This dog is an IWS mixed with either golden or flat-coated retriever. A liver IWS bred to a golden with black pigment will produce black puppies.
Here’s her profile at Black Retriever X Rescue.
This cross tells me that IWS are not that distinct from the other retrievers, and the old name “Irish retriever” may be a better way of understanding what they are.
Water spaniels are ancestral to retrievers, but this particular breed of water spaniel still exists. It’s the only one left in the whole of the British Isles.
Most people think all spaniels are land spaniels, but even retrievers can do spaniel work. Goldens can do the same behaviors for which English springers are known.
The line between retriever and spaniel is a bit fuzzy, although the main retrievers have “Newfoundland” ancestry that spaniels don’t have. I read a source that said some St. John’s water dogs were cross with IWS at some point, but I haven’t been able to verify it. The extinct Tweed water spaniel was a mixture of St. John’s water dog and some kind of water spaniel. It looked more or less like a yellow or reddish curly-coated retriever with just a bit more bone.
I’m sure the Murray River curly-coated retriever folks who read this blog will be interested in looking at this dog. She resembles their dog very closely, but she’s black in color.
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Also compare this dog with the late Shuttle, the golden who used to be in my header. Their heads have similar shapes.
I like the little mohawk.
Holly is gorgeous…her head is definately similar to some of our Murrays. You would have thought with an IWS cross that her coat would have had more curl in it. Most Murrays tend to the curly side of wavy. Some of her actions and the length of her body very much remind me of a flat coat pup(who I have under my chair at I type)
I would suggest that if there is IWS it it a small part probably crossed with another spaniel before combining with a flat coat.
Whatever she is she is gorgeous and wants to please so would make an excellent worker or pet
Well, her rescuer says that she is definitely IWS in ancestry. The dog was born in Ireland.
Dear Karen
I rescued a dog almost identical to Holly just over a year ago from Derby Second Chance, she too is from Ireland and we were unsure what breed she is, but we now know she had got some form of water spaniel in her as she has a a smooth neck. I would image you have rehomed Holly now? I am very interested in the breed of these dogs they are obviously mass producing in Ireland. After intensive rehab Lucy has now made a fantastic pet, she is so much fun and very loving! Still very nervous is some situations though and she does tend to bark at people! One day I would be very interested in rescuing anoter dog just like Lucy, but I wouldn’t know where to find another Irish Water spaniel cross. Do you think she is crossed with a retreiver?
Kind regards
Cheryl Jones
cheryl.jones_@tiscali.co.uk
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Most likely one of the parents was part IWS you would expect a more curly or wavy coat with a full IWS plus holly seems smaller than both IWS and flat coats si I would expect that there is something else in the mix as well.
I have some hybrids that type this way as well. Its a look we prefer. She looks happy and ready for anything.