The appearance of a puppy in the house radically changes the usual routine of the owners. From the very first day, from the first minutes, the puppy's training begins. And its first stage is to teach the dog to relieve itself not where it needs to, but in a place designated for this, on a special reusable absorbent diaper. The need for such a toilet is primarily due to the fact that the puppy is in quarantine until it reaches three months. Until all vaccinations have been completed, he is susceptible to many infections, and therefore walking on the street is strictly contraindicated for him.
How to trim a puppy's tail correctly?
For puppies
At the age of up to two weeks, docking is performed without anesthesia; for older animals, under general anesthesia.
from tail
is shaved off, the skin is pulled as far as possible towards the body, and the part of
the tail
to be removed is cut off using a surgical scalpel or scissors.
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Teaching a puppy to relieve its natural needs at home in one place is quite painstaking work. Therefore, it is up to the dog owner to decide whether to do this or not. I'll give you a few reasons for and against. Against. Increasingly, the spaniel is becoming a city hunter's dog with the ensuing apartment maintenance. However, the spaniel is a hunting dog. And the sooner, and more, and more often we take him outside “to the toilet,” the better he will be socialized, adapted to the environment, and the sooner he will learn to endure between walks. However, in this case, the family will have to take the baby out for walks, starting from an early age, several times a day, which is extremely difficult. Especially when your home is on the 8th–15th floor and the elevator does not work at times. Therefore, the first “for” emerges. The second “pro”, and for owners of dogs acquired during the spring thaw, it becomes of paramount importance. No matter how much we strive to take our baby for walks and condition him outdoors from a very early age, before vaccinations there is always a risk of contracting an infection. And during the spring melting of snow, this risk increases significantly. The third “pro” is due to regional weather conditions. On frosty days, and we have them - “mother, don’t worry,” the puppy cannot relieve himself because of the cold that penetrates right through his conventional fur coat. It was this last argument that prompted me to write this in order to alleviate the plight of puppy owners constantly running around the house with a rag. Although in fact it is quite good for health, because when you still bend over like that. My goal is not to encourage anyone to toilet train their puppy. These recommendations are addressed to those who are planning to do this. And so, about the “toilet”. Modern industry remembers our pets and the problems that sometimes arise. Therefore, finding a suitable “toilet” for a puppy will not be a big problem. You must understand that the “toilet” is needed for a while and, perhaps, you can do without a special tray (photo 4-5) with a regular shoe rack (photo 1-3) or a diaper purchased at a pharmacy (bedding in photo 4). The tray is, of course, hygienic and very convenient, the shoe rack does not require ongoing material investments, and you can lay out several diapers in different rooms as much as you like. The advantage of diapers would be undoubted if we were not the happy owners of cheerful dogs. From time to time, it may occur to the baby to move the diaper to another place, or even more interesting - to make many little ones out of it. However, such an attempt always ends unsuccessfully. And instead of a bunch of small diapers, there appears a large pile of scraps, balls, chewed polyethylene and puddles wherever necessary. Therefore, it is still better for the diaper to be covered with a grill, like in a tray. There is one minus of the shoe tray, but it is quite significant. The puppy will not paw into its own puddle, so the tray will have to be regularly rinsed with clean water and wiped, which is not always possible during the working day.
Puppies are naturally very clean. Already at 5–7 days they instinctively make the first attempts to crawl away from the nest in order to relieve their natural needs. By two weeks it is almost conscious. And at 21–25 days, babies try to walk in a ditch or on a special diaper, which should be no further than 50-80 cm from the nest. When the puppies were brought up in a “decent” family and were accustomed to go to the “toilet” in a certain place, then when the owner and place of residence change, training to go to the “toilet” in a new place is a little easier. But even in this case, the stress of changing the environment can disorganize the baby. In order not to repeat myself in the future, I will immediately indicate with the “important” point the special points that must be observed. So, in the process of toilet training a puppy, it is very important: 1. You should never punish for puddles in the wrong place. The puppy will not understand why and will avoid the owner. 2. Under no circumstances should you “poke” your nose, as is customary among “the people.” You wouldn’t do this to your child, clearly realizing that the baby still won’t understand why. 3. You should never scold a puppy for puddles that have already been made, even if only 5 seconds have passed. The puppy will not understand his guilt and the reason for his anger, and will also avoid his owner. 4. You should never put a puppy in the “toilet” after he has already relieved himself. The baby will begin to avoid the “toilet”, thinking that this is a place of punishment. 5. You should never punish a puppy when it is relieving itself in an inappropriate place. This will lead to the fact that he will hide from your sight and recover in solitude wherever necessary. 