Irish Water Spaniel Dog Breed Information

The Irish Water Spaniel is the tallest of the spaniels, the oldest of the Irish gundogs, and one of the rarest registered breeds in NZ. The signature is unmistakable: an all-over curly liver coat, a curled topknot dropping over the eyes, a smooth face, and the breed’s hallmark smooth tapered “rat tail” from which the breed takes one of its nicknames, the Whiptail. Most NZ pedigrees trace to UK and Australian imports, and finding an IWS puppy in NZ usually means an 18 to 24 month wait for one of a handful of NZKC kennels.

Adults stand 51 to 61 cm at the shoulder and weigh 20 to 30 kg, with a build that is taller than a Cocker, shorter than a Curly Coated Retriever, and stockier than either. Lifespan is 10 to 12 years.

The breed sits between the Curly Coated Retriever and the Cocker Spaniel on the gundog spectrum. The IWS is a working water-retrieving spaniel with a documented sense of humour, a slightly more reserved disposition with strangers than most retrievers, and the strongest claim to “low-shed gundog” alongside the Poodle and the Lagotto.

Personality and behaviour

Irish Water Spaniels are affectionate and bonded with their household, more reserved with strangers than other spaniels, and generally good with children and other dogs. The trait that surprises new owners is the breed’s documented sense of humour. IWS owners and breed clubs consistently describe play behaviours that read as deliberate clowning: pretend chases, exaggerated approaches, repeated retrieves with comic timing. This is genuine breed temperament, recognised in the AKC and Dogs NZ standards, not just owner enthusiasm.

The breed’s intelligence is high but expressed differently from a Labrador. An IWS thinks before it acts, makes its own assessments, and may ignore a recall it doesn’t see the point of. Reward-based training works; harsh handling shuts the breed down faster than most retrievers. The breed responds well to variety in training (the same drill three times in a row often produces a mock-grumpy refusal) and excels when the work is genuine retrieving rather than rote obedience.

Around children the breed is patient and tolerant, particularly with primary-school-age kids and up. Around toddlers, supervise. With strangers and visitors the breed is polite rather than gushing; full friendship can take repeated visits.

The retrieve and water drive is real and remains active across show and working lines (the working/show split is narrow in this breed). Off lead near water, an IWS works the bank for scent and birds. Recall needs lifetime work.

Care and exercise

Plan on 60 to 90 minutes of exercise per day. The breed wants water work, retrieve games, scent work, off-lead running and weekend tramps. Two flat on-lead walks will keep weight down but won’t satisfy the brain.

Grooming is real work. Unlike the Curly Coated Retriever (where you don’t brush the coat), the IWS coat needs active grooming to prevent matting. Brush the curly coat two to three times a week with a pin brush, paying attention to the leg feathering, behind the ears and the topknot. Book a professional scissor groom every 6 to 8 weeks (NZ$90 to NZ$140); the breed has a defined trim style with a smooth face, a smooth tapered tail and a curled topknot. Bath every 4 to 6 weeks or after a muddy retrieve.

The double curly coat is genuinely water-resistant and handles cold wet conditions well. Wellington, Canterbury, Otago and Southland winters are no problem and the breed enjoys long lake and harbour swims. Upper North Island summer heat needs management with shade, water and earlier walks; the dense curls insulate more than they look.

The breed is deep-chested and at some lifetime bloat risk. Feed two smaller meals a day rather than one large meal, avoid hard exercise within an hour of feeding, and use a slow-feeder bowl if the dog eats fast.

A breed-specific veterinary note matters in NZ. The IWS has documented sensitivity to certain veterinary drugs, including some sulfonamide antibiotics and ivermectin. Tell your NZ vet the breed before any new medication, and confirm dosing against breed-club guidance for any drug your vet flags.

Where to find an Irish Water Spaniel in New Zealand

Three reasonable paths, with honest waitlist expectations.

1. Registered NZKC breeders. The Dogs NZ breeders directory lists the very small number of NZKC IWS breeders. Litters are infrequent. Expect an 18 to 24 month waitlist, NZ$2,800 to NZ$4,500 per puppy, and full parent health screening (hip scores, eye certificates, PRA DNA results, thyroid panels). Imported semen is used regularly to widen the small NZ gene pool.
2. Australian imports. A meaningful share of NZ IWS pedigrees are sourced from Australian breeders, either as puppies or adult dogs. Quarantine and import logistics add cost but widen options for a breed with very low NZ population.
3. Rescue and rehoming. Pure Irish Water Spaniels almost never appear at SPCA NZ. Breed networks coordinate very occasional rehomes through NZKC contacts; the breed is not a Trade Me regular.

Verify the breed through NZKC papers and a parent visit. The IWS is sometimes confused with curly Labradoodle or Goldendoodle crosses; a registered IWS traces unbroken to NZKC parents on both sides and shows the breed-defining smooth rat tail and curled topknot. The biggest hidden cost in the breed is the wait.