home Audience 5 Vitamins for a Cocker Spaniel puppy. Feeding a Russian hunting spaniel. Feeding cocker spaniels: important nuances

Vitamins for a Cocker Spaniel puppy. Feeding a Russian hunting spaniel. Feeding cocker spaniels: important nuances

To properly feed a Cocker Spaniel puppy, you need to study the characteristics of the breed. Next, you need to decide what to feed your Cocker Spaniel puppy, that is, choose between ready-made food, natural and mixed diet. The next step is to create a sample menu by age. Don't forget about vitamins and supplements, the role of water in your cocker spaniel's diet, and the dangers of prohibited foods.

The Cocker Spaniel is a fairly ancient breed of dog bred for gun work. There are about 20 types of spaniels in the world, but only two of them are “cockers”:

American Cocker Spaniel.
English cocker spaniel.

What are the characteristics of the breeds, similarities and differences? Cocker spaniels are medium-sized dogs, weighing between 10 and 14 kg. Adult animals develop dense, water-repellent fur. Both cockers readily fetch, are active and curious even into old age.

Dogs differ in temperament american spaniels more sofa-like. They have longer and softer fur.
English spaniels are stronger, stockier, more resilient, and physically stronger.

Choosing a place and dishes for feeding a Cocker Spaniel puppy

Before moving the puppy to new house, need to take care of key points, which will reduce stress and increase the comfort of the new pet. If the dog is not acquired spontaneously, take care of:

Equipment for rest areas.
Purchasing toys.
Choosing and purchasing care accessories.
Choosing a place and utensils for eating.

To maintain cleanliness in the eating area, it is recommended to use a special rubberized mat. The accessory helps protect the puppy from falling, even if the floor is wet. The mat is easy to wash and disinfect. Instead of special mats, you can use a structural, dense film.

Important! In order for a Cocker Spaniel puppy to properly develop its bone structure, it must be taught to eat from a stand. Special stands are height adjustable. Bowls need to be narrowed so that the dog’s ears do not get dirty while eating.

What to feed a Cocker Spaniel puppy - choosing the type of diet

When choosing what to feed your Cocker Spaniel puppy, you need to decide on a key area – the type of diet:

Natural.
Industrial.
Mixed.

All three types have advantages and disadvantages. Let's look a little more closely.

Natural diet

The more natural diet for a Cocker Spaniel puppy has always been and remains natural products. A natural diet for a Cocker Spaniel puppy includes:

Feeding raw and cooked foods.
Feeding meat porridge.
Feeding exclusively raw foods is a raw food diet.

Advantages natural diet for a cocker spaniel puppy:

High-quality natural products can be given to the puppy from the very beginning. early age.
A natural diet is cheaper than high-quality industrial feed.
You can always control the quality and freshness of products.
The natural diet can be adjusted at any time.
Taste variety.

Disadvantages of a natural diet for a Cocker Spaniel puppy:

You need to spend time preparing food for your dog.
Porridge and other natural products should not be left in a bowl for the dog to eat during the day.
The puppy may develop an allergy, although cocker spaniels are not prone to this disease.

A Cocker Spaniel puppy can be switched to natural products with one month old . If the puppy is orphaned, it can be fed with special formulas based on milk, glucose, eggs (and other options) or homemade goat milk.

Ready-made feed

Ready-made food for a Cocker Spaniel puppy is an excellent and sometimes the only alternative for working owners. Having opted for an industrial diet, you need to understand the nuances. Ready-made food for Cocker Spaniel puppy is divided into types:

Dry (granules).
Semi-moist (pieces with gravy).
Moist (pate or paste).
Treats.

Naturally, the main indicator that you need to focus on when choosing food is quality. Industrial food for Cocker Spaniel puppy is divided into classes:

Economy
Premium
Super premium.
Holistic.

If your dog has individual characteristics, you need to choose specialized food lines.

According to their intended purpose, ready-made feeds are divided into:

Advantages of ready-made feeds:

No need to cook.
They are stored for a long time.
Easy to dose.
High-quality feed contains enough proteins, vitamins and minerals.

Disadvantages of ready-made feeds:

Good food is more expensive than natural feeding.
Holistic class food is almost never sold in retail.
Expensive food is often counterfeited.
A Cocker Spaniel puppy should not be switched to dry food until its teeth change.
The dog should not be fed only dry or only wet food.

A Cocker Spaniel puppy can be adopted from 1–1.5 months of age. To feed puppies from birth, a substitute for bitch's milk is used - ready meals in powder form, which can be diluted with water.

Mixed diet

A mixed diet is the simultaneous feeding of prepared and natural products. Within the framework of mixed feeding there are:

Mixing food - dry or soaked dry food and natural products.
Separate feeding - for example, dry food in the morning, porridge in the evening.

Benefits of a mixed diet:

Owner convenience.
Quick satiation of the pet.

Flaws:

The threat of vitamin deficiency when using low-grade feed.
The threat of excess vitamins and proteins when using high-quality feed.
Dysbacteriosis, indigestion.

Important! A Cocker Spaniel puppy can be switched to mixed feeding no earlier than 4–5 months of age. However, veterinarians and feed manufacturers do not recommend a mixed diet.

Sample menu by age for a Cocker Spaniel puppy

In theory, everything looks a little more complicated than in practice. Composing for a Cocker Spaniel puppy sample menu by age, you can soberly assess your capabilities and benefits for your pet.

Menu for a Cocker Spaniel puppy up to a month old

Until the age of one month, a Cocker Spaniel puppy feeds only on its mother's milk. If, for some reason, the puppy is left without a mother, he is fed artificially:

Natural menu for a Cocker Spaniel puppy under one month of age – homemade milk diluted with water; special milk mixtures.
Industrial menu for a Cocker Spaniel puppy up to a month old - bitch's milk substitute, infant formula without additives.

The serving size for a Cocker Spaniel puppy under one month of age depends on the size and individual characteristics. Number of feedings for a Cocker Spaniel puppy under one month of age:

From birth to 2 weeks, Cocker Spaniel puppies eat every 2 hours.
From 2 to 4 weeks of age, Cocker Spaniel puppies eat every 2–3 hours, with a nighttime break lasting 4–6 hours.

Serving size and number of meals may vary depending on fat content and nutritional content mother's milk. Naturally than more puppies in the litter, the more often they eat.

At 1 month of age

Spaniels are ready for complementary feeding. As soon as the babies open their eyes and begin to leave the nest, they are offered natural or industrial complementary foods.

Natural menu for a 1 month old Cocker Spaniel puppy:

Mother's milk.
Whole goat or cow's milk.
Low-fat broth.
Boiled minced meat mixed with broth.

Industrial menu for a 1 month old Cocker Spaniel puppy:

Bitch milk substitute.
In case of growth retardation - pate for emaciated puppies.

Serving size depends on growth rate. Usually, per day, puppies eat as many grams of food as they weigh.

The number of feedings (complementary feeding) is 5–6 times a day, excluding mother’s milk.

At 2 months

The Cocker Spaniel actively eats complementary foods because it has a full row of baby teeth. The more nutritious and high-quality complementary foods, the less mother’s milk babies eat.

Natural menu for a 2 month old Cocker Spaniel puppy:

Industrial menu:

Bitch milk substitute.

Serving size directly depends on body weight.

The number of feedings varies from 4 to 6 times a day, excluding mother's milk consumed.

At 3 months

The Cocker Spaniel is actively expanding. Immediately after the move, the type and schedule of feeding do not change for 10–14 days, after which the diet is expanded according to the usual scheme.

Natural menu for a 3 month old Cocker Spaniel puppy:

Mother's milk (if the puppy is still with its mother).
Whole milk, dairy products, cottage cheese.
Boiled minced meat, raw, chopped meat.
Broth, vegetable soup with meat broth.
Raw quail eggs. Chicken eggs: yolk only, boiled or in the form of an omelet.
Rice, buckwheat.

Industrial menu:

Bitch milk substitute.
Canned food for medium breed puppies.

The portion size at 3 months of age is constantly increasing.

Number of feedings: 4–5 times a day.

At 4–6 months

At 4–6 months of age, Cocker Spaniel puppies are very active and therefore require a calorie-rich diet. In addition, during this period, baby teeth begin to change to molars, so vitamin supplements are introduced into the diet, if this has not been done previously.

Natural menu:

Whole milk, fermented milk products, cottage cheese - in large quantities.
Boiled and raw meat without fat and bones - beef, veal, rabbit, turkey, quail.
Beef by-products, boiled, chopped. You can use peeled, washed tripe in its raw form.
Chicken and quail eggs – raw, boiled, omelet.
Vegetables – boiled with porridge, raw with meat or cottage cheese.

Industrial menu:

Pates for medium breed puppies.
Semi-moist food for medium breed puppies.
Soaked dry food for medium breed dogs.

The size depends on the individual characteristics and taste preferences of the dog. Number of feedings: 3-4 full meals and 2-3 snacks.

From 6 months to 1 year

At the age of 6 months to 1 year, the diet of a Cocker Spaniel puppy expands as much as possible. You will notice that your dog now has favorite foods; they need to be included in the diet.

Natural menu:

Meat – beef, poultry, rabbit.
Meat by-products – beef, poultry.
Milk (unless lactose intolerant).
Fermented milk products - any, preferably homemade.
Fish – low-fat, oceanic, peeled, boiled.
Fish and meat broths.
Chicken and quail eggs.
Cereals – buckwheat, rice, barley, wheat and barley.
Vegetables except boiled potatoes and raw cabbage.
Fruits, except juicy and very sweet.
Greens, grass, bran.

Industrial menu:

Until the complete change of teeth (7–8 months) – wet and semi-moist food for medium breed puppies, soaked dry food.
After a complete change of teeth - 75% dry and 25% wet or semi-moist food for dogs of medium breeds.

The serving size gradually increases, then, from the age of 8–9 months, it decreases. The number of feedings is gradually reduced to 2–3 times.

Important! The final serving size for a Cocker Spaniel puppy is determined individually, depending on the dog’s metabolic rate and lifestyle.

Vitamins and supplements in the diet of a Cocker Spaniel puppy

From a very early age, vitamins and supplements are introduced into the Cocker Spaniel puppy's diet. This measure is not relevant if the dog regularly eats high-quality, industrial feed. If your pet’s diet is natural, no matter how high-quality it is, additional sources of nutrients are needed.

Natural vitamin supplements for Cocker Spaniel puppy:

Pharmacy vitamin supplements for a Cocker Spaniel puppy can and should be used as complex sources of nutrients:

Fish fat.
Feed tricalcium phosphate.
Omega-3, Omega-6.
B vitamins.
Undevit and analogues.

When feeding natural food, veterinarians recommend giving the Cocker Spaniel puppy special, industrial vitamin complexes. Complexes need to be changed and alternated according to needs.

Water in a puppy's diet

Water plays an extremely important role in the diet of a Cocker Spaniel puppy. important role. If your puppy receives wet food, he may be reluctant to drink water. However, if you plan to transition your pet to drying, he must have constant access to a drinking bowl with fresh water.

Prohibited Products

It is important to exclude prohibited foods from your Cocker Spaniel puppy’s diet:

Bones, pure fat, skin, especially poultry.
Palm oil.
Grapes, raisins.
Mushrooms.
Corn and semolina.
Raw freshwater fish.
Dry, salted fish.
Products containing sugar or sugar substitutes.
Products containing xylitol (chewing gum, some sweets).
Products containing flour or yeast.
Products containing caffeine, cocoa, any stimulants (sweets, tea, coffee, chocolate).
Products containing marinades, salt, spices.
Smoked products, including sausages, balyki, fish.
Products with expired suitability.
Leftovers from the table.

Controversial foods in a puppy's diet are:

Lean raw pork.
Raw ocean fish.
Whole milk.
Chicken eggs.
Raw and boiled chicken liver in large quantities.

Controversial products can and should be given to a Cocker Spaniel puppy if an allergic or other acute reaction does not occur after taking them.

Diet of puppies that have switched to self-feeding

If you decide to purchase a puppy from breeders, you should familiarize yourself with necessary diet for puppies during visits to the nursery, and also get detailed advice from a specialist.

As for the diet proposed by the breeder, if the dog remains vigorous, cheerful and active, we can assume that it receives all the supply it needs nutrients and there is no need to make any changes to her diet. Moreover, if you decide to diversify your pet’s menu on your own in the first 2 months of its life, this can lead to gastrointestinal disorders in the puppy.

From the first days of its stay in the house, the puppy needs to get used to correct reception food, that is, to regularity and a certain feeding technique. It is best for puppy owners to create a schedule according to which their ward will eat. It should be noted that babies should be fed at regular intervals. Gradually, the pet will get used to the regime established for it and by a certain hour it will be ready to start feeding.

The feeding technique involves teaching a young dog to eat from a bowl mounted on a special stand, which is installed at a certain height and fixed so that the dishes remain stationary and it is convenient for the baby to eat from it. This arrangement of the food bowl is necessary in order to prevent deviations in physical development dogs. The fact is that when systematically consuming food from a dish placed directly on the floor, the pet may have a number of problems with the formation of various parts of the body, which will subsequently negatively affect the positive assessment of the dog’s exterior and, most importantly, the health of the dog. Among the shortcomings that can appear as a result of improper feeding, stooped posture, high hindquarters, and insufficient development of pasterns on the forelimbs are especially common.

Aluminum Meal Bowls

So, feeding the puppy should proceed as follows. The bowl of food is placed on a vertical stand with a stable stand, which should be at the level of the baby’s chest or slightly higher. Then it will be convenient for him to lower his muzzle into the bowl, and at the same time he will not bow his head too low, and his back will remain straight. The bowl is inserted into a metal hoop corresponding to its diameter and secured with a ring or clamp on the stand. The stand under the counter should be wide and stable enough so that the puppy does not overturn the entire structure while eating.

The bowl from which the pet will eat must be ceramic, aluminum or enameled, and free from defects, potholes and unevenness to avoid cuts. The volume of dishes for puppies is usually small: it contains approximately 0.5 liters of liquid or 500 g of dry food.

To prevent the puppy's paws from sliding on the floor surface, you should place a piece of thick fabric or a small rug under them.

When eating, the puppy must learn to fix the correct body position in the stance. The owner needs to monitor how the dog’s body and limbs are positioned when it is near a bowl of food. Pay attention to the front legs: they should remain straight and parallel to each other. The hind legs should be positioned so that the angle of inclination of the hind hock joints is approximately 90°. Correct position standing is developed gradually, the skills acquired by the baby should definitely be encouraged, which will help consolidate them. The owner's praise consists of the fact that the dog receives a piece of his favorite food at the end of the meal as a reward. In this case, the pet will know that he did everything correctly, and next time the same will be required of him, and the approval of his actions by the owner is directly related to receiving a treat.

As the dog gets older, the height of the food bowl will increase depending on the puppy's growth.

The dog eating too hot or cold food can cause the development of such a serious disease as gastritis. It develops slowly, sometimes without brightness severe symptoms, and as a result the dog may even die. Therefore, you need to feed your pet only warm food.

You should pay special attention to the temperature of the food you give your pet. It is extremely important that the food is not too hot or cold. You can check its temperature by dipping your fingers into the bowl. If the food seems only slightly warm, then it is optimal for feeding your dog.

In addition to a bowl for food, the animal needs to allocate another one - for water. You can place the water dish either on the opposite side of the feeding stand or on a separate stand, adjusting the height of the drinking bowl in the same way as the food bowl.

Drinking water must always be clean and fresh, so it must be changed several times during the day.

Drinking utensils should be washed periodically warm water with soap or soda, and then rinse thoroughly under running water. This must be done in order to remove the mucous deposits that form on the walls of the bowl. In the same way, you need to monitor the cleanliness of food utensils: they are washed after each meal to avoid the appearance of an unpleasant odor and the development of pathogenic microbes.

A puppy at the age of 2 months already needs a fairly varied diet, but new foods should be introduced into it very carefully, in small portions.

It is worth noting that raw meat is healthier for puppies than boiled meat, and therefore, even if the puppy is not accustomed to feeding raw meat, you should gradually accustom him to eating this product. Milk and vegetables are also necessary for a growing pet, but you need to take into account that, for example, carrots have a laxative effect and their amount in the baby’s diet should be moderate.

When the dog reaches 10 weeks of age, it can be given small, but not small, soft meat bones without boiling them first. In this case, beef and veal bones, especially cartilaginous bones, are best suited. It is recommended to feed the baby them after he has eaten the main food.

Young spaniels are very easy to train to eat raw vegetables. It is recommended to give them carrots, raw potatoes and even cabbage. Potatoes are especially useful. The starch it contains has a beneficial effect on the growth and appearance of the dog's coat, and, in addition, raw potatoes are perfectly absorbed by the animal's body. Therefore, the owner should not deprive his pet of the opportunity to enjoy a piece of potato. You need to be very careful when feeding your dog boiled potatoes: dogs of some breeds do not always tolerate it well, and the first portion mashed potatoes given to the puppy should be very small.

It is unacceptable to feed puppies poultry or rabbit bones: they can cause blockages. gastrointestinal tract, the development of such a dangerous disease as a stomach ulcer, and besides, the dog can choke on them.

The rate of food intake for puppies should be determined individually. Observe your pet after he eats. If you notice that your dog's belly is distended or bloated, then the portion was too large for him. You need to give your pet a small amount of water warm milk, to which magnesium is added, and at the next feeding, reduce the amount of portion given to the baby.

If you see that the spaniel, leaving the bowl empty and even licking it, went to his rug without the slightest sign anxiety, then the amount of food given to him will be the norm. Of course, as your dog grows and matures, the amount of food he consumes will increase.

It happens that the puppy, having finished eating, begins to lick the bowl for a long time and is in no hurry to go to its place, looking into the owner’s eyes and with all its appearance expressing an ardent desire to receive an addition to the portion. However, in this case, it is better not to follow your pet’s lead, otherwise he may get used to handouts, which, in general, will have an adverse effect on the dog’s further education. You should just simply note to yourself that the portion was insufficient and next time increase the amount of food.

It was already mentioned above that feedings should be carried out after a certain number of hours, every day at the same time. This order should be established depending on the individual living conditions and daily routine of the owners, but it should be borne in mind that the puppy should be fed for the first time during the day early in the morning, before going for a walk, and the last time shortly before he goes to bed.

It is best if the evening diet includes meat food: This will provide the spaniel with stronger and healthier sleep.

Both puppies and adult dogs should not be given food at night; you need to train your pet so that it does not disturb its owners at night and gives them the opportunity to rest peacefully.

The number of times a puppy is fed per day depends on its age. It is usually recommended to feed 1-2 month old dogs 6 times a day, 2-4 month old dogs 5 times a day, 4-5 month old dogs 4 times a day, 5-6 month old dogs 3 times a day. A six-month-old puppy should be gradually accustomed to the diet of an adult dog, and at the age of 8–9 months the pet can switch to the normal diet of adult animals, which includes 2 feedings a day - morning and evening.

Currently, there are two systems for feeding puppies: traditional, when the owner himself prepares food for the pet, and feeding with canned and dry food.

The puppy's diet must be balanced, and the amount of food fed must be calculated in such a way that the norms for weight gain are met.

When composing your pet's diet, you must adhere to the following rules:

the daily portion should contain at least 30% proteins, the lack of which can cause weakening immune system and negatively affect muscle and skeletal development;

You should not feed your puppy exclusively meat: it is not complete nutrition;

an overdose of calcium and vitamins A and D can lead to abnormalities of the skeletal system and contribute to the occurrence of volvulus;

overfeeding is harmful for both puppies and adult dogs.

For the first 2 weeks of life in the house, the puppy should receive the food that he is accustomed to from the breeder. A sudden change in diet can lead to an upset stomach in your pet and refusal to eat.

A puppy's feces are one of the indicators of how well you have composed your diet. Normal stool should be of medium consistency, brown or dark yellow in color.

The puppy's first feeding is at 7 a.m., the last at 10 p.m.

If you get up earlier, you can move up your pet's feeding schedule to fit your routine.

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First, a short one historical reference. Cocker spaniels come in two varieties - English and American. The English Cocker Spaniel was bred in Great Britain in the early nineteenth century. Breeders set themselves the task of breeding the ideal hunting dog. English Cocker Spaniels are meek and gentle, full of energy, not afraid of difficult places, and have an unstable psyche. American Cocker Spaniels are calmer and friendlier, and have a balanced psyche.

Now, directly, about feeding cocker spaniels.
Do not forget that the dog is special and a diet intended for other dog breeds will not always suit it, so be conscientious about feeding your cocker, and then your pet will grow up healthy and delight its owners and others.

Dry food or natural food? It is difficult to find a decent answer to this question. Institutes and veterinarians talk about the benefits of dry food, some dog breeders feed their pets only natural food and the dogs grow healthy and live for many years. So the choice of food is a personal choice of each owner.

Let's consider the position from the dry food side. Pros: easy to find in stores, no need to waste time on cooking, large selection of manufacturers and prices. Cons: the dog quickly gets used to dry food, and subsequently hardly eats natural food.

Diet. A puppy up to two months is fed six times a day, from two to four months - five times a day, from four to six months - four times, from six to ten months - three times, from ten months - fed as adult dog- twice a day. Don't forget that when feeding dry food, your dog must have clean, fresh water in his bowl!

There are many nuances when feeding natural food. Firstly: you don’t need to feed the dog from the owner’s table, be sure to cook for it separately. Secondly: get used to the diet already from puppy age. An adult dog will only eat the foods it was fed as a child. So, to the specifics:
Meat. A product that you should never forget about. For puppies, give 50 grams per kilogram of weight; for adult dogs, 200-300 grams per day is enough. Give meat only in boiled form. It's better not to give bones. You can sometimes give offal after boiling it well first.

Dairy products. Give milk only as food. It happens that dogs become weak from milk. Kefir, cottage cheese, cheese are very useful for dogs, they have a good effect on digestion, and should not be abandoned under any circumstances.

Eggs. It is best served as an omelet, or boiled soft-boiled.

Bread and cereals. These products are not the main food for a cocker spaniel; they can only be used to diversify the diet. For cereals, rolled oats are preferable. Rice and buckwheat porridges are also good. It is better to cook it in milk, with a small addition of vegetables.

Vegetables and fruits. Pumpkin, zucchini, and carrots are best given finely chopped, with the addition of butter or sour cream, so the product is better absorbed. As for greens, try to add greens to your dog’s diet. good source vitamins and microelements.

Other products. Pamper your dog with crackers, cheese, dried fruits, and raisins. This is a good addition to the diet, and a tasty reward for training. Garlic should be given once a week as a remedy against worms. At the age of three to seven months (the period when a puppy changes teeth), calcium gluconate tablets or simple chalk should be given, mixing them into the food (in a crushed state).

You shouldn’t change your dog’s diet often; it’s better to feed foods that your pet is already accustomed to; you just need to add variety occasionally.

Spaniels first appeared in Spain, hence the name. Like the British Beagle, the breed was bred for hunting. The dogs were then brought to England. All spaniels have floppy ears and thick, short hair. The color can be any, classic colors are red, black, chocolate.

Breed variety

All representatives of this breed are smart, loyal, sociable, and friendly. They are easy to train. There are many subspecies of spaniel. But the most common are English, American and Russian cocker spaniels.

English

The first Englishmen were distinguished by their larger size. They were crossed with Japanese spaniels brought as a gift to the Queen of England. The hybrid turned out to be an English Cocker Spaniel. It is agile and durable hunting dog with a developed sense of smell.

It differs from the American and Russian spaniels in body proportions, head size and shape. It has a dense muscular build, a short body, strong strong paws, the head is curved in front and slightly flattened. The eyes are smart and kind. Height at withers – 34–41 cm, weight – 12–16 kg.

The English Cocker has a long, silky and thick coat of various colors. She requires constant care. A purebred spaniel does not have curls, curls, or curly waves. He is friendly towards people and other dogs and loves to play with children.

American

The English cocker spaniel is the ancestor of the American one, they are similar in appearance. The American is inferior in size and weight to the English and Russian. Height at withers – 35–39 cm, weight – 12–14 kg. American Cockers have large, expressive eyes, a shorter muzzle and a clear transition from forehead to muzzle, hair is longer, thicker and more luxuriant, ears, belly, and chest are decorated with curls of wool.

The color is colored, black, black and tan, any other solid with or without tan. The American Cocker has developed hunting qualities, but now it is a decorative dog.

Russian

Russian Cocker Spaniel - a cross between spaniels different types. Soviet breeders wanted to get the most suitable dog for hunting. The Russian Spaniel's body is slightly longer than the American and English Spaniel's, and its legs are also long, which makes galloping easier in difficult places.

Height at withers – 36–44 cm, weight – 13–18 kg. The head is light, slightly convex at the sides, the profile is almost rectangular, and upper lip slightly rounded. Wool middle length and density. It is forbidden to cut it. In addition, the Russian Cocker is a good watchdog.

Price of puppies

For a purebred dog that will hunt or participate in exhibitions, contact a kennel. The price depends on the pedigree; the rare color also increases the price. Puppy english cocker spaniel from ordinary parents it costs between 7,000-10,000 rubles, from titled parents - 10,000-35,000 rubles.

A spaniel puppy from hand, at the market or in a pet store costs 2000-5000 rubles. But here they can sell you a mixed breed or a sick dog obtained as a result of inbreeding. Americans cost a little less, the price of a puppy from titled parents is up to 30,000 rubles. The price of Russian cockers is approximately the same.

How to choose the right one

It is better to adopt a puppy at 2 months, when his psyche and immunity are stronger. The dog breeder will give you a document with his name, information about pedigree, vaccinations, deworming.

When visiting a breeder, pay attention to how the bitch and puppies are kept. Observe all the puppies of the same litter. None of them should be lethargic or look sick. The puppy's area should be dry and clean. Mom looks cheerful, well-fed and healthy.

Watch how puppies eat. A bad sign is if they eat poorly, they approach the bowl sluggishly or turn away. Puppies must be healthy, moderately well-fed, clean, and active.

At 2 months they stand firmly on their paws, play a lot, run, and jump. They are cheerful and curious. U healthy puppies the coat is smooth, shiny, the nose is moist, the ears and eyes are clean, without discharge. They should not have physical defects - umbilical or inguinal hernias, visible consequences suffered birth or postpartum injuries, symptoms of rickets.

The bite should be a scissor bite, like that of an adult dog. The number of incisors in both jaws should be 12, 6 in each jaw. More or less of them indicates a tribal marriage.

When choosing a puppy, pay attention to the proportionality of build and movement, and whether there are any visible deficiencies in the position of the paws.

Cocker spaniel puppies are future hunters. They are characterized by playing hunter and prey. The “hunter” sneaks up and attacks the “prey”. Then the roles change, the “prey” becomes the “hunter”. In this game, puppies develop their instincts. As for gender, this is the personal choice of the owner. Spaniel breeders note that these dogs are docile and calm.

Bitches are more obedient and balanced, they quickly get used to their owner, but during fights between dogs, bitches behave more aggressively. Raising a male dog is more difficult.

Care

Your pet's thick coat needs daily care. Brush your spaniel every day. Pay special attention to the ears, belly, fluffy “skirt” and “pants” on hind legs. You will need a comb with long teeth, scissors for cutting out tangles and a small massage brush. Wash your dog with long-hair shampoo once a week. Soap and regular hair shampoos will not work. After washing, dry the wool with a hairdryer.

Cocker spaniels need trimming and haircut, this will be done in a grooming salon.

Spaniels need long walks and active games outdoors, but do not forget to protect your pet from fleas and ticks. Take him for a run, take him out into the countryside, let's go for a swim - spaniels love water very much.

Examine your pet's eyes and ears every day. If you notice discharge from the ears and your dog is shaking his head and scratching it, take him to the vet. If wax builds up, clean it with a damp cotton swab.

Spaniel nails can become ingrown; trim them once a week with dog clippers. Deworm your animal twice a year.

Newborn puppies

Caring for a newborn spaniel puppy is not difficult. The bitch will feed, lick and protect the cubs. In the first hours of life, they independently find their mother's nipple. If you have motherless puppies at home, choose a milk replacer for them. It is sold in pet stores in powder form.

While you are looking, give the puppies condensed milk, take four parts milk and one part boiled water. Don't give cow's or goat's milk, baby food. This is not suitable for puppies.

