Spaniel or Spaniel. Russian smooth-haired spaniel. Historical information about the origin of the breed

History of the breed.

At the end of the 19th century, a large number of representatives of various breeds of spaniels began to be imported to Russia, since hunting game birds in our country has always been popular. However, hunting enthusiasts soon came to the conclusion that no breed shows such high working qualities as in their homeland. This happened due to the fact that in Russia the flora and fauna are not the same as in Europe and Britain; to put it simply, we have a lot of grass and so-called burdocks. Each hunt boiled down to the fact that the dog worked for two hours, and then spent half a day picking out these same burrs from the most inconspicuous places.

The breeders came to the conclusion that it was necessary to develop their own breed, which would be adapted to our conditions, and would retain all the working qualities of spaniels. As part of the breeding work, the tallest individuals were selected, with a small number of six, and well-developed muscles, in order to ensure the endurance of the future breed. At the very beginning, spaniels of different breeds were crossed, the most frequently used were, and .

The results were not long in coming, and already in 1930 a large group of animals was formed that did not fit the description of any of the spaniel breeds. It seemed that it would not be long before the new breed would see the light, but the Great Patriotic War began, and of course there was no time for dogs. After the war, the number of spaniels decreased greatly, but many trophy animals were brought from conquered Europe and work on the breed resumed again. In 1951, the first standard of the new breed was developed, which was slightly modified in 1966.

Since then, Russian spaniels began to displace their overseas brothers from the hunting ranks. It should be noted that selection is still carried out mainly on working qualities, which is why the word “hunting” was added to the name of the breed.

Appearance and character.

Outwardly, these are lean dogs with an elongated and elegantly built body, short hair, which is very useful, since the less hair, the less grass seeds (burrs) stick to them. The dogs are not large, so an adult male can reach 18 kg with a height of 45 cm at the withers, females up to 13-15 kg, with a height of 30-35 cm, it should be noted that the dogs are quite tall, which also has a beneficial effect on the working qualities of the dog .

By nature, these dogs are kind, sympathetic and very active, they make excellent companions, devoted and fearless protectors of the family, despite their small size the dogs are truly fearless.
But the main passion of Russian hunting spaniels is hunting; even active games cannot always replace it.

Dogs are extremely active, so they need quite long walks, it is best to spend them in games, this will strengthen your bond with the dog and make you best friends. Breeders insist that such dogs should not be kept in apartments, since they are, first and foremost, hunters.

Choosing a puppy.

As for choosing a puppy, I will describe the general rules for choosing puppies, since all this applies, among other things, to the Russian hunting spaniel:

- you should not buy a puppy on the market, since there are simply no purebred dogs there. As for the Russian hunting spaniel, it is better to buy them in hunting clubs, since only hunters have the most purebred, most working dogs.

Of course, if a dog is not entirely purebred, this does not mean that it will be a bad friend and companion - it certainly will be if you love it and take care of it. But you will have to forget about your professional career.

Therefore, it is necessary to buy a puppy only in specialized breeding nurseries, there are a lot of them, so it will not be difficult to find them, while natural competition always leads to an increase in the quality of puppies.

You should choose a puppy only in the environment in which he lived and grew up, since only there will he behave naturally, which will give you the opportunity to more or less objectively draw conclusions, which I will discuss below.

Puppies don't have many worries, as a rule, they eat, sleep, play and explore the world around them, so this is where we will start.

A healthy puppy, if not sleeping, is active, curious and always ready to play with his brothers and sisters. Take the puppy in your hands and smell it; a healthy puppy, which was kept under normal conditions, smells, not exactly like daisies, but definitely not like feces or urine.

The coat of healthy puppies is shiny and lies well on the body, and when he sees you, there should be only curiosity in his eyes, he will definitely come up to you, smell you, maybe taste you, in general, he will begin to explore you.

The puppies in the litter must be homogeneous; it is allowed to have one puppy who is slightly behind in growth and development; for large litters, there may be two such puppies. I do not recommend that you take such puppies if you are a fancier, since you need to pay special attention to their feeding. Such puppies are not at all a waste, as many people think, they are simply the weakest, I once took myself such a puppy, of this breed, and a year later, when we gathered the whole family, he was the most beautiful male in the entire litter, but this is so... for information.

When choosing a puppy, pay attention to the parents, well, everything is simple with the mother, but you may not see the father, to do this, ask for copies of his documents, certificates indicating the awards received. In the documents, make sure that the parents are not closely related, as this is not always good.

Of course, many will say that inbreeding is often used to improve breeds, BUT in addition to strengthening the desired qualities, the risk of genetic diseases also increases.

Be sure to ask the owners about common illnesses in their parents, BUT here, as a rule, you will be deceived, because...well, who will tell you that the parents are sick. But it’s worth mentioning here that breeding nurseries do not allow breeding of individuals that produce sick offspring, so when buying a puppy from a nursery, with a high degree of probability, you will receive a healthy puppy.

Raising and training the Russian hunting spaniel.

If you are not adopting a Russian spaniel for hunting, then remember that training the puppy should begin as early as possible, since puppies of this breed are highly trainable.

