The Spanish Water Dog

Nobody knows where this dog really came from although many claim that it is a breed that came from northern Africa with the Moors during their occupation of the Iberian Peninsula in 710 - 1036; other people say that wooly coated dogs came with tribes invading Europe from the East after the fall of Rome, and still another theory stating that the Spanish Water dog came with Turkish merchants across the Mediterranean Sea all the way to the Iberian Peninsula.

So which theory is correct? Who has the right story? Does it really matter, what matters is the fact that they were an established breed on the Iberian Peninsula by 1110 A.D.

So what did these dogs do on the Iberian Peninsula in 1110 A.D.? These dogs did a little bit of everything actually, these animals are so highly intelligent that they were used by farmers to guard and to herd their flocks of sheep, they were used by fishermen to bring the boats into shore and to help them with their nets, these days they are being used as rescue dogs, they have made onto the police force as bomb and drug detecting dogs, its like wow! What a dog!

In Spain there was a company that moved huge flocks of sheep and goats from one end of the country to the other, the moving of the animals was called the "Trashumancia" while the fertile grazing rout was called the "Canada Real"; this went on until Napoleonic forces occupied Spain, then everything basically came to a halt, the "Trashumancia" did not exist any more. This would have been a serious blow on the future of the Spanish Water dog if not for the fact that some of the dogs were taken and sent to Paris; once in France the breed again could bask in the light of fame, being adopted by the French Aristocracy.

Once the French Revolution came, the future of the Spanish Water dog was again put in peril, but that is okay because these dogs did not need a future in France; not when there were plenty of dogs still in Spain, still bringing in the sheep, still bringing in the nets, that is what really counts anyway, how you help another. This dog had carved out a place for himself in Spain and he was going to stay there.

People did not really start noticing this breed until 1983, even though official recognition did not come until 1985, that is when the Spanish Water dog became well-known to other parts of the world, not only in Spain.

These are dogs that have a very strong nature, they are extremely intelligent and without a proper "Alpha Dog" to lead them, they will become headstrong and they will do their own thing, becoming selectively deaf. As one person put it, "this is a big dog in a medium dog's body." They are not for the first time dog owner because these are dogs that need constant mental and physical stimulation. However, if you have that taken care of, they are great!

If you are considering to buy a puppy, always do full research on the breed to make sure it's the right one for you. (Why find out later that you don't like your dog) After the research, find a good responsible breeder, even if it means that you have to go to another city, county or even another state, believe me its worth it. A responsible breeder will be able to show you proof of vaccines done on the puppy you are considering as well as veterinary health checks, he should also be able to show you the same things done on the parents of the puppy. Ask to meet the parents.

Never pick a puppy that is shy or bold because these are the ones that grow up to become aggressive. Spending a little extra money to ensure that you are getting a quality dog is worth it!

The Spanish Water dog is a breed that needs activity and because of their intelligence they need something to do. Although not a dog for everybody, the people that get these wonderful animals never regret the investment they have made.