Base colour
Colour either solid liver, brown or dark chocolate
Permissible
- A little white on toes and chest
Medium-sized versatile sporting dog with distinctive curly or wavy chocolate or liver coat, bred for hunting waterfowl in the icy waters and marshy banks of the Great Lakes region
Developed in the 19th century in the Fox and Wolf River valleys of Wisconsin as a compact, versatile hunter that could work from a skiff or boat. Ancestry likely includes Irish Water Spaniel and Curly-Coated Retriever. Named the state dog of Wisconsin in 1985 and foundation breed for the Boykin Spaniel, recognized by AKC in 1940.
“Demeanor indicates intelligence, eagerness to please and friendly. Great energy and eagerness for the hunt yet controllable in the field”
Quoted from FCI standard n°301. It describes the breed the registry recognises, not any individual animal.
Breed reference from The Dog API.
Drawn from sources, not opinion: FCI breed standard; Donner et al. 2023, PLOS Genetics (Table S3, American Water Spaniel row). An empty column means we hold nothing for that side, not that there is nothing to say.
What a judge marks the American Water Spaniel down for, and what puts one out of the ring, in the registry’s own words. This describes the breed standard — it is not a checklist for the animal in front of you, and a pet with a disqualifying fault is an unshowable dog rather than an unhealthy one.
Puts an animal out of the ring altogether.
The American Water Spaniel standard is published by the FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale), the international federation of pedigree-dog clubs, and it is what show judges apply. This section sums up what it says about coat and colour. It does not assess any one animal: use it to know what to ask the breeder.
Coat can range from marcel (uniform waves) to closely curled.
The amount of waves or curls can vary from one area to another on the dog.
It is important to have undercoat to provide sufficient density to be of protection against weather, water or punishing cover, yet not too coarse or too soft.
The throat, neck and rear of the dog well-covered with hair.
The ear well-covered with hair on both sides with ear canal evident upon inspection.
Forehead covered with short smooth hair and without topknot.
Tail covered with hair to tip with moderate feathering.
Legs have moderate feathering with waves or curls to harmonize with coat of dog.
Coat may be trimmed to present a well- groomed appearance
the ears may be shaved
but neither is required
Base colour
Colour either solid liver, brown or dark chocolate
Permissible
Shortened from FCI standard n°301 — each label is the standard’s own wording with the verdict lifted into the tag beside it. Read the full clause at source.
The colours and patterns the standard admits, and what it prefers, discourages or disqualifies in each. An accepted colour says nothing about health. Quotations from the FCI are in English, as the standard publishes them; the headings are ours.
Breed-level information from The Dog API. It describes the American Water Spaniel in general; any individual animal can differ.
Known hereditary risks for the American Water Spaniel breed, and the specific documentation to request from any breeder before paying a deposit. A responsible breeder will have these readily available; deflection is a red flag.
1 condition documentedThis is breed-level literature, not veterinary advice about an individual animal — your vet knows the animal.
Health checklist (PDF)Documented in this breed, but no source says how many of its dogs carry or have them. That is a gap in the evidence, not a sign they are rare.
The chromosome-12 FGF4 insertion makes the spinal discs degenerate early, which raises the risk of a disc rupture that can cause pain or paralysis, and one copy is enough to raise it. It has been found in this breed and looks common — in a small screen of six American Water Spaniels, ten of their twelve copies of the gene carried it — but six dogs are too few to say how common.
What to ask for
A CDDY/IVDD-risk DNA test on both parents
The chromosome-12 FGF4 insertion makes the spinal discs degenerate early, which raises the risk of a disc rupture that can cause pain or paralysis, and one copy is enough to raise it. It has been found in this breed and looks common — in a small screen of six American Water Spaniels, ten of their twelve copies of the gene carried it — but six dogs are too few to say how common.
What to ask for
A CDDY/IVDD-risk DNA test on both parents