Russian Hunting Spaniel

History of the Russian Hunting Spaniel breed

The appearance of spaniels in Russia is associated with the name of Nikolai Nikolaevich Romanov, the uncle of the last Russian tsar. Being an enthusiastic breeder and leader of several hunting communities at once, he often brought various breeds of dogs from foreign trips. In particular, a cocker spaniel named Dash, which was exhibited at the 1885 exhibition, also belonged to the Grand Duke, who acquired the dog in an elite English kennel. Subsequently, it was this dog that became the father of several generations of puppies, who dispersed into the hands of Russian grandees.

With the easy submission of N. N. Romanov, the interest of domestic dog breeders in spaniels quickly acquired a practical orientation. Although with some delay, the breeders still discovered excellent hunters in dogs who are able to work with any kind of bird. In addition, imported cockers and springers proved themselves well in pheasant hunting, which was especially respected by members of the imperial family, so that soon the breeding of the breed became a profitable and prestigious business.

At first, breeding individuals were imported from England, after which they were randomly knitted with spaniels from royal and princely nurseries. The offspring obtained as a result of such experiments, although they had the appearance of a spaniel, did not resemble their foreign parents much. Actually, these were the first Russian hunting spaniels – non-standardized, without pedigrees, but having the same performance characteristics as modern representatives of the breed.

By the beginning of the XX century spaniels born on the territory of Russia were exhibited at breeding exhibitions separately from English relatives. During the same period, the stratification of the unofficial breed into Moscow and St. Petersburg types became especially noticeable. Representatives of each of the "castes" differed both in appearance and in the style of work, which became the reason for further experiments on crossing both varieties.

In the 30s, the Leningrad Spaniel Section took up the improvement of the breed, using domestic dogs and imported males for mating: the half-springer Albu von Blumenthal and the cocker spaniel Caesar von der Schmich. Unfortunately, the achievements of those years were destroyed by the Great Patriotic War and the blockade, so after the victory, the number of animals was restored almost from zero. The task was seriously complicated by the heterogeneity of the domestic livestock, among which there were many mestizos.

In 1951, Soviet specialists finally fixed the phenotype of the breed and issued the first appearance standard for its representatives. Since 1972, an official ban on mating between Russian hunting and other varieties of spaniels has been introduced, which was the last step towards the independence of animals.

Already in the 60s, owning a breed became fashionable among domestic hunters. Compact and extremely predatory, such dogs did not create problems with transportation and easily took root in urban apartments. And although in the 90s the number of Russian hunting spaniels decreased to a critical minimum, they were not allowed to disappear completely, having taken a number of measures to revive and increase the number of purebred individuals. Russian Russian Hunting Spaniel

Video: Russian Hunting Spaniel

Breed standard Russian hunting Spaniel

The Russian spaniel is a high–legged "pathfinder" of a stretched format, with a strong, muscular body. He is slightly taller than his kinsman, the English cocker, but much shorter and smaller than Springer. Since the breed was bred exclusively for work, the bet was placed on its search qualities and endurance, and not on appearance. And yet too primitive eared shaggy do not look. Of course, Russian hunting spaniels are infinitely far from glamorous American cocker spaniels, but they are not deprived of light charm and restrained grace.

The breed standard provides for a height of 38-44 cm in males and 36-42 cm in females. Russian hunting spaniels weigh from 13 to 16 kilograms.

Head

Moderately long, dry, with a wide skull and an elongated muzzle. The eyebrows are barely protruding, the occipital protuberance is smoothed. The dog's muzzle is well filled, when viewed in profile it has a slightly blunt shape. Lips thin, taut.

Bite and teeth

In a purebred individual, the teeth should be white and in full quantity. The reference bite shape is scissor-shaped.

Nose

Massive, with well-opened nostrils, colored in the tone of the main suit (from chocolate to black).

Eyes

The eyes of Russian hunting spaniels are large, straight-set, in the shape of a regular oval. Desirable shades of the iris are brown and dark brown. Light brown eyes are also acceptable, but only for individuals with brown and brown-white coat colors.

Ears

The breed has classic spaniel ears – long, lobe-shaped, hanging freely along the cheekbones. The base of the ear blade is located at eye level, sometimes slightly higher. In an elongated position, the tip of the ear reaches the tip of the nose lobe.

