Mr Pet Lover Logo

Sporting group

American Water Spaniel

The American Water Spaniel is a rare midsize gundog from the upper Midwest, purpose-built to hunt waterfowl and upland game from a small boat in cold lake country — and that working brief explains almost everything an owner needs to know.

American Water Spaniel dog breed portrait
American Water Spaniel — gallery 2
American Water Spaniel — gallery 3
American Water Spaniel — photo by Ray Bilcliff (Pexels)

Size

25-45 lb

Lifespan

10-14 years

Exercise

30-60 minutes

Shedding

Moderate

Experience

Match to owner routine

Is This Breed Right for Me?Compare American Water SpanielsCare Guide
By Mr Pet Lover Team·Updated
Fact-checked against the sources listed on this page, including American Kennel Club, ASPCA, AVMA. Not individually reviewed by a veterinarian. Editorial standards
This article is for general information only. Always consult your veterinarian for medical decisions about your pet.

Decision first

Is a American Water Spaniel right for you?

Start with fit before history or trivia. These are ownership signals, not guarantees about any individual dog.

Best suited for

  • Households with children.
  • Homes with other compatible pets.
  • Apartment homes with a consistent routine.
  • Owners seeking a manageable daily exercise routine.

Think carefully if

  • You need a dog with almost no daily routine.
  • You cannot keep up with grooming and preventive care.
  • The dog will spend most days alone without support.

Conditional fit

Apartment fit depends on exercise, enrichment, noise management, and outdoor access.

Daily reality

American Water Spaniel commitment snapshot

The best breed choice is the one whose daily care actually fits your calendar, budget, and home.

Daily exercise

30-60 minutes

Match activity to age, health, weather, and training goals.

Coat care

Moderate

Grooming needs vary by coat, shedding, and lifestyle.

Time alone

Needs planning

Most dogs need gradual alone-time conditioning and support.

Structured facts

American Water Spaniel at a glance

The measurements and traits that most affect day-to-day life with this breed.

Group

Sporting

Weight

25-45 lb

Height

15-18 in

Lifespan

10-14 years

Temperament

Eager | Happy | Charming

View all characteristics and methodology

Lifestyle fit

Apartment suitability
Likely fit
Child friendliness
Often good, with socialisation and supervision
Other-pet fit
Often compatible with careful introductions

Owner commitment

Exercise
30-60 minutes
Grooming
Moderate
Shedding
Moderate
Training
Low

Environment and health

Health risk
Needs planning

Ratings combine structured breed data, visible breed fields, and editorial context. They are planning aids, not predictions for an individual dog.

Daily life

American Water Spaniel temperament and behavior

The American Water Spaniel is a rare midsize gundog from the upper Midwest, purpose-built to hunt waterfowl and upland game from a small boat in cold lake country — and that working brief explains almost everything an owner needs to know. At roughly 15-18 inches and 25-45 pounds, with a dense, waterproof brown coat that is tightly curled or wavy, webbed feet, and a body compact enough to climb into a skiff without rocking it, the AWS is an athlete with a job, not a decorative spaniel. It combines the working traits of both spaniels and retrievers in one efficient package. Temperamentally the AWS is happy, eager and charming with its own people and notably bonded to its family, but it can be reserved or aloof with strangers and is independent-minded enough to be a bit stubborn under training. The defining owner pitfall is energy management: this is an active, intelligent dog whose happiness depends on activity and being with its person. An under-exercised, under-engaged AWS becomes barky, anxious and destructive, and some lines show territorial or possessive tendencies that early training and socialization must address. It is not a couch breed wearing a fancy coat. Who the American Water Spaniel is right for: an active owner or family that hunts, swims, hikes, or does dog sports, wants a versatile birdy companion with a strong off-switch only once exercised, and will commit to early socialization and consistent positive training. Who it is wrong for: sedentary households, owners who want an instantly obedient dog, homes where the dog is left alone for long days, and anyone who skips health screening. The breed is numerically small with documented eye, cardiac and orthopedic risks, so buy only from a breeder who screens parents for the conditions below.

Eager | Happy | Charming

Eager

A common American Water Spaniel temperament descriptor that should be interpreted alongside training, exercise, and household fit.

Happy

A common American Water Spaniel temperament descriptor that should be interpreted alongside training, exercise, and household fit.

Charming

A common American Water Spaniel temperament descriptor that should be interpreted alongside training, exercise, and household fit.

Owner note

Temperament labels are starting points, not guarantees. Meet the individual dog and ask about behavior history whenever possible.

Care essentials

How to care for a American Water Spaniel

What looking after one actually involves: exercise, grooming, food, training, and routine health.

ExerciseAs needed
  • Moderately active breed needing 30-60 minutes of daily exercise through walks, play, and mental stimulation.
GroomingAs needed
  • Regular grooming needed — brush 2-3 times per week and bathe monthly.
TrainingAs needed
  • Independent-minded breed that may require extra patience in training. Short, engaging sessions recommended.
NutritionAs needed
  • Feed a high-quality dog food appropriate for their age, size, and activity level. Monitor portions to prevent obesity.
Veterinary CareAs needed
  • Annual wellness exams, core vaccinations, dental care, and parasite prevention. Breed-specific health screenings as recommended by your vet.

Care calendar

Daily

  • Meals, water, exercise, interaction, and a quick health check.

Weekly

  • Grooming, nails, ears, teeth, and body-condition review.

Annually

  • Veterinary exam, vaccination review, and preventive-care planning.

Health planning

American Water Spaniel health risks and screening

Every breed has individual health variation. Use this profile for planning and discuss medical decisions with a veterinarian.

Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) and inherited cataracts — degenerative and clouding diseases of the eye that can lead to vision loss or blindness; documented inherited eye disease in the breed, which is why annual board-certified ophthalmologist (CAER) exams of breeding stock and tested parents are part of responsible buying.
Retinal dysplasia — an inherited malformation of the retina that can cause visual deficits, screened on CAER eye exams alongside PRA and cataracts as part of the breed's recommended eye panel.
Pulmonic stenosis and other congenital cardiac disease (including mitral valve disease and patent ductus arteriosus) — narrowing of the pulmonic valve and related heart defects are recognized concerns in the breed; they can cause exercise intolerance, fainting or murmurs and are screened by cardiac auscultation/echocardiogram in breeding stock.
Hip dysplasia — a malformed hip joint causing pain and arthritis; an established orthopedic predisposition in the breed, screened via OFA evaluation of parents and managed with lean body weight and sensible conditioning.
Hypothyroidism — an underactive thyroid causing weight gain, lethargy and coat/skin changes; documented in the breed, diagnosed on bloodwork and well controlled for life with inexpensive daily medication once identified.

Responsible ownership

Finding a American Water Spaniel responsibly

A responsible path can be a documented breeder or a good rescue match. The important part is transparency and support.

Reputable breeder

  • Ask for documented health screening relevant to the breed.
  • Meet the breeder, parent dogs where appropriate, and review medical history.

Rescue or adoption

  • Check breed-specific rescue groups and reputable shelters.
  • Ask about temperament, medical history, foster notes, and support after adoption.
  • Match the individual dog's age, energy, and behavior history to your household.

Warning signs

  • No health documentation.
  • Pressure to buy immediately.
  • No questions about your home or experience.
  • Unclear return policy or unwillingness to provide references.

Original purpose

American Water Spaniel history

History is useful when it explains today's behavior, coat, exercise needs, and training style.

Read the breed history

The American Water Spaniel was developed in the Wolf and Fox River valleys of Wisconsin in the 1800s, bred by hunters who needed a versatile, compact gundog that could retrieve waterfowl from cold lakes and rivers, work upland game, and ride in the small skiffs used on Midwestern waters. Its ancestry is thought to include the old English Water Spaniel, the now-extinct Old Water Spaniel, the Curly-Coated Retriever and the Irish Water Spaniel, blended for a dog small enough for a boat but powerful enough for cold-water retrieves. It is one of only a handful of dog breeds developed in the United States, and in 1985 it was named the official state dog of Wisconsin. Despite that distinction it has always remained rare, with a small gene pool that makes health testing disproportionately important. The breed's hunting-from-a-boat origin directly explains its size, webbed feet, waterproof coat, swimming drive, stamina and strong handler bond.

American Water Spaniel — gallery 2

Lower-page context

American Water Spaniels in culture

Where the breed shows up in film, sport, work and folklore — the enjoyable part, once the practical questions are answered.

Fun facts

  • The American Water Spaniel belongs to the Sporting Group.
  • The average lifespan of a American Water Spaniel is 10 to 14 years.
  • American Water Spaniel dogs are valued for their eager, happy, charming nature.

American Water Spaniel FAQs

How long do American Water Spaniels live?

An American Water Spaniel typically lives 10-14 years. The strongest levers on those years are buying from a breeder who screens parents' eyes, hips and heart, keeping the dog lean and well-exercised, and staying on top of ear and thyroid health. Cardiac disease is the most serious shortener in the breed, so a clear parental cardiac history and prompt investigation of any exercise intolerance materially affect the outcome.

Are American Water Spaniels good with children?

Generally yes with their own family — they are affectionate, playful, sturdy and bonded to their household, which suits active families with children. The caveats are that some lines can be territorial or possessive of food, toys or people, and the breed is reserved with strangers. Early broad socialization, teaching children not to bother the dog while it eats or rests, and supervision with young children make this a good family dog rather than a guaranteed one.

How much exercise does an American Water Spaniel need?

A lot — this is a working gundog, not a companion spaniel. Plan at least 60 minutes of vigorous daily activity such as retrieving, swimming, running, hiking or fieldwork, plus training or scent games for mental work. The breed loves water and will swim at every chance. An under-exercised AWS is the breed's most common pet-home failure: it becomes barky, anxious and destructive. Energy met, it has a good off-switch indoors.

How much grooming does an American Water Spaniel need?

Moderate but specific. Brush the dense, oily, waterproof curly or wavy coat about weekly to prevent matting, with only light tidying — the coat is meant to look natural. Bathe sparingly, because over-bathing strips the protective oils the coat needs to work; the breed has a normal doggy odor that grooming, not constant washing, manages. The bigger ongoing task is the ears: the heavy drop ears must be checked, cleaned and dried, especially after swimming.

Are American Water Spaniels easy to train?

They are intelligent and capable but independent-minded and somewhat stubborn, so they are not effortless. They respond best to short, upbeat, reward-based sessions started in puppyhood and respond poorly to harsh or repetitive methods, which make them shut down. Their strong handler bond works in your favor if you make training cooperative. Recall and steadiness around birds and water take real work given the strong hunting drive, so build those deliberately rather than assuming them.

What heart problem are American Water Spaniels prone to?

The breed has documented congenital cardiac disease, most notably pulmonic stenosis (a narrowing of the pulmonic valve), along with mitral valve disease and patent ductus arteriosus. These can show as a heart murmur, exercise intolerance, or fainting on exertion. It is screened in breeding stock by cardiac auscultation and echocardiogram, so ask for parental cardiac clearances, and have any unexplained exercise intolerance or collapse in your dog evaluated promptly rather than dismissed as unfitness.

Sources

Every claim on this page traces to a published source. Each opens in a new tab so you can check it yourself.