About the American Water Spaniel
The AWS breed originated in the Upper Midwest in the late 19th Century, in an effort to create a dog that was small enough to fit in a small hunting skiff and hardy enough to jump into the frigid lakes of Wisconsin and Minnesota to retrieve water fowl. Doc Pfeifer of New London, Wisconsin ( a physician trained in Wiconsin breeding AWS, imagine that!), is credited with standardizing and promoting this breed, which became recognized by the UKC in 1920 and the AKC in 1940. It is one of only 4 long-established breeds to have been originated in this country. AWS are the state dog of Wisconsin.
There were said to be many (16) genetic lines to this breed 70 years ago, and it is said now that there are currently only 3 lines left. This distinction is qualified by the small size of the breed and the cross breeding between lines that has inevitably occurred. The original breeds used to create the AWS were probably the English Brown (Water) Spaniel (extinct), the Curly Coated Retriever, and possibly some Irish Water spaniel. There are no existing records to confirm this.
The AWS is typically friendly, energetic and loyal. The temperament of these dogs can vary as in any breed, but it is fair to say that breeding efforts of the past 30 years have selected for a more patient and sociable animal. All reputable breeders of AWS are committed to maintaining what the dogs were originally bred for: Hunting.
They are commonly used as therapy dogs. They are typically highly intelligent and individual, and respond more to positive than negative reinforcement. Training methods that are flexible in this regard are more important for this breed than for other hunting breeds. The upside is that you end up with a dog that has an individual, creative and intelligent personality, and that often emotionally matures more quickly than other Gun Dogs, in our observation. They bond extremely strongly to their family unit, as you might expect. Likewise, owners of AWS are usually very loyal, and will rarely if ever favor another breed.
The breed standard has males up to 45 lbs, and females up to 40 lb, but you will often find dogs these days exceeding these limits slightly. They may be the only breed of dog strong enough to swim 200 yards to fetch a 10 lb goose, and then small enough to comfortably curl up in a ball on your lap that night. Their combination of medium size, minimal shedding, intelligence, athleticism and loving nature makes them the perfect dog for any active family.
You can find great general information about the breed on the AWS Club website.
There were said to be many (16) genetic lines to this breed 70 years ago, and it is said now that there are currently only 3 lines left. This distinction is qualified by the small size of the breed and the cross breeding between lines that has inevitably occurred. The original breeds used to create the AWS were probably the English Brown (Water) Spaniel (extinct), the Curly Coated Retriever, and possibly some Irish Water spaniel. There are no existing records to confirm this.
The AWS is typically friendly, energetic and loyal. The temperament of these dogs can vary as in any breed, but it is fair to say that breeding efforts of the past 30 years have selected for a more patient and sociable animal. All reputable breeders of AWS are committed to maintaining what the dogs were originally bred for: Hunting.
They are commonly used as therapy dogs. They are typically highly intelligent and individual, and respond more to positive than negative reinforcement. Training methods that are flexible in this regard are more important for this breed than for other hunting breeds. The upside is that you end up with a dog that has an individual, creative and intelligent personality, and that often emotionally matures more quickly than other Gun Dogs, in our observation. They bond extremely strongly to their family unit, as you might expect. Likewise, owners of AWS are usually very loyal, and will rarely if ever favor another breed.
The breed standard has males up to 45 lbs, and females up to 40 lb, but you will often find dogs these days exceeding these limits slightly. They may be the only breed of dog strong enough to swim 200 yards to fetch a 10 lb goose, and then small enough to comfortably curl up in a ball on your lap that night. Their combination of medium size, minimal shedding, intelligence, athleticism and loving nature makes them the perfect dog for any active family.
You can find great general information about the breed on the AWS Club website.
About Kodiak Kennels
We live in Seattle, Washington. I hunted as a kid with a Springer Spaniel "Willie" who was a little more high strung than our AWS. We acquired our first AWS, "Cody" (Mountain Star Kodiak), over 10 years ago, and our kennel is named after this great dog. We currently own 2 dogs, Ryan and Siri. We have participated in conformation , Rally, hunt tests, and Water Derby events over the years, and travelled with our dogs to Specialty Nationals in Afton, Wyoming 2 years ago. We don't pretend to be experts, and our the quality of our dogs is a tribute more to them than to us.