Russian Spaniel

The Russian Spaniel is a hunting spaniel developed in the Soviet Union by crossing English Cocker Spaniels, English Springer Spaniels and other spaniels. Its standard dates from 1951. It is used on game birds of marsh, field, upland and water, and on hares, and is described as the only gundog breed to have originated in Russia.

History

The first recorded spaniel in Russia was a black Cocker owned by Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich, a keen hunter, toward the end of the 19th century. Other spaniels were then imported to St. Petersburg and Moscow. The smaller ones proved poorly suited to Russian weather and terrain, so in the early 20th century breeders began selecting for longer legs and brought in Springer Spaniels.

By the late 1930s Moscow, Leningrad and Sverdlovsk had many spaniels that fitted no existing standard. Planned breeding after the Second World War led to the first Russian Spaniel standard in 1951, revised in 1966 and 2000.

The breed grew more popular in Russia after the early 1990s, with 120 to 131 entered each year at Moscow shows. It was introduced abroad only in the 1990s, and a Russian Spaniel Club was founded in the United States in 2002. No major kennel club recognises it, though several smaller registries do.

Appearance

The Russian Spaniel is a compact, sturdy dog that resembles the English Cocker but has a longer body and a shorter, tighter coat. The coat is silky, with feathering on the ears and legs. Colors vary widely: solid, piebald, speckled, black and tan and combinations of these, usually with a dark head and ears. Dogs of both sexes average 38–43 cm (15–17 in) at the withers and 13–18 kg (28–40 lb). There is a single type, with no split between show and field lines.

Temperament

This is a cheerful, energetic and active dog, always ready to play. Its easy-going, devoted nature means it is kept as a companion as well as a gundog. It is trainable, good with children and can serve as a watchdog. In the field it finds and flushes the bird, then retrieves it on command after the shot, and it will swim and dive for wounded birds. Its small size suits city life and makes it easy to take out to hunting grounds.

Care and health

Like all long-eared spaniels, it needs its ears checked to prevent infections. It gains weight easily. The breed can be prone to food allergies, usually identified between one and five months of age, with chicken and carrots the most common triggers. No other breed-specific health problems are known.

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