6. It is necessary to regularly place the puppy in the “toilet” immediately after eating and sleeping, allowing him to move around within this territory. And when saying “ah-ah” or something similar, try to wait until the puppy makes a puddle, while praising him. 7. You need to praise every time the puppy is interested in the “toilet” and begins to spin around in it. 8. It is necessary to place the “toilet” for the first time not where it is more convenient for you, but where the puppy will involuntarily end up immediately after sleep or after eating on the way from the bowl. Here I will call such places “crossroads”. Example: Baby is up to 2 months old. The baby's place is located in the room near the owner's bed. Then the toilet should be 1–1.5 meters from the puppy’s place, and the bowl should be 1 m slightly away from the toilet. So that after eating, the puppy first finds itself near the “toilet”, and only then goes to the place and playground. As the puppy gets older, its habitat expands. And the number of “crossroads” may increase. In the evening he plays in a large room and the “toilet” should appear on the way so as not to run far. Still won't make it in time. Feeding was moved to the kitchen, therefore the “crossroads” shifted to the passage (corridor) between the rooms. It won’t be bad at all if your baby’s “toilet” ends up next to your toilet. Without a hint of irony, I say that personal example is the best way to learn. And with good contact with the dog, the baby will try to go to his “potty” every time you use the toilet. 9. It is important to remember and always praise the baby when he recovers in the right place. 10. You must understand that a puppy, like all kids, sometimes plays around and forgets to go potty where it’s supposed to go. Forgive him for this, silently. A puppy excited by play may misunderstand your punishment or reprimand. It is very important to understand that dogs are clean animals. And they will not want to put their paws on a diaper that is wet and smells from yesterday, so after putting the puppy on the diaper 2-3 times, it should be changed to a fresh one. Diapers are sold in pharmacies and come in different sizes. For a spaniel, a good size is 40x60. To save money, you can buy 60×90 and cut it in half, since the price depends slightly on the size. This is only acceptable if the puppy is not interested in rags and does not try to chew or tear litter pads. I think that I simply have to mention a slightly different approach. The bottom line is that the puppy is taught to go to newspapers placed almost throughout the room. Then the number of newspapers is gradually reduced, and the puppy begins to go to the newspaper in one place. For me personally, this method creates the inconvenience of getting rid of smelly wet newspapers. For people who live in a home with a garbage disposal, this may be a good option. There is another way. Similar to newspapers, the puppy learns to walk on rags. This method is quite convenient for the owner and requires frequent changes of rags, since quite quickly the smell of urine becomes irreducible even with modern odor absorbers. The method of training to sit up on a rag has one drawback that is not visible at first glance. If for some reason your already adult dog cannot wait until you return home, then its reflex may be triggered to recover on a rag. And the only rag in the house at that moment will be the carpet or the skin of an animal near the chair. Everything you read concerned only puddles. Heaps are a special topic. From experience, I can safely say that the easiest way to collect piles from the floor is with toilet paper and take them to the toilet with it. However, this is exactly what the toilet is designed for. This approach is in fact the simplest, most accessible and convenient, and does not require large amounts of time and money. Living in Siberia, we are forced to adapt to a long period of cold weather ourselves and at least partially alleviate our lot. Toilet training a puppy is one way to adapt.
taken from the site https://spaniel-sib.ru
The right diet
The owner chooses the type of food for an adult Russian spaniel independently. This can be either ready-made premium food or natural food. Usually the first method of feeding is preferable if the dog goes hunting, where it is not possible to prepare food for it. If the pet is not used for hunting purposes, the owners opt for natural products.
Important. You cannot use both types of food at the same time, as this can lead to digestive upset.
When feeding natural food, the dog must additionally receive the necessary vitamins and minerals. The basis of the diet (about 75%) of an adult Russian spaniel should be lean meat and offal.
Authorized products:
It is strictly forbidden to give representatives of the breed:
- legumes;
- fried food;
- smoked meats and sausages;
- river fish;
- spices and seasonings;
- confectionery and baked goods;
- tubular bones.
When keeping a Russian spaniel at home, it should be taken into account that these dogs are prone to overeating and, accordingly, to obesity. That is why they should not be overfed.
Advice on keeping adult dogs: experienced dog handlers recommend slightly underfeeding them. This helps keep them in good shape and also monitor their weight.
For your information. It is better not to feed a dog used for hunting on the day of this event. Also, a day before the hunt, it is recommended to exclude from the menu foods that temporarily dull the sense of smell (eggs, cheese, sausage and smoked meats, citrus fruits, garlic, onions, honey).
Bathing
To keep your dog clean, it is not necessary to bathe it every time it gets dirty.
