Spanish Water Dog Breed

Below are the details and specs for the Spanish Water dog.

A medium-sized breed. Weight for males is 40-50 pounds, and 30-40 pounds for females; height at the shoulders is 17-20 inches for males, 16-18 inches for females.

A SWD is true to its working-class roots, in that it is focused, intelligent, and at times domineering. A well-trained SWD is great to its family (though probably not to anyone else), but because of its powerful herding instinct, may try to control children and other pets. These dogs are recommended only for experienced dog owners.

A low-maintenance breed, the SWD needs almost no grooming, very little training, but plenty of exercise.

The Spanish Water Dog has existed in Europe for centuries, and its early presence is known on the Iberian Peninsula, a region of Southwestern Europe that includes Spain and Portugal. The SWD's exact origin is unknown; scholars debate whether an early variant of this breed came from Africa, Asia, or even Turkey. Whatever the case, a breed presumed to be the SWD was mentioned in historical Spanish literature as early as the 1100s. Through the centuries, the SWD was used in Spain as a working dog in a variety of capacities, including herding livestock, guarding fishing nets, small game hunting, and later as a guard dog in mineral mines.

With the advent of the Industrial Revolution in Spain during the 18th and 19th centuries, the need for these working dogs decreased dramatically, and by the early 1900s the SWD was on the verge of extinction. Revival of the breed, through an aggressive selective breeding program, began in Spain in the 1970s, and in 1985 the SWD was recognized by the Real Sociedad Canina de España, Spain's official dog breed organization. In the U.S., the SWD was recognized by the AKC in 2015. Today, though a bit rare outside Spain, this breed can be found in most parts of the world.

The SWD's single coat is long, curly, and is often "corded" at its full length. This breed's body is a bit greater in length than in height. The head is ovoid in shape, the eyes are a bit slanted and exist in varying shades of brown, and the ears are medium-sized, hanging, and triangular in shape with slightly rounded tips. The chest is broad, the shoulders and thighs are muscular, and the legs are straight and strong. The medium-length tail is high-set, curved, and is usually docked to a quarter of its length.

Genetically speaking, the Spanish Water Dog, or Turkish Dog, sees little variation among individual dogs of the breed. There are some variations in coat length--but the differences are actually man-made. Many SWD owners will shear their dog's long, corded fur to half its length or more, so as not to interfere with its work activities (also to keep the long fur from becoming too dirty). People who show their SWDs prefer the coats at full length..

SWD size, too, is fairly consistent from dog to dog: most average 18 inches at the shoulders in height, and 40 pounds in weight. This is considered medium size so those seeking big Turkish dogs should consider another breed. While miniature Spanish Water Dogs do exist, they are rare; those dogs are usually the runts of a litter, and are not considered a distinct subtype of the breed.

Intelligent, loyal, protective, and diligent, the SWD is a lively, alert breed that is extremely task-oriented. Due to their breeding as working dogs, SWDs are apt to focus solely on whatever has their attention – often to the detriment of other animals and people. Though extremely loyal to its human family, this breed can tend towards dominant behavior, and is sometimes referred to as a "canine control freak." These dogs also startle easily, and will react quickly to most sudden sounds and movement. A SWD has a strong herding instinct, and thus may try to "herd" children, people on bicycles, and even cars; this breed's bossy behavior, experts say, makes it more suitable to experienced dog owners. But with early socialization and consistent training, the experts add, a SWD will be affectionate and friendly, and if raised from puppyhood will make a great family addition.

Additionally, its protective nature makes a SWD an excellent watchdog; due to its intelligence and work ethic, this breed is also used as a rescue dog in natural disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes, and is a fantastic swimmer.

Life expectancy is 10-14 years. Though considered a healthy breed overall, the SWD may suffer from hip dysplasia, and may have eye issues that require veterinary care.