English Water Spaniel
Encyclopedia
The English Water Spaniel is a breed of dog
that has been extinct since the first part of the 20th century, with the last specimen seen in the 1930s. It was best known for its use in hunting waterfowl
and for being able to dive as well as a duck. It is described as similar to a Collie
or to a cross between a Poodle
and a Springer Spaniel
with curly fur and typically in a white and liver/tan pattern.
Pre-dating the Irish Water Spaniel
and thought to have been referred to by Shakespeare
in Macbeth
, it is believed to have genetically influenced several modern breeds of dog, including the American Water Spaniel
, Curly Coated Retriever
and the modern variety of Field Spaniel
. It is unknown if the breed was involved in the creation of the Irish Water Spaniel.
described the Water Spaniel. It has been suggested that Shakespeare
also knew the breed "for he mentions the `water rug' in Macbeth
. " Furthermore, Shakespeare specifically mentions the breed in Act III Scene 1 of The Two Gentlemen of Verona when Launce says of his love, "She hath more qualities than a water-spaniel."
The breed is mentioned specifically by name as early as 1802, in Sportsman's Cabinet, where it is described as having "hair long and naturally curled, not loose and shaggy"; the description accompanied an engraving of a liver and white curly coated spaniel
. This shows that they pre-date the Irish Water Spaniel
which was not developed as a breed until the 1830s. Unfortunately as the person credited with developing the Irish Water Spaniel, Justin McCarthy, left no written records, it is unknown if the English Water Spaniel was involved in its development. During the first half of the 18th century, the English Water Spaniel was used for duck hunting in East Anglia
.
The Kennel Club
initially had a class for "Water spaniels other than Irish" as no standard was specifically set up for the English Water Spaniel and the judging of this class was described as "chaos" by Hugh Dalziel in British Dogs: Their Varieties, History, Characteristics, Breeding, Management, And Exhibition. Writing in 1897, Dalziel said of the breed, "I do not believe the breed is lost, but that scattered throughout the country there are many specimens of the old English water spaniel, which it only requires that amount of encouragement to breeding which it is in the power of show committees to give to perpetuate the variety and improve its form." Dalziel bemoaned the fact that while the Irish Water Spaniel continued, the English Water Spaniel was allowed to quietly be absorbed into other Spaniel breeds.
The stud book of the Kennel Club also had a class for "Water spaniels other than Irish", however only fourteen dogs were registered in the twelve years up to 1903. This led some writers and judges of that time to believe that the English Water Spaniel was merely a cross of the Irish Water Spaniel as entrants in dogs shows in that same class do not match the description of the dog from earlier periods. Dogs awarded prizes as Water Spaniels during this period have been described as having "coats as flat as a Clumber
, but with a bit of longish hair about the top of the skull."
Writing in 1967, author John F. Gordon stated, "After two centuries of breeding it is now extinct. None have been seen for over thirty years." Descendant breeds of the English Water Spaniel are thought to include the American Water Spaniel
which was also developed using additional stock from the Irish Water Spaniel and the Flat Coated Retriever breeds. The Curly Coated Retriever
is considered to have descended from the Poodle
, the retrieving setter, the St. John's Water Dog
and the English Water Spaniel. Records for the origin of the modern Field Spaniel
are more precise and show that one of the four progenitor dogs used in creating the breed was an English Water Spaniel-Cocker Spaniel
cross which was registered at the time as a Sussex Spaniel
due to his liver colour.
in appearance, the English Water Spaniel more closely resembled a curly-haired version of the Springer Spaniel
, with some traits of the Collie
, poodle
, and setter
. The white and liver (tan) dog stood about 20 inches (50.8 cm) tall and looked like a typical, lean, long-legged spaniel
with long ears and tail, a white underbelly, and a brown back, except that it had the coat of a water dog
.
The English Water Spaniel was described as having a long and narrow head, with small eyes and ears that were long and covered in thick curls of fur. The body was moderately stout and barrel shaped, but not as much as that of the Field Spaniel
. Its legs were long and straight with large feet. The dog varied in size with the larger varieties known as "Water Dogs" and the smaller as "Water Spaniels".
Due to the English Water Spaniel's colours of liver (tan) and white, it has been suggested that the breed may have been the source of the colours now found in the modern English Springer Spaniel
and Welsh Springer Spaniel
breeds.
and Ramsay Richard Reinagle
both show English Water Spaniels working with their masters hunting ducks. An engraving by Henry Thomas Alken
Snr. shows a slightly different looking English Water Spaniel, but also reinforces its area of work by again showing it while duck hunting. In The Sportsman's Repository (1820), the author advises that if an individual wishes to hunt ducks or any other type of waterfowl, then the hunter had best use an English Water Spaniel.
