Water dogs are a type of gun dog bred to flush and retrieve game from water, often serving the waterfowl hunter. Strong swimming desire is a characteristic of these dogs. Some of the oldest dog breeds are water dogs. The term was originally water spaniels (a misnomer, as not all are spaniels). With the advent of kennel clubs many "water spaniels" were accepted under the names including the designation retriever rather than spaniel.
Water dogs have curly, sometimes corded coats. Most water dog breeds are easy to train and are sociable.
Although there is some overlap with dogs considered to be retrievers, the following breeds are considered water dogs (listed in alphabetical order):
- American Water Spaniel
- Barbet
- Boykin Spaniel
- Cantabrian Water Dog
- Chesapeake Bay Retriever
- Curly Coated Retriever
- English Water Spaniel, extinct
- Epagneul Pont-Audemer
- Flat-Coated Retriever
- Golden Retriever
- Irish Water Spaniel
- Labrador Retriever
- Lagotto Romagnolo (a.k.a. Italian Water Dog)
- Münsterländer (Large and Small)
- Nova Scotia Duck Toller
- Otterhound
- Portuguese Water Dog
- Spanish Water Dog
- Standard Poodle
- Newfoundland
- St. John's water dog, extinct
- Tweed Water Spaniel, extinct
- Wetterhoun
Famous quotes containing the words water and/or dog:
“Talk of a divinity in man! Look at the teamster on the highway, wending to market by day or night; does any divinity stir within him? His highest duty to fodder and water his horses! What is his destiny to him compared with the shipping interests?”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Lear. Thou hast seen a farmer’s dog bark at a beggar?
Gloucester. Ay, sir.
Lear. And the creature run from the cur? There thou mightst behold the great image of authority: a dog’s obeyed in office.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)