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8 Rare Dog Breeds Facing Extinction

An American Water Spaniel with a curly brown coat sits in a wooden canoe on a misty lake at sunrise.
A rare American Water Spaniel sits in a wooden canoe on a misty, tranquil Wisconsin lake.

The American Water Spaniel: A Wisconsin Treasure

While many endangered breeds hail from the United Kingdom, the United States has its own vulnerable native dogs.

The American Water Spaniel was developed in the 19th century in the Fox and Wolf River valleys of Wisconsin—where it proudly serves as the official state dog,.

According to the American Water Spaniel Club, they were bred to retrieve waterfowl from small punts, skiffs, and canoes, making them compact, muscular, and exceptionally strong swimmers.

Their deeply marcelled (wavy) or curly brown coat protects them from the freezing waters of the Great Lakes region. Despite their extreme versatility and friendly temperament, they have never found widespread popularity outside the American Midwest.

Today, it is estimated that only about 3,000 American Water Spaniels exist in total,.

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1 Comment

  1. When I was a kid I grew up was 15 dogs and 12 cats. Now I own one dog and a desert turtle. I love animals if I can have another dog I would but I can’t afford another dog my dog is a pitbull and she is my friend and she is a dog that helps me get through my depression and my PTSD and ADHD

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