One of the most adored breeds in the world is the happy-go-lucky Cocker Spaniel, known for his wide, dreamy eyes and mischievous demeanor. Cockers were initially bred as hunting dogs, but they eventually became very well-liked as all-around companions. It’s no surprise that the Cocker spent a number of years as America’s most popular breed given its large, dark eyes, lovely demeanor, and long, luxuriant ears that practically want to be petted. Standing between 14 and 15 inches, the Cocker is the AKC’s smallest sports spaniel. The coat is available in numerous hues and designs to suit any preference. These swift, tough gundogs have a balanced, robust bodies, and they walk with a natural, easy gait. Cockers are eager to play with children and are simple to train to be a friend or an athlete. Although they are small enough to be portable, they are large enough to be sporty. A Cocker in the full coat is the cutest dog on the block and rewards extra grooming care. These active sporting canines enjoy playing and taking vigorous walks.
Cocker Spaniel
smart / happy / gentle
Average sizes and life
expectancy of the breed.
Height
14.5-15.5 inches (male)
13.5-14.5 inches (female)
Weight
25-30 pounds (male)
20-25 pounds (female)
Life Expectancy
10-14 years
Breed Traits & Characteristics
Shedding Level
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.
Coat Grooming Frequency
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.
Drooling Level
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.
Coat Type
Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.
Coat Length
Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.
Affectionate With Family
How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.
Good With Young Children
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.
GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.
Shedding Level
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.
Coat Grooming Frequency
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.
Drooling Level
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.
Coat Type
Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.
Coat Length
Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.
Openness To Strangers
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!
Playfulness Level
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.
Watchdog/Protective Nature
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.
Adaptability Level
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.
Trainability Level
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!
Energy Level
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.
Barking Level
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.
Mental Stimulation Needs
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.
About the Breed
What To Expect When Caring For a Cocker Spaniel
Owning a dog is not just a privilege; it’s a responsibility. They depend on us for, at minimum, food and shelter, and deserve much more. When you take a dog into your life, you need to understand the commitment that dog ownership entails.
Health
The Cocker Spaniel's national parent club, the American Spaniel Club, has a health committee that looks at breed health issues and makes recommendations to breeders for required health testing.The Cocker Spaniel has good longevity. A conscientious breeder can furnish records of the sire's and dam's health testing, for example for hips, patellas, and eyes. Breeders often have years of data regarding testing done in these health areas. Learn from the veterinarian the proper procedures to clean the Cocker's ear canals on a regular basis, especially following a bath, in order to avoid infections. Thorough grooming of the Cocker coat will aid in preventing mats, which can precipitate skin problems underneath.
Recommended Health Tests From the National Breed Club:
- Hip Evaluation
- Ophthalmologist Evaluation
Grooming
Cocker Spaniels need frequent, meticulous grooming. Missed sessions are difficult to make up and may cause mats or tangles in the Cocker's coat. A metal dog comb with fine and medium tooth spacing that is of professional grade is essential. The comb is essential, but you can follow combing with a soft slicker brush. With the comb, loose hair should be thoroughly removed, being sure to always be visible through to the skin. Snarls should not be pulled through; instead, pick them apart beginning at the points of the coat before continuing. When combing your ears, be careful because the skin around the edges is thin and can become perforated.
A thorough bathing with top-notch dog shampoo is necessary for the Cocker. It is essential to thoroughly rinse after using soap since soap residue might irritate the skin. Dry carefully using a blow dryer set at a low heat. Learn how to properly clean and dry your ear canals. Look for any inflamed areas on the Cocker's skin during bathing, and treat them. It's important to get knowledgeable about grooming techniques and/or hire a professional groomer who enjoys and has experience with the breed.
Exercise
The Cocker Spaniel is a sporting breed and should keep its muscles toned, but it is not a breed that requires a lot of exercise to get rid of its excess energy. Cockers frequently take pleasure in walking with their owners or retrieving a ball or other toy as a way to exercise. Walking is a fantastic kind of exercise for them because they like socializing with their friends and family so much. If the Cocker has a canine friend, they can play together to get some exercise. These are methods you can use to promote exercise in the Cocker Spaniel because it likes to play and loves to please people.
Training
Regarding training the Cocker Spaniel, the good news is that in general this is a people-pleasing breed. They want to be 'good' in order to please their people, and they are generally sensitive and responsive to correction and a disapproving tone in their owner's voice. Harsh means of correction are not usually warranted, nor are they productive in the Cocker. The breed enjoys the challenge of performance activities, and it is a good idea to try out the available activities and events to see what interests your individual Cocker and follow through with training. Early socialization and puppy training classes are recommended. Cockers are rather easily motivated with food rewards and with play and praise.
Nutrition
The optimum diet might vary depending on the dog and its specific needs. The secret is to read food labels carefully to identify high-quality ingredients. If the Cocker has any special needs or sensitivities, the owner might ask the veterinarian for help. Select a nutritious food and give it a fair chance to impress you. Cocker food studies have traditionally been successful when based on chicken and rice, but take into account each individual's sensitivity levels, preferences, and nutritional requirements. Maintain a healthy weight, but watch out for overeating. Overweight Cockers are frequently seen by groomers and vets.
History
The spaniel is a breed of extremely old dogs that are thought to have come from Spain (the words “Spain” and “spaniel” are closely connected). Since hunting dogs were used in conjunction with nets before the invention of the rifle, spaniels have been a helper for bird hunters.
European and British spaniels have historically been divided into two informal categories: land spaniels and water spaniels. The numerous spaniels, however, were categorized as distinct breeds by the 19th century, when written breed standards, dog exhibitions, and field trials, and the idea of purebred dogs, in general, began to gain momentum in England. The Cocker, so named because they focused on woodcock, was one of them. These canines were the forerunners of the current Cocker Spaniel; they were larger than English Toy Spaniels but smaller than English Springer Spaniels.
In America, the Cocker Spaniel diverged into two varieties, American and English. The English was characterized as being taller and with a longer head than its American cousin, with a coat that was not as profuse.