It is enough to brush regularly with a soft brush. If you bathe frequently using detergents, your dog may experience itchy skin and flaking. Shampoo and soap destroy the fat layer, which naturally protects the skin from dirt and moisture. This is especially true for puppies under six months of age. You can bathe your puppy using homemade shampoo, consisting of kefir or curdled milk, egg yolk and warm water. This composition will not damage the protective layer. If the pet is dirty and the dirt cannot be washed off with a home remedy, then shampoo for long-haired dogs is used. It is diluted with warm water in a 1:1 ratio.
Paws and ears are washed every time you return to the house. The puppy must be taught this procedure from an early age.
Grooming
The Cocker's luxurious coat requires careful attention.
Grooming an English Cocker Spaniel is easier than caring for an American Cocker. The Englishman's coat is not as thick as the American's. Therefore, the haircut of an English cocker will be different from that of an American. Otherwise the differences are unnoticeable. How to care for the coat: on your own or with the help of a groomer, depends on the skills of the owner. For a beginner, it is better to go through the first care activities in a salon. Subsequent manipulations can be performed independently, having an idea of proper care.
Grooming includes the following:
- Combing and combing.
- Timely haircut.
- Trimming as needed.
A haircut
Basic standards for cutting a spaniel in a comparative table.
| American Cocker | English cocker | |
| Head | Short shaved hair on the skull and upper neck. The upper third of the ear and cheeks are also shaved, as is part of the muzzle around the eyes. | Short-cropped coat, no bangs. |
| Torso | The fur on the back is cut as short as possible and all undercoat is removed. The upper part of the neck and back is stripped. A machine is used to trim the tail. | In the chest area the fur is cut short; a triangular area above the chest is left untouched; wool is trimmed on the croup; the area around the anus is cut very short in the shape of a quadrangle. |
| Legs | Limbs are not subject to haircuts. Only the paw pads are trimmed. | On the front legs, the hair on the front and sides is cut short, leaving long hair on the back. Hindquarters: The upper thigh remains covered with long hair. From the hock to the paw, the coat is cut as short as possible. |
Combing
The Cocker needs to be brushed daily. After all, not only the appearance of the dog depends on how to care for the coat. When combing, dead hairs are removed, the skin receives a kind of massage, blood circulation improves, and metabolism accelerates.
It is necessary to accustom a dog to a comb from puppyhood, then this procedure will bring pleasure to both the owner and the pet.
Caring for an Elderly Cocker
The average lifespan of cockers is 11-12 years. By the age of 9, animals’ vision deteriorates and their hearing decreases. The elasticity of the ligaments is no longer the same as in a young animal, the bones become fragile. Walks become more relaxed. The owner may have to lift the dog in his arms to climb flights of stairs. After all, such a task becomes difficult for an aging dog.
To maintain the vital functions of the pet, multivitamin complexes are used for aging dogs. The diet is also subject to revision. It is recommended to purchase food for older animals.
Knowledge of how to care for an American or English cocker will help you raise a healthy and active pet that will delight its owner.
Source
Ear care
Spaniel ears require special care. Long ears are poorly ventilated and are therefore susceptible to fungal diseases and inflammatory processes. It is necessary to clean the ears from wax and dirt once every 2-3 days, using a damp cotton swab. Clean the outer part of the ear canal. You can’t go deep inside - you can damage the cocker’s delicate ear.
In spring and summer, the main problem is ticks. If your pet behaves restlessly, shakes its head, or tries to scratch its ears with its paws, it means there is a tick there.
Daily inspection of the inner and outer parts of the ear is necessary.
Parasites removed in time will not be able to penetrate deep into the ear canal.
The long ears of the Cocker Spaniel collect all debris, especially burrs. If there is a walk in the forest, the dog is given a special cap for the spaniel ears. This will make grooming easier.
Walk
The English Cocker Spaniel, like its American counterpart, loves long walks and is happy to run in any weather.
An adult cocker needs to be walked twice a day for one and a half to two hours.
But you shouldn’t be outside in rainy weather for more than half an hour. For walking you will need a long leash with a tape measure. You cannot let the dog go: a cocker can chase a cat, following its hunting instincts, and the screams of its owner will not stop it. Closed areas or enclosures are suitable for free walking.
What not to do when training a dog
- You should not teach a puppy that has received all its vaccinations or an adult dog to go to the toilet at home.
- Violations must not be ignored, but not in the evening after work, but immediately after making a puddle.
- You should not scold the dog after the fact; it is not able to connect the owner’s anger with its tricks.
- You can't feed your dog at night.
- If the puppy is afraid to walk outside, you should not force him, be patient.
Where to start learning
You need to train your dog from the first minutes of meeting him. It is advisable for the owner to always be at home and raise the dog. If this is not possible, then you should not take a small puppy. It is better to take a teenager or an adult dog, it will be easier to train them. Until 4 months of age, puppies cannot control their urination; training them requires patience and free time.
