Scottish Deerhound vs American Water Spaniel - Breed Comparison

Scottish Deerhound vs American Water Spaniel - Breed ComparisonAmerican Water Spaniel is originated from United States but Scottish Deerhound is originated from United Kingdom. American Water Spaniel may grow 35 cm / 13 inches shorter than Scottish Deerhound. American Water Spaniel may weigh 30 kg / 66 pounds lesser than Scottish Deerhound. American Water Spaniel may live 5 years more than Scottish Deerhound. American Water Spaniel may have less litter size than Scottish Deerhound. American Water Spaniel requires Moderate Maintenance. But Scottish Deerhound requires Low Maintenance

Basic Information

Group:
Gun dog
Hound dog
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United States
United Kingdom
Height Male:
36 - 46 cm
14 - 19 inches
76 - 81 cm
29 - 32 inches
Height Female:
34 - 44 cm
13 - 18 inches
71 - 76 cm
27 - 30 inches
Weight Male:
11 - 20 kg
24 - 45 pounds
39 - 50 kg
85 - 111 pounds
Weight Female:
11 - 18 kg
24 - 40 pounds
34 - 43 kg
74 - 95 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 14 Years
8 - 9 Years
Litter Size:
4 - 6
14 - 15
Size:
Medium
Giant
Other Names:
Amerikanischer Wasserspaniel • AWS • AM Water Spaniel
Deerhound
Colors Available:
Liver, Brown, Dark Chocolate
gray, brindle, red, Blue, fawn, yellow
Coat:
DOuble, Wavy and Curly, thick
wiry
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Alert, Intelligent, Loyal, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Stubborn, Territorial
Docile, Friendly, Gentle, Sweet
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Low Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
No
Yes

History

american water spanielThe American Water Spaniel was developed in the United States. He is the state dog of Wisconsin and was developed there in the 19th century. The bloodlines of this spaniel are varied but certainly include the English Water Spaniel and the Irish Water Spaniel. Even though they are the state dog of Wisconsin they were almost extinct when Dr. Fred J. Pfeifer rescued the breed. The numbers had fallen after World War II because hunting was now a recreational sport and not needed to provide food for the family. He then started a breed club and wrote a breed standard, both of which were recognized by the United Kennel Club and the American Kennel Club. When first developed the American Water Spaniel was known as the American Brown Spaniel. It was bred with a curly, thick coat so that it cold be sustained in Wisconsin winters and cold water. It was bred to hunt grouse, water fowl and prairie chickens as well as furry land animals. Pfeifer advertised his dogs for sale everywhere using a mailer that read: “, "The American Brown Spaniel is distinctively an American production. Hunters have known this type for years and it was through their efforts that this dog was propagated.... For years we have bred only selective stock, breeding for gameness, stability, courage, intelligence, and beauty. They are dogs to admire and trust under all conditions whether in the home circle or in the field with the outdoor man."[2]

In Wisconsin, around the wolf River and the Fox River, hunters were looking for a water dog that could also hunt on land. They needed a dog that could work a variety of fowl and game but who was small enough for a skiff and strong enough for the artic water temperatures of Wisconsin in the Winter. So, in addition to the spaniels named above, other breeds such as the Curly Coated Retriever, the Poodle, Native Indian dogs and the Sussex Spaniel were intermixed. When first developed the American Water Spaniel was known as the American Brown Spaniel. It was bred with a curly, thick coat so that it cold be sustained in Wisconsin winters and cold water. It was bred to hunt grouse, water fowl and prairie chickens as well as furry land animals. The American Water Spaniel was then itself used to develop another new breed, the Boykin Spaniel. In 1985 Wisconsin declared the American Water Spaniel to be the official state dog. Even so there remain only a few thousand dogs in existence. Though recognized by the AKC, they are neither spaniels nor retrievers and remain unclassified. Because of this they cannot compete in AKC field trials, but they do compete in AKC hunt tests. Though rare, the American Water Spaniel is a great hunting dog, retriever and companion.

scottish deerhoundThe Scottish Deerhound is considered the Royal Dog of Scotland. It is a sighthound that is large and bred to hunt large Red Deer. They are similar in appearance to the Greyhound, but they are bigger and heavier. Closely related to the Irish Wolfhound, they were used in creating it. The Scottish Deerhound is an ancient breed that is now very rare. It can trace its lineage to the 16th and 17th centuries.

