Spanish Water Dog
Other names: Perro de agua espanol

The Spanish Water Dog is used as a hunting, fishing or sheepdog. Docile, happy, hard-working and very well-rounded, they have a strong aptitude for learning thanks to their great capacity for understanding. This dog can adapt to all situations and conditions. They make excellent utility dogs that can also be considered as pleasant pet dogs.
Key facts about the Spanish Water Dog
Origins and history
The existence of this dog in the Iberian Peninsula dates back to a very long time ago. It’s even said that the Spanish Water Dog could be the oldest out of their category. The largest number of them is found in Andalusia, where they have been known for centuries as a “Turkish dog” and are used as sheepdogs. Their genetic characteristics haven’t really changed through selection until today thanks to their numerous and versatile working qualities.
FCI breed nomenclature
FCI Group
Group 8 - Retrievers - Flushing Dogs - Water Dogs
Section
Section 3 : Water Dogs
Physical characteristics of the Spanish Water Dog
Adult size
Female : Between 16 and 18 in
Male : Between 17 and 20 in
Weight
Female : Between 31 and 40 lb
Male : Between 62 and 49 lb
Coat colour
Dogs can be single-coloured (solid black, brown, white), white with various shades or two-tone (white and black or white and brown), but never tricoloured.
Type of coat
The coat length can be from 1 inch to 6 inches when you stretch out the curls.
The hair is a curly, fuzzy texture. When the hair is long, cords are subsequently formed.
Eye colour
The iris is hazel and must match the colour of the coat.
Description
A rustic, well-proportioned, average-weight, dolichocephalic, rather elongated dog with a balanced form and appealing profile, the Spanish Water Dog has an athletic nature and a well-developed muscle structure. Slightly slanted, their eyes are very expressive. Their ears set moderately high on their head, are triangular and hang down. The tail sits at an average height.
Good to know
In their country of origin, they are used as search dogs along firefighters (searching for lost persons) and the police (searching for drugs and other illegitimate items at airports)
In the United States, they are used for the search of bodies and in Holland, they are used especially for the search of dead bodies in marshy grounds.
Finally, in Spain, an educational project managed by the Ministry of National Education and led by the president of the Spanish breed club has made these water dogs a therapist dog for the elderly and disabled children.