Chinook vs American Water Spaniel - Breed Comparison

Chinook vs American Water Spaniel - Breed ComparisonBoth American Water Spaniel and Chinook are originated from United States. American Water Spaniel may grow 23 cm / 9 inches shorter than Chinook. American Water Spaniel may weigh 21 kg / 46 pounds lesser than Chinook. Both American Water Spaniel and Chinook has almost same life span. American Water Spaniel may have less litter size than Chinook. American Water Spaniel requires Moderate Maintenance. But Chinook requires High Maintenance

Basic Information

Group:
Gun dog
Working dog
undefined
United States
United States
Height Male:
36 - 46 cm
14 - 19 inches
53 - 69 cm
20 - 28 inches
Height Female:
34 - 44 cm
13 - 18 inches
53 - 67 cm
20 - 27 inches
Weight Male:
11 - 20 kg
24 - 45 pounds
25 - 41 kg
55 - 91 pounds
Weight Female:
11 - 18 kg
24 - 40 pounds
25 - 38 kg
55 - 84 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 14 Years
12 - 15 Years
Litter Size:
4 - 6
6 - 10
Size:
Medium
Large
Other Names:
Amerikanischer Wasserspaniel • AWS • AM Water Spaniel
Nook
Colors Available:
Liver, Brown, Dark Chocolate
light brown light honey color to reddish-gold, tawny
Coat:
DOuble, Wavy and Curly, thick
plush double
Shedding:
Moderate
Seasonal
Temperament:
Alert, Intelligent, Loyal, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Stubborn, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Intelligent, Loving, Loyal, Playful
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
High Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
No
Yes

History

american water spanielThe 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.

chinookIn the early 20th century, in the small town of Wonalancet, New Hampshire a new breed of dog called the Chinook was born. Developed by Arthur Treadwell Walden, the breed is named after the first male ancestor who was named Chinook. The breed is a rare sled dog and the official dog of the state of New Hampshire. The Chinook was born of a cross between a large Mastiff-like street dog and huskies that were part of the Peary North Pole expedition.

Walden was an experienced slender and looking for a dog that was stronger, faster and had more stamina than his current sled dogs. Walden had years of experience including being the trainer and lead on Byrd’s 1929 Antarctic expedition and plenty of Yukon experience. Once he had the male Chinook he bred him with German Shepherds, Belgian Sheepdogs and Canadian Eskimo Dogs at the very least. He then bred those puppies back to Chinook until he had the type and traits he wanted. Following Walden, Julia Lombard and then Perry Greene took over mastery of the breed. From the 1940’s until he died in 1963, Greene was the only person who was breeding Chinooks. So, there were few left after his death. The breed neared extinction by 1981 with only 11 Chinooks available to breed. These dogs were divided between three breeders who saved the breed from becoming extinct.

In 1991, the United Kingdom recognized the Chinook and they were also registered with the UKC. At that time there were about 800 dogs in the breed. To increase the breed, there was a cross-breeding program that took Chinooks and bred them back to the breeds they considered to be apart of the original Chinook lineage. These 4th generation dogs might meet the standards of the Chinook Owners Associations Cross Breeding Program and be accepted as purebred.

In 2001 the Chinook was entered into the AKC Foundation Stock Service and added to the Miscellaneous class of the AKC in 2010. In January of 20113, the Chinook was finally granted full recognition and breed status within the AKC in the working group. He is a large working dog, rugged, patience, loyal and intelligent. He is one of the rarest breeds in the AKC.

Description

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.

chinook puppy - descriptionThe Chinook is a muscular dog, making him a perfect fit to be a sled dog or a hauler of any type. He has a deep chest and powerful muzzle with enduring teeth. The ears can be pricked up or bent and wind-blown. The nostrils of the Chinook are solid black and wide, while the lips are black, the eyes look like almonds and are dark with intelligence in their glance. The feet are firm and oval, the pads cushioned and with dark pigmentation. The tail should not be docked.

The breed has a double coat and hair of medium length The undercoat is soft and thick while the outercoat is close to the body and coarse. The Chinook is usually a tawny, reddish color.

Characteristics

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.

chinook dog - characteristicsThis is a playful, affectionate and loyal breed. They have a special love for kids and always want to learn and please you. They are intelligent and very trainable. The Chinook is good with other dogs and as a sled dog they love to work in packs. They can be reserved but they are never aggressive or shy.

Health Problems

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.

chinook puppies - health problemsFor the most part, the Chinook is a healthy dog. There are however some issues they do have to contend with including:

Epilepsy

Sometimes know as Chinook seizures this is really a movement disorder and perhaps not a true epilepsy.

Atopy

This dermatitis may be hereditary. It causes itchy skin and is actual an immune system issue.

Gastrointestinal disorders

Chinook are known for a variety of gastrointestinal disorders manifested by diarrhea and vomiting.

Caring The Pet

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.

Feeding

chinook dogs - caringDon’t overfeed your dog. Based on how hard he is working for you feed twice a day. Dividing 3 to 5 cups into two meals.

Health issues

In addition to the health issues mentioned above, the Chinook might be prone to:

Hip Dysplasia

Can cause arthritis or lameness

Crytorchism

Only affects males as this is the absence of the testes in the scrotum.

Allergies

Ears should be washed on a regular basis to prevent allergies and infections.

Exercise and games

Although the Chinook is still active in recreational sledding, he is mostly a family pet these days. Given this the Chinook need a good deal of exercise and competition. They are great at search and rescue, dog packing, agility, obedience, herding, carting and skijoring. They need some form of solid exercise for 30 to 60 minutes every day.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. American Water Spaniel vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  2. American Water Spaniel vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  3. American Water Spaniel vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  4. American Water Spaniel vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  5. American Water Spaniel vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  6. American Water Spaniel vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  7. American Water Spaniel vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  8. American Water Spaniel vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. American Water Spaniel vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. American Water Spaniel vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. American Water Spaniel vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  12. American Water Spaniel vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  13. American Water Spaniel vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  14. American Water Spaniel vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  15. American Water Spaniel vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  16. American Water Spaniel vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  17. American Water Spaniel vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  18. American Water Spaniel vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  19. American Water Spaniel vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  20. American Water Spaniel vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  21. American Water Spaniel vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  22. American Water Spaniel vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  23. American Water Spaniel vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  24. American Water Spaniel vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  25. American Water Spaniel vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison
  26. Chinook vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Chinook vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Chinook vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Chinook vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Chinook vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Chinook vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Chinook vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Chinook vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Chinook vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Chinook vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Chinook vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Chinook vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Chinook vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Chinook vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Chinook vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Chinook vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Chinook vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Chinook vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Chinook vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Chinook vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Chinook vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Chinook vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Chinook vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Chinook vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Chinook vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison