Caring for an English Cocker Spaniel. All the facts about the English Cocker Spaniel Caring for the English Cocker Spaniel

Cocker Spaniel puppies are cute and funny, but despite their appearance, they grow up to be protective of their owner. The dogs are smart and nimble, and are easy to train. Let's look at how to raise a puppy healthy and strong.

The Cocker Spaniel breed requires special coat care.

Caring for the Cocker Spaniel Breed

Puppies have long and thick hair. Grooming is paramount for this breed of dog. The coat needs to be brushed daily Special attention are given to problem areas, namely the ears. Start combing from head to tail, using only a soft massage brush.

For puppies less than six months old, the grooming procedure should not last more than two minutes.

The Cocker Spaniel breed needs the following care:

1. The puppy is bathed every week. Use special shampoos for dogs. After bathing, the coat is dried with a hairdryer and combed.
2. Once a month they take me to the hairdresser for a haircut.
3. If necessary, trim the fur around the pads on the paws and trim the claws. The first time, the procedure is entrusted to a professional so as not to injure the skin.
4. Check the condition of your gums regularly and brush your teeth twice a week. Buy toothpaste for dogs.
5. They take the puppy outside for a walk rarely, but for a long time. After the walk, they inspect the wool, remove burrs and debris that has stuck to it.

Over time, the puppy learns to take care of its fur and tries to look neat. It is important to teach your cocker spaniel not to be afraid of strangers' hands. Praise and reassure your puppy while using scissors or nail clippers. Don't force him to endure it if he's afraid.

Feeding a Cocker Spaniel

Nutrition for normal development is as important as care. A cocker spaniel's diet should consist of 60% meat. Veal, lamb and beef are suitable. Pork and chicken are not included in the diet.

In addition to meat, the menu includes the following products:

• fish (bones must be removed);
• offal (liver, kidneys, lungs);
• cereals;
• vegetables and fruits.

The Cocker Spaniel is not given pasta, potatoes, sausages, bones, candies and sweets.

For feeding, choose stands with a height-adjustable leg. The dog should reach for food and not lower its head down

A playful and cheerful animal, a gentle and sympathetic member of the family, this is the English Cocker Spaniel. It’s not difficult to make a dog happy: you just need to choose proper care follow her, and then the four-legged friend will respond with boundless love.

It is believed that the most distant ancestor of the English cocker is the ash dog, which lived in the distant Bronze Age. These pets were needed by humans exclusively as four-legged hunters.

Other references to the English spaniel are found in British and French drawings from the 14th and 15th centuries. From that moment on, information began to appear about these dogs as excellent field and swamp hunters.

Despite the fact that the roots of this breed go deep into antiquity, targeted breeding of English spaniels began only in the first half of the 19th century. To popularize the breed, it was decided to create breed clubs: the first of them appeared in 1884. In the CIS countries, the English Cocker Spaniel did not immediately take root, but in the 80s, this breed already became very popular.

English Cocker Spaniel as a family member

Often this breed, despite the number of members in the family, still becomes close to only one person. Nevertheless, dogs love every member of the household and try in every possible way to please them: they quickly learn to follow commands, are very affectionate and clean.

Most English cockers sociable dogs, but there are also more shy individuals.

The owners of these dogs note that the breed gets along well with children: even if a child accidentally offends the dog, the cocker will not be offended and will not take revenge on the baby. This is another reason why people prefer the English Spaniel over other medium breeds.

The English Cocker Spaniel can be possessive, especially if we're talking about about his toys. This quality serves to the advantage of those people who get these dogs for further hunting with them: the dog tenaciously grabs its prey, does not let it go from its paws, and also never gets tired of running and hunting.

Cocker diet

In order for a dog to be happy in the family, it needs to be fed properly. Spaniel owners are divided on how best to feed: mixed type or one feeding option.

Your dog's diet must include:

• lean meat;
• offal;
• dairy products;
• vegetables and fruits;
• porridges of all kinds;
• yolk.

It is advisable to feed your cocker spaniel twice a day - morning and evening. It is up to the owner to decide whether to give the dog a treat before or after a walk: some dogs, due to their individual nature, become passive and refuse to go for a walk. That's why many are trying to feed four-legged friend after the street.

