Owning dogs, in particular providing care for the russian spaniel, is nothing new for humans across the globe. Some historians believe that dogs were domesticated sometime between twelve thousand and twenty five thousand years ago—and that all canines evolved from the wolf. Since those days, people have selectively bred more than four hundred different breeds, which range in size from 4-pound teacup poodles to Irish wolfhounds, who have earned the title of the tallest pooch. But the most popular dogs are the non-pedigree dogs—the one-of-a-kind dogs known as mixed-breeds. The russian spaniel is another popular pick among dog owners. Some owners are uninformed, however, of many common russian spaniel care tips.
Cost of care for your russian spaniel
The annual budget for caring for your russian spaniel—including nutrition, to doctor bills, toys and license—could vary between $420 and seven hundred eighty dollars. This does not even consider capital expenses for spay/neuter operations, dog collar and a leash, carrier and a dog crate. Note: Be sure you have procured all of your items before bringing your russian spaniel home.
Typical russian spaniel Care
Feeding the russian spaniel
- russian spaniel puppies between 8 and 12 weeks old need 4 bowls of food in a 24 hour period.
- Feed russian spaniel puppies 3 to 6 months old 3 meals per day.
- Feed puppies 6 months to one year old 2 meals each day.
- When your russian spaniel reaches his first birthday, one bowl in a day is typically adequate.
- Sometimes russian spaniels, however, eat 2 smaller helpings. It’s your job to learn your russian spaniel’s eating habits.
High-quality dry dog food provides a balanced diet to adult russian spaniels and may be mixed with broth, canned food, or water. Your russian spaniel may also like fruits and vegetables, cooked eggs, and cottage cheese, but these foods should be less than 10 percent of his or her daily food. russian spaniel pups must be fed high-quality, name brand puppy food. You should try to cut down on “table food”, however, since it can result in mineral and vitamin imbalances, tooth and bone issues, and may lead to very finicky eating habits and obesity. Give fresh, potable water always, and make certain to wash water and food dishes very often.
russian spaniel Care Tips: Make sure your russian spaniel does plenty of daily exercise
russian spaniels need some exercise so they can burn calories, recharge their brains, and stay healthy. Daily exercise also really helps russian spaniels fight boredom, which often leads to difficult behavior. Some outside playtime will curb many of your russian spaniel’s instinctual urges to retrieve, dig, chew, chase and herd. Exercise needs depend on your russian spaniel’s level of health and her age—but merely a walk around the block every day and 10 minutes in the backyard probably will not suffice. If your russian spaniel is a 6 to 18 month adolescent, her requirements will be greater.
Grooming tips for russian spaniels
Regular brushing will help keep your russian spaniel clean and reduce shedding. Inspect for ticks and fleas every day during warm weather. Sometimes russian spaniels don’t need a bath more than a few times a year. Before a bath, comb or cut out all mats from the russian spaniel’s hair. Carefully rinse all soap out of the coat, or dirt will stick to soap residue.
russian spaniel Handling
Puppies, as opposed to adults, are obviously easier to manage. While carrying your russian spaniel pup, take one hand and place it under the dog’s chest, with either your forearm or your other hand supporting his or her hind legs and rump. Don’t attempt to grab or lift your puppy by his forelegs, nape or tail. When you must lift a bigger, adult russian spaniel, lift from the underside, holding her chest with 1 of your arms and rump with the other.
How to House the russian spaniel
Your russian spaniel needs a comfy peaceful spot to be able to relax apart from all drafts and off the ground or floor. You may want to purchase a dog bed, or consider making one out of a wooden box. Put a clean comforter, sheet, or pillow in the bed as cushioning. Wash the russian spaniel’s bedding frequently. If your russian spaniel will be outdoors frequently, make sure he has access to covering and plenty of cool water in the summer, and a warm, dry, covered shelter during the winter.
russian spaniel Licensing and Identification
Your community has licensing rules to heed. You should affix the license to the russian spaniel’s collar. This, along with an ID tag or tattoo, can help you recover your russian spaniel should he get lost.
russian spaniel Behavior Information
Training Your russian spaniel
Well-mannered, companion russian spaniels can truly be a blessing to raise. However, left untrained, your russian spaniel will most likely be troublesome. Teaching your russian spaniel the minimums—”Heel”, “Off”, “Sit”, “Stay”, “Come”, “Down”, and “Leave it”—will strengthen the relationship both with the pooch as well as your neighbors. If you’re the owner of a pup, begin teaching him the appropriate behavior ASAP! Use meals as incentive and recognition. Pups can begin obedience classes when they have been sufficiently immunized. Contact your local humane society or SPCA for details on obedience schools. You should always keep your russian spaniel leashed when, even while a pup. Just be positive your doggie will come back to you if you say so. An aggressive or disobedient russian spaniel cannot play with kids.
About your russian spaniel’s Health
russian spaniels should visit the veterinarian for a full examination, vaccinations and a heartworm blood examination annualy, and as soon as possible when she is sick or hurt.
Knowing Your russian spaniel’s Oral Health
While many of us may simply dislike our russian spaniel’s bad breath, we must be aware of what it might be telling us. Foul breath is most commonly an indication that your russian spaniel requires a dental examination. Plaque due to bacteria causes a foul odor that can only be eliminated by treatment by a professional. Once you have given your russian spaniel a professional oral cleaning, his mouth may be maintained by brushing regularly, feeding a special diet focused on dental health, and eliminating table food. Your veterinarian can supply you with additional advice for reducing dental ailments and stinky breath. You can easily clean your russian spaniel’s teeth using a dog toothpaste or a simple baking soda and water paste twice a week. Clean them with a gauze pad, a piece of nylon pantyhose wrapped around the finger, or a soft, child’s toothbrush. Some russian spaniels develop periodontal disease, which is also known as an infection between the gum and tooth. Frequently, loss of teeth happens because of periodontal disease. Infection will sometimes also propagate to the rest of your russian spaniel’s body. The vet may brush your dog’s teeth as a regular part of your russian spaniel’s health screening.
Bad Breath in russian spaniels
While the foul odors caused by oral disease may not be very serious if detected early enough, sometimes halitosis may also indicate fairly serious, long-term problems. A pleasant, even sweet smell can sometimes be indicative of diabetes, while diseases of the liver or intestines may cause foul breath. Kidney disease is a possible reason if your russian spaniel’s breath smells of urine or ammonia. Set an appointment with a veterinarian whenever your russian spaniel has halitosis along with other signs of disease like excessive urinating or drinking, depression or lethargy, weight loss, nausea, or decreased appetite.
Tick and Fleas in russian spaniels
During the summer, it’s important for you to perform regular, daily inspections of your russian spaniel for ticks and fleas. Use a flea comb to find and remove fleas. There are numerous new technologies of flea and tick elimination. Refer to your vet about her recommendations.
russian spaniels With Heartworm Issues
This parasite lives in the heart and passes from a contaminated dog to your russian spaniel by mosquitoes. Heartworm infestations can be deadly. It is wise to give your russian spaniel a heartworm screen every spring—this is required to stop infections from the past year. A monthly pill taken during mosquito season will help to protect your russian spaniel. Your russian spaniel should be on heartworm medication throughout a winter trip to a warmer climate. In some milder areas, vets recommend preemptive parasite medication throughout the year.
Medicines and Poisons
If you’re contemplating giving your russian spaniel tablets that was not prescribed for him by his vet, forget it. Just one ibuprofen tablet is known to cause stomach ulcers in russian spaniels. Make sure your russian spaniel is never exposed to rat poison and other rodenticides. If you think your doggie has been exposed to a poison, notify the vet or the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 24 hours a day for help.
russian spaniel Sterilization Procedures
It is recommended that male russian spaniels should be neutered – the extraction of the testes – and females spayed – the extraction of the ovaries and uterus – by 6 months of age. Spaying before maturity significantly diminishes the risk of breast cancer, which is a usually deadly and common ailment for more mature female russian spaniels. The risk of a sick uterus, which is another serious disease that affects older females, will be removed by spaying while young. Neutering males helps prevent testicular diseases, certain types of aggressions and some hernias.
russian spaniel Immunizing
- The combination vaccine (also called the “5-in-one shot”) must be given to your russian spaniel at 2, three, and 4 months of age and again once every year. This immunization immunizes your russian spaniel puppy from hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, parainfluenza, and distemper. The russian spaniel must be innoculated for at least the first 4 months of her life.
- If your russian spaniel has not been vaccinated and is older than 4 months, she will need to be given 2 innoculations promptly, 2 to three weeks apart. Then you must immunize every year.
- Your russian spaniel pup’s vaccinations should coincide with her socialization program. You may take your russian spaniel pup to socialization classes as early as eight to nine weeks old, as recommended by many veterinarians. They should have already received their first immunizations by then.
Rules vary so much between different areas, the best thing is to contact your neighborhood vet for rabies vaccination details. In New York City, for instance, the regulation requires all pets older than three months must be vaccinated for rabies. The original rabies innoculation must be followed by a subsequent shot the next year, and then every 3 years. There are many innoculations that might effective for your russian spaniel. Your vet can give you her advice. Also, if your russian spaniel gets sick because he is not properly innoculated, do not give the shot until the dog has made a full recovery.
Roundworms in russian spaniels
russian spaniels are commonly exposed to worms—in all areas, both urban and rural. Microscopic eggs produced by hookworms are transmitted through an infested russian spaniel’s stool. Even the healthiest of russian spaniel puppies carry intestinal worms. The key to effective treatment is early detection. This will make certain that the medication is successful against the worms your dog has. A dewormer that eradicates roundworms, for example, won’t kill tapeworms. Your vet can best figure out the culprit—and prescribe the best treatment.
Miscellaneous russian spaniel Care Tips
Checklist of russian spaniel Supplies
- Premium-quality dog food and snacks specifically designed for russian spaniels and similarly-sized dogs
- Food bowl
- Water bowl
- Toys, toys and more toys, including safe chew toys
- Brush & comb for grooming, including flea comb
- Collar with license and identification tag
- Quality leash
- Carrier (for pups)
- Crate for training
- Dog box or bed with blanket or towel
- Doggie toothbrush
The no-no list
The following items should never be fed to russian spaniels:
- Alcoholic beverages
- Chocolate, coffee, or tea
- Grapes or raisins
- Moldy or spoiled food of any kind
- Onions, chives and garlic
- Poultry bones
- Salt & salty foods
- Tomato leaves, stems or unripe fruit
- Yeast dough
The “Bottom” Line
Unless you are at home, or in a fenced-in, secured space, always keep your russian spaniel on a leash. And please, when your russian spaniel defecates on your neighbor’s grass, take care of it! Don’t forget to check out these other articles about russian spaniels
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