Pfeifer Name for American Water Spaniel

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 honors Thomas Brogdan of Rush Lake, Wisconsin, one of the key figures who worked alongside John Scofield to gain AKC recognition for the breed in 1940.[1] This name represents the second critical phase of the breed's history: the transition from a regional hunting dog to a nationally recognized purebred. 'Rush Lake' symbolizes collaboration, foresight, and the effort required to secure a breed's future beyond its original sphere of influence.

Named in reference to Rush Lake, Wisconsin, the home of Thomas Brogdan, who was instrumental in securing American Kennel Club recognition for the American Water Spaniel in 1940.[1]

Like 'Pfeifer', this name is a direct homage to a key historical figure, Thomas Brogdan, who played a vital role in the breed's journey to AKC recognition.[1] While Pfeifer saved the breed from extinction, Brogdan helped elevate it to the national stage. The name 'Brogdan' signifies the importance of advocacy and the formal structures that ensure a breed's standards and lineage are maintained. It represents the crucial step of codification and official acceptance.

The surname of Thomas Brogdan of Rush Lake, Wisconsin. He was a key collaborator in the effort to have the American Water Spaniel officially recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1940.[1]

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 refers to Waupaca County, the specific Wisconsin county where the town of New London is located.[2] It offers a more subtle and unique geographical anchor than the town or rivers themselves. The name, of Native American origin, adds a layer of deeper history, acknowledging the land's heritage long before European settlement. It suggests a dog that is not just a product of 19th-century hunters, but is tied to the ancient soul of the land itself.

The name of a county in Wisconsin, home to New London. The name is believed to be derived from a Menominee or Potawatomi term, possibly meaning 'white sand bottom' or 'looking on.'.[2]

The Driftless Area is a unique region of Wisconsin (and neighboring states) that was never covered by glaciers during the last ice age, resulting in a landscape of steep, rugged hills and deeply carved river valleys.[12] This name is a sophisticated metaphor for the AWS itself: a breed that is ancient in its form, rugged in its constitution, and shaped by forces different from those that created more modern, specialized breeds. It suggests a character that is original, authentic, and has remained unchanged by passing trends.[3]

A geological term for a region that lacks 'drift,' the glacial deposits of rock and soil left behind by retreating ice sheets. The Driftless Area of Wisconsin is known for its distinctive, unglaciated topography.[12]

This name refers to the small, flat-bottomed boat that was the primary working platform for the 19th-century hunters who developed the AWS.[1, 13] The breed was specifically designed to be compact enough to work from a skiff without capsizing it.[7, 14] The name 'Skiff' therefore encapsulates the breed's core design principle: a perfect balance of size, power, and stability. It symbolizes the intimate partnership between hunter and dog in the close confines of a small boat.

From the Middle French 'esquif', meaning 'a small boat'. A skiff is typically a small, open boat, often used for fishing or as a tender, and was the vessel from which the AWS was bred to hunt.[13]

Flint is the hard, gray rock used to create a spark in a flintlock firearm, the type of weapon used during the era of the AWS's development. This name positions the dog as the essential catalyst for the hunt—the spark that ignites the action. It is a metaphor for the dog's 'hard flush', that moment of explosive energy that puts a bird into flight.[9] 'Flint' suggests something fundamental, reliable, and capable of creating fire and excitement from a moment of stillness.

A hard, sedimentary form of quartz. Historically, it was crucial for making stone tools and for creating sparks in early firearms.