Veislės istorija
Ispanų vandens šuo (Perro de Agua Español) yra vidutinio dydžio darbšti veislė, gyvenanti Ispanijoje jau 800 metų. Jos savybės, ypatingai kailis, yra prisitaikęs prie Iberijos pusiasalio drėgmės ir sausros svyravimų.
Kaip ir dėl daugelio senovinių veislių taip ir dėl Ispanų Vandens Šunų kilmės tarp ekspertų vyksta diskusijos. Yra žinoma, kad ši universali veislė buvo išvesta Ispanijoje prieš daug amžių, kad atliktų daugybę veiklų, tokių kaip ganymas, medžioklė, vandens darbai, namų ir fermos apsauga bei tiesiog kompanijos palaikymas bei draugystė su žmogumi.
Pirmą kartą istoriniuose šaltiniuose ši veislė paminėta 1110 m., ši veislė buvo vadinama daugybe vardų: perroturco andaluz, laneto, perro de lanas, patero ir rizado, perro de agua Español, lanas, chos, chorri, cordelero ir merlucero.
Tiksli veislės kilmė nėra žinoma. De las Rosas (1993) ir Salas (1984) abu mini galimą Afrikos kilmę, pažymėdami, kad Ispanų Vandens Šunys buvo Šiaurės Afrikos genčių naudojami vandens darbam bei ganymui. De las Rosas taip pat siūlo ir kitas dvi galimas kilmes: vietinis Azijos veislės protėvių palikuonis; ir tiesioginis canis familiars palustris, iš kurio kilo visi Europos vandens šunys, palikuonis. Montesinos (1989) aprašo teoriją, kad Ispanų Vandens Šunų kilmė cites a theory that the glūdi Turkijoje ir Vengrijoje. Spanish Water Dog's origins lie in Turkey and Hungary, noting similarity of cording hair to Hungarian Puli, however he asserts the true origin lies in Andaluz and is the most ancient race of the water dogs. Flores (1982) believes the Spanish Water Dog is the same as Perro Turco referred to in the 10th century.
There are two major hypotheses of ancestor arrival in Spain. The first states that the ancestors arrived in era dominated by the Moors. The second asserts that the ancestors on Turkish boats between 600-900 AD.e your text here...
The population was divided into two major areas within Spain. The first lay within the meridian zone of eastern Andaluz, spreading between the mountain ranges, great plains and marshes of Guadalquivir. The second was in the fishing villages and wharves along the northern coastal regions of the country. The populations almost certainly sprang from the same origins, however, as an animal owned by hard-working country people unable to afford specialized breeds, the Spanish Water Dog had to fulfill whatever regional functions were set before it.
In the central and southern regions, the dog was primarily used driving herds of goats, sheep, cows, and pigs to seasonal pastures, and secondarily for hunting fowl and small game. SWDs can still be found in the central and southern countryside with their flocks. In the northern coastal regions, the Spanish Water Dog's function was similar to its larger Portuguese cousin, retrieving fish and tackle dropped from the boat, and swimming lines to and from shore. The northern dogs probably also hunted and performed other functions during the off-season. Caballero (1994) notes this woolly breed was utilized in the mines of the Cuenca Minera del Guadioto (Sierro Morena) to protect mule transports, guard against thieves, and work as rat control in the mines. The dogs' woolly coat left long and uncut, thereby providing excellent protection against the excessively hot and humid mines and sun blindness.
Starting in 1975, the breed was saved from obscurity through the efforts of Santiago Montesinos and Antonio Garcia Perez. Dogs were acquired or "borrowed" from all regions, however, the majority came from the Shepherds in Andalucia, and carefully bred to preserve the conformation and working abilities of the breed. In May 1985, the breed was recognized by the Real Sociedad Central de Fomento de Razas Caninas en España, and at a Madrid show in that same year, two brown dogs were the first of the breed to be officially shown at a exposition in Madrid. Several years later, the breed standard was based on a black and white dog named "Lucky" owned by Antonio Moreno. The Federacion Cinologica Internacional (F.C.I.) placed the breed in Group VIII (flushing dogs), Section 3 (water dogs) alongside their Portuguese cousins..
The breed was fully recognized by the AKC in 2015 and placed in the Herding Group due to the breed's primary function of herding. To this day, it remains a multi-purpose breed.