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CHAPTER LIX. 



THE IRISH WATER SPANIEL. 



THE Irish Water Spaniel was at one time supposed to exist in two varieties, viz., the dog from 

 the North of Ireland, and the dog from the South. The former was described as being short in 

 ear, curly in coat, but bare in his legs, and generally liver-and-white. The latter possessed long 

 ears, and a curly coat; his colour was deep liver, and, in fact, he resembled the dogs shown as Irish 

 Water Spaniels in the present day far more closely than the first-mentioned variety. Whether or 

 no the North-country Irish Water Spaniel was a pure and distinct variety it is very hard to say, for 

 our own part we feel disposed to believe that he was not, and the fact of his colour being what it 

 was said to be has much to do with the impressions we have formed. From the descriptions given of 

 him, it is in our opinion more than probable that the Poodle had a large share in his production, and if 

 this is the case the character of the dog as he now exists would undoubtedly be lost. The extreme 

 shortness of his ears, moreover, is a difficulty which believers in the dog from the North of Ireland 

 must find hard to get over, as a decided feature in the appearance of a pure-bred Irish Water Spaniel 

 is the great length of his ears, which often measure upwards of two feet from tip to tip. 



Mr. Justin M'Carthy's breed of Irish Water Spaniels was at one time the most widely 

 known and highly treasured strain in existence, and, in fact, most of the best dogs of latter 

 days are descendants of his famous kennel. Mr. M'Carthy contributed an article to the Field 

 newspaper on the subject of the Irish Water Spaniel in general and his own strain in 

 particular, which has been referred to by all subsequent writers, a summary of which is as 

 follows : The Irish Water Spaniel should be from twenty-one to twenty-two and a half inches 

 high (seldom higher when pure-bred), head capacious, forehead prominent, with his muzzle and 

 head from the eyes downward smooth ; ears from twenty-four to twenty-six inches from point to 

 point. There should be a distinct top-knot on his head, which comes down his forehead in a 

 peak. The body should be covered with crisp curls, and the tail round and stiff. The 

 colour, a puce liver, with no white. In Mr. Justin M'Carthy's own words, "They will not 

 stand a cross with any other breed ; the Spaniel, Setter, Newfoundland Dog, and Labrador Dog, 

 &c., perfectly destroy coat, tail, ears, and symmetry, added to which the cross-bred dog is very 

 difficult to dry. If any cross would answer, I should say the Bloodhound would give at least 

 head and ears and nose." Mr. M'Carthy also adds, " It is essential for gentlemen purchasing 

 puppies to see both sire and dam, as in this breed it is very easy to be imposed upon in a 

 young one. The true breed has become very scarce, and, although very hardy when grown up, 

 they are very delicate as puppies." 



As in the case of the Irish Setter, a controversy has taken place with reference to the colour 

 of the Irish Water Spaniel. At some of the earlier shows the judges undoubtedly awarded prizes 

 to dogs with white upon them, and this brought out several angry letters from gentlemen who 

 were of the opinion that white markings are disqualifications in a dog of this variety, as they 

 are unfailing tests of impurity of blood. This seems to prove that there could have been 



