Contents
History of origin
Images of small hunting dogs with floppy ears can be found on ancient Greek bas-reliefs. Perhaps, thanks to the conquests of Alexander the Great, the ancestors of the spaniels ended up in Europe, where they became simply irreplaceable – after all, hunting has played a huge role in human life for many centuries. At first it was a means of survival, and then a fashionable pastime of the nobility.
The breed gained particular popularity when firearms began to be used in hunting. And it was then that people seriously began to breed the ideal gun dog, capable of both raising game and bringing lined prey. In addition, such a dog had to work equally well for both land and water game.
Despite the fact that the name translates as “Spanish”, it is impossible to name the exact country of origin of the breed today, however, it is believed that it was in Spain that the ancestors of spaniels were used in falconry. However, they are most widely used in the UK.
English Cocker and Springer Spaniels began to be imported to Our Country at the end of the XNUMXth century, but they turned out to be poorly adapted to our natural conditions. Then the breeders began to select the largest and tallest dogs that could work in thick grass and swamps. So a new breed was gradually formed – the Spaniel.
Breed description
The Spaniel is a harmoniously built dog of small stature (about 40 cm at the withers). The head is rectangular in shape, the lips are tightly pressed, the eyes are medium in size with a cheerful, attentive expression. The coat is silky, of medium length, often wavy, even curly in water spaniels. Ears hanging, low set, very long. The tail is docked by about two-thirds. The paws are powerful, between the fingers of the membrane. Various colors: black, black with gray, mottled, black and white, golden red, chocolate, chocolate with white, golden with white.
Spaniels have a very developed sense of smell and are able to find game both with their upper senses and on the trail.
It is worth saying that the spaniel is a whole group of breeds of hunting dogs, which include: English Cocker Spaniel, Springer Spaniel, Sussex Spaniel, American, Dutch and Irish Water Spaniels, Clumber Spaniel, German Quail Dog and others.
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Character
The first thing that can be said about spaniels is that they are very funny dogs. They are almost always in a good mood, constantly ready to communicate, and even better – to play. It seems that spaniels have an inexhaustible supply of energy. They rarely sit idle, are constantly on the move, follow you on your heels and take part in all household chores. Of course, there are misanthropes among them, but this is the exception rather than the rule. More often, the spaniel is difficult to calm down.
They love to walk and are able to run for many kilometers. On the hunt, they are tireless and fearless, they are not afraid of shots, which is why this is one of the breeds beloved by hunters. In general, their hunting instincts are highly developed, so during a walk it is worth keeping an eye on your four-legged friends, if they have found some kind of “game” in the form of a cat, pigeons or ducks in the pond. Spaniels are very fond of water, willingly bathe and swim well, thanks to the membranes between their fingers, so they often come from a walk not only wet, but also dirty. However, this does not spoil their mood, rather, on the contrary.
Spaniels, as a rule, are loving, so they are unlikely to make a good guard.
Care and maintenance
A fairly simple breed to keep, which, due to its small size, is suitable for residents of city apartments. Their beautiful coat requires combing, perhaps sometimes even a little trimming, especially for Cockers. Also, in slushy weather, it is better to wear waterproof overalls for these hunters, otherwise you will be tormented to wash them after each walk. But you should not bathe with shampoo often – it is enough to do this once every couple of months.
The pride of spaniels is that long ears sometimes get dirty while eating, so you should get a special high and narrow bowl, or tie your ears with a soft hair band.
Walks must be long, give your long-eared friend the opportunity to run and play with other dogs, otherwise he will start spending all his irrepressible energy at home.
Education and training
Spaniels are incredibly smart dogs, so they catch everything literally on the fly. However, their inherent stubbornness and desire to insist on their own can be a problem in the process of training. So the sooner you explain to your four-legged friend the rules of behavior in the house, the better. At the same time, be confident and firm, do not follow the whims of the puppy, otherwise he will never listen to you.
Like all hunters, spaniels tend to pick up all kinds of leftovers on the street, so be sure to wean him from this habit – this way you will protect your friend, because poison can also be lying on the street.
Hunters usually train puppies with adult dogs, teaching them to track and bring game without being afraid of gunshots.
Health and disease
You can’t call spaniels too painful, but they have their own Achilles heel – these are ears. Otitis, congestion and other ear problems befall these hunters very often, so you should show your pets to the veterinarian at least once every few months. In addition, it is necessary to clean their ears every week from sulfur, which accumulates there very quickly due to lack of ventilation.
Eye diseases such as glaucoma, conjunctivitis and cataracts are not uncommon in spaniels. And because of the habit of getting into the water in any weather, they can catch a cold.
Also, do not forget to treat dogs from ticks in time, especially for hunting spaniels, who spend a lot of time in nature.
Word to the breeder
So he talks about spaniels Irina Rusina, expert cynologist of the All- category and chairman of the ROS section at the Leningrad Society of Hunters: “The breed still belongs to hunters. There are no decorative kennels for spaniels, and just kennels can be counted on the fingers.
Field merits in breeding are taken into account in the first place. Puppies are very reluctant to sell “on the couch”, that is, not hunters. So the Spaniel is primarily a hunter. Without sufficient loads, the dog begins to look for the use of his strength in damaging the apartment or even in aggression. Hunters, on the other hand, are attracted by the excellent instinct of the dog, a huge interest in finding game, and quick learning.
For those who want to take a puppy, I recommend taking a dog with a good pedigree, from parents with proven working qualities, and then this dog will never disappoint on the hunt.”
She also shared her experience with us. Nadezhda Yurievna Turskaya, owner of the English springer spaniel kennel “Chateau de Sur”: “Majestic, stately and powerful, a handsome springer on a walk invariably attracts many admiring glances and is happy to chat. Although they are in some way relatives of cockers and spaniels, they have a different character – springers are very balanced and self-sufficient, less emotional than cockers, contact, efficient and trainable, but unlike the others, they are completely devoid of aggression towards people. The largest of the spaniels, they are very comfortable family dogs, they get along well with children and pets. Springer will gladly keep the owner company, no matter what he does – sports, hunting or watching his favorite movie after a long walk.
Popular questions and answers
We talked about keeping spaniels with zoo engineer, veterinarian Anastasia Kalinina.