Irish Water Spaniel

When I first got Curly I was prepared for a quality retriever - it's what Irish Water Spaniels are known for, after all. Curly's all that and much, much more. Curly approaches each task with equal enthusiasm. She especially loves to hunt birds, but she'll retrieve fur and fish with just as much desire and drive.

She's proved herself to be a great companion dog, although, she can be temperamental at times. Curly is also very intelligent and as a result, we never had to be harsh or overly firm in her training. She loves to get physical, both in work and play.

Unlike a lot of hunting dogs, Curly doesn't have to be working to be content. She's just as happy following me around as she is retrieving, as long as we're outdoors. At the end of the day, she's happy as long as she was able to get some physical exercise. When she was a pup she developed some undesirable traits, like excessive barking, possessiveness and general run-a-muck of the household when left alone. I felt that she would benefit from some obedience training, and I've never regretted that decision.

Curly is a very sensitive dog and it has been necessary to train the kids just as much as her. She needed a home that was calm and quiet. Yelling at her or the use of a harsh hand was simply not an option in raising her. She has developed into a confident and loving companion that the whole family loves and enjoys.