basic information
| Breed name: | Russian hunting spaniel |
| Country of origin: | USSR |
| The time of the birth of the breed: | 1951 |
| Type of: | companion dog |
| The weight: | 15–20 kg |
| Height (height at the withers): | 36-44 cm |
| Life Expectancy: | 10 - 13 years old |
|
ICF classification:
|
not recognized |
| Puppies price: | 50 – 200 $ |
| Most popular nicknames: | list of nicknames for russian spaniel |
Assessment of breed characteristics
| Adaptability
(a definition meaning how easily a dog can adapt to changes in life) |
🐶🐶🐶🐶 |
| Shedding level
(Level and frequency of hair loss in the animal) |
🐶🐶🐶 |
| Tenderness level
(The level and amount of tenderness and affection that the dog gives in return for attention to itself) |
🐶🐶🐶 |
| Exercise needs
(Dog's daytime activity level) |
🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶 |
| Social need
(The required number of contacts of the dog with other animals, as well as people) |
🐶🐶🐶🐶 |
| Apartment content
(A factor that determines the level of noise and other inconveniences that a dog can deliver to owners in relation to the size of the apartment to the size of the dog) |
🐶🐶🐶 |
| Grooming
(The number of bathing, brushing, and the number of professional grooming sessions required for the dog) |
🐶🐶🐶 |
| Friendliness in an unfamiliar environment
(Features of the behavior of a dog in a society with strangers or in an unfamiliar environment) |
🐶🐶🐶🐶 |
| Tendency to bark
(Tendency to bark and its frequency and volume) |
🐶🐶 |
| Health issues
(Potential health status of the dog) |
🐶🐶🐶🐶 |
| Territoriality
(The dog's tendency to protect his home, yard, or even his owner's car) |
🐶🐶🐶 |
| Friendliness to cats
(The tendency towards tolerance for cats and decreased manifestation of hunting instincts) |
🐶🐶🐶🐶 |
| Intelligence
(The ability of the dog to think and solve emerging difficulties (not to be confused with learning!) |
🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶 |
| Education and training
(The level of difficulty in training the dog to perform certain actions) |
🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶 |
| Friendliness to children
(A factor that determines how friendly a dog is to children, whether he likes to play with them and tolerate some childish pranks) |
🐶🐶🐶🐶 |
| Game activity
(The concept is determined by its very name, and, as a rule, is found in almost all dogs) |
🐶🐶🐶🐶 |
| Observation
(The ability of a dog to detect the presence of a stranger on its territory) |
🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶 |
| Friendliness to other dogs
(The tendency of the dog to find common language with his other relatives) |
🐶🐶🐶🐶 |
Brief description of the breed
Russian hunting spaniel is a breed of domestic gun dogs, bred as a result of crossing many varieties of spaniels (English Cocker Spaniel, Springer Spaniel, Sussex Spaniel, etc.). The excessively long coat and short stature of the progenitors of modern Russian spaniels did not allow these dogs to be full-fledged hunting assistants. The goal of dog handlers was to bring out such a breed that would include all the advantages of spaniels and exclude disadvantages. Dogs of this breed have a strong physique, they are quite high at the withers, their limbs are straight, parallel. Russian hunting spaniels have well-developed muscles, a taut belly, long and thick hair, are short in stature (females - from 35 to 42 cm, males - from 37 to 45 cm), the weight of dogs ranges from 15 to 20 kg. The stretch index for females is 115-120 cm, for males - 110-115 cm. Russian spaniels have several color options: one-color (red, brown, black), two-color (black, red, brown-piebald), tricolor (spotted white , black and brown and tan). The color of the eyes of dogs of this breed has a brown tint. The tail of the dogs is docked at half length. Russian spaniels live for about 10, rarely 20 years.
The advantages of this breed can be considered the simultaneous service of a person during hunting and at home. Being a gun dog, the Russian Spaniel helps the owner find prey during the hunt, tracking it down, and then bringing it to the owner. Russian spaniels are taken to hunt hares, waterfowl, marsh and field birds. Dogs of the Russian Spaniel breed are distinguished by mobility and activity, that is, the owner will have to pay due attention to raising the animal and caring for it. These dogs are ideal for families with children, as they are friendly and accommodating. Since the Russian Spaniel breed was created for the purpose of participating in hunting, the advantages of these animals during forays into nature are obvious. Firstly, the Russian Spaniel is convenient to transport due to its relatively small height and weight. Secondly, dogs of this breed are quite quickly and easily trained, and the rapid formation of the skeleton and muscle mass allows them to start hunting from 7-8 months. In addition, Russian spaniels show excellent results when hunting for upland (black grouse, hazel grouse, capercaillie, etc.), field (partridge, quail), marsh (sandpiper, heron, crane), waterfowl (geese, ducks) birds, on small animals (squirrels, hares), that is, these dogs are almost universal (according to their size).
Origin story
The ancestors of today's Russian Spaniels were originally bred by crossing long-haired cops. And distant Spain is considered to be the historical homeland of spaniels, although these dogs won real popularity among hunters in England. Spaniels (cocker, springer, sussex, field, etc.) began to be imported into our country in 1884, but the real demand for this breed began after the Great Patriotic War.
Although the breed standard was developed and introduced only in 1951, Russian spaniels existed long before that. The importation of spaniels, which gave rise to the development of the new breed, began at the end of the 19th century, and already at the beginning of the new century, measures were taken to select dogs intended to help people during hunting, while being adapted to the climate and natural conditions that were characteristic of our country. countries.
Cocker spaniels gained popularity among hunters, but due to their physical data could not adapt to the swampy, difficult terrain, they were mired in snow in the winter. The war had a significant impact on the work of specialists in breeding a new breed, however, dogs exported from the country and newly arrived in peacetime in the USSR made it possible to begin selection work. The crossing of many varieties of spaniels made it possible to develop a new breed, which was officially recognized 65 years ago. It is believed that the Russian hunting spaniel is one of the youngest breeds bred in our country.
Colors:
The nature of the Russian spaniel
Maintenance and care
A potential owner of a dog of this breed should initially decide on the purpose for which he is going to purchase an animal. If a dog is to become a companion and helper during the hunt, then from the very beginning one should not pamper it too much. For example, it is unwise to feed a hunting dog with food from the table, to allow great curiosity and stick your wet nose where it does not belong. Ideally, the dog should obey his master and unconditionally respond to his prohibitions. Since Russian Spaniels are extremely active animals, the owner will have to take long daily walks in the fresh air in any weather (walk the dog before feeding). Puppies under the age of 8 months are taken for a walk at least 3 times a day, an adult dog needs two daily exercise. At the same time, the walk should be at least half an hour (preferably an hour or more). After going outside, the dog must be brushed, thoroughly wiped or washed with paws. If the dog will accompany the owner on the hunt, then from six months you should take it with you on outings so that the animal gradually gets used to the terrain.
Before acquiring such a dog, you should give it a certain place where there will be no drafts, and the temperature in the room will not be too high. It is preferable to choose a room where it will not be noisy, where the dog will not be constantly haunted by extraneous odors (for example, in the kitchen during cooking) and dampness - all these factors will affect the instinct and health of a four-legged friend in the future. The sleeping place of the dog should be equipped with a comfortable bed, the cleanliness of which the owner must strictly monitor. For a puppy, it is advisable to put a small box of litter next to the litter for a while, but only until the baby is accustomed to constant walks. The dog should have bowls for food and water, which should be washed regularly. The long coat of the Russian Spaniel will require the purchase of brushes, combs and grooming combs. In addition, the owner of the dog must have a collar, leash, muzzle. It is also a good idea to consider the availability of toys for the dog, especially in cases where it does not have the opportunity to walk for a long time, but spends most of the time in the apartment. As entertainment, you can use rubber squeaker balls purchased at pet stores, rubber children's toys that do not have removable parts.
In addition to caring for a luxurious coat, you should periodically bathe dogs of this breed, but not more than 3-4 times a year, starting from 6 months of age. For bathing, you should use a shampoo specially designed for dogs and warm (not hotter than 30-33 degrees) water. To avoid allergies, do not bathe animals with shampoos made for humans. In summer and warm time, Russian spaniels love to swim in open water, which allows not only to strengthen and temper their body, but also train them to participate in hunting.
Russian spaniels are quite resistant to cold, which allows them to be kept not only in city apartments, but also on the street, provided that the air temperature does not fall below 10 degrees. To do this, the owner needs to have not only the site necessary for the construction of an aviary and a dog booth, but also take care of the insulation of the animal's outdoor apartments. Without certain skills and the right approach that will be needed to create comfortable living conditions, an animal can easily get sick. In addition, caring for dogliving outdoors is much more difficult. For example, the owner will have to think through the procedures for bathing, frequent communication with the dog. That is why it is better to keep a Russian Spaniel in an apartment.
