Judging the Spanish Water Dog

This article was originally published in Showsight Magazine, December 2013 issue.

Judging the Spanish Water Dog

Like several other breeds, the Spanish Water Dog’s name may, in itself be misleading. Historically, the breed was commonly known as the Turco Andaluz which was perhaps more appropriate. The breed has been known as the Perro Patero (Slippery or Wily Dog) or Perro Rizado (Curly Dog). Unfortunately, none of these is an appropriate name either. Although it is a truly multipurpose and multi-talented breed and has served many purposes, it should be thought of as a smaller, medium-sized herding dog. What is seen most often in the United States are the bloodlines that originated in the southern Andalusian area where the breed was (and is) used principally as herders. Correct size, balance and coat make it an ideal partner in the movement and control of the goats and sheep that are its primary charges. The climate in Spain (and available pasture) necessitates migration of the herds (Trashumancia) over routes of several hundred miles on a regular seasonal basis. The characteristics of a “drover” are as necessary as those of a “keeper” although, “His loyalty and protective instincts make him a self-appointed guardian,” and the natural suspicion of strangers should be recognized by the judge.

The Spanish Water Dog should be approached for examination forthrightly from the front. Any dog that repeatedly shies away from examination or shows signs of aggression should be penalized. The Spanish Water Dog, although a member of the same family as the Barbet, Portuguese Water Dog and Lagotto Romagnolo, is a corded breed. The coat, when mature, forms rustic cords with tapered tips that are usually flat and fairly narrow in width. The coat is highly protective and functional and is one of the important distinguishing characteristics of the breed. Traditionally, Spanish Water Dogs have been sheared annually, removing the cords. Many exhibitors follow that tradition and dogs may be shown with very little coat. This is problematic because a “smooth or wavy coat” is a breed disqualification.

Like a terrier that is shown when recently “stripped”, one cannot judge what isn’t there. An immature coat is not necessarily “smooth or wavy”, but neither does it demonstrate the coat essential to the breed. The corded coat is purposeful and rustic. It will also require a bit more time spent in “hands on examination” to determine the actual anatomy of the dog. This should be taken into consideration in calculating your ring timing. Aesthetic grooming is severely discouraged (although bathing and hygienic trimming are not only permitted, but desirable). Any brushing, trimming or sculpting of the coat should be severely penalized to the point of exclusion from placement. There is absolutely no reason though, why a corded dog cannot be a clean dog.

They can and should be bathed prior to being shown. No one would suggest that an inferior exhibit “in coat” be placed over a superior dog with a less than mature coat, but the extent and quality of the coat must be considered in determining placements. The presence or absence of a mature corded, untrimmed coat can and should make a difference. The same coat that shields and protects the Spanish Water Dog can make it difficult to accurately determine the true body proportions of a specific exhibit. The standard calls for a maximum height in dogs of 19¾ inches and a proportion “measured from the point of shoulder to buttocks and withers to the ground 9:8.” This would translate into a bit over two inches more length than height in a 19¾ inch dog and even less in shorter specimens, making it almost impossible to confirm the ratio in the show ring, particularly with a full coat. We have been asked in seminars, if, given the stated proportion, the Spanish Water Dog should be considered a “square breed.” The clear answer is “no.” The Spanish Water Dog is slightly longer than tall.

While the ideal proportion is 9:8, you will see many excellent dogs that exceed that proportion to some degree. A truly square dog is as much a fault as one with excessive length of body. The Spanish Water Dog was and is a utilitarian herding breed. The correct type will display good muscle and enough bone to stand up to the rigors of its work. Any lightness of bone or weediness should be penalized as severely as being overly heavy or coarse. Height is not a disqualification, but the judge should keep in mind that the breed is not intended to be overly large and that a larger size could actually be a handicap in working flocks of sheep and goats. An animal much under the minimum height (15¾ inches) would be of dubious value in its work. The correct height and proportion help insure ease of movement as well as overall suitability. Many judges use visualization of side movement, i.e., apparent reach and drive, to quickly confirm correct front and rear construction.

This is especially true when confronted with a heavy coat as in the Spanish Water Dog. Your hands on the dog (under the coat) together with side movement will go a long way toward forming a true picture of the anatomy of the exhibit. An excellent specimen will have a front reach coming nearly to a vertical line from the tip of its nose to the ground. The top line should remain straight and level at the trot. As a drover, they require ease of movement. If the flock moves 12 miles in a day, the dog may cover forty miles or more, back and forth. This in turn requires balance. Balance in form and balance in action. As the gait reaches a trot, “the feet converge toward the center line of gravity…” This is not an excuse for other obvious faults in gait that detract from efficient movement. The degree of rear angulation, while it should be commensurate with that of the front, is vitally important to the dog’s ability to function as a herder. A careful examination with the hand (again under the coat) is required to gain an accurate assessment of the bend of stifle and shortness of the rear pastern.

Placing an index finger vertically against the pastern can be a useful gauge of its length. Tails are problematic. Some Spanish Water Dogs are born tailless. Others have naturally bobbed tails of varying lengths while still others are docked by breeders between the second and fourth vertebrae at birth. In Europe and the UK there are numerous full tails. We anticipate that American judges will encounter a full tail at one time or another in the future. At present there is no standard or preference for tail length or carriage except that the “tail is set smoothly into the croup neither high nor low.” The remaining disqualifications, for a second color other than white or for “Tricolor, tan point” are fairly obvious and easy to detect. Coloration is currently not a problem in the breed. As with most breeds that are in the process of recognition by the AKC, the judge will find a wide range of type and quality. The stabilization of breed type, and therefore its success, is dependent on the evaluation of the dog as a whole. The parent club is grateful to judges who are familiar with the essence and purpose of the breed and make their placements accordingly.