The Deerhound was a favorite of hunting nobility and could not be kept by any person or household that did not have at least the rank of earl. Despite this history the Scottish Deerhound was not considered separate from the Highland Greyhound and other staghounds until the 19th century. They were bred to stalk or “course” the red deer and were used extensively for this purpose until the beginning of the 20th century. At that time there was a need for smaller, slower deer tracking dogs.

At the start of the 20th century, the land for deer hunting had grown smaller and so had the deer. Also, the invention of the rifle made the fast Deerhounds who could cover large tracks of ground in minutes, no longer a necessity for successful hunting. As the clan systems fell and the nobility rose, the Deerhounds became the dog for nobility and landowners. There were a few non-nobilities who also kept them and hunted with them. As they were less needed for hunting a few households kept them as show dogs.

In the United States and Canada, both the Scottish Deerhound and the Greyhound were used for hunting wolves and deer. In Australia, the Kangaroo Dog – a deerhound crossbreed, and Deerhounds were used to hunt wild boar, emu and kangaroos. The Deerhound is one of the oldest of the breeds that are Greyhound-like. The Deerhound is not as fast as the Greyhound if they are running on a smooth surface. Get them on a rough surface and the will out that Greyhound. They appear to be larger and rougher than they really are. This gives them an advantage over the lighter, smaller Greyhound.

The Deerhound was a contributor to development of the Irish Wolfhound toward the end of the 19th century.

Description

american water spaniel puppy - descriptionThe American Water spaniel is a midsized, muscular dog. There is nothing flashy about his looks or his work performance. He is however a consistent, competent swimmer and hunter. His brown coat is wavy or tightly curled, waterproof and dense. His feet have thick pads and webbed toes. The AWS is intelligent, happy, and easy going. He is a very versatile hunting dog on land and in water. The breed has not changed much since it originated in the 19th century. They can be liver, chocolate or brown. The eyes should be the same as the color of the coat. They have broad skulls with wide, long ears and an undocked tail.

They have a square, medium sized muzzle and wide nose. They have a bite that is level or scissors. The legs of the muscular American Water Spaniel are medium in length and the tail is full, with a medium length, curved and feathered. The dewclaws might or might not be removed.

scottish deerhound puppy - descriptionThe Scottish Deerhound looks a lot like the Greyhound, except it is heavily boned and larger in size. The Deerhound is also different in several other ways. Instead of the Greyhound, the Scottish Deerhound is more closely related to the Irish Wolfhound than the Deerhound. The Deerhound is a large, rough coated breed. It is a very tall breed; in fact, it is the tallest of all sighthounds.

The Deerhound has a long head with a flat skull and a muzzle that tapers at the end. They have dark eyes and a scissor bite with a tail that can be either curved or straight. The hair on their tails almost touches the ground. The rest of its coat is wiry and harsh with a beard, mustache and mane. The ears are soft and can be either held semi erect or folded against their head. Their coat is gray or grey-blue today but in the past, it might have been brindle, red fawn or yellow.

Characteristics

american water spaniel dog - characteristicsBred to work the American Water Spaniels are loyal to their people, want to please them, but are not so great with strangers. They are stubborn and love to be the center of attention. They are often one person or one family dogs. They need an owner who is the pack leader and willing to put in the time to train them. However, they are a versatile breed and need variety in training and activities rather than repetitive activities. They are prone to resource guarding, slow maturation and dominance. These negative traits are dissipated with a strong leader, good training and a lot of daily activity. They are sensitive as well as stubborn. Do not use a punishment-oriented training with them. They will respond out of love and loyalty or not at all. This is a breed that wants to be the alpha over the people and will do so if you let him. Keep them fenced as being hunters they love to wander and will leave home whenever they can.

1.Children friendliness – yes but watch out for little ones.

2.Special talents - speed and distance.

