Russian Spaniel vs Bearded Collie - Breed Comparison

This long-haired herding breed was bred by mixing the two sheepdog breeds: the Scottish dogs and the Polish sheepdogs. The Bearded Collie gained the popularity during the last century by winning some of the Dog Shows. This friendly dog with the beautiful coat is surely one of the most specific pets. Nowadays, the Bearded Collie is very popular. The organizations for breeding, saving, rescuing and adopting this breed can be found in the USA.

The Russian Spaniel is a gun dog which has originated from the English Cocker Spaniel and the English Springer Spaniel. Today while he is a gun dog he is more of a companion dog.

The Russian Spaniel has been spoken about since 1891. Different Spaniel breeds were imported to Russia to be used for hunting but some of the smaller spaniels weren't suited to the weather conditions.

At the beginning of the 20th century, breeding programs got underway for longer legged spaniels, and by the late 1930's there were a variety of different spaniels in Moscow.

After World War II, more purposeful breeding got underway and this led to the the Russian Spaniel standard in 1951. The popularity of the dog has increased and in 2002 the Russian Spaniel Club was set up in the United States. The dog isn’t recognised by any major kennel clubs.

The Beardie is easy to recognize because of the longer hairs on the cheeks, chin and under the lower lip. This medium-sized Bouncing Beardie is usually the great family pet because he is very friendly and loving. This breed is extremely active and they are energetic despite their longer bodies. They grow up to have more than one coat colour, but they are all born one coloured. They always have white or cream markings. This smart dog can be very stubborn and independent, if you keep your dog in a yard, he will use every chance to escape.

The attractive little Russian Spaniel stands at 38 – 45cm in height ad weighs between 9 and 16kg. He is such a sturdy little dog too, looking very similar to the English Cocker Spaniel.

The coat is short and silky with quite a bit of feathering around the legs and ears. Colors of the coat can be anything from reddish brown and white with freckles to black and white with freckles.

Temperament:

Aside from the Russian Spaniels' hunting abilities, they make great family pets and are playful with children.They’re devoted to their human families and become particularly attached to one person in the family.

Such devotion leads them to being a bit cool around strangers, not liking anyone unfamiliar to get too close to any of his family members.

He is intelligent and can be easily trained to obey simple commands such as sit, stay, lie down and come.

The Russian Spaniel can be happy in the suburbs, on a farm or in the city so long as he gets lots of attention and enough exercise.

Children friendliness

The Bouncing Beardie is great with children. They are very playful, jumpy and have generally very sweet and gentle personality. Children love them because they never get tired. If properly socialized, this dog can be the main attraction for any child.

Special talents

Herding, agility shows, obedience competitions, treibball, show dogs, trally...

Adaptability

This breed is very friendly. If your family is about to raise the Bearded Collie, prepare to have a pet that is highly affectionate and bonded with the members of the family. They don’t do well if left alone. They usually don’t bark and they are never destructible, but loneliness somehow triggers odd behaviour with this breed. They are not usually scared of strangers. If they are trained and socialized, you will be able to take your Beardie anywhere you go.

Learning ability

Some say that is very easy to train the Bearded Collie. The rule for this breed is to start the obedience training while they are very small. They are generally very independent, and they will try to do things in their own way. If you start your training early before your Beardie forms this kind of personality, you will have a wonderful pet.

The Russian Spaniel is such an energetic, dog, full of life ad with the joys of being alive.

Although he was a gun dog, today he is loved for his companionship. He makes a splendid family pet and loves to be involved with the games of children.

He is easy-going and social, and just wants to spend as much time as he can with his human family. Give him all the love you have and you'll see his tail never stops wagging.

This breed is generally very healthy. They don’t have some major health issues. Some of the issues that are registered are:

Progressive retinal atrophy

The degenerative disease that causes the blindness.

Thyroid glands diseases

When the hormone produced by the thyroid gland is abnormally low.

Hip dysplasia

That is generally the hereditary disease, can also be caused by bad diet or injuries.

Allergies

To food, chemicals, pollen, dust...

Ear infections

That usually happens because of their dropped ears that are not very easy to clean.

With very few health problems, the feisty Russian Spaniel can get to 12-14 years of age. Nonetheless, there are always some of the more common health issues to look out for.

Ear Infections:

Russian Spaniels are prone to developing ear infections. Ear infections can be terribly frustrating for a dog and they are quite difficult to clear up. It is advised that dog owners use ear cleaners before infection sets in. The vet can advise you on this as you have to be careful not to damage the inside of the ear.

Skin Allergies:

Itchy skin can be another terrible frustration for a dog. Allergies often cause terrible itching, and your dog will go mad trying to gnaw and bite at the itch. Finding the specific cause of a skin allergy can be very challenging. Blood tests might be required. It is imperative to feed your dog some raw meat occasionally to avoid these terrible skin infections.

Diet tips

Raising your Bearded Collie pup on a high-quality food is usually enough for a puppy. Make sure that portions are appropriate for his age and weight. Once your pet is more than six months old, they will need only two meals per day. They get obese very easy. Don’t train them with the treats.

Tips for good health

To care for your Bearded Collie, you must be aware of the grooming responsibilities that come with this longhaired pet. During the shedding period, it is required to brush them daily. Bathing is not a regular necessity but it will be easier to keep him clean and well groomed if you care about your pet all the time. Some people like to shorten the coat for their Beardie, and it is usually done during summer. Make sure to take him to regular ear, eye, teeth and hip vet checks.

Tips for games and exercises

The Bearded Collie is a breed that requires daily activity. They have very playful nature and they love to run, play and spend time outdoors. The best option will be a big yard so that Beardie can run for hours without the leash.

Exercise:

This dog was raised to be a gun dog, and is used to having plenty of exercise. Most imperative for him will be a couple of walks each day plus lots of chase-the-ball games. These dogs just never seem to get tired as they are playful and will never let the chance of a game pass them by.

Grooming:

Spaniel ears require quite a bit of upkeep as the hair can become extremely matted, forming balls of knotted hair. The inside of the ears must be constantly checked for infection. The spaniel’s coat will need to be brushed regularly and he can even go to the groomers and get a short Spaniel cut.

Diet:

Contribute to your pet’s good health by providing him with top notch food. A good nutritious diet for the Russian Spaniel will give your dog less of a chance to get sick. Always go for the best quality commercially manufactured dog foods.

To provide your dog with just a bit of variety in his diet, some home-made food added into the dry kibble from time to time will delight your pet. No need to make preparing the food a huge issue either. Boil brown rice and chicken in a pot and add in sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach. Chop all this up, and as a treat, add smaller portions of it into the dry kibble.To avoid skin infections, try to include some raw meat into his diet occasionally.

Never leave your pet without a constant source of fresh, cool water