Spanish Water Dog

The Spanish Water Dog should get plenty of exercise, which includes a daily walk. These dogs are energetic and lively and are in their glory when allowed to romp and play. As young puppies (from 1 month to 7 months of age), their exercise should never be over-taxed, to avoid possible bone and joint problems later on, but should still be taken on a daily walk. They become more active and sleep less as they mature and by the time they are a year old, these dogs have endless stamina and are very fast, athletic and agile.

Moderate Maintenance: Grooming the Spanish Water Dog is easy. Typically, the coat is clipped once or twice a year to approximately 1 inch over the entire body, including the head and ears. Between clips, there’s no need to comb, brush or blow-dry the coat, all of which can damage the texture and shape of the curls.

The Spanish Water Dog 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 conformation showing 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 colour, depending on the coat colour. The ears are set at medium height on the skull, and are triangular.

The Spanish Water Dog is diligent, loyal, affectionate, and intelligent. They have very strong natural herding and guarding instincts, leading them to become the "self-appointed" guardians of their homes. SWDs thrive on work and play. Their athleticism and extremely hard working nature leads them to excel at any number 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. Good socialization at an early age greatly helps them cohabit with small children.