Early in the season you have to be aware of all kinds of seeds that can damage the Water Spaniel Coat and make an owners life a nightmare.  One seed that seems to becoming more prevalent on the west side is the horehound.  It is a small 'v' shaped seed that has small hooks at the tip.  The seed comes off the plant in a thick cluster and bunches the fur and seed together.  This requires an enormous amount of work to get out and the only thing that I have found that works at all is a lot of conditioner and a lot of brushing.  Brushing in the tub with the conditioner and wet coat works the best I have found.  The main thing is to not add soap until all of the seeds are out.  If you use soap and the coat dries it gets even more difficult to remove.

Good luck and be aware of seeds and thistles that can cause problems.