Training and training of dogs of the breed Russian hunting spaniel
Baby Russian Spaniels, as a rule, find their new home and new owner at the age of 2-3 months. In the first days of staying in the apartment, the owner should show maximum attention and patience, understanding how difficult it is for a puppy to be separated from his mother and his usual environment. But soon the baby is already beginning to get used to and show interest in literally everything - the inhabitants of the apartment, furniture, shoes, and so on. Already at this stage, the owner should begin to teach the animal to discipline, kindly, but at the same time strictly (without shouting and beating) teach the puppy simple commands. Excessive aggression and impatience on the part of the owner can create a gulf in the relationship between him and the animal from an early age. But a kind approach will pay off very soon, because Russian spaniels are good-natured and devoted to their owner throughout their lives with the right upbringing.
It should be understood that a hunting dog must be obedient, for this it must have one indisputable authority - the owner. Therefore, you should not raise a puppy with the whole family, when one person forbids something, and the other, on the contrary, encourages it. Even a small puppy should not be allowed to sleep on beds, sofas, treat him with food that is not intended for him (human food will only hurt). It will be very difficult to re-educate the animal in the future.
Training dogs breeds of the Russian Spaniel is a laborious but rewarding business, since these animals are easily trained and obedient. Dog skills acquired during training affect conditioned and unconditioned reflexes, stimuli, which makes it possible to carry out the owner's commands. In the process of training, the owner uses several methods to make the dog understand the command: taste-promoting (when getting used to commands is carried out with the help of treats), mechanical (execution of the command through force), contrast (combination of food encouragement and mechanical action), imitative (copying actions by an inexperienced individual trained dog). Over time, the dog obeys the owner's commands without the goodies and the use of force. In the process of training, the trainer uses methods of encouragement (if the animal correctly and obediently executes the command), coercion (if the animal does not perform a known command), prohibition (to stop the dog’s undesirable action).
The trainer should praise the dog only when there is an excellent result of work. Punishment should not be excessive (beating, shouting loudly) in order to avoid losing contact with the animal. As a mechanical impact, a light pressure on the animal's croup, a light blow with a rod and a pronounced intonation of prohibition will suffice. All commands must be pronounced clearly, the words of the command should not be replaced (for example, “to me” cannot be replaced with a similar in meaning, but different in sound, “come here”, etc.).
Health and disease
One of the main ailments affecting dogs The Russian Spaniel breed is an inflammation in the ear - otitis media, which is aggravated by the presence of long hanging ears. Untreated otitis media can lead to hearing loss and other serious consequences. If the animal shakes its head frequently, there is discharge (often purulent) from the ears, and refuses food, then you should contact your veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment.
In addition, the luxurious coat of Russian Spaniels can be a great home for blood-sucking parasites. Therefore, do not neglect the preventive measures prescribed by the veterinarian to combat ticks and fleas. Deworming and preventive measures to combat worms are necessary for these dogs, as well as for other pets. With vaccination against diseases, the owner should consult a specialist and carry it out annually in order to avoid tragedy.
For the health of the dog, it is necessary to think over its diet, which should include a sufficient amount of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals. Ideally, for Russian Spaniels, you can combine meat and offal with cereals and vegetables, you can give milk and dairy products, chicken eggs. But all ingredients must be of high quality and fresh. Do not feed the animal with bones, give food seasoned with pepper, mustard, and other sauces. Food should be warm, but not hot. Ready-made foods are a good alternative to natural food, but you should pay attention to their composition. Improper feeding dramatically negatively affects the health of Russian Spaniels.
Some interesting facts
- One of the saddest moments is the lack of recognition of this breeds International Cynological Federation. The ancestors of Russian hunting spaniels have long been included in breed classifications, but Russian spaniels bred in our country unjustifiably remain in the shadows. Despite this state of affairs, the breed is gaining more and more popularity, both among hunters and ordinary fans, thanks to the intelligence, kindness and endurance of these amazing animals.
Nurseries and breeders
We borrowed material from the wonderful site of our partners DOGCATFAN.COM about cats and dogs, the author dogcatfan
Interesting profiles:
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram