An old French water dog with a dense, curly, woolly coat, traditionally used to retrieve waterfowl from marshes. Friendly, athletic, and people-oriented, with a low-shedding coat.
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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
Water-retrieving gundog — field work or dock diving suits 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.
Active and athletic; needs daily exercise of 60+ minutes including walks, swimming, and games — true to its water-dog roots, most love to swim. Adaptable to house or apartment living provided exercise and companionship are met, but does not tolerate being left alone for long. A fenced yard and access to water are ideal.
Diet
Standard complete diet for an active medium-to-large dog; a breed-appropriate puppy formula supports steady joint growth. Maintain lean condition to protect hips and elbows. As a moderately deep-chested breed, observe general bloat-sensible feeding (avoid vigorous activity immediately around large meals).
Behavior & temperament
Cheerful, sociable, and eager to please, with an even, biddable temperament that makes training relatively easy using positive methods. Energetic but calm indoors when exercised. Generally excellent with children, other dogs, and family pets; bonds closely and can suffer separation distress if isolated.
Health
Generally robust with a fairly diverse gene pool, but screening is recommended: hip and elbow dysplasia (OFA/PennHIP), eye conditions (PRA, cataracts), and ear infections (the hairy, drop ears trap moisture, especially in a frequent swimmer). Epilepsy and hernias are occasionally reported. Routine ear care and hip/eye clearances are advised for breeding stock.
Tips, DIY & hacks
The dense curly coat is low-shedding but high-maintenance — brush/comb thoroughly several times a week to prevent matting, with periodic professional grooming/clipping. Dry and clean the ears after swimming or bathing to prevent otitis. The coat is not hypoallergenic but sheds little. Great candidate for dog sports and water work.