Russian spaniels are highly trainable and need communication with their owner; in the absence of such communication, they can become too independent, and as a result, they simply stop listening to you.

Since this breed of dog is a born hunter, they need active games and systematic walks. If you manage to take the animal on a hunt, then your pet’s joy will simply know no bounds.

It should be borne in mind that the hunter's instincts take over, so while walking, constantly monitor your pet, so he can chase everything that moves and eventually get lost. It’s good to walk in parks and forests where it’s not crowded, and your pet will be happy to accompany you while jogging in such places.

As for the time frame, a 2-month-old puppy should be accustomed to his name, establish contact and trust, devote obedience training from 3 to 8 months, after which you can send the dog to a general training course, the so-called OKD .

I will make a reservation that these dogs are highly trainable, so, in my opinion, there is no need for OKD, just train regularly.

If you take this dog for hunting, then you should raise the puppies a little differently:

Of course, you first need to establish contact with the dog so that it can completely trust you. This, as a rule, does not take much time, and by three months, start taking the dogs out into the forest, they should get used to the forest, its inhabitants and, of course, to other dogs. It is very important that dogs do not show aggression towards each other.

Accompany your first walks in the forest with games, use toys and get the dog to bring them to you.

By 5-6 months, dogs should already feel at home in the forest. At this age, the first training for game begins, this is not even training, but probably more of a game, also do not forget to accustom the animal to the sound of gunshots, it is better to do this in the company of experienced dogs, as young puppies will follow the example of their calmer older brothers on weapons.

Usually, by the end of the first year of life, Russian hunting spaniels can hunt quite effectively, here it is worth mentioning right away that your dog may become a professional much earlier, but all this depends on its qualities.

Russian hunting spaniels do not require any special attention, since the breed was bred taking into account the fact that you will not have to “carry it in your arms.”

Dogs tolerate both cold and heat very well, within reasonable limits, of course. Wool perfectly protects the Russian spaniel from precipitation, but some things still have to be done:

- it is necessary to comb the dog as necessary, as a rule, this is done only to make the dog look better. After a hunt or walk, inspect the dog’s paws and interdigital spaces for splinters and spikelets.

— dogs should be bathed when necessary, since they love to swim very much, and they consider any puddle to be a body of water, so they will have to bathe, not just every day, but quite often.

- the eyes also require attention, they are quite a weak point, so wipe them, and if heavy discharge appears, consult a doctor.

— the ears are a separate issue, since when swimming, water constantly gets into them, which leads to inflammatory processes. This can be avoided by regular ventilation. This is done by securing the ears with an elastic band, or as I did - with a clothespin, on the dog’s head; you don’t have to walk like this for long, a few minutes after bathing are enough.

- regular dental care is necessary, this can be done with a toothbrush, my dog ​​did not like this, or by brushing the tartar - at least 2 times a year.

Feeding a Russian hunting spaniel.

There are no problems in feeding these dogs. As for balanced feeding, you need to read the articles; if you have any questions, ask them here or in the comments, I will definitely answer you.

After familiarizing yourself with the basic rules of feeding dogs, I’m sure there shouldn’t be many questions. Keep in mind that these dogs have an excellent appetite, and it is very important not to overfeed your pet, as this can lead to serious health problems, and the problem of excess weight will not be significant.

General rules on what not to feed dogs:

Any fatty food, as dogs are very susceptible to liver and pancreas diseases

Bones, since this is generally stupid, they do not carry any nutritional value, but there can be a lot of problems.

Fresh bread, also because of the pancreas

- a two-month-old puppy needs to be fed 5-6 times a day, reducing the frequency of feeding to 3-4 times by six months and to 2-3 times by 9-10 months. There is no consensus on feeding 2 or 3 times a day; I am inclined to feed 3 times a day in small portions.

There are still debates about which type of feeding is best for this breed, but these debates are simply endless, I personally am a supporter of natural feeding, but I don’t have much more experience than you, so I leave the final decision on the type of feeding To you.

These dogs can be fed from your table, however, as you can see, not all products are suitable for these spaniels, so if you have problems with a balanced diet, try turning to ready-made complete food; which manufacturer to prefer, of course, is up to you, but I suggest to your attention

Health.

Of course, you cannot describe all diseases here, but here are the most common diseases:

- kidney and liver failure - partly inherited, partly due to poor feeding, sometimes very difficult hunting conditions, this is when the hunt takes several days, and the dog is in open snow or strong wind, and she managed to get pretty wet while she was working.

- congenital deafness - genetic disease

— hip dysplasia is a serious disease, but there are treatments that can help in some cases

– hernias – solved by a simple operation

— dislocation of the kneecap is not a simple pathology, but can be treated with both conservative and surgical treatment methods

- cardiomyopathy - lack of regular walks, overfeeding, genetic predisposition.

— epilepsy is a serious problem, but there are quite effective methods for stopping the pathological process

Price for puppies

As for puppies in the markets, you can buy a puppy there for around 100-150 US dollars; in young clubs and private breeders the price will increase to 250-400 US dollars

As for truly breeding nurseries, here the puppies are the most expensive, so the price for a 2-3 month old puppy is in the range of 800-800 dollars, sometimes, when it comes to elite lines, the price can reach 2000 US dollars, sometimes even more.

