American Water Spaniel vs Irish Water Spaniel

An American Water Spaniel
Photo: Canarian
An Irish Water Spaniel
Photo: Roete002

Side by side

American Water Spaniel
Irish Water Spaniel
Adult weight
Males 14–20 kg (30–45 lb); females 11–18 kg (25–40 lb) (breed club figure)1
Males 25–31 kg (55–68 lb); females 20–26 kg (45–58 lb) (breed club figure)2
Height
Males 38.1–45.7 cm; females 38.1–45.7 cm (breed club figure)1
No sourced figure
Lifespan
12–13 years3
Median 10.8 years4
Fully grown
11 months, both sexes5
Group
Retrievers & water dogs6
Retrievers & water dogs7
Coat
Curly coat6
Curly coat7
Shedding
Holds loose hair until it is brushed or clipped out
Grooming
Brushing a few times a week
Exercise
Plenty
Class
Field
Field

Which suits you

Size
The Irish Water Spaniel is larger on average: about 26 kg (56 lb) as an adult, against 16 kg (35 lb) for the American Water Spaniel.
Temperament
They differ most on loyalty (American Water Spaniel: bonded to its family; Irish Water Spaniel: sticks close to its people) and on intelligence (American Water Spaniel: learns readily, likes games; Irish Water Spaniel: needs daily brain work).
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
Take the breed matcher

What they're like

American Water Spaniel
Retrievers & water dogs · Medium

In temperament it is eager, cheerful and intelligent, keen to work and affectionate with its family, though it can be reserved with strangers. It remains an uncommon breed.

Irish Water Spaniel
Retrievers & water dogs · Medium

In temperament it is lively, playful and brave, and it is often called the clown of the spaniel family.

The American Water Spaniel page →The Irish Water Spaniel page →

Breed traits

Day to day
American Water Spaniel
Irish Water Spaniel
Activity
Needs lots of exercise
Needs lots of exercise
Intelligence
Differs
Learns readily, likes games
Needs daily brain work
Handler demand
Needs steady training
Needs steady training
With people
American Water Spaniel
Irish Water Spaniel
Affection
Affectionate on its own terms
Affectionate on its own terms
Loyalty
Differs
Bonded to its family
Sticks close to its people
Independence
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Around the home
American Water Spaniel
Irish Water Spaniel
Sensitivity
Average
Average
Voice
Barks to alert, then settles
Barks to alert, then settles
Prey drive
Chases; needs managing
Chases; needs managing
Breed explains only about 9% of how individual dogs differ in behaviour8. Meet the dog. A good breeder breeds for temperament as well as health, and matches each puppy's personality to the right home9,10.

Puppy growth

Reference curves · both sexes
The Irish Water Spaniel grows to the heavier adult, about 26 kg against the American Water Spaniel's 16 kg.
American Water Spaniel
Irish Water Spaniel
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More comparisons

Compare the American Water Spaniel with
Irish Water Spaniel vs Standard PoodleIrish Water Spaniel vs Portuguese Water DogAmerican Water Spaniel vs English Cocker SpanielAll breed comparisons →

Sources

Parts of this page were written by AI ·