PetzloverEnglish Water Spaniel is originated from United Kingdom but Hygenhund is originated from Norway. English Water Spaniel may grow 10 cm / 3 inches shorter than Hygenhund. Both English Water Spaniel and Hygenhund are having almost same weight. Both English Water Spaniel and Hygenhund has almost same life span. Both English Water Spaniel and Hygenhund has same litter size. English Water Spaniel requires Low Maintenance. But Hygenhund requires Moderate Maintenance
The English Water Spaniel breed is extinct and has been since the early 1900’s. It was last seen in the 1930s. The breed was a hunting breed, diving for duck and hunting other waterfowl. Legend has it that Shakespeare was referring to this breed of dog in Macbeth when he refers to the “water rug”. Again, in Two Gentlemen of Verona one of the character states about another that “She hath more qualities than a water-spaniel.’
The English Water Spaniel came along before the Irish Water Spaniel and had a part in the development the Curly Coated Retriever, the American Water Spaniel and the Field Spaniel. The English Water Spaniel looks somewhat like a Poodle/Springer Spaniel cross or a Collie. It is not known whether the English Water Spaniel was part of the development of the Irish Water Spaniel.
When the English Water Spaniel was first developed the UKC had a “Water Spaniels other than Irish” and the English Water Spaniel had no standard written and accepted for it yet. But by 1967 the breed was extinct. Still the American Water Spaniel and the Flat Coated Retriever are believed to be descendants of the English Water Spaniel.
The Hygenhund is a hound from Norway that was developed in the early 1800’s by the Norwegian breeder Hygen. It was developed for hunting small game such as fox, rabbit, hare or racoon. It is known for its endurance and ability to survive travel across vast artic land without fatigue. It was developed by crossing several Norwegian hounds with ones from England and Germany. This includes basset hounds, holsteiner hounds, beagles, Bloodhounds, Scandinavian hounds and English Pointers. The resulting Hygehound is a scent hound whose popularity fell in the 20th century. Most of the remaining dogs today are located in Norway. The Norwegian Kennel Club and the UKC have both recognized the breed yet its numbers remain low. Even at that the breed today remains a great hunting dog but it is also a great companion or family dog.
Resembling the Springer Spaniel, poodle, collie and setter the English Water Spaniel has very little in common with the Irish Water Spaniel in respect to looks. The English has a narrow and somewhat longer head their than other spaniels and they have long furry ears. Their body is stout, and they are shaped like a barrel – more like a Clumber. With long legs and large feet, it is ready to take to the hunt. There coat was waterproof, and their toes were webbed.
The Hygenhund has a solid rectangular and compact body with muscular and compact legs and paws. Their heads are shaped like a triangle with dark eyes and a broad skull. The muzzle and neck are long and the topline is even. They carry their tail high, but they do not curl it over their back. They are a medium sized dog with short hair. They have an overabundance of energy and get bored easily. They can come in black with chestnut or white markings, yellow and red, chestnut without or with black markings.
The English Water Spaniel was aloof with strangers but loyal with his hunter. He was a little stubborn and an excellent water dog. They loved being in the water and could enter it without making any noise so as not to frighten his prey. He was highly intelligent and trainable. He also was very affectionate with his people.
1. Children friendliness – The Hygenhund is very friendly to children and love to play with them.
Stamina, intelligence and ability to endure cold climates.
Very adaptable in some ways – enduring cold climates for instance. However, they need a large yard or area to run in. They are not as adaptable in an apartment.
The Hygenhund is very intelligent and a quick learner. They love learning new things.
The English Water Spaniel is a fairly healthy breed given to some fairly common disorders such as:
Can lead to lameness and arthritis
Arterial fib and flutter and other problems that could lead to death.
This is a disease seem in several “Dwarf” breeds such as Corgis, as well as in many spaniels. This is the canine version of Lou Gehrig’s Disease or ALS and it is fatal.
The English Water Spaniel is not an overly energetic dog and has a tendency to over eat. Feed him 1 to 1.5 cups of high quality dry dog food over two meals each day.
In addition to the health issues mentioned earlier, the English Water Spaniel is also prone to:
Pattern baldness – is genetic and occurs on the neck and back of the hind legs.
English Water Spaniels can have these in old age like most other breeds.
Clumps form in the retinal tissue and can lead to blindness
The English Water Spaniel was a worker and an outdoor athlete at a time before organized canine games and activities such as agility and flyball. They loved to swim, and they loved to hunt. Without a job to do they could become barky and destructive.
Since the Hygenhund is such a high energy working dog feed a high quality food. Feed 3-4 times a day for a total of 2.3 cups.
Again this is a high energy dog. Feed a high protein good quality dog food twice a day for a total of 3-4 cups.
Good speed and stamina. Good in cold climates.
The Hygenhund needs plenty of exercise to dissipate all its working energy. They will excel at field trials, lure coursing, fly ball, tracking, and agility.