Excerpts from the standard.

General appearance, build: ROS is a long-haired gun dog, which is distinguished by its overall proportionality, small stature, elongated format, strong-dry type of build. The bones are strong. The muscles are well developed. The skin is dense, elastic, without loose fiber or folds.

Main important proportions: Height at the withers in males is 40-45 cm, in females 38-43 cm. The oblique length of the body, measured from the anterior protrusion of the sternum to the ischial tuberosity, is 110-115% of the height at the withers in males and 115-120% in female. The height at the elbow is equal to 1/2 the height at the withers. The length of the muzzle is equal to the length of the skull.

Behavior and temperament: balanced and active temperament, friendly attitude towards people.

Head: proportional to the general build, dry, moderately long, more massive in males.

Skull: The cranial part is moderately wide, oval when viewed from above. The occipital protuberance is poorly defined. The profile lines of the skull and muzzle are parallel. The brow ridges are moderately developed. The transition from forehead to muzzle is distinct and at the same time smooth.

Muzzle: long, slightly narrower than the skull, well filled under the eyes, slightly tapering towards the nose, blunt in profile. Lips are dry and tight-fitting. The nose is large, with wide open nostrils.

The color of the nose and lips ranges from black to brown to match the color.

Teeth and bite: teeth are healthy, strong, well developed, tightly adjacent to each other. The dental formula is complete. Scissor bite.

Eyes: dark brown or brown, depending on coat color, oval, straight set, moderately large. Brown and brown-white dogs are allowed light brown eyes. The eyelids are dry, pigmented, tightly fitting.

Ears: hanging, long, lobe-shaped, close to the cheekbones, set at eye level or slightly higher, mobile. The slightly elongated ear should reach the nose.

Neck: moderately long, medium set, oval in cross section, muscular, dry.

Torso:

Topline: Slightly sloping from the withers to the base of the tail.

Withers: Well developed and slightly higher than the height at the rump. In males it is especially pronounced. In females, the height at the withers is allowed to be at the same level as the rump.

Back: strong, wide, muscular.

Loin: Short, wide, muscular, slightly arched.

Croup: wide, moderately long, slightly sloping, muscular.

Tail: set in continuation of the croup, rather thick at the base, mobile, straight, with dewlap. In a calm state, the tail is held at the level of the back; when excited, it is held slightly higher. To avoid damage during hunting, it is stopped by half in the first three days after birth. An undocked tail is the cause of frequent injuries when using POC for hunting.

An undocked tail is permitted in countries where docking is prohibited by law. Dogs with docked and undocked tails are judged equally.

Chest: deep, moderately wide, long, with well developed false ribs.

Belly: moderately tucked with a smooth transition to the groin.

Forelegs: dry, bony, straight and parallel when viewed from the front.

Shoulders: the angle of the glenohumeral joint approaches 100 0.

Elbows: point straight back.

Forearms: straight.

Pasterns: voluminous, strong, slightly sloping when viewed from the side.

Hindquarters: When viewed from behind, straight, parallel, muscular, set wider than the forelimbs. When viewed from the side, it has well-defined articulation angles.

Tibia: moderately long, set at an angle.

Hock joints: wide, well defined, dry.

Hocks: voluminous, straight set. Dewclaws must be removed to avoid injury during hunting.

Paws: rounded, arched (in a “ball”), with tightly clenched toes and thick hair between them (“brush”).

Movements: free, easy, productive. The typical gait during the search is a light gallop, which in difficult places is replaced by a trot.

Solid colors: black, brown, red (ranging from light fawn to dark red), with solid colors allowed small white markings on the chest and/or throat and paws. These colors can be with tan.

Two-color colors: black and white, red and white, brown and white with clear boundaries between pigmented and unpigmented areas, with or without speckling, or speckled or roan colors with pigment corresponding to the above colors.

Three-color colors: black and white with tan, brown and white with tan, with possible manifestations of speckling and/or roaning in tone with the above colors.

Bicolor and tricolor dogs can be either spotted or piebald.

Coat: The outer coat is moderately long, shiny, straight or slightly wavy, close-lying. On the head and front sides of the limbs the hair is short and straight. On the upper side of the neck, back, sides and croup – moderately long and thick. On the underside of the neck, chest, belly, back of the front and hind legs, as well as on the ears and lower part of the tail, the hair is longer, soft, wavy, and forms feathers and dewlap. Between the toes the hair is thick and brushy.

Any deviations from the above standards should be regarded as shortcomings or defects, depending on the degree of their severity.

