Russian Spaniel vs Mountain Burmese - Breed Comparison

The Burmese Mountain Dog is quite often taken to be the Bernese Mountain Dog, a Swiss farm dog. However, the Burmese Mountain Dog comes not from Switzerland but from Myanmar and Burma. The Burmese was bred to hunt skunks and guard livestock for the northern tribesman of Myanmar. The way they hunted for the aggravating skunks was to hide themselves in the underbrush and wait for the skunk to go by. Their facial markings confuse skunks when they see him in the bush with a black and white face. At the same time, his rust color lets the hunter know he is the dog not the skunk.

The Mountain Burmese is an incredible athlete despite the size. They are agile. They are quick. They can climb trees – as many as fifty feet while chasing a skunk. They also make a great companion and love to be a family dog. They are calm and gentle as an adult and great with kids. They are easily trained but remember they can climb trees. However, they do not do well with cats that are black and white or solid black because they confuse them with the skunk prey.

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 Mountain Burmese Dog is a large, sturdy, well built and athletic canine. Strong and well balanced, he is agile and athletic when it comes to the work, he has to do in chasing skunks. He has a full body with a large head and dark, oval eyes. The Burmese has triangular ears close to his head and medium in size. With a flat, broad skull the muzzle is straight and strong. They have black noses and a scissors bite, on their muscular, strong neck. With a deep chest and broad back, they have strong ribs. Finally, the tail is bushy, long and hangs low.

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

Yes, they are great with kids.

Special talents

Hunting skunks and climbing trees.

Adaptability

Yes, but they need a lot of space.

Learning

Ability is high. They are very intelligent and trainable.

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.

The kind of health issues that most large or giant dogs have to deal with are some of the same things that this breed dealt with.

• Hip and Elbow Dysplasia – Can cause arthritis and lameness.
• Blood Disorders
• Cancers -various
• Progressive Retinal Atrophy – can cause blindness.
• Bloat - Fatal
• Heat Stroke – Can be fatal. Watch her in the heat.

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.

Feeding the puppy

Feed a high quality dog food designed for large or giant puppies. Feed 3times a day 2.5 times for puppies and go easy on the treats

Feeding the adult

There is a definite tendency for these dogs to become obese. Don’t overfeed. Don’t free feed. Large breed high quality dog food should be fed 2 times a day and go easy on the treats. Watch his weight.

Points for Good Health

strength, stamina

Games and Exercises

The breed is definitely athletic and active. They love to chase and take long walks daily. They need a large yard but be careful as they can climb trees and your fence. They are great companions when backpacking and camping. If there are skunks in the area however watch out! These are hunting dogs despite their size and they would do very well in barn hunt and field trials.

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