In the 19th century, hunting with dogs was extremely popular in our country. In particular, cocker spaniels were imported to Russia for hunting waterfowl or marsh birds. But the cockers, so popular in their country, in Russia, could not fully satisfy the demands of hunters, because their short limbs could not help the dogs in winter bird hunting, as the animals simply got bogged down in deep snow.
Story
The lack of a dog suitable for the Russian climate made the breeders think about independently breeding a suitable breed. They chose the longest-legged representatives of the breed, wrote out sprinters from Europe to improve the livestock with their blood. This process was repeated for several populations, which led to the appearance of spaniels that did not fit the standard of the English breeds.
By the thirties of the last century, Russia had many dogs that did not fit the standards of the breeds available at that time, but having common features. Nevertheless, it was too early to talk about the emergence of a new breed that meets the needs of hunters.
Full breeding began after the Second World War, and in 1951 the original breed standard was introduced. The final, slightly modified standard appeared in 1966.
Dog appearance
The hunting breed Russian Spaniel is represented by individuals with a dry physique, rather low growth. Unlike English spaniels, these dogs have tall legs relative to height. The length of the forelimb from the elbow to the ground according to the standard is 50% of the height at the withers.
The height of the males is 38-44 cm, the female is 35-42 cm at the withers. The norms do not indicate the weight of the animal, but for working individuals the most comfortable are 12-16 kg.
Russian hunting spaniel is the owner of a rather long coat, very soft to the touch, slightly curly. On the chest, ears, limbs - tow, on the tail - suspension. Color can be one-color, two-color or consist of 3 colors. Acceptable both in a monochromatic version and with a multi-colored color: black, white, red, brown.
Running at work is a gallop. In a fairly rugged space - a lynx.
Character
The Russian Hunting Spaniel is a fairly balanced but agile dog. The attitude to the person is friendly. Most often, the dog has a cheerful and affectionate disposition. The center of the universe for her is the master. Running a dog is easy.
Dogs have a perfectly developed flair, they are extremely energetic, have high stamina, and are incredibly persistent. The inborn quality is the thirst for search and a strong need for supply.
With this dog it is comfortable both at home and in the field. The hunting dog Russian Spaniel does not offend pets, is caring for children. She will be happy to wear balls, toys and more. Training does not require much effort. Great watchman.
Puppy selection
Such a breed as a spaniel (Russian hunting), photos of this dog are presented in this article, many love it and often get it for children. If you buy an animal for a family, life in the city, you can not show any special requirements for the puppy. But if you plan to take a dog for hunting, then you need to approach the choice very seriously.
The basic requirement: you need to get a puppy from good working parents. Parents of the puppy must have documents confirming the breed, and in the pedigree, the exterior should be rated "excellent". If dogs have field diplomas - even better. This means that her working ability is evaluated by experts.
It is better to take a puppy large, active, vociferous. These are the first harbingers of a good working dog.
Puppy acquisition
It is best to get a puppy through a dog breeding club. They will advise a breeder who has a dog that matches your needs. If you get a pet by announcement, there is a very high risk of getting a breed of a breed or even a puppy not from purebred dogs. If you are not an expert in this field, it is better not to take risks and contact well-known breeders.
Often in large cities it is rather difficult to get a dog of hunting breeds. So, amateurs gather in clubs, nurseries, sections in order to help beginners, organize competitions, just communicate with the same breed lovers Russian hunting spaniels. Moscow presents several nurseries in which you can buy a pet and assistant. In the future, you can get advice and assistance in training and developing working skills. This is “Forest Hunter”, “Section of ROS MOOiR Lovers”, “Section of Spaniel Lovers” and several others.
Dog care
The content of the Russian hunting spaniel is not too complicated and quite acceptable in a city apartment. An indispensable condition is long walks, allowing the dog to splash out the accumulated energy and maintain muscle tone.
Wool should be combed weekly while inspecting the ears. All kinds of inflammation in the ears are characteristic of this breed. Often you do not need to wash the animal, it is better to do it after a long hunt, after running through swamps or rivers.
Feeding Features
Any dog needs good nutrition in order to stay healthy and active. Dry food should be left at a time when there is a shortage of time and there is no time to cook a full meal.