Flaws:

Insufficiently strong or rough bones;

Insufficiently developed, poorly defined muscles, loose skin with slight folds;

Insufficiently expressed sexual dimorphism, lack of distinct high anteriority in males;

Some excitability or phlegmatic behavior;

Short or overly stretched body;

Rough, damp or light head, slight cheekbones;

Somewhat lowered, slightly upturned or short muzzle, slight hooked nose, weakly expressed transition; damp lips, excessively blunt edge of the upper lip;

Ears that are set too high or too low, too long or short, harsh at the base, not mobile enough;

Round, small, slightly sunken eyes with loose eyelids; light brown eyes in any color other than brown or brown-white;

Small sparse or carious teeth, absence of premolars, but no more than two of the number P 1, P 2, P 3;

Short, long, with poorly developed muscles, excessively high or low set, slightly loaded at the base of the neck; small suspension;

Poorly developed withers, noticeable overtracking, soft or slightly humped back when standing and/or moving;

Straight, somewhat elongated loin;

Narrow, short, somewhat sloping, insufficiently muscular croup;

Short or long docked, inactive, tucked tail; in a calm state, the tail is set above the level of the back; when excited, it is set too high, but not vertically;

A drooping or overly tucked belly;

Slight curvature of the forearms, slightly straightened angle of the glenohumeral joint, slightly turned outward elbows, clubfoot, soft metacarpus, small size;

Insufficiently pronounced angles of the articulations, a narrow set of the hind legs, hock joints slightly close together or turned outward, slight sabering;

Narrow, elongated, slightly loose, with excessively long, soft hair between the toes;

Sluggish, somewhat mincing or constrained movements, weak push;

Coarse, insufficiently tight, insufficiently developed or excessively long, excessively wavy top coat hair;

Underdeveloped dressing hair

Lightness or roughness of build;

Poor physical development, loose skin in folds;

Weak sexual dimorphism;

Clearly expressed lethargy, phlegmaticity, excitability;

Shortened or excessively elongated format;

Deviation from standard height by more than 2 cm in any direction;

Rough, damp, light head, pronounced cheekbones, weakly or overdeveloped brow ridges; smooth or sharp transition;

Short, downturned or upturned muzzle; raw lips;

Low or high set, light, heavy, narrow, short or excessively long, rolled into a tube, motionless ears;

Protruding eyes; very light, yellow, amber eyes of any color; drooping and/or pink eyelids;

Absence of no more than four premolars from the number P 1, P 2, P 3; absence of one P 4 in the lower jaw;

Raw neck, significantly loaded at the base;

Undeveloped withers, sagging or hunchbacked back, weak long loin, narrow, short croup with poorly developed muscles;

Narrow or barrel-shaped chest;

Curved forearms, straight shoulder, out-turned elbows, clubfoot, soft pasterns, markings;

Straightened angles of the joints of the hind limbs, narrow stance, hock joints clearly close together or significantly turned outward, pronounced sabering;

Flat, splayed paws;

Sluggish, mincing, constrained movements;

Coarse, curly or in a curl on the neck and body, tousled, plump, short topcoat; lack of dressing hair;

Disqualifying faults:

Unprovoked aggression towards a person, cowardice;

All deviations from a scissor bite, regardless of severity; jaw distortion;

Presence of extra incisors;

The absence of one or more incisors, or the presence of broken incisors, if this prevents the determination of the bite;

The absence of at least one fang;

The absence of at least one molar (with the exception of M 3), the absence of two P 4 in the lower jaw or at least one P 4 in the upper jaw, or more than four premolars from among P 1, P 2, P 3;

Discord;

Any colors other than those specified in the standard; color of the nose and lips not provided for by the standard;

Congenital bobtail;

Cryptorchidism.

Dogs that have deviations in anatomy and behavior that affect health or interfere with their traditional use are subject to disqualification.

Note: Males must have two normally developed testes, fully descended into the scrotum.

Video report on the King Charles Spaniel breed.

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Classification

In the classification of dog breeds of the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), spaniels are presented depending on their origin and primary hunting use. The group of pointing breeds (Group 7, section 1.2) includes continental pointing dogs such as spaniels that stand up to game. Spaniels of British-American origin, used mainly in hunting swamp and waterfowl, are classified in group 8 (spaniels and retrievers).

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Literature

• Spaniel // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.

Notes

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The Cocker Spaniel is an energetic companion dog and a natural hunter.

A playful and friendly dog ​​with beautiful fur and large ears gives joy to homebodies and travelers, and serves together with humans. The Cocker Spaniel actively helps border guards, police and customs officers. Their subtle sense of natural hunters cannot be deceived when searching for drugs and illegal drugs, no foreign odors, and even gasoline.

It is believed that the ancestors of the cocker spaniel lived back in the Bronze Age. Ancient dogs helped people during hunting and became the progenitors of all representatives of hunting breeds. Over its centuries-long history, the spaniel breed has acquired hunting qualities and a repeatable external type.

The dog breed originated from British long-haired dogs with excellent scent, and began to be mentioned in sources from the 4th century AD.

The name of the breed comes from the expression “span spane” (one who jumps high), which characterizes the dog’s behavior while hunting. Cocker spaniels deftly jump out from ambush after prey or wait for it, stretched out at attention. The second part of the name denotes the type of bird - cocker - for which the dog was intended to hunt.

English cynologists began breeding the breed with the advent of the 19th century. At the end of the century, the English Cocker Spaniel Club was created and the breed was registered. After registration of the standard, it was adjusted several times. The international classification of English Cocker Spaniels occurred in 1974.

Over time, the Cocker Spaniel dog was divided into national species: English, Russian, American. The British call the breed simply Cocker Spaniel, and in America it is called the American Cocker.

