A rare, versatile American gundog developed in the Great Lakes region to retrieve from boats in cold water. Hardworking, eager, and curly-coated, it makes an energetic, affectionate companion for active homes.
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From the minimum an animal needs to be kept humanely, up to the ideal setup. Bigger is almost always better — minimums are floors, not targets.
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Minimum
Home with daily structured exercise
Apartment/house + 60 min daily exercise
Medium dogs need at least an hour of varied daily exercise — leashed walks plus off-lead play or training. Apartment living is workable only if exercise commitments are met every day; crate-train and allow supervised free-roam at home.
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Recommended
Home with fenced yard + training time
House + fenced yard + 60–90 min varied exercise
A home with a securely fenced yard, daily walks plus off-lead play, and ongoing training keeps a medium dog mentally satisfied. Add a sport or hobby (fetch, scent games, agility intro) for breeds with extra drive. High-drive working breed — the recommended tier still demands daily structured mental work (training, scent games, herding ball, fetch with rules), not just walks.
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Ideal
Active home with a job or sport
Suburban/rural home + secure yard + canine sport
Versatile gundog — field/retrieving work satisfies the heritage. — ideal is acreage or rural property paired with a daily job or canine sport: herding stock, scent detection, agility, protection sport, sledding, gundog field work, or a structured working role. Without that outlet, expect destructive behaviour, reactivity, and welfare-relevant frustration.
Life & growth stages
How this animal changes through its life — each stage often has its own care, diet and space needs.
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Newborn
Newborn mammals are nursed on their mother's milk. Many are born helpless — blind, deaf, and sparsely furred (altricial, as in dogs, cats, and rodents) — while others stand and follow within hours (precocial, as in hoofed livestock).
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Juvenile
After weaning, juveniles grow quickly and become increasingly active, playful, and independent. Adult coat, proportions, and (in many species) the permanent teeth come in as they approach full size.
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Adult
Adults reach full body size and sexual maturity, with the species' mature coat and build. Sexual dimorphism — differences in size, mane, horns, or markings — is pronounced in some mammals and subtle in others.
Senior
Senior animals show aging signs such as graying fur, reduced activity, and a greater need for veterinary monitoring of joints, teeth, and organ function. Lifespan and the onset of old age vary widely by species and size.
Color & pattern variants
Natural variants occur in the wild; selectively bred (man-made) variants were developed in captivity.
Best suited to active households with access to outdoor space and ideally water. Can adapt to a home of any size if exercised, but needs substantial daily activity — long walks, swimming, retrieving games, or hunting/field work. Without enough exercise and mental engagement it may become restless or bark. Enjoys being close to its family and dislikes long isolation.
Diet
Feed a quality diet matched to a medium, active sporting dog; increase rations during hunting season and reduce during inactivity to prevent weight gain. Monitor body condition, as a less-active AWS can become overweight. No notable breed-specific dietary disease, but keep up routine ear care, as the breed's drop ears are prone to moisture-related infections.
Behavior & temperament
Intelligent, eager to please, and trainable, though can have an independent or stubborn streak and may be sensitive — responds best to patient, positive methods. Energetic and enthusiastic, with strong retrieving and swimming drives. Generally good with children and other dogs when socialized; some can be reserved with strangers or possessive. Early socialization helps temper a tendency toward shyness or over-arousal.
Health
A relatively healthy breed but with a limited gene pool. Known predispositions include hip dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), cataracts, and recurrent ear infections (due to hairy drop ears). Some lines report cardiac issues and growth-hormone-related skin conditions (pattern baldness/alopecia). Recommended screening: OFA hips, eye (CAER) exam, and cardiac evaluation.
Tips, DIY & hacks
The curly to wavy, oily, water-repellent coat needs weekly brushing and minimal bathing to preserve its protective oils; trim excess hair around ears and pads. Dry and check ears after swimming to prevent infections. Provide jobs and water access where possible. Channel its working drive into retrieving games, dock diving, or field training to keep this clever dog content.
