The not-so-ugly duckling: What to know about the quirky Irish water spaniel

If you’re considering a poodle or a designer cross, why not break from modern tradition and choose something often mistaken for one anyway? With a tight, liver or ‘liver puce’ coat (a dark hue with a purple tint), a jaunty topknot (which Country Life once warned must not ‘take the form of a wig’ — June 15, 1935), and a distinctive hairless tail ideal for swimming, the Irish water spaniel certainly stands out. That tail, by the way, earned it the nickname ‘rat-tail spaniel’.

This is the tallest of the spaniel breeds, though there’s long been debate about its origins. Possible ancestors include the French barbet, the now-extinct English water spaniel, the poodle and even the mythical dobhar-chú — a legendary Irish water creature said to be part dog, part otter. What is known, however, is that the modern breed descends from a dog named Boatswain, owned in the 1800s by breeder Justin McCarthy.

There’s also been some confusion over its classification. ‘When is a spaniel not a spaniel?’ asked David Tomlinson in his 1992 article Irish Versatility, noting that despite being grouped with spaniels, the breed actually works as a retriever — most at home bounding into lakes and wetlands.

Still, what aficionados agree on is that the Irish water spaniel makes a wonderful, if slightly quirky, family pet. The Kennel Club describes it as ‘staunch and affectionate with an endearing sense of humour’, albeit aloof with strangers and slow to mature.

Its popularity has never quite rivalled that of its shinier, sleeker spaniel cousins, yet it was once considered attractive enough to be gifted to the King of France by Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury — Elizabeth I’s famed spymaster.

And if you need proof of its charm? American actor Geena Davis reportedly met her husband after her Irish water spaniel nipped him on the bottom. ‘She’s very sweet and soft,’ said Geena of her dog in an interview with HuffPost — ‘if a little possessive.’ She may have fallen for the man, but it all started with the dog.