The appearance of the breed on the territory of Russia occurred at the beginning of the twentieth century. At first these were only individual representatives. Popularity came in the 70s, when cocker spaniels began to be imported en masse from nurseries in England and Finland. After 10 years, beautiful and mischievous dogs began to participate in exhibitions. Hunters and amateur dog breeders began to breed the breed.

Description of the breed

The cocker spaniel's seething energy was reflected in his appearance. The powerful body of a medium-sized dog can easily fit into a square, and the shape of the muzzle is similar to a rectangle. The transition line between the forehead and nose with a blunt edge. The wide croup is quite muscular. The line of the back is soft and smoothly transitions to the tail.

The powerful chest is not wide. The Cocker Spaniel's shoulders are set obliquely and merge with the body. The neck is of medium length and has no dewlap and is beautifully set on the shoulders.

The smoothly contoured skull features a wide nose, providing excellent sense of smell, and large, round eyes. Dark eye color comes in various shades of brown. There are sparkles of mischief, good nature, devotion and intelligence in the eyes.

Strong jaws have a scissor bite, where the upper completely overlaps the lower. A notable feature of the Cocker Spaniel breed is its flap-shaped, long ears, covered with silky hair and falling down. In the breed standard, the tips of the hairless ears reach the nose. The dog received luxurious ears as a result of human selection, and not as a result of natural selection.

The dog has strong support due to short and powerful front legs covered with thick hair. The structure of the hind limbs is durable and has a large amplitude of flexion for rapid movement. The paws end in dense pads with small membranes between the toes for swimming after game. The set of the highly mobile tail is below the line of the back and never rises even when active. The tail is not docked short for the purpose of using the dog for hunting.

Wool attracts with its decorative properties and its structure is similar to soft, silky hair. It is long and straight, without curls or curls. The surface of the hind and forelimbs has feathers.

Colors include roan, black, dark hazel or spotted. Flaws include the presence of white spots on the sides and back with a solid color. A natural hunter, the Cocker dog moves with strong jumps quickly and easily.

The length of the body is about 40 cm. The height of males at the withers is 36-41 cm, and that of females is 30-40 cm. The body weight of animals is in the range of 10-14.5 kg. The lifespan of Cocker Spaniels is 12-16 years.

Dog character

The Cocker Spaniel's personality is based on kindness, intelligence and cunning, as well as his background as a hunter. The hunter's instinct makes the dog very active and excited, which is not always appropriate in city life. Having sensed something interesting during a walk, the cocker sets off to perform an important task and moves away from its owner at a great distance. They developed the habit of making independent decisions while hunting.

Most cocker spaniels have a sociable disposition, although there are timid and shy ones. Animals are endowed with obedience to a friend. They do not have the obedience of a servant or the desire to curry favor with the master. They listen to the owner with purely English nobility and behave as equals. They go to please their master out of great love for him.

Funny and cheerful cocker spaniels love noise, active games and company. They easily make friends with other dogs and join in their activities.

Cockers enjoy playing with children, chasing them or frolicking with a ball. However, children under 7 years of age should have adult supervision when interacting with a dog. A dog excited by play may push, scratch or bite the baby.

The lack of aggression, good nature and cheerfulness made the Cocker Spaniel a pleasant companion and friend for humans. Representatives of the breed are quick to learn and peaceful. Some individuals are excessively noisy due to their habit of barking.

Bitches are more likely to dominate and show stubbornness, which manifests itself in relation to their toys. Aversion to small animals is only sometimes observed in the descendants of avid hunters.

What this breed loves most is hunting. they have no equal in perseverance in hunting. It seems that they don’t get tired at all, but quite the opposite. An interesting feature of Cocker Spaniels is their love of traveling in a car. For this reason, they even jump into other people's cars to speed away.

Adaptation at home

Small-sized dogs are quite suitable for keeping in an apartment, subject to long walks with physical activity.

At first, puppies need company; they should not be left alone. Hunting instincts do not prevent the Cocker Spaniel from being a domestic dog. You shouldn't keep him on a leash. The animal must have freedom of movement for the full development of the skeleton and muscle mass.

The dog immediately needs to organize a sleeping place that it must know. The place should not be on a passage or draft. From this place there should be a good view of the apartment in order to observe the owner. A bright and dry corner of the room would be ideal. For bedding, use a regular children's mattress or an orthopedic one covered with cotton fabric.

The Cocker Spaniel breed is endowed with tenderness and emotionality. And their love for tactile contact provokes them to climb into their master’s bed. Such attempts should be stopped. They are only appropriate in cases where you need to calm your pet.

Care and maintenance

The main attention when caring for a cocker spaniel should be given to the coat. The attractive appearance of the cocker spaniel is maintained by regular combing and plucking of the tuft on the head. Owners encounter their first difficulties when the first molt begins at the age of six months. A large amount of wool and fluff is removed in a timely manner so as not to disrupt fur growth in the future.

Hair brushing is carried out 3-5 times a week, depending on the size of the dog. Grooming should begin with the puppy so that the dog develops a habit. To get a haircut, you need to contact a master groomer so that you don’t spoil the appearance of your cocker spaniel by doing it yourself.

