IRISH WATER SPANIEL 



the loins powerful ; the fore-legs being rather long, dead 

 straight, and heavy in bone, with round, compact feet, the 

 hind-legs being long from the stifles to the hocks ; whilst 

 the tail, which is always docked, should be carried high. 

 The coat must be hard, wiry, and flat, the best colours 

 being bright red, red, wheaten, and yellow-red, a little white 

 sometimes appearing on the chest or feet, but it is much 

 disliked. The best weight for dogs is 24 lbs., and for 

 bitches, 22 lbs. 



Irish Water Spaniel. — Thanks to the efforts of the 

 members of the club which has been established in its 

 interests, the position of the Irish water spaniel is far 

 better than it was a few years ago. Still the breed, 

 picturesque looking and valuable as a water dog though 

 it be, is not widely bred ; and the future before it does 

 not appear to be exceptionally bright, as for some un- 

 ascertainable reason the dog-loving public do not seem 

 to take very kindly to this most useful, engaging, and 

 intelligent member of the canine race, which is an in- 

 valuable field-dog and a very tender-mouthed retriever 

 of wounded game. Very probably the poodle had a good 

 deal to do with the production of the Irish spaniel, which 

 in turn was doubtless concerned in the establishment of 

 the curly-coated retriever ; but the precise sources from 

 which it sprang cannot be traced, and it is therefore 

 sufficient to say that the breed has existed for many years. 



The head is rather large and rounded, the forehead 

 being prominent, and the muzzle long and square. The 

 eyes are dark brown in colour ; the ears very long, set 

 low, and carried against the sides of the head ; whilst the 

 neck is long and muscular ; the shoulders long, sloping, 

 and strong ; the chest not too wide, but deep ; the body 

 powerful, with well-sprung ribs, and muscular, slightly 

 arched loins. The fore-legs are long, straight, and very 

 heavy in bone, the feet being large and thickly clothed 

 with hair ; the hind-legs being rather bent at the stifles ; 



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