An adult dog will only eat what it has been trained to eat. puppy age. For adult It is extremely important to eat meat, the amount of which should be at least 200-300 grams per day.

As for by-products, you need to remember next rule: An English Cocker Spaniel will receive approximately the same energy that it would receive from meat if it eats one and a half to two times more boiled liver, heart, stomach, and udder.

Dairy products are an indispensable ingredient in a dog's menu. For proper operation digestive system We must not forget to feed the spaniel cottage cheese, milk, kefir and hard cheese. As for eggs, it is better to serve them as an omelet or soft-boiled.

You should not give your dog the following cereals:

• semolina;
• corn;
• factory muesli.

There is nothing beneficial for dogs in these products; on the contrary, these cereals can clog the animal’s stomach. Good options would be buckwheat, rice, and rolled oats.

The dog receives microelements and additional vitamins from greens, vegetables and fruits. Chopped carrots, zucchini, pumpkin can be mixed with sour cream or vegetable oil, then the products will be absorbed faster.

As a “yummy”, an incentive prize, the English Cocker Spaniel should be given dried fruits, unsweetened bagels, raisins, and cheese.

Important: When preparing food for your dog, you must forget forever what salt, pepper, sugar and other auxiliary seasonings are. It is necessary to serve food to your pet only in boiled or baked form: there should not be any fried foods in the dog’s diet.

It is extremely important to treat your English Cocker Spaniel with garlic once a week. You can grind it with white bread so that the dog is more willing to eat what is offered. This is great natural remedy for the prevention of worms.

Grooming your English Spaniel

The dog should feel comfortable in its natural “fur coat”, so the owner of an English Cocker Spaniel must carefully monitor the condition of the coat and its length your pet.

In order to always have the opportunity to correct the hairstyle of your four-legged friend, you will have to purchase some arsenal of tools:

• thinning scissors. They are needed to thin out dense areas somewhat;
• two combs, with frequent and rare teeth;
• two brushes, one of them with bristles, the other - an analogue of a human massage one;
• scissors with curved ends. This tool will help remove hair in hard-to-reach places, for example, near the pads on the paws;
• a slicker that removes excess “fluffiness”.

But the first time you should send your English Cocker Spaniel for a haircut is to a professional hairdresser. The groomer can give useful advice on the future care of the pet’s coat, and will also shape the dog’s hairstyle, which the owner can subsequently maintain at home.

It is necessary to trim the dog as it grows fur. In the summer, you should have a clipper cut, the so-called “sports” one - it is very hot for an English spaniel and the owner must make it easier for the dog to live in the hot season.

Pet training

Most in a simple way teach english cocker spaniel to various teams and complaisance will be a trip to a professional dog handler. Establishments offering to train pet dogs are not uncommon in any city.

When choosing one of them, you need to read reviews about the work of specialists: the dog must be in the hands of an experienced employee who will not harm the animal.

At home, teaching a spaniel the necessary commands is also not difficult. The first command a dog learns is knowing his name. It is necessary to accustom a dog to a name during play, when the animal’s mind is softer and ready to absorb information.

Next they study the “No” command. Most simple option There will be training using treats. A “yummy treat” is placed in front of the dog, but at the same time the owner holds the pet, telling him the word “No”.

The spaniel can immediately learn the “Take” command., when the owner releases the dog and says, “Take it,” thereby giving the green light to take the treat. Game form- best for teaching commands and training. A person will not be able to scare a dog and will not disturb its psyche.

Clothes for English Cocker Spaniel

Owners of this dog breed say that their pets do not really like to wear clothes of any kind. However, if you want to accustom your dog to clothes, you need to do this from puppyhood. For example, you can buy dog ​​boots that will protect the pads from the puppy being accidentally injured on the street by glass or other objects.

A useful type of clothing for this dog is a hat. A spaniel's ears are their sensitive area, therefore during cold, rain, and even more so frost, it is advisable to hide the dog's ears in special pockets of caps for spaniels.

There are special overalls that can protect pet from rain and wind: however, here you should still listen to the dog’s wishes. It is not recommended to force people to go for walks in “suits.”