The breed is described as swimming and diving as well as the ducks themselves; and they are intelligent enough to avoid being lured away from the nesting places. The author described the best variety of the breed to be those with long ears whose coat was white under the belly and around the neck but brown on the back.
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
that has been extinct since the first part of the 20th century, with the last specimen seen in the 1930s. It was best known for its use in hunting waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
and for being able to dive as well as a duck. It is described as similar to a Collie
Collie
The collie is a distinctive type of herding dog, including many related landraces and formal breeds. It originates in Scotland and Northern England. It is a medium-sized, fairly lightly built dog with a pointed snout, and many types have a distinctive white pattern over the shoulders. Collies...
or to a cross between a Poodle
Poodle
The Poodle is a breed of dog. The poodle breed is found officially in toy, miniature, and standard sizes, with many coat colors. Originally bred as a type of water dog, the poodle is highly intelligent and skillful in many dog sports, including agility, obedience, tracking, and even herding...
and a Springer Spaniel
English Springer Spaniel
The English Springer Spaniel is a breed of gun dog traditionally used for flushing and retrieving game. It is an affectionate, excitable breed with an average lifespan of twelve to fourteen years. Descended from the Norfolk or Shropshire Spaniels of the mid-19th century, the breed has diverged into...
with curly fur and typically in a white and liver/tan pattern.
Pre-dating the Irish Water Spaniel
Irish Water Spaniel
The Irish Water Spaniel is a breed of dog that is the largest and one of the oldest of spaniels.The Irish Water Spaniel is considered one of the rarer breeds with the AKC in terms of registrations but is still widely respected and sought-after for its unusual qualities.-Appearance:The Irish Water...
and thought to have been referred to by Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
in Macbeth
Macbeth
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607...
, it is believed to have genetically influenced several modern breeds of dog, including the American Water Spaniel
American Water Spaniel
The American Water Spaniel, , is a breed of spaniel which is one of a small number of breeds originating in the United States. Developed in the state of Wisconsin during the 19th century from a number of other breeds, including the Irish and English Water Spaniels. The breed was saved by Dr. Fred J...
, Curly Coated Retriever
Curly Coated Retriever
The Curly Coated Retriever is a breed of dog originally bred in England for upland bird and waterfowl hunting. It is the tallest of the retrievers and is easily distinguishable by the mass of tight curls covering its body...
and the modern variety of Field Spaniel
Field Spaniel
The Field Spaniel is a medium-sized breed dog of the spaniel type. They were originally developed to be all black show dogs in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and were unpopular for work as a hunting dog. However during the mid 20th century they were redeveloped as a longer legged dog that...
. It is unknown if the breed was involved in the creation of the Irish Water Spaniel.
History
In 1570, Dr John CaiusJohn Caius
John Caius , also known as Johannes Caius, was an English physician, and second founder of the present Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.-Early years:...
described the Water Spaniel. It has been suggested that Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
also knew the breed "for he mentions the `water rug' in Macbeth
Macbeth
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607...
. " Furthermore, Shakespeare specifically mentions the breed in Act III Scene 1 of The Two Gentlemen of Verona when Launce says of his love, "She hath more qualities than a water-spaniel."
The breed is mentioned specifically by name as early as 1802, in Sportsman's Cabinet, where it is described as having "hair long and naturally curled, not loose and shaggy"; the description accompanied an engraving of a liver and white curly coated spaniel
Spaniel
A spaniel is a type of gun dog. It is assumed spaniels originated from Spain as the word spaniel may be derived from Hispania or possibly from the French phrase "Chiens de l’Espagnol" . Spaniels were especially bred to flush game out of dense brush. By the late 17th century spaniels had become...
. This shows that they pre-date the Irish Water Spaniel
Irish Water Spaniel
The Irish Water Spaniel is a breed of dog that is the largest and one of the oldest of spaniels.The Irish Water Spaniel is considered one of the rarer breeds with the AKC in terms of registrations but is still widely respected and sought-after for its unusual qualities.-Appearance:The Irish Water...
which was not developed as a breed until the 1830s. Unfortunately as the person credited with developing the Irish Water Spaniel, Justin McCarthy, left no written records, it is unknown if the English Water Spaniel was involved in its development. During the first half of the 18th century, the English Water Spaniel was used for duck hunting in East Anglia
East Anglia
East Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
.
