Wetterhoun
Black and white Wetterhoun
Alternative names
Otterhoun Dutch Spaniel Frisian Water Dog
Country of origin
Netherlands
Classification and breed standards
FCI:	Group 8 Section 3 (Water dogs) #221	Stds
UKC:	Gun dogs	Stds
Notes
The UKC does not have an official breed standard; they currently use the FCI standard

The Wetterhoun (plural: Wetterhounen) is a breed of dog also called the Otterhoun or Frisian Water Dog. They originate from the Friesland region in the Netherlands. The literal translation from Frisian of the name Wetterhoun is 'water dog'.

Appearance

The Wetterhoun is a medium sized dog and is ideally between 55 and 59 centimeters (21.6-23 inches). They weigh between 15 and 20 kilograms (33-44 pounds). Their coat is thick and curly except for the ears and legs, where the coat is smoother. The coat should be black and white, liver and white, solid black or solid liver. The tail curls tightly over their back.

History

The Wetterhoun was developed at least 400 years ago in the Dutch province of Friesland.

Water dogs, once called Water Spaniels, are a type of gun dog and count among their number some of the oldest dog breeds. With the advent of kennel clubs many water spaniels were accepted under the names including the designation retriever rather than water spaniel. As the name implies, water dogs were bred to flush and retrieve game from water, often serving the waterfowl hunter. Strong swimming desire is a characteristic of these dogs.

The ancestors of modern water dogs originated in the Mediterranean and other parts of Europe over 2000 years ago.[citation needed]

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):

Tweed Water Spaniel
"Water Spaniel" (most widely accepted image of Tweed Spaniel)
Country of origin
United Kingdom
Classification and breed standards
This breed of dog is extinct

The Tweed Water Spaniel, or Tweed Spaniel, is a breed of dog extinct since the 1800s. Tweed Water Spaniels were descendants of the "ruggedly built water dogs" and shared the same family origins as Field Spaniels.[1] They were Spaniel retrievers that were considered very intelligent, excellent swimmers, and driven to please their masters. Their temperament and retrieving qualities were similar to today's Golden Retriever, since Golden Retrievers are said to be 25% Tweed Water Spaniel.[2] The Tweed Water Spaniel is also a prominent ancestor of the Curly Coated Retriever and American Water Spaniel.

Appearance

The Tweed Water Spaniel had a long tail and a curly, liver-colored coat, and looked similar to the Irish Water Spaniel except that it had a heavier muzzle and a pointed skull.[3] The dog also had thick, slightly feathered, hound-like ears, droopy lips, and forelegs that were feathered, but hind legs that were not.[1]

Spanish Water Dog
A black bicolour Spanish Water Dog
Alternative names
Perro de Agua Español Turco de Andaluz Andalusian Turk
Country of origin
Spain
Common nicknames
SWD
Classification and breed standards
FCI:	Group 8 Section 3 #336	Stds
AKC:	FSS	Stds
	The AKC Foundation Stock Service (FSS) is an optional recording service for purebred dogs that are not yet eligible for AKC registration.
KC (UK):	Gundog	Stds
NZKC:	Gundogs	Stds
UKC:	Gun Dog	Stds

The Spanish Water Dog or Perro de Agua Español is a breed of dog developed by the shepherds in Spain as a multi-purpose herder who was also used sometimes as a gundog, as well as an assistant to fishermen.

Appearance

The SWD is a medium size, athletic, robust dog that is slightly longer than tall. Their tails are usually docked in the US, but undocked tails are not a fault in show dogs if the dog was bred in a non-docking country.

The head should be strong and carried with elegance. The skull is flat and the top is parallel with the top of the muzzle. The nose, eye-rims and paw pads are the same colour as the darkest part of the coat or darker. The eyes are expressive and set fairly wide apart. They should be hazel, chestnut or dark brown in color, depending on the coat colour. The ears are set at medium height on the skull, and are triangular.

Coat and colour

It has a distinctive curly coat which is woolly in texture and may form cords when long. The coat should not be clipped or groomed for aesthetic purposes. Instead, it should look entirely natural, as though it is not groomed at all. It should never be trimmed, but sheared down at least once a year. SWD puppies are always born with curly hair.

