11 Truly American Dogs

Photo by: Eva Maria Kramer, Animal Photography

American Water Spaniel

Midwestern Mystery: American Water Spaniel

The American Water Spaniel's origins are a mystery, but he may well be a descendant of the now-extinct English water spaniel, which is known to have been brought to America. The AWS was developed in the mid-19th century in the Wolf and Fox River Valley region of Wisconsin. After World War II, interest in the dogs waned, but Dr. Fred

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Photo by: Eva Maria Kramer, Animal Photography

American Water Spaniel

Midwestern Mystery: American Water Spaniel

The American Water Spaniel's origins are a mystery, but he may well be a descendant of the now-extinct English water spaniel, which is known to have been brought to America. The AWS was developed in the mid-19th century in the Wolf and Fox River Valley region of Wisconsin. After World War II, interest in the dogs waned, but Dr. Fred J. Pfeiffer singlehandedly brought them back, primarily by promoting the dogs as "distinctively an American production." The American Water Spaniel is now the official state dog of Wisconsin.

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