The Kennel Club
Kennel club
A kennel club is an organization for canine affairs that concerns itself with the breeding, showing and promotion of more than one breed of dog...
initially had a class for "Water spaniels other than Irish" as no standard was specifically set up for the English Water Spaniel and the judging of this class was described as "chaos" by Hugh Dalziel in British Dogs: Their Varieties, History, Characteristics, Breeding, Management, And Exhibition. Writing in 1897, Dalziel said of the breed, "I do not believe the breed is lost, but that scattered throughout the country there are many specimens of the old English water spaniel, which it only requires that amount of encouragement to breeding which it is in the power of show committees to give to perpetuate the variety and improve its form." Dalziel bemoaned the fact that while the Irish Water Spaniel continued, the English Water Spaniel was allowed to quietly be absorbed into other Spaniel breeds.
The stud book of the Kennel Club also had a class for "Water spaniels other than Irish", however only fourteen dogs were registered in the twelve years up to 1903. This led some writers and judges of that time to believe that the English Water Spaniel was merely a cross of the Irish Water Spaniel as entrants in dogs shows in that same class do not match the description of the dog from earlier periods. Dogs awarded prizes as Water Spaniels during this period have been described as having "coats as flat as a Clumber
Clumber Spaniel
The Clumber Spaniel is a breed of dog of the spaniel type, developed in the United Kingdom. It is the largest of the spaniels, and comes in predominantly one colour. The name of the breed is taken from Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire. It is a gundog that specialises in hunting in heavy cover. They...
, but with a bit of longish hair about the top of the skull."
Writing in 1967, author John F. Gordon stated, "After two centuries of breeding it is now extinct. None have been seen for over thirty years." Descendant breeds of the English Water Spaniel are thought to include the American Water Spaniel
American Water Spaniel
The American Water Spaniel, , is a breed of spaniel which is one of a small number of breeds originating in the United States. Developed in the state of Wisconsin during the 19th century from a number of other breeds, including the Irish and English Water Spaniels. The breed was saved by Dr. Fred J...
which was also developed using additional stock from the Irish Water Spaniel and the Flat Coated Retriever breeds. The Curly Coated Retriever
Curly Coated Retriever
The Curly Coated Retriever is a breed of dog originally bred in England for upland bird and waterfowl hunting. It is the tallest of the retrievers and is easily distinguishable by the mass of tight curls covering its body...
is considered to have descended from the Poodle
Poodle
The Poodle is a breed of dog. The poodle breed is found officially in toy, miniature, and standard sizes, with many coat colors. Originally bred as a type of water dog, the poodle is highly intelligent and skillful in many dog sports, including agility, obedience, tracking, and even herding...
, the retrieving setter, the St. John's Water Dog
St. John's Water Dog
The St. John's Water Dog, also called the St. John’s Dog or the Lesser Newfoundland, was a naturally occurring dog breed from Newfoundland. Little is known of the breeds that went into its creation, although it was likely a random-bred mix of old Irish, English, and Portuguese working breeds. The...
and the English Water Spaniel. Records for the origin of the modern Field Spaniel
Field Spaniel
The Field Spaniel is a medium-sized breed dog of the spaniel type. They were originally developed to be all black show dogs in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and were unpopular for work as a hunting dog. However during the mid 20th century they were redeveloped as a longer legged dog that...
are more precise and show that one of the four progenitor dogs used in creating the breed was an English Water Spaniel-Cocker Spaniel
English Cocker Spaniel
The English Cocker Spaniel is a breed of gun dog. The English Cocker Spaniel is an active, good-natured, sporting dog, standing well up at the withers and compactly built. There are "field" or "working" cockers and "show" cockers...
cross which was registered at the time as a Sussex Spaniel
Sussex Spaniel
The Sussex Spaniel is a breed of dog developed in Sussex in southern England. It is a low, compact spaniel and is similar in appearance to the Clumber Spaniel. They can be slow paced, but can have a clownish and energetic temperament...
due to his liver colour.
Appearance
Very unlike the Irish Water SpanielIrish Water Spaniel
The Irish Water Spaniel is a breed of dog that is the largest and one of the oldest of spaniels.The Irish Water Spaniel is considered one of the rarer breeds with the AKC in terms of registrations but is still widely respected and sought-after for its unusual qualities.-Appearance:The Irish Water...
in appearance, the English Water Spaniel more closely resembled a curly-haired version of the Springer Spaniel
English Springer Spaniel
The English Springer Spaniel is a breed of gun dog traditionally used for flushing and retrieving game. It is an affectionate, excitable breed with an average lifespan of twelve to fourteen years. Descended from the Norfolk or Shropshire Spaniels of the mid-19th century, the breed has diverged into...