3.Adaptability - some but needs space to run.

scottish deerhound dog - characteristics4.Learning ability – intelligent but hunting and running instincts overcome all else.

Health Problems

american water spaniel puppies - health problemsThe American Water Spaniel is a hardy, healthy breed without a lot of the genetic concerns of other breeds. Some of the concerns of this breed include vision, cardiac, hip dysplasia and degenerative myelopathy. They might also have skin issues and metabolic disorders.

scottish deerhound puppies - health problemsThe Scottish Deerhound does face some serious challenges on the health front. These include:

  • Cardiomyopathy – heart disease.
  • Osteosarcoma – Bone cancer.

• Cystinuria – recessive disorder that causes an inability for cystine to be filtered from the urine.

• Gastric Dilatation Volvulus – otherwise known as bloat and it can be life threatening if not treated quickly.

  • Hypothyroidism – easily treated with medication.
  • Neck pain – if no serious condition – medication can be taken.
  • Factor VII deficiency.
  • Stress is not handled well in this breed.

Caring The Pet

Feeding

american water spaniel dogs - caringFeeding the American Water Spaniel is no mystery. They need a high quality dry dog food with an eye toward calorie consumption. Some AWS have a tendency to become obese. Treats are important to the AWS in training but can add to the obesity concerns.

Health

Like other isolated breeds that were bred true, the genetic issues we see in many other popular breeds are not seen as much in the American Water Spaniel. They do however have a few issues to contend with.

Eyes: These issues appear to be inherited with progressive retinal atrophy and cataracts. Many AWS that develop cataracts do so at a very young age, usually under a year. Metabolic: Diabetes, hypothyroidism, glandular disorders and epilepsy. Baldness and Cardiac Issues. Orthopedic: Hip dysplasia. There is no evidence to suggest any elbow dysplasia. Additional concerns are hypothyroidism, allergies, epilepsy, diabetes and glandular disorders which Of course, the American Water Spaniel is an athlete who loves to be outdoors. He loves to swim, run and hunt. He needs daily exercise, or he can become loud and destructive. They thrive on having a job and they are not happy if they don’t have one. They are good at agility, obedience, dock diving and field trials. They also enjoy flyball and barn hunt.

scottish deerhound dogs - caring1.Feeding the puppy – Feed a high quality large or x large puppy dogfood at least 3-4 times a day. Do not overfeed.

2.Feeding the adult – Feed a high-quality adult large or x large dog food once or twice a day. Do not overfeed.

3.Points for Good Health - Stamina and speed.

4. Games and Exercises – The Deerhound needs plenty of exercise in a safe place where they have plenty of room to run. A small yard or life on a leash are not enough for this energetic breed. Play fetch, course running, Like the Greyhound they will be couch potatoes if you let them but that will hurt their health. Lure Coursing or hare coursing are good. Coyote hunting. Find space where they can run for the joy of running. Never force them to run – like along a bicycle

Comparison with other breeds

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  4. American Water Spaniel vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  5. American Water Spaniel vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  6. American Water Spaniel vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  7. American Water Spaniel vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  8. American Water Spaniel vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. American Water Spaniel vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. American Water Spaniel vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. American Water Spaniel vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  12. American Water Spaniel vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  13. American Water Spaniel vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  14. American Water Spaniel vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  15. American Water Spaniel vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  16. American Water Spaniel vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  17. American Water Spaniel vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  18. American Water Spaniel vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
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  25. American Water Spaniel vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison
  26. Scottish Deerhound vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Scottish Deerhound vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Scottish Deerhound vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Scottish Deerhound vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Scottish Deerhound vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Scottish Deerhound vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Scottish Deerhound vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Scottish Deerhound vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Scottish Deerhound vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Scottish Deerhound vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Scottish Deerhound vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Scottish Deerhound vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Scottish Deerhound vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Scottish Deerhound vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Scottish Deerhound vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Scottish Deerhound vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Scottish Deerhound vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Scottish Deerhound vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Scottish Deerhound vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Scottish Deerhound vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Scottish Deerhound vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Scottish Deerhound vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Scottish Deerhound vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Scottish Deerhound vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Scottish Deerhound vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison