Black Spaniels: description, care and list of nicknames

The first mention of cocker spaniels was discovered in written sources from the late 19th century. The birthplace of these dogs is England. Active breeding of this breed began to be engaged in at the beginning of the 20th century. Many black breeders often confuse English black spaniels with American. The fact is that they have many similarities, however, American dogs are slightly different in physique.

These dogs are designed to work together with a hunter. They cope best with field or swamp game, but quickly retrain and adapt to any task. English Spaniels are some of the best hunter companions. These are very curious animals with an affectionate character, they differ in perseverance, get along well with other animals (including cats).

When raising, usually there are no problems, therefore Such a dog can be easily brought by a person who has not previously trained animals. These pets are unpretentious to living conditions: they can be kept in an apartment or put a booth in the yard. Dogs are distinguished by good endurance and small size. The adult representative of the breed weighs 13-15 kg with a height of about 40 cm.

The English black spaniel will be an excellent acquisition, it will meet all the requirements of a hunter: the dog loves walking, during hunting it is able to bring prey without killing it. This is an affectionate and playful dog, feeling the mood of the owner.

For the first time these dogs were bred in the British Isles, although many people think that their homeland is Spain.But she actually has to do with this breed. According to the letters, similar dogs were first in Spain, then they were transported to Ireland, and only then the animals got to the UK. British breeders were very interested in such hardy animals, so it was decided to create an English hybrid that was not picky about conditions and could hunt in a field, dense forest or feed prey from the water.

Many artists in the 16th century depicted dogs very reminiscent of black spaniels in their paintings, which is very strange, because the breed was officially confirmed only after 200 years. The first dogs of this breed were conventionally divided into water and field. And only at the beginning of the XIX century, breeders decided to create a universal hybrid that would do well with hunting both on water and in a dense forest.

That is how smooth-haired spaniels were born - active and aggressive in hunting, but quiet and calm at home. In 1893, this hybrid was approved by the Kennel Club as a new breed. In 1902, the breed standard was approved, and these dogs became popular on almost all continents.

In Russia, dogs appeared in the first half of the 20th century, however, they became popular after the 70s of the 20th century. People began to become interested in the English Spaniel, not only because of the innate hunting instinct: these dogs also had an elegant appearance, yielded well to training, and did not require special care.

The first thing that catches your eye when you see a black spaniel is large drooping ears, covered with a short wool. Such dogs have large paws, thanks to which they can get trophies even on the water. The skull is dome-shaped, small in size, the area between the muzzle and forehead is smooth, but quite clearly pronounced. The dog is distinguished by clever expressive eyes. They are brown in color, slightly oblong in shape.

Eyelids tight to the eyes. The ears are not set too high and lie on the head. Sometimes it seems that their length prevents the dog from hearing normally, however, this is not so. The tip of the nose is quite large, black in color.

If we compare the English and American dogs, then the first muzzle has a longer length. The jaws are well developed, the scissor bite, although there are representatives with an even bite. The muscular torso cannot boast of a special length; it sticks out a little from the back, and the stomach is taut. Paws are distinguished by strong bone tissue, fingers are rather large. In a calm state, the tail is located just below the line of the spine. In most representatives of the breed, it is stopped at 1/3 of the part. The black spaniel has a long coat. Color is sometimes tan.

If you start raising a spaniel from an early age, then he will grow up quite calm. The pet will not miss a single family event. He is very active and loves to play. The dog will not give up exercises: like a slow walk with the owner, as well as long runs. These dogs are famous for their sensitivity and good physical performance. They are distinguished by their good nature, therefore they do not tolerate a rude attitude towards them. Dogs express their dissatisfaction with a growl, but this happens very rarely.

The fur of representatives of this hybrid is different. Often it is short and smooth. Black spaniels should be trimmed periodically. However, not every owner is able to independently tidy up the fur of his four-legged friend, so many turn to experienced specialists for help. Professionals can not only cut their hair, but also brush their hair and bathe the dog. The grooming procedure must be carried out no more than once every 60 days. Today you can find many salons that provide such services, so each owner can choose the right procedures based on their budget.

Experienced black spaniel owners recommend a short haircut. The longer the coat is, the more difficult it is to care for. But even with short hair, a lot of trouble remains: as you grow, you need to cut your nails and bathe the dog once every one and a half to two months.

Grooming is a big stress for some pets, so you should cut and comb the hair from an early age. Thus, the dog from childhood accustomed to this, and will not show discontent. The same applies to brushing your teeth, cutting your claws. The pet should understand that these are standard necessary procedures that are pointless to avoid. But if your dog has been very difficult to bear hair cutting for several years, then you should not force grooming. It is advisable to contact your veterinarian first and find out the reasons for this behavior. Opinions of experienced dog breeders regarding tail docking differ.

Ears are cleaned once a week, and claws are trimmed once a month. Ears should be carefully monitored for irritation or inflammation. A pungent smell from the ears may indicate an infection. This item should not be neglected, since the body of the black spaniel has a tendency to infectious diseases of the ear cavity. To combat simple diseases, use a special solution with which the ear cavity is washed.

For feeding a pet try not to use wide dishes, otherwise the ears will fall into the bowl during the meal. The same applies to the drinker. Some owners of shorthair spaniels put their dogs on a leash so that their ears do not touch the food.

English black spaniels are pretty easy to learn. The main thing is to buy goodies for your four-legged friend before starting training. These dogs are very touchy, therefore, before training, be patient, it is not recommended to be rude or to show aggression towards them. Otherwise, your efforts will not succeed. After each executed command, you need to praise the pet.

If you get a representative of this breed not for hunting, but as a decorative dog, then it will be enough to teach him the basic commands: “Place”, “To the foot”, “Quietly”, “Lie”, “Voice” and others. The positive side of this hybrid is that these dogs are well developed by nature, so the owner is unlikely to encounter great difficulties. You just need to be persistent in training, otherwise the pet will understand that the owner is set up gently, and will not differ in activity during training.

In case of successful completion of the command, a simple “Well done!” Will be enough, stroke your four-friend and present a piece of goodies. If you notice that the dog is not listening, then you can slightly increase the voice. Remember that the spaniel is a hunting dog, so the owner must train the dog from 8 months after completing the study of the OKD course (general training course).

A typical representative of this breed with good maintenance lives 13-15 years. These dogs have a genetic predisposition to the following diseases:

• diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
• immunity problems;
• viral diseases.

To avoid any ailments as long as possible, carefully care for the dog.Feed her good feed or fresh natural food, regularly walk, comb the hair and carry out all hygiene procedures. From time to time, vitamin complexes do not interfere. If done correctly, the pet can live several years longer.

Charlie, Cosmos, Jim, Dania or Chris are suitable for a boy. If you want your pet to stand out from the crowd, call him Rolex, Lucky, Tick-tack, Mickey. Some names have a certain meaning: Takara - treasure, Akito - autumn, Shinju - pearl, Keko - happy. The nickname can be selected based on the color of the dog: Black, Brown, Chernysh, Gray.

Popular names for girls: Tracy, Molly, Cleo or Linda. There are nicknames with a Russian accent: Snowball, Bagheera, Butterscotch, Button. You can also give the dog a nickname with a specific meaning: Natsuko - summer, Sakura - cherry, Hiro - generous. Remember that this is a hunting working dog, so you can not call it affectionate nicknames: Kuzka, Lapushka, Cutie.

In the next video you will find interesting facts about the English Cocker Spaniel.