The Russian Spaniel, a hunting dog breed, is related to the English Springer Spaniel and the English Cocker Spaniel. These dog breeds appeared in Russia in the late 19th century, but their short legs made them ill-suited for hunting in our country's conditions. Therefore, by crossing the longest-legged spaniels, a specialized breed for hunting birds was developed. The result is the Russian Spaniel, capable of hunting birds native to Russia, including waterfowl.
Breed characteristics
The first breed standard, which met all the needs and requirements of hunters, was developed in 1951. And to this day, Russian hunting spaniels are very popular in Russia. They have strong and slightly squat build, dry build, and well-developed muscles. Breed standards include:
- Muscular and wide, moderately long croup.
- Slightly arched, short but muscular loin.
- The back is broad and strong, sloping considerably from the withers to the loin.
- Tightened stomach.
- Moderately long oval head with a convex forehead and a slightly defined occipital protuberance.
- Well developed, strong teeth with a scissor bite.
- Light or dark brown large oval eyes.
- Set at the eye level or slightly above, the ears are wide, long and hanging.
- Low set, muscular, long neck.
- The tail is straight and mobile, thick at the base.
With a weight of 15 to 20 kg at the withers, male Russian spaniels reach 38-44 cm, females can grow up to 36-42 cm.
Russian Spaniel coat
The dog is distinguished by its shiny, soft, and slightly wavy coat. It is long on the neck, back, sides, and croup, and short on the front of the legs and head. Thick hair also grows between the toes. The breed's coat color can be solid, bicolor, or tricolor.
A solid, uniform coat may have no markings at all, or may have markings only on the chest, throat, muzzle, forehead, belly, tip of the tail, and paws. Solid-colored spaniels come in:
- black;
- brown;
- red-haired.
Bicolor colors of the breed:
brown and tan;- black and tan;
- tan with red markings;
- red-and-white with speckles;
- brown-piebald with speckles;
- black and white spotted;
- contrasting red-piebald color;
- contrasting brown-piebald color;
- contrasting black and piebald color.
brown and tan;Tricolor colors:
- brown-piebald with tan and speckles;
- black and piebald with tan and specks;
- contrasting brown-piebald with tan;
- contrasting black and tan.
Both spotted and contrast puppies are initially born with white fur, on which large marks are locatedThe speckled pattern becomes visible by the time the puppy is one month old. By seven months, the pet acquires its final color. Two contrasting individuals will not produce speckled puppies. However, a contrasting dog and a speckled dog will produce puppies in which the speckled pattern is dominant.
Character Description
This tenacious, energetic, and hardy breed has an excellent sense of smell. It is equally adept at hunting steppe, forest, field, and swamp birds. The dog is capable of quickly finding prey, bringing it to flight, and bringing the dead game back to its owner. Search instincts The breed is so strong that it has come to be used by customs officials to detect explosives and drugs. If necessary, the pet can demonstrate its guard qualities and protect its owner's property.
But Russian Spaniels aren't just for hunting. A family dog can become a good friend and wonderful companion. This breed bonds very strongly with its owner and will follow them everywhere. Spaniels can be taken fishing, where they'll simply sit by your side.
Pets are very love little children and become very attached to them. They happily run, jump, and play with children, and joyfully obey all their commands. Russian Spaniels will never harm their friend, so they can be safely left alone with children.
A non-aggressive dog will get along with other pets and may even become friends with the owner's cat. However, it's dangerous to bring guinea pigs, hamsters, and other exotic animals into a home with a spaniel. The pet may develop a hunting instinct toward them and view them as prey.
Owner reviews
I'd like to share a review of our pet, a Russian Hunting Spaniel. I first saw this playful dog at my relatives' house and fell in love with the breed forever. So, at a family meeting with my husband, we decided to get him a little friend.
I'd like to say right away that we're not hunters, and our pet only "hunts" for sticks, pullers, toys, and balls. I've heard many reviews from breeders that if spaniels aren't taken hunting, they become depressed. But I believe that if you take your pet outdoors, walk him in the woods, and give him enough freedom, there will be no depressionOur big mistake was buying a puppy from an online ad. The previous owner fed him baby milk, which was strictly prohibited. As a result, our little dog has had food allergies since early puppyhood. Therefore, I advise everyone to buy puppies only from reputable breeders or a kennel.
It's impossible to fit a breed's personality into any standard. Every dog has its own unique personality. One might be peaceful and affectionate, following its owner everywhere and literally licking them. Another puppy might become an aggressive dog that will growl at guests as soon as the owner leaves. Our dog has such boundless energy that he never sits stillHe always needs to run somewhere, do something, chase cats, swim, catch snowballs, or steal food from his little one-year-old owner.
A pet loves to eat and will eat anything that's not in sight. It's important to establish the optimal diet for them from puppyhood, and stick to it throughout their life. Our dog has been eating a special food recommended by the veterinarian for over two years now. Don't be afraid to have furry friends. With proper care and training, they will become wonderful companions.
My husband and I were specifically looking for a dog breed that could live in an apartment. Based purely on its appearance, we chose a Russian Spaniel. This was a mistake, as we couldn't provide the ideal conditions for our pet's development.
We don't hunt, we don't have time for long walks, and the dog doesn't get much exercise. What we do for Maxim on walks is jumping over a barrier or playing frisbeeWe sometimes go to the river, where our pet happily runs around in the water. While there's not much room to run around in the apartment, he still manages to kick a ball around. He's already a year and a half old, but he's still very active. This friendly, loyal, and easily trained breed is perfect for those who are avid hunters or enjoy active outdoor recreation.
I've dreamed of a dog since childhood, and then my husband took the plunge and gave me a spaniel. With her arrival, our life has become much more interesting and exciting. This sociable, cheerful, playful, terribly annoying, and overly active dog loves literally everyone and plays with all the dogs in a rowThe only things she doesn't like are small children and cats.
When we're not home, she gets very bored, which is probably why she gets into mischief. When alone, she chews on chargers, cords, wires, headphones, and so on. When we return from work, our beloved cat jumps into our arms and clings to our leg so tightly that it's impossible to tear her away.
She's practically omnivorous and can eat anything. It seems she never feels full. When we eat, she loves to beg for treats. Our restless dog loves to swim and bathe, and jump in the snow and tall grass. Spaniels are great friends and companions.