The SWD can be seen in a variety of colours. It may be black, beige, brown, white or bicolour where the second colour is white (brown and white or black and white). Tri-coloured dogs are strictly prohibited by the currently held (world-wide) standards for the breed as are black and tan or brown and tan colour combinations

More colours SWD's can be seen in.

Size

The Spanish Water Dog is a medium-sized dog. The approximate measurements are:

• Males
  • Height (at the withers): 44 to 50 cm (17.32 to 19.69 inches)
  • Weight: 18 to 22 kg (40 to 49 lbs)

• Females
  • Height (at the withers): 40 to 36 cm (15.75 to 18.11 inches)
  • Weight: 14 to 18 kg (31 to 40 lb)

Temperament

The SWD is diligent, loyal, affectionate, and intelligent. They have very strong natural herding and guarding instincts. SWD’s thrive on work and play. Their athleticism and extremely hard working nature illustrates how they need a lot of exercise. They enjoy working, and can be trained to perform a variety of tasks. They can be wary with strangers, and early and continuing socialization with a variety of people and other animals is essential for a well-adjusted, social dog.

Grooming

SWD's require minimal grooming.

Nine week old SWD brown and white boston colored puppy

• SWD's should never be brushed, instead, as the cords grow they should be checked for matting. When matting does occur they should be gently pulled apart without tearing the cords. If there is too much matting the cords should be sheared.
• SWD's should be bathed only when dirty in lukewarm water. Use a neutral shampoo, never use human shampoo. SWD's should be allowed to air dry.
• The cords must be sheared one or more times a year.
• Ears and eyes should cleaned as often as they are dirty.
• As with all dogs nails should be trimmed.
• SWD's puppies should be trimed for the first time at around the age of 6 months

Health

The breed's life expectancy is about 14 years. SWD's have few known health problems.[1] Some health problems seen in SWD's are:

• Hip dysplasia[1]
• Cataracts

This SWD is swimming in the ocean. Many SWD's love the water, but not all.

• Allergies
• Hypothyroidism

History

There are many different theories as to its origin. but one of the most popular ones is that it was introduced by the Turks who traded in sheep and used them as sheepdogs. In Spain it is often called the "Andalusian Turk". It was also known by many other names such as, "Perro de Agua", "Perro Turco", "Laneto", "Perro de Lanas", "Perro Patero", "Perro Rizado", "Churro", "Barbeta" and most recently "Perro de Agua Espanol".

Regardless of its exact origins, it is documented that there was a wooly coated Shepherd Dog on the Iberian Peninsula around 1100 AD Historically, the SWD were primarily used as sheepdogs to move the flocks of sheep and goats from one pasture to another. The dogs were also called upon to work wherever a dog was required. For example, they were taught to work with fishermen as well as being taught to retrieve when hunting with the farmers.

Revival of the breed

Spanish Water Dogs are highly versatile. This one is herding sheep

In about 1975, two enthusiasts, Antonio Garcia Perez and Santiago Montesinos travelled around the countryside of Southern Spain, through the remote villages and farms of the mountainous region of Andalucia and bought or borrowed a number of dogs from the shepherds that they felt most fit the type they were looking for to establish a breeding program.

In 1980 the Spanish Water Dog Club (Spain) was formed in order to promote the breed and help get it recognized in its own country.

In 1985, after a lot of hard work and displaying the breed at various venues and dog shows the Spanish Kennel Club accepted it and gave it official status. It was provisionally recognized by Fédération Cynologique Internationale until 1999, when it was permanently recognized.

The SWD was officially recognized in United Kennel Club in 2001 and fully accepted for conformation events in 2004. Jerry and Ken Mann were instrumental in facilitating recognition in UKC. They presented the first SWD to be shown in an AKC Rare Breed Conformation venue in Inverness, Florida in January of 2000. They presented an Introduction Seminar at a UKC venue in South Carolina in 2001 and showed the first SWD at a UKC Mult-Breed show in the Summer of 2004. They spearheaded the first International SWD discussion list and were the first owners to use their SWD for herding in the United States.