The American Water Spaniel was bred to be an all-around hunting dog. Specializing in waterfowl, he's a skilled swimmer who will retrieve from small boats and has a water-resistant double coat. The dog breed has the high energy of a dog born to chase and retrieve game, but given enough exercise, he can also make an great family companion.

Size

Males and females are 15 to 18 inches tall. Females tend to be slightly smaller than males, with females weighing 25 to 40 pounds and males weighing 35 to 45 pounds.

Personality

The American Water Spaniel is lively, alert, friendly, and obedient, as long as you provide fair, consistent training and leadership. Without it, he can become stubborn and manipulative. Make sure your training methods use rewards rather than punishment, though; when treated harshly the AWS can become sulky or timid.

He likes human companionship and may become a barker if he's home alone and gets bored. This isn't a dog you can leave alone for hours in the backyard. And although he makes a good family dog, he's likely to bond most strongly with whoever gives him the most time and attention.

Temperament is affected by a number of factors, including heredity, training, and socialization. Puppies with nice temperaments are curious and playful, willing to approach people and be held by them. Choose the middle-of-the-road puppy, not the one who's beating up his littermates or the one who's hiding in the corner.

Always meet at least one of the parents — usually the mother is the one who's available — to ensure that they have nice temperaments that you're comfortable with. Meeting siblings or other relatives of the parents is also helpful for evaluating what a puppy will be like when he grows up.

Like every dog, the AWS needs early socialization — exposure to many different people, sights, sounds, and experiences — when they're young. Socialization helps ensure that your AWS puppy grows up to be a well-rounded dog.

Enrolling him in a puppy kindergarten class is a great start. Inviting visitors over regularly, and taking him to busy parks, stores that allow dogs, and on leisurely strolls to meet neighbors will also help him polish his social skills.

Care

If he gets lots of exercise and playtime, the American Water Spaniel can do well in smaller living situations such as an apartment or condominium, but he's a country dog at heart, and is happiest when he's got plenty of open space to run off his natural energy.

Smart and trainable, the AWS responds best to short, motivational training sessions. Avoid heavy-handed techniques that use punishments for getting it wrong instead of rewards for getting it right — they could make him sulky or withdrawn. And train him yourself rather than sending him off to be tutored by a stranger. He'll work much better for someone he knows and loves.

He may chew when his people aren't home, so crate training is a must to keep your possessions safe and your AWS out of the doghouse.

Feeding

Recommended daily amount: 1 to 1.5 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.

NOTE: How much your adult dog eats depends on his size, age, build, metabolism, and activity level. Dogs are individuals, just like people, and they don't all need the same amount of food. It almost goes without saying that a highly active dog will need more than a couch potato dog. The quality of dog food you buy also makes a difference — the better the dog food, the further it will go toward nourishing your dog and the less of it you'll need to shake into your dog's bowl.

Keep your AWS in good shape by measuring his food and feeding him twice a day rather than leaving food out all the time. If you're unsure whether he's overweight, give him the eye test and the hands-on test.

First, look down at him. You should be able to see a waist. Then place your hands on his back, thumbs along the spine, with the fingers spread downward. You should be able to feel but not see his ribs without having to press hard. If you can't, he needs less food and more exercise.

For more on feeding your AWS, see our guidelines for buying the right food, feeding your puppy, and feeding your adult dog.