Cesky Terrier vs American Water Spaniel - Breed Comparison

Known as the Bohemian Terrier and looking similar to a Scottish Terrier dog, the Cesky Terrier is a dog breed that has been created by Frantisek Horak, in the Czech Republic.

Horak wanted to breed a type of hunting dog, and in 1949, using both the Scottish Terrier ad the Sealyham Terrier, he bred the two, creating a new breed that would hopefully be a stronger hunting dog.

The Cesky Terrier was shown for the first time in 1959 and was recognized by the Federation Cynologique Internationale in 1963 and in 1993 by the United Kennel Club. It’s a rare dog this, and is the national dog of the Czech Republic.

The 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.

The Cesky Terrer is a longish dog, much like the Scottie and he also has short legs. He is roughly 29ck in height at the withers, is about 43cm in length and weighs anything from 5 to 10kg.

The coat of this dog is long, silky and quite wavy and can be in a number of different shades of gray or a light brown color. Puppies are born black. The soft coat can be kept groomed by clippers or you can take him to have his coat professionally trimmed.

This dog breed has natural drop ears, unlike the Scottie which has erect ears. The tail length is 18-20 cm and low set.

Temperament:

A loyal, quiet and loving family dog, the Cesky Terrier will get on well with children in the home and he is also friendly with other dogs. Just like with any other dog, it will be important to socialize the dog breed at an early age as then he becomes obedient, smart and relaxed. He is a breed which is also easy to train. He also makes a good watchdog.

The 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.

The Cesky Terrier isn’t a small-dog yapper and he will adapt to life in the city or the country. He is a small dog, but he is feisty and sporty and will willingly join you with your jogging or when you go on a walk.

He is intelligent and playful and when you add in characteristics such as being courageous, loving, loyal and feisty, you can see that the Cesky Terrier is guaranteed to make a super family pet.

Bred 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.

The Cesky Terrier is generally a healthy dog, but this breed sometimes suffers from common dog ailments that other breeds also have to contend with.

Eye disorders, ear infections, pancreatitis, hip dysplasia and weight gain are just some health issues you might need to be aware of.

Remember that if you want to promote a healthier dog, feeding him a quality diet and taking him immediately to the vet when you suspect a problem can keep him free from common dog illnesses.

Pancreatitis for instances develops when the pancreas becomes inflamed, and this can be brought on by allowing your pet to become obese. There are other reasons for pancreatitis too such as infection. You will see diarrhea, fever and vomiting with your pet as well as discomfort from abdominal pain. It’s a disease which affects smaller dogs more often than larger breeds.

The 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.

Exercise:

Cesky Terriers may well be a little bit less active and quieter than other terriers, but they will still need a good dose of exercise. He loves to dig, and if he is bored and doesn’t have a plenty of exercise and games, he will want to dig more and cause the owner a lot of frustration. Take him for daily walks and give him some ball games in the garden.

Grooming:

Cesky Terriers will need brushing down at least twice a week and their coats will need to be trimmed into shape every 8 to 10 weeks or so. You’ll also need to check excess hair inside the ears.

As with any dog breed, you will need to check on his nails so that they don’t grow too long and also brush his teeth 2 or 3 times a week to avoid dental disease.

Feeding

Feeding 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.