water dog

Water dogs are a type of gun dog bred to flush and retrieve game from water, often serving the waterfowl hunter. Strong swimming desire is a characteristic of these dogs. Some of the oldest dog breeds are water dogs. The term was originally water spaniels (a misnomer, as not all are spaniels). With the advent of kennel clubs many "water spaniels" were accepted under the names including the designation retriever rather than spaniel.

Water dog, waterdog or water-dog may refer to:

• Water dog, a general type of gun/working dog, including various specific breeds and landraces; some are themselves named "water dog":
  • Cantabrian Water Dog
  • Lagotto Romagnolo (a.k.a. Italian Water Dog)
  • Portuguese Water Dog
  • Spanish Water Dog
  • St. John's water dog