Retrieving from a skiff or canoe and working on land with relative ease: according to the FCI standard, this is what the American Water Spaniel was developed for in the United States. Webbing lies between the toes, and beneath the curls is an undercoat protecting against water and dense cover.
| FCI | Group 8 (Retrievers, Flushing Dogs, Water Dogs), Section 3 Water Dogs, Standard No. 301, with working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | USA |
| Height at the withers | Males and females 38 to 46 cm |
| Weight | Males 13,5 to 20,5 kg, females 11,5 to 18 kg |
| Life expectancy | No reliable study figure found (N/A) |
| Coat | Uniformly wavy to closely curled, with an important undercoat; forehead short and smooth, without a topknot |
| Colours according to the standard | Solid liver, brown or dark chocolate; a little white on toes and chest permitted |
Eager to please and eager to hunt
Intelligence, eagerness to please and friendliness, alongside great energy and hunting enthusiasm, yet controllable in the field: that is the standard’s summary. The expression should be alert, confident and attractive. Usually an agreeable housemate indoors, this is a dog who wants to work outside.
An all-rounder for the boat
The FCI definitively recognised the breed in 1979 and requires a working trial. Slightly longer than tall, strong but not cumbersome, the dog’s balance, soundness and ability to do the job matter more under the standard than every proportion being exact. Related curly types include the Irish Water Spaniel and the Curly Coated Retriever.
A day with a purpose
Land and water retrieving, dummy training and tracking suit the breed. Plan one to two hours outside daily, with part of that offering genuine work for nose and mind. Without enough to do, the dog finds their own occupation.
Curls made for water
The degree of waviness or curl may vary across the same dog. Throat, neck and hindquarters are well covered, with hair on both sides of the ears but a clear ear canal. Trimming is permitted, as is shaving the ears, but neither is required. Occasional brushing and an ear check after swimming usually suffice. Eyes may range from light yellowish brown to dark; lemon-yellow eyes are a disqualifying fault.
A genetic test worth knowing
University of Missouri researchers tested samples from over 33.000 dogs for a SOD1 variant associated with degenerative myelopathy, a progressive spinal cord disease in older dogs (Zeng et al. 2014). Of 91 submitted American Water Spaniels, 23 carried two copies of the variant and 46 one copy. Across all breeds followed up in old age, 60 per cent of dogs with two copies showed signs of disease, compared with 6 per cent without the variant. Submitted samples do not reliably represent the whole breed. Still, ask for the parents’ test results. There is no reliable lifespan figure; the breed was absent from the large British analysis.
For active people by the water
People who enjoy being outdoors, training with a dog and do not want a giant can find a cheerful, manageable partner here, including in homes with children.
Less suitable
For city walks alone, long days without company or people unable to tolerate a wet, muddy dog in the hallway, this remains the wrong breed.
To see whether a water spaniel suits you, try the breed quiz, or explore the question in detail in our book “Welcher Hund passt WIRKLICH zu dir?” (book in German). The free Puppy Starter Pack guides you through the first weeks. Capture brown curls after a swim as a downloadable digital artwork, with further formats among our dog portraits from your own photo.
Further reading
- Labrador Retriever: why a quarter are always hungry
- The first 30 days with a puppy: a plan for weeks 1 to 4
- Calculating your dog’s food portions: how much your dog really needs
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI-Standard Nr. 301 American Water Spaniel (Amerikanischer Wasserspaniel) (fci.be, German and English versions dated 22.01.1999, valid original standard published 14.02.1995); Zeng R et al., Breed distribution of SOD1 alleles previously associated with canine degenerative myelopathy, Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 2014; McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024 (breed not analysed there).
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