Santal Hound vs American Water Spaniel - Breed Comparison

Santal Hound is originated from India but American Water Spaniel is originated from United States. Both Santal Hound and American Water Spaniel are having almost same height. Santal Hound may weigh 8 kg / 17 pounds lesser than American Water Spaniel. Both Santal Hound and American Water Spaniel has same life span. Both Santal Hound and American Water Spaniel has almost same litter size. Santal Hound requires Low maintenance. But American Water Spaniel requires Moderate maintenance

History

The Santal Hound has always been used for hunting and these Indian pariah dogs haven’t changed much over the years.

It is a small red Indian indigenous dog. It is named after the Santal tribe who used the dog for hunting. They sometimes refer to the dog as Seuta and Kukur.

When you do research on the Santal Hound, you will mostly find it among indigenous peoples. It isn’t only found in India but in Africa, being found among the different nomadic  hunting tribes in East Africa.

american water spaniel - historyThe 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.

Description

The Santal is considered a small to medium sized dog standing at between 40 and 45cm in height and weighing between 9 and 12 kilograms.

It is also slightly built with fine bones. The coat of the dog is reddish brown or yellow-brown, the eyes are almond shaped and brown and the muzzle is pointed. The ears of the dog are erect and point forward. The tail of this dog is usually curled over the dog’s back. The dog doesn’t really bark as such but howls instead. It has small paws and walks with a high-stepping style like a prancing horse.

Temperament:

These dogs are calm, independent, loving and loyal and also affectionate with their human family. He is cool with strangers.

They are alert, intelligent dogs and you certainly won’t have any trouble teaching him a few simple commands. He cleans himself like a cat. He seems to understand what you say as he always cocks his head to one side when you talk to him. He is a playful dog and will love to be involved with games with the children.

He can also get on well with other dogs in the family. He is capable of adapting to life in the city or the countryside just so long as his exercise needs are met.

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.

Characteristics

The Santal dog is an unusual dog with some unique characteristics. He hasn’t got any particularly exceptional characteristics either, but he promises to make you a good pet.

He is capable of providing you with lots of love, and on top of that he is a low maintenance dog too.

When you bring him into your home, you’re going to get yourself a loyal, loving pet and companion.

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.

Health Problems

Dogs stand a better chance of avoiding sickness if they are fed well and they get a fair amount of exercise. But our fur kids can get sick anytime really, and it pays to know about some of the dangerous diseases they can succumb to -

Canine parvovirus:

Your dog will have a fever, he will be lethargic and have diarrhea with vomiting. It is a contagious virus affecting dogs that come into contact with the feces of an ill dog. It attacks a dog’s internal organs, and although the vet will do everything possible to help your dog, parvo is often fatal.

There are vaccines to prevent your dog getting this terrible disease.

Heartworm:

Your dog will be coughing, have respiratory problems, lethargy and weight loss. These parasites are found in your dog’s heart and are spread by mosquitoes. Check with your vet about treatments to prevent this horrible illness.

Rabies:

Have your pet vaccinated against rabies, a deadly diseases spread by saliva and a bite from an infected animal. It is fatal and once your dog has this disease, there is no treatment.

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.

Caring The Pet

Diet:

Provide your Santal Hound with top quality food to ensure his health. While there are some excellent commercially manufactured foods on the market, it is important to choose the high quality ones that have natural, good ingredients in them.

Try to include some home-made food for him which can be simply mixed into the dry kibble twice a week. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots are super tasty and nutritious. Your dog will love such simple, good food as it doesn’t upset his stomach.

If you can, try and include a little bit of raw meat to his diet occasionally as this can go towards ensuring he doesn’t get skin diseases.

Trim your dogs nails, check his eyes and ears for infection and check his teeth too.

Provide your dog with a warm, dry place to sleep.

Don’t allow your Santal Hound to have puppies. There are so many unwanted puppies all over the world. Rather have him or her spayed or neutered to avoid puppies that nobody wants. It is beneficial for his health too.

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.

Basic Information

Group:
Hound dog
Gun dog
Origin:
India
United States
Height Male:
40 - 45 cm
15 - 18 inches
36 - 46 cm
14 - 19 inches
Height Female:
40 - 45 cm
15 - 18 inches
34 - 44 cm
13 - 18 inches
Weight Male:
9 - 12 kg
19 - 27 pounds
11 - 20 kg
24 - 45 pounds
Weight Female:
9 - 12 kg
19 - 27 pounds
11 - 18 kg
24 - 40 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 14 Years
10 - 14 Years
Litter Size:
2 - 8
4 - 6
Size:
Medium dog
Medium dog
Other Names:
Seuta, Kukur
Amerikanischer Wasserspaniel • AWS • AM Water Spaniel
Colors Available:
Reddish brown or yellow-brown
Liver, Brown, Dark Chocolate
Coat:
Short and smooth
DOuble, Wavy and Curly, thick
Shedding:
Minimal
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Alert, Intelligent, Loyal, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Stubborn, Territorial
Grooming:
Low maintenance
Moderate maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
No

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