Cocker Spaniel Dog

General Description

(Cocker Spaniel) The American Cocker Spaniel is the smallest breed of sporting spaniels. They have a compact body with a short back and a gently sloping topline. Their legs are stout, straight, and well-boned. American Cocker Spaniels have a defined, round head with an abrupt stop and a square jaw. Their friendly eyes are round, dark, and close-set, and their strong teeth meet in a scissors bite. Depending on the color of coat, an American Cocker Spaniel could have a brown or black nose. Their dropped ears (pendulous ears) hang very long, and their tails are docked to less than half their original length. American Cocker Spaniels have a beautifully soft, lush, silky, feathered coat. The coat on this breed is of medium length and comes in a wide variety of colors.

Character

American Cocker Spaniels are commonly used as pets, but they also serve a working purpose. They are naturally kind, affectionate, and sensitive, and they are respectful of authority. American Cocker Spaniels are fairly intelligent, trusting, and cheerful. They are usually excellent with children and very even-tempered. However, there are temperamental variations due to the breed’s popularity. When buying American Cocker Spaniels, it’s important to choose them from reputable breeders. Poor breeding can lead to a number of unappealing characteristics and bad behavior in specimens. Well-bred American Cocker Spaniels are lively, playful, and social. They need proper training from a young age to avoid the onset of shyness.

Cocker Spaniels are good hunters and make great family pets too. They are known for their intelligence and cooperation but may be stubborn. They enjoy interacting with their owners and other dogs. they are a good family pet too. Sometimes training these spaniels may be difficult, but will learn eventually with patience and consistency. The key in training this breed is to keep in mind that these dogs are very sensitive to your emotions and getting upset or frustrated with them is an easy way to lose their trust. For best results be patient.

The Cocker Spaniel is known for aggression problems and may be difficult to train, you must socialize this dog as a puppy if you would like it to get along well with people and other dogs.

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General Health

American Cocker Spaniels are affected by a number of health concerns. IMHA (Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia) is fairly common in this breed, and is usually a life-threatening condition. Eye and ear problems like infections, PRA, glaucoma, and cataracts are common. Ear inflammation, luxating patellas, and hip dysplasia are less prevalent, but they are still a concern. The average life span of an American Cocker Spaniel is 12 to 15 years, and they average 5 puppies per litter.

Most live on average of 13 to 17 years and yield 5 to 12 puppies per litter.

Puppies weigh 7 to 9 ounces at birth.

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History

The American Cocker Spaniel was originally developed in the United States from careful breeding of the English Cocker Spaniel. The breed is most heavily utilized as a companion and show dog, but it has a number of other natural talents including hunting, tracking, retrieving, and agility. They also make excellent watchdogs.

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Maintenance

American Cocker Spaniels need regular trimming and grooming. Even if their coat is left long, it needs to be maintained. Daily brushing and frequent shampooing are sufficient. American Cocker Spaniels’ eyes need frequent cleaning to prevent the onset of irritation or infection. They are average shedders.

Their ears need to be cleaned at least twice a month, or once a week just to be careful. Otherwise they might develop infection or a case of mites.

A deep food bowl specially made for long eared breeds will help prevent ear infections. The ears should be cleaned weekly.