In the first days, babies sleep and suck, and rapidly gain weight. If they don't squeak, it means they're full. In the first week of life, they do not have a proper thermoregulation system. They will not shiver in the cold. Normal temperature body for a newborn spaniel – 34.5–36 °C. Monitor the temperature in the bed if they are growing separately from their mother. If the bed is colder than +30 °C, there is a chance that the puppies will freeze.

You can place an electric heating pad in the bed. Do not install it over the entire area of the bed. Around the eighth day, trim your puppy's nails to prevent him from scratching his mother's nipple. Trim nails once a week, cutting off only sharp edges.

Puppies open their eyes from the 11th to 15th day of life. The rumor appears a little later, on the 18th day. In the third week of life, babies walk and explore the territory in the bed and beyond. They become cute, playful and active. They begin to get out of their corner and go to the toilet. In the fourth week of life, the first teeth, first the canines, begin to emerge. From this time on, complementary foods can be introduced.

Before bringing your spaniel, prepare the necessary things.

Cloth

Protect your pet from dirt during walks. A spaniel will need a knitted hat with an elastic band to protect long ears from dirt and water. For the off-season, your dog needs a waterproof overall. For the summer, choose light clothing - it will protect the thick coat from leaves, dry branches and small debris. Winter clothing is not needed - thick wool will protect well from the cold.

Collar

It is needed for both a puppy and an adult dog. Buy leather, about 2 centimeters wide. Attach a sign to it with your address and animal's name. Make sure your finger fits between the collar and the dog's neck. This will ensure that the animal is breathing freely.

Leash

Buy a leash made of durable leather. Length from 1 to 2 meters, width approximately 0.6-2.5 centimeters. There is a loop at one end for you to hold it comfortably. At the other end there is a carabiner clasp.

Do not go for a walk without a leash to avoid unpleasant incidents.

Muzzle

All muzzles are made from soft skin. Wear it when you go outside. The dog may try to remove it at first. Over time, the pet will get used to it.

Toys

Spaniels are playful and active, buy toys for your pet; pet stores have a large selection of toys made of plastic or durable rubber. Don't buy small toys so he won't be able to swallow them.

Bowl for water and food

The water bowl should be in one place and accessible to the dog. Bowl with food - only during feeding.

Prepare for the arrival of a new family member. Remove wires from equipment from the floor, household chemicals, small and sharp objects, all things that the dog can spoil or swallow.

Diet

Follow the feeding schedule. Remember that the dog must eat at a certain time, do not give kibble between feedings. Spaniels should not be overfed; they tend to become overweight.

If you refuse the offered food, do not replace it with another, remove it and offer it next time. If you replace the food at least once, the puppy will quickly learn that he can beg for something more tasty. Under no circumstances force you to finish what you are given.

In the first months, the puppy actively grows and gains weight.

age	approximate weight
1 month	1.5 kg
2 months	3.0-3.5 kg
3 months	5.0-6.0 kg
4 months	6.5-8.0 kg
5 months	8.0-10.0 kg
6 months	9.0-11.0 kg
7 months	10.00-12.00 kg
7-10 months	12-14 kg

If your puppy's weight varies greatly, consult your veterinarian.

Feeding mode:

up to 2 months, the puppy is fed 6 times a day every 3.5 hours;
from 2 to 4 months, feed 5 times a day, every 4 hours;
from 4 to 6 months – 4 times;
from 6 to 10 months – 3 times;
from 10 months – 2-3 times a day.

Natural food

Natural food should be balanced. Choose nutritious foods every day that contain necessary substances for growth and development.

Meat

Give your puppy up to one year old 50 g per day for every kilogram of weight. Give an adult dog 200-250 g of meat per day. Include boiled liver, kidneys, heart, and udder in the menu. Add finely chopped vegetables to the meat.

Dairy

Give the puppy up to a year calcined cottage cheese. You can cook it yourself. To do this, add 2 tablespoons of 10 percent milk to half a liter of boiling milk. calcium chloride. Throw away the curdled cottage cheese. Give the remaining whey to the puppy to drink or brew cereals. You can give good hard grated cheese, add it to porridge and vegetable mixtures. Milk is good for puppies, but may cause laxative effect. Give the puppies kefir and yogurt.

Eggs

Nutritious and beneficial for dogs. From 4 months of age, feed raw yolks mixed with dairy products or porridge. Crude protein is not digestible. Give eggs soft-boiled or in the form of an omelet. With a meat menu, one or two eggs per week is enough.

Cereals and bread

They diversify the puppy's diet. In first place in nutritional value is rolled oats. Soak it in kefir, whey, broth, milk. Steam the porridge, and generally give almost raw flakes to an adult dog. Cook rice and buckwheat porridge in milk, add carrots, pumpkin and other vegetables, except potatoes.

Offer an adult dog and a teenage puppy to chew on rye crackers and crusts from fresh wholemeal loaves.

Vegetables

Carrots, pumpkin, bell pepper, give the zucchini finely chopped or grated. Beets - only boiled. Add raw chopped greens to the main dish as a vitamin supplement. Useful for a puppy raw berries and fruits, dried fruits. Boiled pumpkin with porridge is good as an anthelmintic.

As a reward, give your puppy dried fruits and cheese. During the teething period from 3 to 7 months, give the puppy 2-3 tablets of calcium gluconate or calcium lactate per day. You can grind them in a coffee grinder and add them to food.

What not to feed:

too hot and cold food;
spicy, salty, fatty, sweet, smoked foods;
river and raw fish;
do not give bones;
pasta;
legume products and potatoes;
white bread;
sausages and sausages;
candies and chocolate;
pork and fatty lamb;
raw chicken meat;
food from the table.

Sample menu for a puppy 2–3 months old:

6.00 – cottage cheese + warm milk;
10.00 – rice porridge with boiled meat and grated carrots;
13.00 – finely chopped raw meat or boiled fish with crushed boiled vegetables;
17.00 - cottage cheese + warm milk;
20.00 – rolled oats with whey with meat and vegetables;
23.00 – boiled meat and milk porridge.

Dry food

Dry food has it all useful material, necessary for a dog. Start feeding your puppy canned food. Add dry food to the canned food, so you will gradually switch to it completely. Using the same principle, switch to dry food from natural food. Consider premium and super premium food.

The main thing is that the dog likes the food, does not cause allergies and eating disorders. We sell food for pregnant and lactating bitches, for aging dogs, dietary and medicinal food.

Vaccination

In the first year of a dog's life, 4 vaccinations are required. Before each vaccination, the dog is dewormed. The schedule is like this:

at 1.5 months a vaccination against enteritis (hepatitis) is given;
after 10-14 days - repeat;
at 2.5 months a vaccination against plague is given;
at 7 months - repeated;
after 8 months - rabies vaccination.

Dogs are vaccinated every year throughout their lives. Do not vaccinate if she appears sick, is in heat, or is pregnant. Put a mark in the veterinary passport with the date of vaccination and the seal of the veterinary station. An official seal is needed if you plan to travel anywhere by train or plane. After vaccination, the dog does not need to be washed for 10 days, make sure that it does not get wet, and do not overcool.

Veterinary

Spaniels are prone to certain health problems. Do not forget to carefully examine your pet and, if necessary, show it to the veterinarian.

Ears

Long ears protect ear canal dogs from foreign objects. But due to insufficient ventilation, increased humidity is created, which affects the development inflammatory diseases. If you notice discharge and bad smell from the ears, the dog scratches its ears, shakes its head, consult a veterinarian as soon as possible. Check your pet's ears every day to remove excess wax. Do not allow water to enter. Protect when swimming ear canals pieces of cotton wool in vegetable oil.

Eyes

Spaniels are prone to eye inflammation. Wipe your eyes with a cotton pad if signs of inflammation appear - purulent discharge, watery eyes, the dog is afraid of light - contact your veterinarian. Before this, wipe your eyes with chamomile infusion.

Allergy

If your pet itches or irritates the skin, these may be signs of an allergy. Alternately change foods from your pet's diet or replace dry food. Observe what places your dog is scratching; these may be flea bites.

Training and education

Cocker spaniels need attention. They quickly adapt to the new home, lifestyle, and habits of the owner. Start raising a puppy immediately, until its psyche is formed. Teach respect and correct attitude to the owner. Dogs of this breed are smart, but do not expect the dog to learn order instinctively.

The Cocker Spaniel is affectionate with family members and strangers. Teach him not to be distracted by every passerby, not to sniff or jump on strangers. This may cause discomfort strangers and be dangerous for the animal itself.

When keeping a cocker spaniel, use affection and persistence. They are sensitive to punishment, do not punish them verbally or physically. If you notice that your dog is trying to go to the toilet at home, try to interrupt it and take it outside to the appropriate place as quickly as possible. If you notice that your dog is constantly trying to shit, consult a veterinarian; perhaps the reason is the pet’s health.

The following recommendations will help in training a cocker spaniel:

Timeliness. You can start training from the age of 5-6 months. It is easier to teach a six-month-old puppy commands than an adult dog with an established character.
Regularity. Reinforce each command; the animal tends to get distracted and forget. Conduct training daily.
Sufficient load. The Cocker Spaniel is primarily a hunter and bloodhound. Physical activity is mandatory for him. During training, teach the spaniel the necessary and active commands (trot, “fetch”, etc.).
Tolerance. Praise and reward the puppy for following the command. Do not punish for failures, do not raise your voice or ignore your pet.
Game approach. Try to turn training into an entertaining game, the results will not be long in coming.
Personal contact. Do not entrust training to other family members, friends, etc. To establish contact with your pet, train him yourself.