The Russian Spaniel makes an excellent gun dog. Although they are relatively small, they have all the stamina, persistence and ability any gun dog needs. The Russian Spaniel is the youngest breed within the Russian gun dog family, and the origins are presumed to be from the Cocker Spaniel and the Springer Spaniel. They need daily walks to ensure they are mentally and physically challenged regularly but they make excellent pets. Being gentle and devoted makes them ideal for this and they are very good around children. Not much training is needed for Russian Spaniels as they are eager to please and catch on very quickly. Their coat is wavy but doesn’t need much grooming so they are quite low maintenance compared to other dogs.

Appearance

The Russian Spaniel is small but very muscular with long, powerful legs and strong body. They have a slightly elongated croup and short, slightly wavy coats. The backs of the legs and the ears have particularly wavy hair. The Height of this breed ranges from 15-17 ¾ inches (38-45 cm) and their weight is around 28-35 pounds (13-16 kg). Generally they have a speckled coat of white with darker spots. Their heads and ears usually are darker too. Colours range from solids to tri-colours. They are very strong and capable gun dogs, easily able to match the ability of larger gun dogs.

Temperament

These breeds make excellent pets if you are considering getting a family pet. They are very playful and are very happy around children. They are extremely loyal pets and show complete devotion to their owners. They are easy to train and are well mannered in the home, eager to please and act as wonderful companions. They also make good guard dogs and will raise the alarm if an intruder is present. They like to keep their master within their site at all times. As will most dogs, they respond best to calm but very firm training and they enjoy the mental stimulation and challenge that this brings. If they are handled correctly, they remain very calm and stable dogs.

Working and Tasks

Russian Spaniels make excellent gun dogs. The possess a keen sense of smell, extraordinary stamina and have an inbuilt desire to fetch and retrieve. They are very tenacious and perform very well in searches. Usually their role during a hunt is to find the bird, chase it into the air and then retrieve it afterwards. They perform their role excellently, even without too much training. They are quite hardy dogs and able to work in fields, woodland and marshy areas. They can retrieve all sorts of small game from birds to rabbits and waterfowl.