Description
written by: Linda Ford
The
American Water Spaniel's major source of origin was the Wolf and Fox River Valley region
of east central Wisconsin, where those rivers feed large Lakes Poygan, Winneconne, Butte
des Morts and Winnebago and eventually drain into Lake Michigan's Green Bay. The sloughs,
bottoms and marshes where the hunters shot ducks were accessible only by water. The
American Brown Water Spaniel, as it was first called, was developed to meet the
requirements of those hunters, trappers and other marsh men; namely, a dog that could
shake off cold and wet, work marsh cover and have the desire and stamina to retrieve
ducks, spring and fall, in numbers that seem almost obscene viewed in today's restricted
framework. A small dog was handier and less troublesome to transport or when getting in
and out of skiffs and small canoes while being worked.
Dr. Pfeifer (pronounced fy-fur), who served the community of New London, Wisconsin, as a
physician and surgeon for more than 50 years, was the first man to register an American
Water Spaniel with an official registry. There were others who made significant
contributions to the development of the American Water Spaniel between 1920 when
"Curly Pfeifer" was registered with the United Kennel Club and subsequent breed
recognition by the Field Dog Stud Book in 1938 and the American Kennel Club in 1940.
But the man who goes down in canine history as "the father" of the American
Water Spaniel is "Doc" Pfeifer, who was the epitome of the revered and now
extinct "country doctor".
American Browns were around for years before Dr. Pfeifer opened his practice in 1909 in
New London, which straddles the Waupaca-Outagamie county line at the confluence of the
Embarrass and Wolf Rivers. Dr. Pfeifer knew them as a boy and hunted them as a man, owning
his first American Brown in 1894. He observed that as long as two "Browns" were
mated, the resulting pups looked just like their parents.
The influence of the Irish Water Spaniel on the American (or vice versa) is a prickly
subject among breed fanciers. Dr. Pfeifer noted that such cross breeding did occur. But he
contended it didn't happen until after he had registered and was successfully breeding
pure Americans, that other breeders used the Irish and that he had to cull many pups from
breedings between dogs purchased outside his own kennels that showed Irish Spaniel traits.
Excerpts from Breed Standard: The American Water Spaniel is an active muscular dog, medium
in size with a marcel to curly coat. The size is 15 to 18 inches for either sex. Males
weighing 30-45 lbs. Females weighing 25-40 lbs. Females tend to be slightly smaller than
the males. Proportion is slightly longer than tall, not too square or compact. Medium size
eyes set well apart, while slightly rounded, should not appear protruding or bulging. Ears
set slightly above the eyeline but not too high on the head, lobular, long and wide with
leather extending to nose. Muzzel moderate in length, square with good depth. Topline
level or slight, straight slope from withers. Well developed brisket, extending to elbow
neither too broad nor too narrow. Shoulders sloping, clean and muscular. Toes closely
grouped, webbed and well padded. Well developed hips and thighs with the whole rear
assembly showing strength and drive. Legs from hock joint to foot pad moderate in length,
strong and straight with good bone structure. On gait, watching a dog move toward one
there should be no signs of elbows being out. Upon viewing the dog from the rear, one
should get the impression that the hind legs which should be well muscled and not cow
hocked, move as nearly parallel as possible, with hocks doing their full share of work and
flexing well, thus giving the appearance of power and strength.
The American Water Spaniel is devoted to his master and would rather be with his master
than another dog. They do not do well as a kennel dog. They need to be a part of the
family. They will play and retrieve as long as you can handle the exercise and then, when
you say "that's it. Let's rest", they will lay at your feet and enjoy just being
beside you.
The American Water Spaniel will get to your heart strings and you will be as devoted to
this little brown dog as they are to you. Their eagerness to please and their intelligence
makes them a wonder to work with.