Neck

The Russian spaniel's neck should be dry, of moderate length, with harmoniously developed muscles.

Housing

The dog's body is strong, stretched format. The topline is slightly sloping, with a wide back and a short loin, turning into a massive, slightly sloping croup. The chest is developed, of good depth, but not excessively wide. The bottom line is noticeably tightened.

Limbs

The dry, bony legs of the Russian hunting spaniel are placed almost parallel to each other. The shoulder blades are inclined, located at an angle of 100 °, the elbows are directed backwards. The forearms are smooth, turning into strong massive pasterns. The hind legs are characterized by a wider set and pronounced angles of articulation. The lower legs are visually long with voluminous straight metatarsals and wide hock joints. The paws of the breed are rounded, arched type. The Russian hunting spaniel moves at a light gallop, followed by a trot when the animal runs over rough terrain.

Tail

The straight, mobile tail of the Russian spaniel continues the line of its croup. Especially massive at the base and "weighted" with a suspension, it stays at the level of the back, but in an excited animal it rises higher. For working dogs, the ½ part of the tail is docked to avoid damage during the pursuit of game. Natural length is also possible, especially if the Russian spaniel does not hunt.

Wool

The dogskin is long, straight type or with a light wave. The hair is shiny, silky, well covering the animal's body. On the head and along the front of all four legs, the coat is short, tightly fitting. On the back, croup, upper neck and sides of the hair is longer. The bottom of the neck, the chest, the back of the limbs and the abdomen are areas with suspensions and abundant toilet wool.

Color

Russian spaniels are characterized by three types of colors: solid, two- and three-color. Dogs with a solid color are black, brown, red (including all shades of fawn) individuals who may have minor white markings on the sternum and throat. Two-tone spaniels combine the same colors, but "diluted" with clearly drawn white spots. Tricolor representatives of the breed are brown-white and black-and-white animals with tan. The presence of speckled /roan colors is also acceptable, if they do not contrast with the main tone of the coat.

Disqualifying vices

• Gratuitous aggressive/cowardly behavior.
• Presence of extra incisor teeth.
• Lack of a canine, molar (M3 does not count), incisor or P4 in the upper jaw.
• Broken incisors or lack of two P4 in the lower jaw.
• Mismatch.
• Any suits not specified by the standard.
• Depigmented lips and nose.
• Cryptorchidism.
• Short tail from birth.
• Various bite defects, including jaw distortion.

Character of the Russian spaniel

Persistent and tireless at work, the Russian hunting spaniel transforms into a pleasant, good-natured pet at home. Moreover, with this shaggy psychotherapist, you can always whisper secrets or spend an evening watching the Hunter and Fisherman channel. In everyday terms, the Russian spaniel does not care what to do, as long as contact with the owner is not lost.

Even in adulthood, representatives of the breed retain puppy playfulness and interest in entertainment. This helps them to join children's groups, in which long-eared gamers feel like a fish in water. By the way, dogs do not conflict with the little ones, generously forgiving her minor harms like pulling her tail and ears.

Favorite games of the Russian hunting spaniel are aportirovka of all kinds of balls and, of course, searching for objects, so do not be lazy to allocate at least 10-20 minutes a day to the pet's hobbies. However, you can not do this, but then you need to calmly accept the fact that the dog will have fun on its own. Usually Russian hunting spaniels compensate for the lack of games with destructive behavior, so just in case of fire, hide away your "nikes" and "adidas". Spaniels love to gnaw leather goods and anything that resembles it at least a little.

The breed has a very developed intuitive flair: its representatives easily catch changes in the mood of the owner, understand any requirement from a half-word and masterfully differentiate all people into good and suspicious persons. If a spaniel growls at one of your old friends with enviable constancy, there is a reason to think.

Hunting with a Russian spaniel

Representatives of this breed belong to the friendly type, that is, the dog moves ahead of the hunter, looking for and scaring the bird under the shot. The distinctive style of work of Russian spaniels is that, having smelled game, they do not make a stand. With this approach, the process, of course, is not as visually impressive as, for example, hunting with a cop, but this fact does not affect its prey in any way. Moreover, working without a rack creates an easy intrigue, since the hunter remains in the dark until the last moment as to whether the spaniel has found the bird, and if so, at what distance from the shot it is. Russian hunting spaniels do an excellent job of finding running feathered game (crakes, marsh chickens), which causes difficulties for the same cops.

Additional specialization of the breed is the search and feeding of the picked prey, which is simply necessary when working with waterfowl. The Russian hunting spaniel does not need to be persuaded to dive into the autumn swamp for a duck that has fallen there. A properly trained animal will do this without prodding, especially since dogs swim excellently. Russian spaniels are not afraid of dense nettles, as, indeed, of any grassy thickets from which they have to fish out a shot bird.

Education, training, nataska

Learning Russian hunting spaniel is easy. Smart and executive, these shaggy "bundles of energy" quickly understand what is required of them and are almost not prone to whims. In addition, spaniels have an excellent memory for words, which is already quite valuable. Nevertheless, it is not worth loading the dog with a variety of training courses. The Russian hunting spaniel is first of all a hunter and a tracker, who needs five basic commands to work properly.

The upbringing of the baby begins after moving to a permanent owner, and the first thing the baby needs to deal with is the identification of the owner's identity. In the future, this person will be able to control the behavior of the dog both on hunting and in everyday life, therefore, in the first month after the appearance of the puppy in the house, his basic needs should be met by only one family member.

The habituation to the nickname begins from the first days after moving from the kennel. But do not overdo it: the name of the animal should not become synonymous with the call "To me!". The next stage is mastering the commands: "Place!" (worked out first), "You can't!" and "Take it!". This is no longer just behavior management, but also preparation for subsequent training. Keep in mind: the life of a Russian hunting spaniel who has not learned elementary commands will be short.

A necessary skill for hunting individuals is to fulfill the requirement "Submit!". Dogs master this skill easily, since the passion for aportirovke objects in the breed is in the blood. But it's one thing to bring a ball and quite another to drag a shot grouse, so stock up on duck wings and tufts of feathers in advance to throw them to the dog instead of toys.

A more weighty alternative to wings is a feathered carcass frozen from the last hunting season. However, according to experienced dog owners, the method does not always work as it should. In particular, having trained on frozen poultry, the Russian spaniel loses interest in warm prey. In such cases, it is recommended to put the ward on a strict diet (1-2 days). A fairly hungry spaniel quickly forgets about the feeling of disgust and works with fresh game as it should.

Picking up a shot feathered bird from the water and its subsequent aportirovka are practiced in the same way as the usual bird offering. The only difference is that this time a wing or a scarecrow will be thrown into the water. It is better to start training in the summer, when the water is warmed up, and continue them until the fall, so that the dog is hardened. In general, you can work out a feed with a Russian hunting spaniel as early as 3 months. But with a full-fledged natasha, you will have to wait until the pet learns the basic commands of obedience. This usually happens by 4-5 months.

Among professional hunters, it is not uncommon to buy adult Russian spaniels with subsequent training. This is done in order to "jump over" the childhood and teenage periods, when a lot of time, effort and financial resources are spent on raising and socializing a puppy. Of course, it is much more difficult to train and train grown individuals, but this is a feasible task for a specialist who has experience with the breed. By the way, it is quite realistic to grow a champion from an adult dog who will give the owner working diplomas and certificates of honor.

Maintenance and care

In the soul, every Russian spaniel dreams of a cozy rural house with a large yard, a private plot and a forest nearby, where he could satisfy his reconnaissance instincts and enjoy interesting smells. However, this does not mean that the dog should huddle in a rotten booth waiting for your invitation to hunt. Yes, in the warm season, the pet will willingly spend the night in the yard, under a canopy, but in severe frosts its place is in the house. By the way, if you are afraid to get a Russian hunting spaniel because he will treat poultry, then it is completely in vain. The breed is indifferent to ducks, chickens and other agricultural feathered brethren.

With a sufficient number of walks and systematic hunting trips, Russian spaniels easily take root in city apartments. Of course, in such conditions it is more difficult with an animal, given the breed's passion for pranks and gnawing wires, but in general a peaceful neighborhood is possible.

Hygiene

The breed sheds seasonally, but individuals living in residential conditions shed their hair in portions throughout the year. In puppies, the first adult coat appears at about 8-9 months of life. By this time, the baby fluff begins to gradually come out, which is why the baby looks funny, but not very aesthetically pleasing. To stimulate the growth of the canine, shedding teenagers are combed daily with a comb with short teeth. It does not injure the delicate puppy skin and clings fluff well.