Before a dog appears in the apartment, you must:
- remove carpets and rugs;
- provide the dog with a place to sleep;
- determine a place for the tray if a puppy is planned to appear in the house;
- put a bowl of water;
- remove all electrical wires.
The paths need to be cleared so that, having made a puddle, the dog does not walk through it with wet feet and does not leave traces of urine. The wires are removed so that the dog does not chew them and cause a short circuit. It is especially dangerous if the puppy also wets them with urine.
How to care for a Cocker Spaniel: English and American
Caring for a Cocker Spaniel is not particularly difficult. Compliance with the rules of keeping and feeding will help the dog maintain health and remain in excellent physical shape throughout its life. The American Cocker Spaniel has a balanced character. He is characterized by a loyal, good-natured attitude towards strangers. The English Cocker Spaniel, when compared with its relatives, is more active. Loves when people pay attention to him. More dependent on family, suffers from lack of communication.
Dental care
To accustom a puppy to examining and brushing his teeth from an early age, he is taught the “Show your teeth” command. This will come in handy when the dog begins to participate in exhibitions, because a dental examination is a necessary item.
Dental care is carried out regularly once a week, starting from the age of six months, after the complete replacement of milk teeth with permanent ones.
To do this, use a soft toothbrush and toothpaste for dogs to clean the teeth with gentle movements. Soft plaque on teeth can be removed with a cotton swab dipped in water. But tartar in dogs is difficult to remove on your own. To carry out this procedure, contact a veterinarian. The formation of tartar is dangerous because it can cause inflammatory gum disease.
As a natural way to clean the teeth, the spaniel is offered to gnaw on large bones and cartilage. Caring for and maintaining healthy teeth is a prerequisite for maintaining the health of your pet.
Health and treatment
Purebred Russian spaniels are considered fairly healthy dogs, but they are also prone to certain diseases.
Common diseases:
In any case, if you suspect any disease, you cannot treat your pet yourself. You should show your Russian Spaniel to a veterinarian as soon as possible, who will make the correct diagnosis, do tests and provide competent treatment.
The average lifespan of Russian spaniels is 14–15 years, but with good care, some individuals can live up to 20 years.
The owners of the Russian Spaniel can be proud that they have one of the most loyal, intelligent and obedient dogs in their home.
Then you just need to love, follow the rules of care and maintenance, raise, train and treat your pet in a timely manner. Only in this case will he be guaranteed a long and happy life.
Conditions for keeping cockers
Both the English and American Cocker Spaniels are considered apartment dogs, despite their hunting origins. Life on the street, as well as keeping them in an enclosure or on a chain, is not for them.
Cockers love to be in the fresh air; they will like life in a rural area with a spacious local area. But even in the city, in a small city apartment, a cocker will feel great, you just need to devote more time for walks.
To care for a cocker spaniel, you do not need to be a specialist; the breed is unpretentious.
When living in a private house, you can equip an insulated booth outside: the spaniel will feel comfortable in the fresh air in the warm season. The kennel is installed in a dry, well-lit place. A booth with a sloping roof is preferable. This will prevent water from flowing into the dog’s home. The outdoor lounger for the booth is made of straw, changed as needed.
Care and maintenance in the apartment are simple. The place for the cocker is chosen closer to the owner. A special pet bed is placed in a place where there are no drafts or dampness. It is advisable that from his place the dog can view the maximum area of the room.
You need to accustom your puppy to its place from the first days of its stay in the house. Initially, the baby will ask to go to the owner’s bed, but you need to show restraint and character so that the puppy immediately learns who is boss in the house.
A cocker spaniel bed made from an old basket with a blanket placed in it will be a good option for the first days. Later, when the dog grows up, you can purchase a special bed at pet stores for the cocker to sleep and rest.
Feeding
The English Cocker Spaniel, like the American Cocker, is unpretentious in food. He can eat anything. For a dog to live a long and fulfilling life, its diet must be balanced, taking into account activity.
Feeding the puppy
Feeding your Cocker Spaniel at a certain time and in a strictly designated place will help accustom him to routine and order.
Until the age of two months, the baby is fed six times a day. From two to four months, the number of feedings is four to five times. By six months, a grown puppy can be fed three to four times. By the age of ten months, the pet is transferred to two meals a day. And this regime remains constant.
Feeding an adult dog
There is an opinion among some breeders that an adult cocker can be fed once a day. It is worth disproving such a theory. It is better to divide the dog’s diet into two equal portions and feed it in the morning and evening, with an equal time interval. With this scheme, nutrients enter the body evenly.
Cockers are prone to gluttony. Appetite must be controlled.
