Dog breed
The Cantabrian Water Dog (Spanish: Perro de agua cantábrico), is a Spanish breed of water dog. It originates in coastal areas of Cantabria, in northern Spain, where it was used by fishermen for various tasks. It was officially recognised in Spanish law in 2012. It is not recognised by the Real Sociedad Canina de España, the national Spanish kennel club, but is listed among the Spanish breeds in the process of recovery.
The dogs are always white, and are in general smaller and lighter than examples of the Spanish Water Dog.
Characteristics: 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. One genetic study 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.
Characteristics: 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. One genetic study 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.
History: The Cantabrian Water Dog is a traditional breed of the coastal areas of Cantabria, in northern Spain, where it was used by fishermen for various tasks. It may share some common origins with the French Barbet.
It was officially recognised in Spanish law in 2012, after a request for recognition from the Government of Cantabria was favourably received by the Comité de Razas ('breeds committee') of the Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Medio Rural y Marino, as the Spanish ministry of agriculture was then known.
A census in 2009 found a total of 1216 of the dogs.