Combing the coat of an adult Russian spaniel should be done at least once a week if you have a modest representative of the working line, and every other day if you are the lucky owner of a show-class dog. To facilitate combing, you can use special sprays or a homemade acid-based conditioner (a tablespoon of vinegar / citric acid per 1 liter of hot water).

Many Russian spaniels have hair on their heads growing in a cap or tuft, which contradicts the requirements of the standard. For hunting dogs, this feature does not play a role, but for exhibition individuals, the cranial part will have to be plucked to hide the flaw. Curling strands above the base of the ear cartilage are also better to remove (a trimming knife and your own fingers to help), as they create the illusion of high-turned ears.

Haircut for Russian hunting spaniels is strictly contraindicated by the standard. Nevertheless, many owners trim their wards to hide minor defects and make their advantages more noticeable. Ideally, the haircut should be done by an experienced groomer and at least a month before the exhibition. Fans of working with scissors on their own can only be recommended not to get too carried away and not turn a Russian spaniel into an English cocker. Tribal commissions will not appreciate such creativity. In addition, it is impossible to trim the tail suspension, the backs of the legs and the lower abdomen. With ears, neck and chest, you should also be extremely careful, since making the right transitions between them and uncut areas is the height of skill, which not every groomer can do. The best option for both working and show dogs is a hygienic haircut, during which the hair brushes between the fingers and the hair under the tail are shortened.

You can arrange a bath for a Russian hunting spaniel once or twice a month, but unscheduled bathing when the dog is rolling in carrion or mud is also possible. Wool washing is carried out according to the classical principle: a suitable pet shampoo is applied to the dog's fur and washed under the shower. The next step is to rub a softening balm or cosmetic oil into the wool, which will facilitate drying and combing after washing, as well as minimize the appearance of tangles.

The long ears of the Russian hunting spaniel are cleaned 1-2 times a month, and ventilated daily. To "ventilate" the pet's auditory passages, pull out the ears by the tips and shake them slightly. The eyes of the breed are healthy, without a tendency to souring and inflammation, so they have enough preventive wiping with chamomile infusion once a week. Clipping of claws is carried out at intervals once a month, but in each individual case, the period can be reduced or increased. For example, in dogs that walk and train productively, the claws are worn off when they come into contact with hard surfaces.

Walking

Take a Russian spaniel outside twice, preferably three times a day, and he will be immensely grateful to you. But do not forget, in order to let off steam and explore all the interesting places, it takes much more time than any companion breed. And to be more precise, the exits for half an hour are not about spaniels. A standard dog walk should last at least an hour or two.

Like all puppies, Russian hunting spaniels begin to walk after the first vaccination, and up to six months the dogs are taken out to breathe air on their hands (relevant for apartment pets), so as not to spoil the delivery of legs. Be sure to use a leash that not only controls the movement of the animal, but also helps in the formation of correct posture.

Away from freeways and crowded places, the spaniel can be given more freedom by letting him off the leash. However, you should not completely trust the dog. Firstly, because the breed loves to pick up products from the ground that are not the most useful for its health, which can be accompanied by severe poisoning. And secondly, because, like any self-respecting hunter, the Russian spaniel likes to disguise himself. And he does it in the only way available to him – by wallowing in carrion and excrement. So, if you don't want to bring a killer ambre from a walk, keep a sharp eye on the actions of the prankster, keeping a leash ready.

Feeding

The Russian hunting spaniel is a dog ready to have lunch every hour, and preferably without breaks at all, so you should listen to the pet's wishes less often, relying on standard nutrition standards. The classic serving volume for an adult leading an active lifestyle of an animal is about 40 g of "drying" per kilogram of body weight. If it is liquid natural food, then the ratio should be 30-60 g/kg. It is permissible to increase the calorage and volume of food only for dogs who are on the path of recovery after illness, nursing bitches, as well as in winter if a four-legged pet lives in an aviary.

Twice a month the pet is supposed to unload. These days, the Russian spaniel, of course, receives food, but the size of its usual portion is reduced by 60%. As for the products included in the dog's menu, it is usually beef, which is given 2-3 times a week. The meat is divided into two parts and half is fed raw, and the second is subjected to heat treatment and only after that is given to the animal.