Feeding a Russian hunting spaniel is no different from feeding dogs of other breeds. The only thing to remember is that the pet is very active, so it needs to consume slightly more protein.
Having decided to feed him natural food, it is worthwhile to use mainly fish (if possible - sea), offal and lean meat, fruits and vegetables, which dogs of this breed are very fond of. Once every two weeks, it is advisable to arrange an unloading day for the animal.
Puppy feeding
After the puppy was taken from the breeder, there is no need to rush to establish a new routine for him. In order to alleviate stress from a change of scenery, you need at least a few days to allow the pet to live in the usual mode. Change nutrition, adapting to your abilities and habits, you need to gradually.
Dressura
Not even the most experienced dog breeder can teach the puppies of this breed the basic working skills.
Training of a Russian hunting spaniel should begin in early childhood. First, the puppy is taught the general rules of behavior: they let him know what he can do in the house and what not. When training, you need to be patient, as any dog needs time to understand what is required of it.
Outdoor toilet training is an important part of learning. The first 2 months the puppy should not be taken outside, but the matured dog must be taken out every time it starts to look for a place to satisfy its natural needs (you can not force the puppy to walk up the stairs - in order not to harm the joints, you need to carry it on your hands).
Incorrect and untimely upbringing poses serious problems in the future. Uneducated dogs, not trained in the boundaries of what is permitted, are the causes of serious difficulties for the owner.
The main mistake of many dog breeders is to succumb to the charm of the sad eyes of a pet asking for a handout from the table during the meal. The first thing a puppy needs to learn is that you should not beg in this house. If the owner understands that he is not able to refuse the pet a piece from the table, it is necessary to forbid the dog to be present when eating people.
After a puppy of breed Russian hunting spaniel learned the basic concepts, it will be useful to go with him OKD (general training course). This will allow him to better understand his master and teach the owner to control the animal. OKD can be passed in specialized schools, but you can master it yourself, as there is a lot of literature on this issue and it is not at all difficult to find it.
Training in hunting skills is best done under the supervision of an experienced instructor, especially if the owner himself is still a beginner. Training for young dogs should be in the form of a game - so the pet will better learn the necessary knowledge. The best game option for this breed would be an imitation of hunting. In the club of dog breeders they will be able to suggest sites on which it is possible to effectively train the animal in working skills.
It is not too difficult to train these animals thanks to their intelligence and great desire to please the owner. If it is not possible to contact the instructors, it is quite possible to independently train the hunting skills of dogs of the breed Spaniel (Russian hunting). Photos with detailed step-by-step instructions can be found in books on dog breeding.
Dog use
The Russian hunting spaniel was bred to hunt a bird, which chose the expanses of water. The dog is widely used throughout the country. The main task of the dog is to find the bird and scare it by "lifting it to the wing." After the hunter makes a successful shot, the animal must detect and bring the game.
Puppies of a Russian hunting spaniel are often acquired as a companion to children. The breed is great for home content due to its cheerfulness, friendliness, affectionate disposition and responsibility. The dog enjoys spending time with his beloved master everywhere - even in the mud of a swamp, even on a cozy sofa.
The search instincts of animals of this breed are so developed that today they are widely used to search for drugs or explosives or to save people from avalanches.
The dog’s responsibility allows it to demonstrate excellent guard skills, protecting the owner’s property if necessary.
Reviews
Reviews about the breed can be found a lot. Almost everyone who has ever encountered a breed notes the friendliness of the dog, the adoration of the owner, a rare ingenuity and activity. With proper education and careful selection of the puppy, there are simply no adverse reviews. If someone remains unsatisfied with the choice, then the fault will most likely be either a wrong upbringing or an incorrect approach to choosing a breed: for example, a calm homebody will not be happy with being an active puppy with whom you need to walk for a long time daily.
The bulk of the breeders admire the dogs of the Russian hunting breed . Spaniel, reviews of which leave only the most positive, even enthusiastic, remains a faithful friend to a person for many years. Most often, a person who has bought a dog of this breed forever falls in love with them and further agrees to start only such dogs.