This entry was posted on 2014-07-07 by Schalk.

There are two variations of Cocker Spaniels: the American Cocker Spaniel and the English Cocker Spaniel. These two types are different but can both be tracked back to the mid-19th century, England. In the beginning they were bred for hunting small wild animals but today its cheerful temperament has made the Cocker Spaniel a very well known household companion.

Personality and Temperament

The American Cocker spaniel is very keen on learning and obeying instructions while also being quite a sensitive dog. It has often been nicknamed the “merry” cocker as its always friendly and jolly. This breed prefers to live indoors but one of its favorite activities is to go on long walks outside. It’s very well know for excessive barking, which will defiantly occur if you have kept your Cocker locked up inside all day.

Traits:

•    Nicknames: Cockers, Merry
•    Weight: 11–14 kg
•    Height: Males: 37–39 cm, Females: 34–37 cm
•    Coat: Silky coat is flat or slightly wavy
•    Colour: Solid colour, black with tan points, merle, solid colour with tan points and parti-colour
•    Litter size: 1 - 7 puppies, average of 5.
•    Life span: 12 to 15 years

Physical Characteristics

The Cocker Spaniel is categorized in the sporting group of spaniels and is the smallest. Its soft facial expression, and muscular tight body makes the dog look very appealing. Their gait is very powerful and balanced. Its most distinctive feature is its medium-length soft coat, which can be seen in flat or slightly wavy. Majority of Cocker Spaniels today have heavy coats, which are meant for fieldwork.

There are three different coat varieties for the American Cocker Spaniel: parti-colours, black and (ASCOB) any solid colour other than black. Parti-coloured: other colours with large areas of white usually; white and brown, white and black or white and red. ASCOB: Lightest creams to the darkest reds, as well as brown with tan points and brown. The black varieties: tan and black, solid black.

Care

The American Cocker spaniel’s ears, eyes and feet must be cleaned on a regular basis, as they tend to get dirty. Its coat should be brushed at least two to three times a week. A monthly nail cutting and hair cropping will keep your Cocker looking healthy. They will need regular walks to meet their exercise requirements. This breed is very social and therefore needs constant human interaction.

Health

The life span of the American Cocker Spaniel is about 12-15 years. Some of its serious health issues are cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), glaucoma and patellar luxation. Diseases that can some times affect them include gastric torsion, elbow dysplasia, epilepsy. Other trivial health problems include ectropion, cardiomyopathy, otitis externa, urinary stones, seborrhea, hypothyroidism, canine hip dysplasia (CHD), phosphofructokinase deficiency, entropion, "cherry eye," congestive heart failure, allergies, and liver disease. The tests that are recommended to possibly identify these conditions early include: knee, hip, eye and thyroid. DNA tests can be used to diagnose a phosphofructokinase deficiency, which can cause anemia.

History & Background

The American Cocker Spaniel originated during the later half of the 17th century when the Mayflower ship was said to have brought a large amount of English Cocker spaniels to America.

The first Cocker Spaniel that was registered was Obo ll, in the 1880s. There is proof that leads to a possible crossbreed of smaller toy spaniels with the English Cocker to make the American Cocker Spaniel. At the time U.S hunters longed for a dog that could hunt small wild birds and quails, the American Cocker Spaniel was a ideal fit.

In 1946 the American Kennel club recognized the English Cocker Spaniel as a separate breed from its American counter part. The English Kennel Club also recognized the difference between both breeds in 1986. Today the English and American Cocker Spaniels have become very popular in the U.S.

Nutrition

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