, with some traits of the Collie
Collie
The collie is a distinctive type of herding dog, including many related landraces and formal breeds. It originates in Scotland and Northern England. It is a medium-sized, fairly lightly built dog with a pointed snout, and many types have a distinctive white pattern over the shoulders. Collies...
, poodle
Poodle
The Poodle is a breed of dog. The poodle breed is found officially in toy, miniature, and standard sizes, with many coat colors. Originally bred as a type of water dog, the poodle is highly intelligent and skillful in many dog sports, including agility, obedience, tracking, and even herding...
, and setter
Setter
The setter is a type of gundog used most often for hunting game such as quail, pheasant, and grouse. A setter silently searches for game by scent. When prey is encountered the dog freezes rather than chasing after the game. Setters get their name from their distinctive stance; a sort of crouch...
. The white and liver (tan) dog stood about 20 inches (50.8 cm) tall and looked like a typical, lean, long-legged spaniel
Spaniel
A spaniel is a type of gun dog. It is assumed spaniels originated from Spain as the word spaniel may be derived from Hispania or possibly from the French phrase "Chiens de l’Espagnol" . Spaniels were especially bred to flush game out of dense brush. By the late 17th century spaniels had become...
with long ears and tail, a white underbelly, and a brown back, except that it had the coat of a water dog
Water dog
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...
.
The English Water Spaniel was described as having a long and narrow head, with small eyes and ears that were long and covered in thick curls of fur. The body was moderately stout and barrel shaped, but not as much as that of the Field Spaniel
Field Spaniel
The Field Spaniel is a medium-sized breed dog of the spaniel type. They were originally developed to be all black show dogs in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and were unpopular for work as a hunting dog. However during the mid 20th century they were redeveloped as a longer legged dog that...
. Its legs were long and straight with large feet. The dog varied in size with the larger varieties known as "Water Dogs" and the smaller as "Water Spaniels".
Due to the English Water Spaniel's colours of liver (tan) and white, it has been suggested that the breed may have been the source of the colours now found in the modern English Springer Spaniel
English Springer Spaniel
The English Springer Spaniel is a breed of gun dog traditionally used for flushing and retrieving game. It is an affectionate, excitable breed with an average lifespan of twelve to fourteen years. Descended from the Norfolk or Shropshire Spaniels of the mid-19th century, the breed has diverged into...
and Welsh Springer Spaniel
Welsh Springer Spaniel
The Welsh Springer Spaniel is a breed of dog and a member of the spaniel family. Thought to be comparable to the old Land Spaniel, they are similar to the English Springer Spaniel and historically have been referred to as both the Welsh Spaniel and the Welsh Cocker Spaniel...
breeds.
Hunting
Paintings by Henry Bernard ChalonHenry Bernard Chalon
-Life:Son of the Dutch émigré and engraver Jan Chalon , Henry studied at the Royal Academy Schools and then started specializing in sporting and animal painting. He was appointed Animal Painter to Frederica, Duchess of York, in 1795, and later to both the Prince Regent and King William IV...
and Ramsay Richard Reinagle
Ramsay Richard Reinagle
Ramsay Richard Reinagle, was an English portrait, landscape, and animal painter, and son of Philip Reinagle.-Biography:...
both show English Water Spaniels working with their masters hunting ducks. An engraving by Henry Thomas Alken
Henry Thomas Alken
Henry Thomas Alken was an English painter and engraver chiefly known as a caricaturist and illustrator of sporting subjects and coaching scenes. His most prolific period of painting and drawing occurred between 1816 and 1831.-Life:Alken was born on 12 October 1785 in Soho London and baptised on...
Snr. shows a slightly different looking English Water Spaniel, but also reinforces its area of work by again showing it while duck hunting. In The Sportsman's Repository (1820), the author advises that if an individual wishes to hunt ducks or any other type of waterfowl, then the hunter had best use an English Water Spaniel.
The breed is described as swimming and diving as well as the ducks themselves; and they are intelligent enough to avoid being lured away from the nesting places. The author described the best variety of the breed to be those with long ears whose coat was white under the belly and around the neck but brown on the back.