It is better not to give raw poultry obtained during hunting, so that the dog will not be tempted to deal with the birds on its own, instead of aporting them to the owner. Otherwise, the Russian spaniel can do everything that other breeds can: boiled fillet of sea fish 4 times a month, skimmed sour milk twice a week, oatmeal, millet and rice porridge cooked in broth or milk daily.

Do not neglect fiber-containing foods. For normal intestinal function, the Russian hunting spaniel needs 20 g of food with a high content of vegetable fibers daily. The breed especially respects carrots, pumpkins (acts as anthelmintic) and potatoes (offer only boiled and a little). As a natural dietary supplement, finely chopped and sprinkled greens in porridge are perfect: spinach, parsley, dill, sorrel.

Once a week, a Russian hunting spaniel can be "rewarded" with a chicken egg, but it is better to give it in a mixture with dairy products, salads or in the form of an omelet. Dogs are very supportive of rye crackers, which are used as a delicious incentive in training, as well as as a natural abrasive that cleans plaque. You can treat a dog with dried fruits only in special cases: the spaniel must understand that such food is a delicacy that still needs to be earned.

How to feed a Russian hunting spaniel:

• 1.5-2 months – 6 times a day, every 3 hours;
• 2-3 months – 5 times a day;
• 4-5 months – 4 times;
• 6-7 months – 3 times a day;
• from 12 months – 2 times.

Health and diseases of Russian hunting spaniels

The breed does not suffer from serious genetic diseases, but, like any other dog, the Russian hunting spaniel is able to catch an infection. For example, animals that often have to dive into ponds and swamps for game are at risk of catching leptospirosis – an acute infection accompanied by damage to the capillaries, liver and kidneys. Quite often dogs suffer from fungal diseases, such as dermatomycosis, as well as from parasitic infections like toxoplasmosis and helminthiasis.

Long hanging ears of Russian spaniels can also cause a lot of problems, since such "constructions" are ideal for the development of otitis media. Individuals who often bathe are especially susceptible to the disease: getting water inside the ear canal is almost guaranteed inflammation. In addition, the breed has a pathological tendency to fullness, enhanced by food allergies, which requires the owner to take a careful approach to the selection of food and painstaking menu preparation.

How to choose a puppy

• Always give preference to club puppies. By purchasing a Russian hunting spaniel from an unknown breeder, you risk running into a sick animal, or even a half-breed.
• Check out the field diplomas of litter producers, if any. If the parents of puppies have never worked with a bird, their offspring are unlikely to find good hunting inclinations.
• Before buying, visit the kennel several times and evaluate the conditions of keeping puppies. Be sure to watch the animals eat lunch. If the kids eat sluggishly or refuse to eat, there is clearly something wrong with them. A proper Russian spaniel absorbs food at the speed of sound and rattles an empty bowl for a long time.
• At two months old, the Russian hunting spaniel stands firmly on its feet, runs well and longs for games and adventures with all its soul. If the puppy moves somehow and is in a state of permanent thoughtfulness, most likely, he is unwell.
• Choose puppies with a distinct hump on the nose. This is a sign that as the animal matures, the muzzle will stretch. Snub-nosed and straight-nosed individuals in 99 cases out of 100 grow short-faced, which is regarded as a vice.
• In a puppy pack, one or more leaders always stand out. It is these kids that avid hunters should take.
• Russian hunting spaniels are tested for courage in traditional ways: by clapping their hands in silence or by turning the puppy on its back and holding it in this position. Kids with hunting inclinations naturally react to noise, and respond to physical impact with calmness or obvious anger. Weak individuals from a psychological point of view in both cases simply run away. Another type of test is waving a cloth in front of the spaniel's nose. Puppies-leaders do not miss such "prey", grabbing it with their teeth in the first seconds.

Price of a Russian hunting spaniel

Average price of Russian hunting spaniel puppies on the Internet – $100 - $250. Usually these are kids with a VET passport, RKF metric and certified parents. There are enough ads for the sale of "economy individuals" from $50 and above. According to an unspoken tradition, such a price tag means that they want to sell you a dog without documents, with carefully masked exterior defects, and sometimes an obvious crossbreed.