Irish Water Spaniel

Irish Spaniels are very loyal and affectionate toward their families but can be wary of strangers. When they’re in their comfort zone, they’re always playing and making hilarious mischief. They are natural hunters and are happiest when they’re able to get outside and run around. Irish Spaniels are known to be independent thinkers, so training them requires patience and a big bag of doggie treats.

Irish Spaniels have a very curly coat that covers everywhere except their face and their tail. You’ll want to brush their coat a few times per week to cut down on dead hair and remove any tangles they’ve gotten in their hair. You won’t want to bathe them too frequently or you’ll wash off too much of their protective oils, but you should wash them if they’ve gone into salt water or a pond filled with algae.

Irish Spaniels like to have plenty of space and do best in living situations where they can live indoors with their family but can spend much of their day playing in a big backyard. They can get along with cats that they were raised with but are often not too fond of other dogs. Irish Spaniels tend to get along very well with children and make excellent companions for families who can give them the love, attention, and high amount of exercise they need to be happy.

Irish Spaniels are high energy dogs who need an hour or two of exercise every day. They were made for hunting and making water retrievals, so it’s in their nature to want to hunt. However, if you’re not a hunter, the Irish Spaniel excels in doggie sports and loves hiking, jogging, or even running alongside your bicycle once they’re old enough for more strenuous activities. It’s important that you stick to a strict regime of physical activity or an Irish Spaniel will start getting frustrated, which does not lead to fun for anyone.