It is necessary to bathe your Cocker Spaniel regularly, every 1 month. Products for long hair are suitable for bathing. This includes not only shampoos, but also conditioners that nourish the coat and eliminate the accumulation of static electricity. After bathing, the dog is covered with a wet towel and left to dry the coat. When the wool has dried a little, use a cold air dryer and a comb.

After a walk, you will need to wash your paws regularly, which should also be taught from a young age. Well, of course, in the case of active hunting or gambling, the dog may get dirty, then it is bathed with special shampoos.

Long ears also need care, which get dirty during walks and while eating. To prevent your ears from getting in the way and rubbing against the floor, use special dishes with a stand. Like other dogs, the Cocker Spaniel needs to have its pads trimmed, its nails trimmed, and any long hair on its face removed.

How to feed

Increased activity burns a large number of calories that need to be replenished. An adult dog's excellent appetite is satisfied with just one feeding per day. The food consists of poultry, beef or horse meat. You can use boiled offal: heart, liver, lungs or stomach.

Cocker spaniels enjoy eating fish. Catfish and cod without bones and fins are preferred. The daily diet includes porridge made from rice, buckwheat or oatmeal. The vegetable supplement is prepared from grated cabbage, carrots, turnips or pumpkin.

Milk soup and noodles 1-2 times a week are suitable for feeding your dog.

Dogs enjoy eating black bread crackers. Raisins, garlic and honey or ready-made supplements will help maintain vitamin and mineral balance. To feed your dog, you can use ready-made dry food and canned food.

Watch also the video

Spaniels first appeared in Spain where the breed was named after its homeland. Then dogs with floppy ears and thick, short hair were brought to England.
Initially, spaniels were divided into two groups: some were taken to hunt on land, others - in water. Nowadays there are many types of this breed, but this article will describe English, American and Russian cocker spaniels. To better understand the difference between them, it is necessary to carefully study the characteristics of each type.

English cocker spaniel

Englishman - a hunting dog famous for its agility and endurance. It differs from the American and Russian spaniels in the size and shape of the head, as well as the proportions of the body. The English Cocker has a dense and muscular build, a short body, strong and strong paws, and his head is arched and slightly flattened in front, his eyes are kind, cheerful, with an intelligent expression. The English Cocker has a long, silky and thick coat of various colors, which must be carefully groomed and trimmed regularly.

cocker spaniels

The Englishman is considered an excellent hunter , who is persistent and resilient during the hunt. Hunting instincts and sense of smell are developed at the highest level.
He is friendly towards people and other dogs and loves to play with children.

English Cocker Spaniel...

American cocker

It is known that the English cocker spaniel is considered the ancestor of the American one, which explains their similarity. The American is inferior in size and weight to the English and Russian, and the main difference between this breed is its sculpted, beautifully set head with regular lines. The American Cocker's skull is rounded, its eyes are oval, and its ears are long. The American Spaniel boasts a long and silky coat in colored, black, black and tan, or any other solid color with or without tan.
Despite the excellent hunting qualities of the American Cocker, he is better known as a participant in various exhibitions and simply the main favorite in the family.

Differences between American, English and Russian
cocker spaniels

American - a very smart and loyal dog.

We invite you to watch a video about American Cocker Spaniel...

Russian Spaniel

Russian cocker spaniel was obtained by crossing different species of this breed. The breeders wanted to get a spaniel that would be most suitable for working in local hunting grounds. The body of the Russian Spaniel is slightly longer than the body of the American and English Spaniels, the legs are also long, which makes it easier to gallop in difficult places. The head is light, slightly convex at the sides, the profile is almost rectangular, and the upper lip is slightly rounded. Wool of medium length and thickness should not be cut.
Thanks to their endurance and excellent sense of smell, Russian spaniels have become very popular hunters. With a Russian cocker you can hunt not only ducks, but also corncrake and hare.

Differences between American, English and Russian
cocker spaniels

In addition, Russian cocker — a pet and a good watchman in the house!

We invite you to watch a video about Russian spaniel...

And an English springer spaniel. An excellent assistant when hunting waterfowl. His task is to find the bird, lift it on the wing, and after the hunter and his team have fired, present the game.

History of the Russian Hunting Spaniel breed

At the end of the 19th century, various representatives of the cocker spaniel breed were brought to Russia. Unfortunately, these small, squat dogs turned out to be not very suitable for bird hunting conditions in Russia. Hunters at that time had a growing need for a hardy and unpretentious small-sized gun dog.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, admirers of the new breed selected tall-legged and temperamental individuals for breeding, and brought springers from abroad to mix blood with different types of livestock. By the end of the 30s of the twentieth century in Russia there were a large number of spaniels that did not fit into any group of similar breeds. They had common characteristics, although they were no longer cockers or springers, but they did not reach the level of the Russian hunting spaniel.

The development of a new breed continued after the end of the Great Patriotic War, when various representatives of the spaniel family began to be brought to the USSR from abroad. Thanks to hard and diligent work, from the livestock that remained during the war and imported individuals, the breeders were able to develop a new type - the Russian hunting spaniel.

1951 The first breed standard was developed, meeting the requirements and demands of hunters in the USSR. In 1966, the standard was slightly modified. Today, the Russian hunting spaniel is very popular in Russia.

