The Cantabrian Water Dog is a
landrace breed of dog developed in the coast of Cantabria, northern Spain, as
an assistant to fishermen. The breed was classified and recognized by the
Breeds Committee of the Spanish Ministry of Environment on 22 March 2011.
History of the variety
The
Cantabrian Water Dog is an ancestral population in the north of the Iberian
Peninsula, whose origins seem to be common to Barbet. The breed is socially,
culturally and historically rooted in the towns and villages of the whole coast
of Cantabria and eastern Asturias. The work of this breed has been
traditionally related to fishing work: collecting fishes that fell into the
water, watching the ships when they were moored in port, taking the rope
between ships and to the dock, or acting like a lifeguard.
Features
The
population of Cantabrian Water Dog shows a clear morphological and genetic
differentiation that allows discrimination from other dog populations in the
same group with close geographic distribution. Genetic studies place it as
close to the Spanish Water Dog as to the Barbet or Caniche.
These
animals are lighter and shorter than those of the Spanish breed, where they
were previously included. Thus, 75% of males and 38% of females would be
excluded from the breed standard for height at the withers, while using the
criterion of weight, 91% of males and 80% females would be excluded.
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