Pungsan Dog vs American Water Spaniel - Breed Comparison

The Pungsan Dog hails from Korea.

It is a hunting dog and considered to be a National Treasure of Korea. It was during the Japanese occupation of Korea that the dog’s thick coat was sought after for use in fur coats for the Japanese military.

The population numbers plummeted dramatically, with the Korean War reducing the numbers even further. The North Korean government assisted with re-establishing them.

Today, the Pungsan isn’t recognized by the Federation Cynological International (FCI) and also remains unrecognized by any major kennel clubs.

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 Pungsan dog is a large dog – a kind of spitz-type dog which stands between 55 and 60cm in height and weighs between 18-24 kg.

The dog has a thick whitish coat that even allows them to sleep in the snow. They have a muscular build with a deep chest. The legs are straight and strong, with the typical Spitz-type triangular head with the almond-shaped eyes and erect ears. The tail is high-set, curling over the back. After mating, within 60 – 70 days they can produce 2 to 4 puppies.

Temperament:

It it thought that the Pungsan’s intelligence is due to wolf DNA but there is a question mark over this. They are intelligent dogs though.

These dogs are always loyal and protective of their owners, forming strong bonds with them. They are strong-willed and independent and will require training and socialization if you want them to be obedient, well mannered dogs.

They’re intelligent so won’t have problems learning. When properly trained and socialized, they can be good playmates for children. He is also able to get along well with other animals in the house.

They’re aloof with strangers and have strong territorial instincts, but this just goes towards making them excellent watchdogs.

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 Pungsan is a wonderful dog if you’re looking for an affectionate, loyal pet.

These dogs thrive on having an owner that is energetic and a strong leader. It likes to become involved in all the activities the family is involved in, loving to join them on hikes and camping trips. Its a dog that is also protective and territorial and makes a good watchdog too.

With proper training and socialization he gets on well with children and other pets in the home, making him a welcome canine family member for any busy household.

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 Pungsan is a healthy breed prone to very few health issues, yet there will always be those common health issues that plague dogs like these. One of these is hip dysplasia, while others are obesity, bloat and cancer.

Hip dysplasia:

It can be very sad when your vet tells you that your dog has hip dysplasia. Fortunately with modern veterinary medicine, a dog can be kept happy with this ailment.

The hip joint doesn’t develop properly and painful wear and tear with arthritis makes it very difficult for the dog to be mobile. It’s a genetic condition but diet and environmental factors play a huge part too. Get your pet to the vet to ensure he is pain free.

Epilepsy:

Seizures in a dog can be caused usually because of trauma, tumor or infection. Seizures can start from as young as 6 months of age.Some seizures can last for a long time and are considered an emergency, requiring immediate veterinary help.Your veterinarian will want a complete history and perform a neurological exam.

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.

Grooming:

With his dense coat, this dog will require a brush twice a week to keep the fur free from matting and from loose hair. He is after all a fairly heavy shedder and will require this regular brushing to remove the dead hair and maintain the luster and sheen of the coat.

Exercise:

This is a strong, athletic dog and he is mentally sharp as well. He will require vigorous physical- and mental activity each day. He isn’t the kind of dog to lie around for long periods of time as this leads to frustration and destructive behavior and then the owner should be blamed.

Take him on walks or long hikes – he’ll love that – and play ball- and rope games with him. He will be quite game for swimming as well.

Diet:

Your Pungsan dog can get to 14 years of age with good food. While you do get some excellent commercially manufactured dog foods, you want to be sure your pet gets some nutritious home-made food too.

Make sure that the kibble is the high quality ones with lots of vitamins and minerals. Add in some home-made food twice a week. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots are a healthy choice for your pet. Your dog will do well on plain, simple, nutritious, tasty food like this. Chop this food up and add it into the dry kibble a couple of times a week.

Some raw meat added in from time to time will help his skin and coat remain healthy. Never leave him without a constant source of fresh, cool water.

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.