Description of the Russian hunting spaniel breed

In the photo there is a Russian hunting spaniel at an exhibition

Breed recognized by: RSC, FIC, UFC, NAKC, CKC, APRI (FCI not recognized).

Russian hunting spaniel color

One-color (solid) color(completely without white markings, or with marks in clearly defined places - on the forehead, muzzle, throat, chest, belly, paws, end of the tail).

• Black (smooth, straight coat)
• Brown, chocolate (appears in the absence of black pigment. The eyes and nose are brown. The coat is thick, long, soft. A dense cap often forms on the head, thick and dense on the back and limbs)
• Red (color from light fawn to dark red. Nose - black, brown; eyes dark brown.

Disadvantages: flesh-colored nose, very light almost yellow eyes)

Photo of a hunting spaniel in different colors

Two-tone (piebald) color:

• Black and piebald contrasting color
• Brown - piebald contrast color
• Red and piebald contrasting color
• Black and piebald with speckles (puppies darken as they grow older, the most speckled one can turn black).
• Brown piebald with specks
• Red piebald with specks
• Tan (red markings located in strictly defined places - above the eyes, on the inside of the ears, on the cheeks, two triangles on the chest, marks on the paws and under the tail. Tan can be present in black and brown colors).
• Black and tan
• Brown and tan

In the spaniel, piebald colors are more common, divided into two types:

1. Contrasting (spots of the primary color on a white background). The puppies have a pink nose and pink paws with several speckles.
2. Speckled (almost black or blurred speckles, sometimes the speckles are clearly visible). These babies have dark noses and paw pads from birth.

Both contrasting and speckled Russian Hunting Spaniel puppies are born white with large markings. Whether a puppy will have markings can be determined by the pigmentation of the nose and paw pads.

At 1 month of age, the specks are already visible. By the age of seven months, the dog acquires its final shade. When breeding a speckled and contrasting spaniel, the speckling will be dominant. Two contrasting individuals will not produce speckled offspring.

Tricolor colors:

• Black and piebald contrasting with tan (red markings appear in place of black markings).
• Brown - piebald contrasting with tan
• Black and piebald speckled and tan
• Brown - piebald speckled with tan

Russian hunting spaniel character

By nature, the Russian hunting spaniel is cheerful, friendly, affectionate and balanced. An indispensable assistant for a hunter, it has all the qualities of a hunting dog: a sharp mind, excellent instincts, hardy, energetic, persistent, will not give up until it finds and brings prey to the owner.

It will be a wonderful companion for long walks in the forest or park. Like all spaniels, he loves to swim. Getting prey out of the water is a mere trifle for him. The Russian hunting spaniel is constantly on the move, even when walking with its owner, it will run around in search of prey and pick up different smells and sounds.

Gets along well with domestic animals; when kept in the village, he is not noticed for the shameful habit of chasing chickens or geese. But the owner is always responsible for raising any animal. If you praise and reward pranks towards other animals as a puppy, it is no longer easy to retrain an adult spaniel.

Thanks to its innate tendency to fetch game, this is the best partner for active games; it will bring a ball and a stick with great pleasure. He is patient with the owner's children, loves them, can play and frolic with them, but often shows aggression towards other people's children.

He is highly trainable, accepts new commands well, and is able to carry out various trained commands when praised by his owner.

Graceful Russian hunting spaniel photo in his favorite element

A big minus, the Russian spaniel does not know the feeling of satiety, it is always not enough for him. Be sure to watch your diet, do not overfeed, and find time for physical activity.

When walking, it is advisable to keep him on a leash or wear a muzzle, he is like a vacuum cleaner, sweeps away all waste along the way, unfortunately, he will not miss a single trash heap.

Contents of the Russian Hunting Spaniel

In the photo, a Russian hunting spaniel lies thoughtfully

The Russian Hunting Spaniel is not fussy to keep, but the breed is long-haired and sheds. Shedding occurs seasonally, twice a year, spring - autumn. When kept in a house with dry, warm air, shedding is more noticeable. But this is not yet a reason to keep the dog in the cold and frost. Just decide whether you can find time to care for this particular spaniel.

Like any hunting breed, the Russian hunting spaniel feels better on the street, where there are many interesting and understandable smells that only it can study, there are sticks that can be chewed, and will not be scolded. But most importantly, you can frolic and expend restless energy.

If you are an avid hunter and live in a small city apartment, you will definitely like the Russian hunting spaniel. Its small size allows it to be kept anywhere in the apartment; it can be easily placed in a backpack and taken with you on a hunt, where it can release pent-up energy, run and swim. Frequent bathing hardens the body, helps strengthen the nervous system and develop the respiratory system, and improves paw motor skills.

True, he has one sin, ROS, he simply loves to chew on whatever he finds in the house: slippers, socks, TV remote control, etc. But loving owners often forgive him for this.

Caring for the Russian Hunting Spaniel

Russian hunting spaniel photo in the yard with his favorite ring

Solution proportions: Add 1 tablespoon of citric or acetic acid to 1 liter of hot water, mix the contents and cool to a temperature of 40 ° C. If there is no balm, you can rinse your hair with this solution after bathing.

