Badger Name for American Water Spaniel

This name pinpoints the geographical heart of the breed, New London, Wisconsin, the town where Dr. Pfeifer established his kennels and where a historical marker designates the 'Birthplace of the American Water Spaniel'.[2, 3] It evokes a sense of small-town American ingenuity and rugged, unpretentious origins. The name suggests a dog developed not by aristocrats, but by practical farmers and hunters in the backyards of a Midwestern community, a symbol of grassroots creation.[3]

Named for the city of New London, Wisconsin, in Waupaca County. This location is historically recognized as the center of the breed's development and preservation efforts by Dr. F.J. Pfeifer.[2]

Grit is courage and resolve; strength of character. This name perfectly encapsulates the American Water Spaniel's tenacious spirit. It speaks to the dog's determination to push through cold water, dense cattails, and punishing cover to get the job done.[9] 'Grit' is not about aggression, but about a deep, quiet resolve and a refusal to give up. It is the mental toughness that was prized by the hunters who developed the breed for its 'gameness' and 'courage'.[1]

From Old English 'grēot', meaning 'sand, gravel'. In modern American English, it has come to mean 'courage, resolve, and strength of character'.

While Purple Loosestrife is an invasive species in Wisconsin wetlands, its name carries a wild, untamed, and powerful energy.[15] The 'strife' part of the name suggests a struggle, a fight for dominance—a perfect, if edgy, metaphor for the high prey drive and tenacious hunting spirit of the AWS. This name embraces the wild, competitive, and slightly unruly aspect of the dog's character. It suggests a force of nature that cannot be easily contained.

From Greek 'lusimakhos', from 'lusimakhion', a plant said to have calming properties. 'Lusis' (loosening) + 'makhē' (strife). The name refers to plants of the genus Lythrum.

This name is a direct tribute to Dr. Fred J. Pfeifer of New London, Wisconsin, the man singularly credited with saving the American Water Spaniel from extinction.[1, 2] It embodies a story of preservation and dedication, a recognition that the dog's existence is a legacy. 'Pfeifer' is not just a sound; it's a historical anchor, grounding the dog in the narrative of a passionate advocate who saw the breed's intrinsic worth when others had moved on to more specialized, foreign hunters after World War II.[1, 3]

A German surname meaning 'pipe-player' or 'fifer'. It honors Dr. Fred J. Pfeifer, the pivotal figure in the American Water Spaniel's history who established the breed standard and gained its initial kennel club recognition in 1920.[1, 4]

A name that ties the dog to the larger ecosystem of its birth, referencing Lake Winnebago, a massive freshwater lake fed by the Fox and Wolf Rivers where the breed was developed.[4, 5] It speaks of vast, cold waters and the challenging environment that shaped this dog. The name carries the weight of the Great Lakes region, a landscape that demanded a compact, hardy, and versatile water dog capable of handling icy temperatures and working from small skiffs.[1, 6]

From the name of Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin, which itself is derived from the name given to the Ho-Chunk Native American tribe by neighboring Algonquian peoples. The rivers where the AWS was developed feed this lake.[4]

This name directly references one of the two primary river valleys—the Fox and Wolf Rivers—where the American Water Spaniel was first developed.[5, 7] It is a name steeped in the wild, untamed spirit of 19th-century Wisconsin. 'Wolf River' suggests not just a place, but an active, flowing force of nature that is both beautiful and demanding. It captures the essence of a dog bred to navigate those currents, a creature as a part of that river system as the fish and fowl.

Named for the Wolf River, a tributary of the Fox River in Wisconsin. This river valley is the documented region where the American Water Spaniel breed originated in the 19th century.[1, 5]

This name honors the first American Water Spaniel registered with the United Kennel Club in 1920, a dog belonging to Dr. Fred J. Pfeifer himself.[1, 4] It is the foundation name, representing the moment the 'little brown dog' of the Wisconsin river valleys was formally recognized as a distinct breed. 'Curly Pfeifer' is a name that carries the full weight of the breed's official history, symbolizing the culmination of decades of development and the beginning of its journey toward preservation.

The registered name of the first American Water Spaniel recognized by the United Kennel Club in 1920, owned by Dr. F.J. Pfeifer. 'Curly' describes the coat, and 'Pfeifer' is the owner's surname.[1, 4]

A name that directly ties the dog to its cradle of development, the Fox River Valley in Wisconsin.[5, 7] Alongside the Wolf River, this waterway was the primary theater of operations for the 19th-century hunters who required this specific type of dog. The name 'Fox River' evokes imagery of winding currents, marshy banks, and the clever, adaptable nature required to hunt there. It speaks to the breed's intelligence and its innate understanding of a complex, water-rich environment.

Named for the Fox River in Wisconsin, a key waterway in the region where the American Water Spaniel was developed during the 19th century for waterfowl hunting.[1, 5]