd dogs from Andalusia and developed a breed standard. The SWD were provisionally recognized by the FCI and the Spanish Kennel Club in 1985. They were permanantly recognized in 1999. They were recognized by UKC in 2000.

Physical Description and Size

The Spanish Water Dog is a medium size dog with a distinctive curly coat which may form cords when long. He may be brown, black, white, beige or bicolor with the second color being white. He is slightly longer than tall.

Temperament

The Spanish Water Dog has strong herding and guardianprotective instincts. He is faithful, energetic and intelligent. He can be trained to do many tasks. Because they are a herding dog, they may nip as puppies. They may be wary with strangers and must be socialized.

The Spanish Water Dog does not repond well to hard corrections, but rather to positive training. He must be handled with a firm, but gentle hand. Spanish Water Dogs are better suited to owners with some dog experience, rather than first time dog owners. If his herding temperament is taken into consideration the Spanish Water Dog will make a fine family pet. The Spanish Water Dog may try to "herd" small children, as well as other pets and family members.

Dog Care

The Spanish Water Dog is at his best when his mind and body are occupied. He requires regular exercise. He is suited for many dog sports such as herding, agility, water work, therapy work, flyball and obedience.

A Spanish Water Dog should be clipped completely and evenly one or more times a year. The coat is never brushed or combed and there is no aesthetic grooming. Bathe as necessary.

Health Issues and Life Expectancy

While the Spanish Water Dog is a generally healthy breed, there are some health issues that we know about. There is some degree of hip dysplasia in the breed, so be sure that breeding dogs are tested. Also present, but not prevalent in the Spanish Water Dog are PRA, Hypothyroidism, Eplilepsy, and allergies.

Spanish Water Dogs generally live 10-15 years.

Additional Resources

Spanish Water Dog Assiciation of America

Spanish Water Dog-L

Spanish Water Dogs on WikiFido

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