The Russian Spaniel is a devoted, intelligent, and social breed. But how do you know whether you are ready to purchase a pet and if this breed is right for you? This information is absolutely necessary in making the decision to purchase a pet.
History
The origin of the Russian Spaniel can be traced back to 1951 Russia, when the breed was developed by unnamed hunters. Enthusiasts believe that the Russian Spaniel was created by crossing such breeds as the English Cocker Spaniel, the English Springer Spaniel, and various European Spaniel breeds, though this has never been proven scientifically or otherwise.
Throughout its history, the Russian Spaniel has been most commonly used for hunting, trailing, and flushing out game such as duck, raccoon, and rabbit, proving its superior abilities to work in the harshest of climate and terrain while providing gentle companionship.
Today, while the Russian Spaniel has attained a regional popularity as a hunting and companion dog, the breed remains rather rare outside of its native Russia.
Personality Traits
Best known for its social and outgoing nature, the Russian Spaniel is a sweet and genuinely happy breed. These dogs thrive on strong and dependable relationships with humans, and love to receive attention and praise. This breed is very intelligent, yet somewhat stubborn and independent at times, creating moderate difficulty in training. As a pet, the Russian Spaniel is loyal, loving, and very affectionate. The Russian Spaniel adapts well to full-time indoor or apartment living, yet enjoys spending time outdoors, taking long and leisurely walks, and playing games such as frisbee.
Train-ability
Due to its stubborn and independent attitude, the Russian Spaniel can prove somewhat challenging to train. This breed is known for growing bored and impatient with repetitive exercises and tasks.
Establishing immediate dominance, trust, and respect is key to successfully training the Russian Spaniel. These dogs require an experienced, patient, and confident handler with a stern yet gentle approach to repetitive exercises and tasks.
Benefits and Disadvantages of the Breed
There are many benefits to owning a Russian Spaniel, such as its no hassle, low maintenance coat. This active breed is always on the go, and often quite amusing and entertaining to watch while at play. When properly socialized from a young age, the Russian Spaniel gets along well with children and other pets, known for its sweet and gentle approach to small children and its ability to make friends quickly with other pets due to its social nature. These dogs are alert and aware of their surroundings, making effective watch dogs by announcing the arrival of guests and unwanted visitors. The Russian Spaniel is loyal, loving, and very affectionate, making an excellent hunting dog, family pet, and companion alike.
Unfortunately, there are also disadvantages to owning a Russian Spaniel. While these dogs adapt well to full-time indoor or apartment living, they do require large amounts of daily exercise and room to run and play outdoors. Anyone wishing to purchase this breed lacking the adequate amount of time and space to dedicate to the dog is strongly advised against doing so. A Russian Spaniel not receiving the proper amount of exercise and space will often act out by destroying property, chewing, digging, barking, whining, and ignoring basic training such as housebreaking.
The Russian Spaniel has a strong instinct to hunt and will occasionally indulge in a good chase. When on the run, these dogs are surprisingly quick, and may pose a threat to other animals, neighborhood pets, and small woodland creatures. The Russian Spaniel must be leashed or properly secured at all times when outdoors.
This breed is known for being somewhat excitable when greeting humans and while at play. Excessive barking, jumping, and full-body wags can often lead to headaches and accidents. Proper training can reduce these behaviors in the Russian Spaniel.
As previously mentioned, the Russian Spaniel remains rather rare outside of its native Russia and can prove difficult to obtain. Individuals seeking to purchase this breed often encounter such challenges as inability to locate a breeder, high prices, and being placed on long waiting lists.
Common Health Concerns
While the Russian Spaniel is typically known as a healthy and hearty breed, they do suffer from a few health problems, including: patellar luxation – dislocation of the knee, epilepsy, hypothyroidism, difficulty in birthing – sometimes leading to caesarian section, entropian – folding inward of the eye lid, ectropian – folding outward of the eye lid, and obesity.
Now that you know all about the breed, do you think you are ready to own a Russian Spaniel? Remember, purchasing a pet is a big decision and should be discussed thoroughly and seriously with your entire family.
Sources:
http://www.heydogs.com/r/russian-spaniel.html
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/russianspaniel.htm