It is worth highlighting a few more useful tips for those who are lucky enough to own an English Cocker Spaniel:

Monitor the dog's weight. These animals quickly gain excess volume, which will be difficult to remove later. Therefore, you should not overfeed your spaniel.

If a person wants to brush his spaniel’s teeth, he must purchase a personal toothbrush, and never resort to using human format tools. This can lead to diarrhea in the animal.

By nature, these dogs need to move a lot. Therefore, the owner must constantly take the cocker for long walks and organize races for his pet.

If you handle these cute creatures correctly, there will be no problems living in the same family with English cocker spaniel will not arise.

Content

The Cocker Spaniel is a very good-natured, cheerful, cheerful and energetic breed. Such a pet will not let its owner get bored. Long and mobile ears, a clear voice and a curious nose will follow you relentlessly.

This breed of dog is ideal both for hunting and for a simple lover of active recreation. Appearance The cocker is very handsome: his wavy and shiny locks contrast with his athleticism. A harmonious physique, an intelligent and insightful look, hard work and determination - this is what a cocker spaniel is.

About the history of the appearance of the Cocker Spaniel breed

The history of cocker spaniels dates back to ancient times. Their ancestor is the fold-eared bird dog, which was introduced by Julius Caesar BC.

Despite the fact that the facts are very unreliable, we can say with complete confidence that it was the British who bred and developed such a breed as the cocker spaniel. According to information obtained from stud books, English breeders developed a whole line of different types spaniels by crossing a variety of European breeds, including Great Danes and Molossians.

Small in size, strongly built and very fast, spaniels are called cockers. They are used mainly for bird hunting. In the book “British Cynology” (1801) you can find the first mentions of these dogs, and already in 1985 the first club of spaniel lovers was founded. He makes a significant contribution to proper development a breed that will eventually become one of the most popular.

Modern spaniels are united by one legendary ancestor - a black meadow spaniel named Obo, born in 1879. The dog was an excellent producer, and became the father of a branch of squat and somewhat elongated spaniels, distinguished by endurance and courage. The main task of Obo's descendants was to search for game in the dense thickets.

For many decades, the black color of spaniels was especially popular, but by the beginning of the 20th century, spotted and golden spaniels appeared.

Since the 40s of the last century, a new standard for breeding spaniels has been introduced - based on coat color. This is due to the fact that when crossing monochrome dogs with spotted ones, puppies with white markings on the chest, white paws and a blaze on the face dominated. Despite the beauty of such puppies, breeders for some unknown reason avoided this color. Nowadays, such dogs do not participate in exhibitions and competitions.

More than 100 years have passed since the cocker spaniel ceased to be a purely hunting dog. Now she is friends with a wide variety of people: from homebodies to avid travelers.

All cockers are characterized by lightning-fast reactions, excellent instincts, excellent memory and concentration.

Intelligence and character traits of the spaniel

The English Cocker Spaniel is considered the most... intellectual breed dogs. This dog is easy to train and learn. Since the breed was originally bred for hunting purposes, the dog's intelligence manifests itself more strongly in activities related to pursuit and achievement.

Whenever possible, you need to give the dog a chance to fulfill its purpose. IN ordinary life The Cocker Spaniel's intelligence remains the same, but it must be maintained by constant games simulating hunting.

By nature, the cocker is gentle and kind dog. This pet is ideal for big family, but among the family he will definitely choose his “favorite” owner, to whom he will become attached forever. If you do not teach your dog discipline and independence from childhood, then it will show its friendship too intrusively.

Cockers are sociable and proactive. They happily support any hint of a game and often act as ringleaders themselves. Female cocker spaniels often tend to be dominant over their owners. Not good good trait character - loud barking with or without reason. But when proper education, the unpleasant sides of nature are easy to correct, since spaniels are easy to train and have a deep mind.

Cocker in society

Cocker Spaniels make excellent companions, ready to go with their owner anywhere. They will constantly demand attention and wag their tail cheerfully.

