American Water Spaniels

Anyone have experience with them whether directly or shared a field with them?

We had one back in the 80's. It was most hot and cold dog I have ever owned. When it wanted to hunt it was very good and with a great nose. She had an attitude, however, that we could not discipline or train out of her. As an example, my wife and I were duck hunting a pothole in Saskatchewan and missed on a flock of birds. The AWS broke and was swimming around in the pothole for a long time, flaring flocks of birds. We did everything we could to try to get her back when my wife waded out and took her by the collar. The dog turned and laid open her finger. My wife decided it was time to take the dog to the truck and when she was getting it into the crate it bit her again. I have zero tolerance for a biting dog. If our son, who "owned" the dog would not have been with us, the dog would not have left Saskatchewan.

There were also times the dog simply chose not to hunt, no matter what we did. It also had a variety of skin issues which we tried to address through the Vet and changing foods, etc. It also had a tendency to cover the inside of the crate with slimy, mucousy crap while travelling.

We have always had Labs, except for that failed experiment. Most likely will not go that route again. I have heard others that swear by the AWS and there must be some good ones out there.

Good luck and be cautious in your choice.

Moosetrot

That sounds terrible Moose. What was your son's experience with it? You have more patience than I do

A AWS was my first dog when I got married. I was raised with my fathers GSP's and hated hunting with them. Dog would go on point or slow walk a trail and the pheasant would be seen high steppin it 100 yards ahead. @ 8 months old Tera (the Terrorist) flushed a bird off a high dike, watched it die and launched off the dike for a prefect water retrieve. Shot another one a few years later. Stoned it @ 35 yards, but the retrieve was taking far to long. Pretty soon here comes Tera with the bird and her foot through her collar through a cattail swamp. I would just put her in a field and follow! Read somewhere that AWS's were whelped knowing more about hunting than you ever will!

Well, unfortunately, while our son was up at Granny's house for a couple weeks, the dog got very sick and we had to put it down.....When we went up to pick him up I had already arranged to purchase a Yellow Lab pup. That one wound up being a very sad story but we got a replacement. He loved the AWS despite it really not caring if he was around or not. Mom's and Dad's have to make tough decisions some times.

If you can get a good one, I hear they are very good. Make sure you are able to view the parents, etc. We got ours from a very large breeder of AWS and I think that may have been our mistake. I have to say that ours was much better on upland than she was on waterfowl, but her attitude was just too much.

Moosetrot

You know it's bad when Moosetroot's world famous aggressive dog breaking technique doesn't even work.

What is his technique, leading it with a Green & Gold thong?

Tuning in with interest. I’ve been eying AWS for my next dog. Love my springer on pats and woodcock but want a retriever for ducks. I need a dog that doesn’t get hypothermic swimming in July like my springer, and we’re not a lab family.

You should get a female and test her out. If she's good, breed her and let me know.

Years back a old Kansas farmer (NE I think ) near MO . river said that was "The dog " everybody had them and they were good .He called them a brown Spaniel and they swam to retrieve from the Mo. river .

Never been around them, but I sold a Small Munsterlander pup from my first litter, a little over three years go, to a family in Seattle, Wa. that had one, it didn't know how to swim or was scared of the water, one or the other. He was planning on it primarily as a waterfowl dog, but would do some upland too.

I am not a waterfowl hunter, but a lot of people use them for it. They do spend a lot of time with me hunting marshes for rail and the occasional snipe, biggest problem is my male enjoys catching and killing coon and muskrats so much, sometimes he gets side tracked.

Very laid back family dog when not in the field.

I have not posted for a very long time, but this got me out of the woodwork. I have a 3 and a half year old AWS. We did a lot of research before getting her. It was to be our first inside dog. I grew up with inside dogs, my wife did not and it took 30 years to convince her to try it. I had just lost my 125 lbs. Chesapeake, and was looking for a smaller dog. I grew up with springers. First the positives of the AWS: Powerful for their size, Hunt anything, Very low shedding, Smart (Too smart), Happy, Trainable, Super High Energy, ATTITUDE. Now the negatives: ATTITUDE, Possible skin issues,Super high energy, Eat everything until they explode, Unless trained-super possessive.

We knew the negatives going in. My wife and I spent hours training her. We should have spent more time checking on the breeder. We ended up getting one from a not so reputable breeder. There just not that many breeders of the AWS out there. The e-collar was a must. Like any dog, you have to put the time in. Now, we would not trade ours for anything. I hunt 4-5 days a week, and she goes with me for everything, from doves to geese. They are not for everyone. They are not a lab or a brittany, but can do the work of both, plus she fits in the canoe.

Shes beautiful

She has the dog version of alopecia. She has lost the hair on the back of her hindquarters and her neck. I was hoping to breed her once or twice, but I won't with that condition. Maybe the next one. Pretty sure the breeder knew at the time. Told us the parents weren't in the area when we went to pick her up. We were on a waiting list for two years, so we got the dog. I have found a more reputable breeder for my next one, and will be planning to get on the list for another female when this one is 5-6.

Beautiful dogs that look very much like a Boykin.
I recently acquired a English Cocker. He just got back from Wagon training and will now make the transition to dove/duck dog while still doing some wagon work. The trainer asked if I’d be willing to let him use him on some hunts this year and that made my day.

From what I understand the first boykin was just a stray AWS found wandering the streets in S Carolina.

Thanks for the response. Can you explain more about "attitude"?

My Brittanies typically out retrieved the labs we hunted with. .... if ya like orange and white dogs.

My first bird dog was a water spaniel. That dog would hunt ducks with me in the morning then work upland on phez quail and woodcaock in the afternoon. Our South Jersey meadow mud was just hard on her compaired to the long legged labs we use now. I would upland bird hunt or use as duck dog in water swimming in a heart beat.

Wonderful dogs!!!!!

Over the years we've owned about 10 AWSs. I found there were two different sizes depending on the breeder. Around the Twin Cities, they seemed to prefer the smaller ones. Nothing over 40 pounds. I bought several AWSs from a breeder in WI named John Barth. I liked his because they were the larger ones.

They are great family dogs, yet good watch dogs. They are very tough in cold weather. They were my favorite breed of dog. Now, my wife won out and we own two Shi-Tzus.