Dogs are one of the main pets that we Spaniards have. They are considered one of man’s best friends and, therefore, one of the easiest to deal with and live with. Obviously, we can find multiple breeds of dogs and each one will have their particular tastes. However, today we want to recommend water dogs, a particular breed but at the same time they tend to like it a lot.
It is considered practically a Spanish heritage at the fauna level, and in addition, it is really affectionate and obedient if we follow the necessary steps to take care of it correctly. However, as with other dogs, it is necessary to take it to the vet and be careful with the main diseases that we can find.
What are water dogs?
Water dogs have the particularity that, as their name indicates, they are dogs that do not get along badly with water. They are skilled at swimming, but they also have multiple qualities. With a life expectancy that can be around between ten and fourteen years, they are characterized by measuring between 50 and 60 centimeters.
Physically, they have curly hair that can be of multiple colors from brown, black or white, as the most common. Petting a water dog is a really rewarding sensation since its hair is very similar to the wool of a sheep.
In addition to being really affectionate, this type of dog is also characterized by being very active. In fact, as they get older, they need to do more sports. Therefore, if we lead a healthy lifestyle and like to play sports, water dogs will undoubtedly get along very well with us. On the other hand, if we are really busy people, it can accumulate even more stress because these types of animals need time for themselves and to walk and burn adrenaline.
The curious origin of water dogs
Beyond the care they need, the history surrounding water dogs is curious to say the least. There are multiple theories about the origin of this type of animal. One of the least credible is that they appeared in the middle of the 18th or 19th century in the Peninsula thanks to the commercial relations that the Spanish had with the Turks. It is believed that in this case, it was the Ottomans who brought the water dogs to Spain.
However, the most credible is that it was the Arabs who landed this type of animal. It was during the time of the Reconquista, when the territory of Al-Andalusia was chosen to carry out this type of pets, which were initially destined to work.
They are mountain dogs, and therefore, they helped in all mountainous terrain, especially in Cádiz and Granada. Despite everything, as we have mentioned before, they are also very skilled on the water and, for this reason, they were chosen to carry out towing tasks for all the ships that arrived. Without a doubt, they were of great help for Ben Yusuf’s troops to enter the peninsula. Fulfilling these two characteristics is, therefore, that greater credibility is given to this type of animal.
Benefits of having a water dog
However, there are multiple benefits for all those who want to have a pet and end up choosing a water dog. Some of the most prominent are:
- His easy character. They are dogs with whom it is really very easy to get along. They are easy to tame and, therefore, they can end up being very affective and help us in those moments of downturn that we may have in our day to day.
- The possibility of leaving them alone. On many occasions, going on a trip and having a pet can become a problem. On the other hand, with water dogs it is really simple because you can leave the dog alone at home without any problem if you have trained it correctly.
- Are very active. Sports lovers will have many facilities to get along with this type of animal. As we have said before, they are really active and every year they grow they need to do more sports.
- Variety of dogs physically. Another of the main characteristics of these dogs that we have seen previously is the differentiation of hair colors that they have. Without a doubt, this means that we will surely find one that will satisfy our needs.
However, despite all these advantages, you also have to be aware of having a pet, since it is not a toy. Therefore, below we are going to detail the main diseases that they can have, and also how we should combat them. The most important thing is the health of your dog at all times.
Diseases of water dogs
Before getting into the main diseases of water dogs, you should know that, like other types of species, a routine visit to the veterinarians is necessary to follow a totally personalized vaccination plan. Even before starting it, all the parasites must be eliminated, otherwise we would run the risk that they would not take effect. This is one of the keys, along with education, to prevent the dog from attacking another dog.
In general, as with other dogs, this type of pet is really healthy and does not require special care. In fact, most water dog diseases can occur both in their eyes and in their hair, which, as we have said before, can become really abundant.
One of the most common that we can find is distichiasis, causing the eyelashes not to grow properly and we can even have up to two rows of them. The problem does not end here since if they come into contact with the eyes they can also cause different types of irritation.
Hair and eyes, the main problems
Continuing with the part of the eyes of these furry friends, progressive retinal atrophy is also a problem to really take into account and it is a type of disease that we must monitor closely. Progressively, the function of the eye is lost. In fact, in a first phase, you are blind at night and the next step is total blindness.
Thus, in the face of any type of alarm signal, it is really necessary to go quickly to the veterinarian. Their relationship with humans is almost total, since water dogs can also suffer from cataracts. They are a series of spots that appear in the sight, and that, like atrophy, can also leave them blind.
In the hair, on the other hand, we can find other types of diseases. Follicular dysplasia causes an alteration in hair growth, causing it to bulge inwards and, therefore, causing discomfort. Likewise, the enormous amount of fur that these types of animals present can also hide different types of diseases based on parasites, bacteria or viruses, among others. For this reason, we must not forget that this type of disease is hereditary in water dogs and, therefore, extreme precautions must be taken.
