Australian Cattle Dog vs Irish Water Spaniel
Compare Australian Cattle Dog and Irish Water Spaniel: size, life expectancy, temperament and care side by side.
Australian Cattle Dog
VS
Irish Water Spaniel
Comparison Table
Show Differences Only
Characteristic
Australian Cattle Dog
Irish Water Spaniel
Breed Type
Purebred
Purebred
FCI Group
1 – Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs
8 – Retrievers, Flushing Dogs and Water Dogs
Height
43 – 51 cm
51 – 61 cm
Weight
15 – 22 kg
25 – 34 kg
Life Expectancy
12 – 15 years
12 – 14 years
Child-Friendly
3/5
5/5
Energy Level
5/5
4/5
Intelligence
5/5
4/5
Trainability
5/5
4/5
Health
3/5
3/5
Grooming Needs
3/5
3/5
Shedding
3/5
2/5
Barking Level
3/5
Not Available
Aggressiveness
2/5
Not Available
The 1–5 scale shows the level of each trait. A higher value means more of that trait. Individual animals may vary.
Characteristics
Australian Cattle Dog
High Energy
Very Smart
Easy to Train
Medium
Irish Water Spaniel
Great with Kids
High Energy
Very Smart
Quiet
Easy to Train
Large
Summary
About Australian Cattle Dog
Medium, muscular Australian working dog bred to drive cattle over long distances. Known for blue or red speckled double coat, pricked ears and alert expression. Highly intelligent, energetic, loyal and wary of strangers; needs extensive daily exercise, mental work and consistent positive training.
About Irish Water Spaniel
Medium–large, athletic gundog with a distinctive curly liver coat, smooth face and tapering “rat tail.” Clever, water‑loving retriever that forms close bonds, often to one person. Needs substantial daily exercise, mental work, regular grooming and kind, consistent training.
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