Russian Hunting Spaniel puppies have short and sparse hair, but it should be combed. A massage brush made of natural hair is perfect for this procedure; it will not damage the baby’s delicate skin and will provide good massage and blood circulation.

Bathing: recommended when dirty or 1-2 times a month. A special dog shampoo with conditioner and rinse can be purchased at any pet store; you should choose according to your coat type. Make sure that the detergent does not dry out the skin; this can be recognized by frequent itching or the appearance of dandruff. In this case, change your shampoo.

After bathing, the spaniel's coat is treated with balm or cosmetic oil. Thanks to these products, the hair becomes elastic, and tangles appear less often under the arms, in the groin area and on the hocks.

Haircut: You can cut your puppy's hair for the first time at the age of 3 months, depending on how much hair grows. There are 2 types of haircuts for the Russian Hunting Spaniel:

1. Full (done every 2 - 3 months using a groomer)
2. Hygienic (every 2 weeks, overgrown hair on the paws, around the anus and ear holes is trimmed)

Photo of Russian hunting spaniel and small puppy

The fur on ROS's back cannot be cut. At the age of 8 months, puppy fluff begins to be rejected, and the hair on the back looks unkempt. Use a short-toothed comb that removes lint well. Carry out the procedure every day, combing small areas, so you are less likely to injure the dog’s delicate skin.

Many owners want to shave it all off, let a new one grow, but remember, once the hair on the back of a Russian Hunting Spaniel is cut, it will never grow back smooth and even. She will constantly bristle, which is a significant drawback for a show dog.

The area around the anus is trimmed for hygiene purposes. The tail is cut into a wedge shape, and tangles in the groin area are cut off. On the paws, it is trimmed in the vicinity of the pads, between the toes and in a circle just above the claws, so that the hair does not come into contact with the ground while walking.

Ears: folded, need regular inspection and ventilation. It's easy to air out your pet's ears, just flap them like wings for a few minutes. Clean your ears once a month or as needed, with a cotton swab dipped in warm water or a weak peroxide solution. Wipe the inside of your ear to remove dust and wax. A healthy spiniel does not have a lot of sulfur accumulation and does not have an unpleasant odor.

If your pet often shakes its head, as if shaking something out of its ear, a lot of wax accumulates, and an unpleasant odor emanates, be sure to seek help from a veterinarian. The main cause is ear inflammation, but only a specialist can make the correct diagnosis and prescribe treatment.

Eyes: of a healthy Russian hunting spaniel, clean, without souring or tearing. Once a week, as a preventive measure, wipe your eyes with weak tea leaves or a decoction of chamomile flowers.

Claws: trimmed with a nail clipper - guillotine once a month. If he is active and runs a lot, the procedure can be done less frequently. But in this case, watch the condition of the claws; they should not be too long or curled. This leads to lameness.

Always remember about the fifth dewclaw on the front paws.

But if you notice lethargy, lack of appetite, increased body temperature (40 - 42°C), red or brown urine, immediately go to the veterinarian. Only a specialist can save the dog.

Russian hunting spaniel photo near a painted house with a bowl

The diet of a Russian hunting spaniel should include foods necessary for the body, vitamins and minerals. ROS is characterized by a constant feeling of hunger. Even if he has just eaten, he will still ask for more.

The owner’s main task is to monitor the portion size and provide physical exercise.
A Russian Hunting Spaniel puppy is fed 4 - 5 times a day, with an interval of 3 hours. As they grow older, the number of feedings decreases to 2 meals a day, morning and evening. Feeding should be satisfying, healthy and balanced.

Clean water is always available to the dog. Keep bowls clean and free of food residues. They should be washed with hot water.

There are a number of foods that should not be given, and don’t be fooled by big hungry eyes; the key to a healthy dog ​​is proper nutrition.

Spaniel puppy with a wary look - photo on the table

Essential Products for a Russian Spaniel:

• Lean meat (beef, rabbit, turkey, chicken)
• Liver, heart, kidneys, udder, spleen
• Lungs, mesentery, intestinal clippings, stomach
• Meat and bone meal
• Sections, cartilage, films
• Heads, legs, wings
• Sea fish (boneless)
• Cereals (rice, oatmeal, buckwheat)
• Seasonal vegetables and fruits
• Bread, dried or stale (can be added to milk or thin soup)
• Rye crackers strengthen and clean teeth
• Lactic acid products (kefir, low-fat cottage cheese)

Prohibited Products:

• Fat meat
• Smoked meats
• Seasonings
• Chocolate
• Spices
• River fish
• Legumes (cause gas)
• Pastries, fresh bread
• Sweets

Spaniel puppies are given scalded meat products in the form of minced meat, when they change their milk teeth to permanent ones, and at 7-8 months they are cut into small pieces.

Meat waste from the intestines and stomach is given in boiled form, there is a risk of infection with pathogenic bacteria.

Hunting breeds are fed boiled waste from game birds so that the dogs do not subsequently tear or crush the game. The portion must be eaten as a sneak, the leftover food is hidden in the refrigerator until the next feeding. Food is served at room temperature and always fresh.