Separately, we can say about the attitude of cockers towards children. They behave with angelic patience with kids and will not show aggression under any circumstances. Here, an adult should explain to the child that the dog is not a toy and can be accidentally harmed. The adult will become a great companion in any outdoor games, helping the child develop physically. Another unpleasant character trait of a cocker is jealousy. Sometimes it may be that a cocker spaniel will never give up his toys. To avoid quarrels and troubles, it is important for adults to tell their child about this in time.

TO strangers Cockers behave normally, although sometimes they can bark for order.

Spaniel training

Dogs of this breed are distinguished by obedience and discipline. The owner needs to be creative in training due to their temperament and excitement.

A small puppy receives quite a serious mental load during its upbringing, so there is no need to start training before reaching the age of three months. In the first months, the puppy’s psyche and character are formed, so during this time it must be treated with care and very sensitivity. From three months, you can gradually and carefully accustom your puppy to the simplest commands - “come” and “place”. It’s important to dot all the i’s right away. Initially, your puppy will try to dominate under the guise of play, but it is important to let him know that you are the boss. Giving your puppy the opportunity to go out with other dogs will make him more balanced. If you successfully complete the first stage of training, working with an adult dog will bring you only joy. Respect, intelligence and a desire to please will make a cocker an excellent student.

The irrepressible thirst for life and energy of the cocker requires a constant outlet. If regular physical activity If it doesn’t, the dog’s character will deteriorate. If you decide to get a cocker spaniel, then you need to be prepared for regular long walks or jogs together. If this is not possible, come up with another entertainment for the dog, preferably one that imitates hunting, since the dog is still a hunting dog. The main thing is ingenuity and imagination. The spaniel breed is a leader in obedience disciplines, tracking and agility. If you decide to let your dog off the leash, make sure that you are in complete control of the situation, as natural instincts can be much stronger than instilled habits and trigger at the most inopportune moment. A dog may chase a bird or a cat, and then you will not be able to stop it.

Cockers also love water and are excellent swimmers. There will be nothing wrong if your pet takes a swim in cold water in the fall. Their immunity is very strong, and the instinct of self-preservation will tell you when to get out of the water.

In Russia, the cocker spaniel is very popular service dog. Innate instinct and intuition will allow you to serve faithfully in the police, customs or military units.

Caring for a Cocker Spaniel

When owning a cocker spaniel, many people believe that its coat does not require special care. This opinion is wrong. As soon as the puppy grows up, there will be so much hair that it can sometimes be very difficult to handle. In addition, if you do not accustom the puppy to cleaning procedures with early age, then the adult dog will treat them extremely negatively. Such a dog, both small and large, needs to be brushed three to five times a week. You can use a wide variety of brushes and combs. A massage glove will also come in handy.

Just like brushing, bathing should be regular. You can bathe your dog once a month and use specialized shampoos and conditioners for long hair. Such products nourish the coat and remove static electricity. After washing, the dog should be covered with a terry towel to allow the fur to dry. Then you can start drying, for which you will need a hair dryer with cold air, a hair brush and a comb.

The haircut should be done by a professional groomer. Every dog ​​is different and bad haircut will not add beauty to your pet.

An experienced master will immediately understand which features can be emphasized and which ones can be smoothed out. After a high-quality haircut, the spaniel should look natural and neat, as if it had not been cut at all.

In addition to bathing, combing and hairdressing procedures, it is necessary to take care of your dog’s nails and teeth, namely, brush them regularly. For cleaning, you will need a nail clipper, which is used to cut the nails without reaching the joints. Tartar removers are used to clean teeth.

Pet in your apartment

You took a cocker spaniel puppy into your apartment. At first, he should not be left alone; moreover, it must be remembered that despite his hunting instinct and orientation, the spaniel domestic dog. It is highly not recommended to keep her on a leash at home. The dog must move fully and freely so that the skeleton and muscles develop correctly.

The puppy must initially know its sleeping place. The Cocker is very gentle and sociable, loves tactile contact, so they often try to climb into the owner’s bed. It is better not to abuse this and use it only occasionally, for example, when an overly emotional pet needs to be calmed down. The dog's sleeping place should not be in a draft or in a passage. The best option there will be a bright and dry area of ​​the apartment. It is also very important that your pet has a wide viewing angle from its sleeping place and can watch you. You can use a children's mattress, or even better, an orthopedic one, covered with natural fabric.

Dog food

Cocker spaniel dogs have an excellent appetite; they burn a lot of calories due to their restlessness, so they need to be replenished. Wherein, adult dog fed only once a day. Meat can be beef, horse meat or chicken. You can pamper yourself with offal - lungs, hearts, liver, stomachs, but only boiled ones. Among seafood, the cocker most likes catfish or cod, cleaned of bones and fins, and among vegetables, cabbage, turnips, carrots or pumpkin are preferred. All vegetables must be grated. Every day you need to include porridge (rice, oatmeal, buckwheat) in your diet. Suitable as a supplement milk soup or homemade noodles.

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Caring for a spaniel does not require much work from the owner. The main thing is to allow the pet to splash out its energy, because in the urban jungle it cannot show its hunting talents as intended. The dog needs to be walked regularly, play with it home environment and on the street.

Content Features

There are 3 breeds of cocker spaniels - English, American and Russian. Their roots are the same, but there are also differences. For example, American cocker can be found more often at an exhibition than on a hunt. The main difference between the breed is its long, shiny coat of uniform color. In theory american spaniel is a hunting dog, but it also feels good in a calm environment.

The Russian cocker is a descendant of the English one. When the British brought these pets to Russia, breeders liked them. But it was necessary to make the breed more resistant to climate change or hunting conditions. After crossing different types of spaniels, breeders were able to create a dog adapted to wooded, flat and swampy areas.

The common features of all three types of spaniels are activity, playfulness, responsiveness and loyalty. Dogs become very attached to their owner, and if this is not controlled, the puppy can completely lose independence.

Cockers adapt their behavior to the situation. The pet behaves friendly with its owner and members of his family, makes contact himself, and gets along well with children and other animals. But the hunter's skills make the dog a good guard if necessary.

A not very pleasant feature of spaniels is a tendency to continuous, not always justified barking. Because of this, keeping a dog in an apartment will not be easy. Some cockers are stubborn and willful, and have an unshakable sense of ownership over their toys.

Estrus in female cocker spaniels begins at 7-10 months and lasts 21 days with a break of 5-6 months. In this regard, the breed is no different from others. Those who are going to breed puppies need to breed the dog with a male during the last 5 days of estrus.

Who can handle the breed

Caring for a Cocker Spaniel is not difficult. The main conditions of keeping are attention to the coat and regular outdoor games. It is better to get such a dog in big family so that someone is always at home.

Cockers can be left alone, but not for long. Loneliness affects the dog’s psyche, it gets irritated, gets into the habit of constantly howling, barking and ruining things. The spaniel is sincerely attached to only one person, but tries to please all family members and treats everyone with love.

This breed is suitable for older people who want a loyal companion in retirement. The spaniel will not let you get bored, will be a devoted friend, and will amuse you with his acting abilities.

English and Russian cockers can be owned by hunters. If you start raising a puppy right away, by adulthood he will be good companion. Spaniels have a sensitive sense of smell; they do not stand in a stance, but immediately rush to the prey, without giving it time to escape. When it finds itself in the tenacious teeth, the cocker carries it to the owner carefully, holding it by the very edge so as not to damage it.

American spaniels are winners of many exhibitions and shows. If you want to participate in competitions, then long wool and neat face, characteristic of the breed, will win your heart.

All cockers can be safely left alone with children. You can even leave the house for a while and hand over the reins to your dog. She takes such tasks seriously, not allowing the child to do anything wrong.

All this applies to well-mannered dogs who were shown in childhood who was boss. If you constantly indulge the whims of a seemingly defenseless puppy, then as it grows up its character will become unbearable - the pet will sit on your neck, considering itself to be in charge. Such errors will have to be corrected by the instructor.

Advantages and disadvantages

Any dog, even a mongrel one, requires care. You will have to put even more effort into keeping a pet with a pedigree. Cocker spaniels are not overly demanding. The advantages of their content:

1. They are easy to train. They try to please the owner, so they master the commands without any problems.
2. Cockers are smart. They quickly understand what not to do and what they can get away with.
3. They love to travel and tolerate driving well. You won’t have to leave your dog with someone close when you need to leave for a few days.
4. Spaniels are loyal. They will not run away from you during a walk, or do anything that upsets you.
5. Pets are easy-going. If you punish a dog, it will understand everything, will not take revenge on you, and will forget about the incident within half an hour.

But things are not so easy with these animals. They also have disadvantages:

1. Gluttony. Cocker spaniels will not refuse another portion of food, even if they have just destroyed a full plate. You will have to make sure that your pet does not overeat and feed it a balanced diet to avoid obesity.
2. Selfishness. If you raise a dog incorrectly, it will do as it wants, ignore your commands, and start fights with other animals while walking.
3. Emotionality. Cockers become attached to their owners and do not tolerate loneliness. If you leave your dog alone for a long time, be prepared for damage to furniture, clothing, and anything else your teeth could reach.
4. A sense of ownership. Cockers are friendly towards children, but if a child takes the treasured toy, war will begin.
5. Demand for attention. Spaniels need a lot of time. While you are at home, play with the dog, feed it, pet it, scratch it. If you don’t do this, she will get bored and start looking for entertainment for herself, for example, she will try to test the strength of your slippers.

What to buy

The dog should be comfortable in the house, it should have its own sleeping place. Get a bed or house in advance. Other animals should not be allowed into the cocker’s abode, otherwise he will show aggression.

For a puppy, it is better to buy the cheapest collar and a regular leash without a tape measure. When your dog grows up and gets used to walking next to you on walks, choose more expensive accessories. Choose toys carefully – spaniels love soft and exciting toys.

Think about what your pet will chew so that he does not choose furniture for this purpose. Buy sinew bones, but to begin with, not too large so that the dog can carry them into comfortable spot. You need a regular bowl, without a stand, but with high sides so that your ears don’t fit into it.

For hair care you need a furminator or regular brush, but with it, combing will take longer and will not be as effective. For water procedures, you will need shampoos and conditioners specifically for spaniels.

Place of detention

Cocker spaniels are small in size, so they feel comfortable even in a one-room apartment. The dog needs to create a separate corner in order to immediately stop attempts to go to sleep in the owner’s bed.

A pet can only be kept outside in the summer - it is not adapted to cold weather. Make a comfortable booth, put soft bedding and additional toys in it.

The Cocker cannot be kept on a chain or in an enclosure - he constantly needs freedom of action so that he can splash out his energy.

You can put a playpen for dogs in the apartment. The pet is allowed into it if the owners leave for a while. There should be plenty of space in the playpen; toys should be placed there so that the pet does not get bored and does not look for a way to retreat.

Feeding rules

Proper nutrition is the key to your pet's health. There are two diet options for a cocker spaniel - natural food and super-premium dry food. If you don’t have too much free time, buy ready-made formulations. Feed your dog natural food if you can devote time to cooking every day - you cannot give your spaniel regular human food.

In the first 2 months, the puppy needs to be fed 6 times a day with the same food as in the nursery, the amount of food is approximately 0.5 cups. The dog's weight should increase from 350-450 g to 4-5 kg. Establish a clear feeding routine so your puppy knows when to expect food.

After 2 months, you can introduce liquid semolina or rice porridge on milk. Minced meat and bones and grated carrots are added to it. The number of feedings is reduced to 5, and after four months of age – to 4. At this point, the dog’s weight is 8-10 kg.

Starting from the age of six months, the puppy is transferred to three meals a day. At this time, its weight is 11-13 kg. After 1 year, the dog is fed 1-2 times a day. The diet should consist of 80% proteins and 20% carbohydrates.

The cocker's menu should include the following products:

Spaniels should not be given pasta, sausages, sausages, confectionery products and river fish. Do not feed your dog fried, fatty or smoked foods, and do not allow them to eat food from your table.

Grooming

The Cocker Spaniel needs to be taught from childhood to water procedures and combing so that the adult pet does not cause problems. Only wash your dog if his coat looks dirty. Before doing this, check that there are no tangles in it. Use special dog shampoos or baby products that do not dry out the skin. After the procedure, the pet should be rinsed well so as not to cause irritation.

It is better to care for the coat with several brushes with metal, not too frequent teeth. Move along the hair growth in this order: neck, shoulders, back, sides, outer side paws, area around the tail. Then take a softer brush and comb the ears (especially inner part), body, front legs, armpits, groin, hind legs and tail.

Use a wide-tooth comb to remove any dead undercoat, then go over again with the main comb. If there are tangles, they are sorted out with your fingers or a soft brush.

The procedure is performed every 2-3 days. If you live in a private home and often let your dog roam freely, you will have to brush it daily.

It is better to call a groomer to groom your cocker. He knows where to use scissors and where to use a clipper, so as not to spoil the breed. Russian Spaniels do not need to be trimmed.

Taking care of your teeth

As soon as you get a puppy, get him accustomed to the fact that you will periodically look into his mouth and check his teeth. Do this 1-2 times a week, then reward your pet with tasty food.

When baby teeth are replaced by permanent teeth (at 6-7 months), they need to be brushed once a month. Choose a comfortable brush and veterinary toothpaste for dogs. A human one will not work, since you cannot explain to your pet that you need to spit out the remains and rinse your mouth. And aggressive substances will cause digestive problems. Regular dental care will prevent dental diseases.

Nail trimming

The cocker spaniel also needs to be accustomed to this procedure. childhood. The claws are cut with veterinary pruning shears at an acute angle. First you need to carefully examine them, find the pulp with accumulation blood vessels. The claw should be trimmed at a distance of 2 mm from its tip.

If you cut too short, you can stop the bleeding with a veterinary pencil or powder. If there are none, sprinkle flour on the wounded finger. If it is missing, wrap your paw with a bandage to stop the bleeding. If it does not stop for more than 5 minutes, take your pet to the veterinarian.

Only trim the nails of dogs that do not wear them down during walks. If you walk with your pet on asphalt, this procedure is not required. If your favorite places are squares or beaches, then cut the nails when they become too long, without waiting for problems with the dog’s health.

Diseases of the breed

On average, Cocker Spaniels live 15 years. good care. Usually dogs of this breed suffer from hereditary diseases. Before buying a puppy, check its vaccinations (they are indicated in the veterinary passport).

Common diseases in cockers:

• nephropathy (kidney disease);
• pathologies of bones and joints;
• eye diseases - conjunctivitis, ectropion, retinal atrophy;
• middle ear infections, deafness;
• dermatitis, allergies, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (defect in collagen synthesis);
• obesity.

If your dog is sick, contact your veterinarian; do not try to treat it yourself. The doctor will find out what the problem is, conduct tests, select medications and dosage. Your task is to follow the veterinarian's instructions and provide your pet with care.

Training Basics

Cocker spaniels actively accept training, but for this you need to follow the following rules:

1. Timeliness. Start teaching your dog commands from an early age, otherwise it will be more difficult later.
2. Regularity. Work with your pet daily, otherwise he will forget the learned commands.
3. Sufficient load. Cockers – hunting dogs, so develop their potential. Use more active commands in training.
4. Tolerance. Don't scold your spaniel for mistakes in training. The animal does not understand your speech; it needs time to get used to it.
5. Game format. Get your pet interested and training will go smoothly.
6. Personal contact. If you consider yourself the owner of a cocker, do the training yourself, without entrusting it to other family members or trainers.

First, train your spaniel to respond to your name, thereby attracting his attention. Then teach the command “place”, then “sit”, “to me” and “lie”. An important stage of training is learning the word “no” or its alternative “fu”. They are needed so that your apartment does not look like a battlefield.

Walks and games

Walking is the second favorite activity of cockers after eating. Walk your pet twice a day - morning and evening, or better yet, during the day. On the street, the pet must go to the toilet (this takes about half of the entire walk, since the animal can empty bladder up to 10 times).

You need to play with the dog - let it bring you a ball or a stick. The second educational game is “Take It Away.” Take the stick, but don't throw it - let the dog grab it from the other side. This is how the spaniel develops self-control. If he starts to behave aggressively, give the command "fu" and end the game. The walk should last at least an hour.