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All Breed Dog Information Website For The Love of The Breeds |
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Cocker Spaniel
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 Bailey's Cockers  Lakota  Desert Rose Cockers  Lanmark  Where For Art Thou's Romeo MP, "Shea" (at about two years) and Maple Way Avalon Juliet, "Meka" (at about five months). Maple Way |
The earliest known use of the term "Spaniel" is found in the ancient Welsh Laws compiled by King Howell the Good in AD 914. In the 1300's, both Geoffrey Chaucer in Great Britian and Gaston de Foix in France described spaniel personalities much as they are today. By the 1500's, the Cocker Spaniel's ancestors were spread throughout much of Europe, working with the hawker, hawk, and net.
With the arrival of the gun, hunters now needed spaniels with shorter legs than the Water Spaniels; this led to the development of the modern Cocker. Breeders crossed different types of spaniel to achieve breeds that could flush out different types of birds. So, "cocking" spaniels were developed to aid hunters who tracked woodcock.
Spaniels spread throughout Europe- to countries that included France, Portugal, Germany and The Netherlands- where they evolved regionally to suit the needs of local sportsmen. In this century, English Cocker Spaniel and Springer Spaniel have been used to revitalize European relatives driven to near extinction by war or neglect. Indeed, a number of these old gundog breeds have enjoyed something of a revival in recent years, in particular the Small Munsterlander, a small pointing retriever developed in Germany from descendants of hawking spaniels.
Up until the 1700's, all gundogs in Britain were classified as Land or Water Spaniels, according to the terrain they worked best. Water Spaniels included the Irish Water Spaniel and its not extinct English cousin. The Land Spaniel group was in turn subdivided, with the largest individuals evolving to become setters and retrievers, and the smaller breeds retaining their original spaniel name. By the 19th century, all spaniels were grouped under the title Field Spaniels.
Although the name "Cocker" was used for the first time at a dog show in Birmingham, England, in 1859, Cockers, or "flushers", continued to be shown as Field Spaniels until 1892, when the division between Cockers and Springers was made. The breed's history really began in 1879, with the birth of Obo; this black Cocker was the dog from whom all modern Cockers can trace their lineage.
In 1882, F.F. Pitcher, a breeder from New England imported Chloe II, pregnant by Obo. In her litter was Obo II, the dog credited as the source of both types of Cocker in the United States. In 1921, Herman Mellenthin bred Red Brucie who, along with his decentness, established the American Cocker Spaniel as it is today. By the late 1920's, selective breeding saw the emergence of a distinct new Cocker, with the most obvious difference from its English cousin being in the shape of its head.
While spaniel breeds thrived throughout Europe, they were most successful in Britain, where they served the hunter and acted as faithful companions. Land or Field Spaniels were divided by weight: larger individuals were called Springers, while those under 25 pounds were known as Cockers.
The colors of the Cocker Spaniel can be:
Black: Solid color black to include black with tan points. The black should be jet, shadings of brown or liver in the coat are not desirable. A small amount of white on the chest and/or throat is allowed, white in any other location is a fault.
Any Solid Color Other Than Black (ASCOB)
Any solid color (other than black) ranging from the lightest cream to the darkest red, including brown and brown with tan points. The color shall be of uniform shade, but lighter color of the feathering is permissible. A small amount of white on the chest and/or throat is allowed, white in any other location is a fault.
Parti-Color
Two or more solid, well broken colors, one of which must be white; black and white; red and white (the red may range from lightest cream to darkest red), brown and white, and roans, to include any such color combination with tan points. It is preferable that the tan markings be located in the same pattern as for the tan points in the Black and ASCOB varieties. Roans are classified as Parti-colors and may be of any of the usual roaming patterns. Primary color which is ninety percent or more shall be a fault.
The Cocker has been exhibited in the United States since the early 1880's. However, the American Cocker has evloved differently in type, size, and coloring from the breed that is now recognized as the English Cocker Spaniel.
Bold and keen to work, the American Cocker Spaniel is equally suited to life as a gundog or as a household pet. Cheerful, sweet, and sensitive, the Cocker Spaniel is an inseparable friend of children, and respectful of its master's authority without much challenge. Merry and endearing. A happy tail-wagger. Gentle and trusting, with average intelligence. They are lively, playful and devoted, but should be socialized well when they are young to avoid a tendency for timidity. Cockers love everyone and need people to be happy. They can be difficult to housebreak and some like to bark. However they are mostly easy to train and get along well with other animals. This is a very popular breed. Beware of poorly bred puppy-mill Cockers as they may have bizarre temperamental changes and behavioral problems. This would include shy-sharpness, which is a combination of fear and dominance that can cause viciousness. Also Submissive urinating; aggressive guarding of objects, people and places, hyper-sexuality and roaming.
A Cocker Spaniels coat is difficult to keep up with, even as a pet. They have long furnishings, which tend to get matted easily. They need combed at least 3 times a week, and groomed no less than every 6 weeks. Cockers also tend to have a great deal of ear infections.
Both parents should have OFA certificates (hips), yearly CERF (eyes), and be screened for luxating patella. Also ask about cataracts, glaucoma, PKD, low thyroid, disk disease, heart disease, renal dysplasia, Legg-Perthes, vWD, and seizures in the lines. Allergies and skin conditions are common, as are chronic ear infections, especially when fed commercial diets (kibble). Some major concerns are cataracts, glaucoma and patellar luxation. Some minor concerns are hip dysplasia, ectropion, entropion, PRA, allergies, seborrhea, lip fold pyoderma, otitis externa, liver disease, urolithiasis, prolapse of nictitans gland, CHF, phosphofructokinase deficiency, and cardiomyopathy. Occasionally seen are gastric torsion and elbow dysplasia. Click here for a full description of Cocker Spaniel health problems.
American Cocker Spaniels are a dime a dozen, and most of them are bred and offered for sale by people who don't have the slightest idea of how to breed good-tempered dogs. Obedience instructors and behavioral consultants see LOTS of American Cocker Spaniels with neurotic behaviors, including aggression, biting, moodiness, and general nastiness.
Due to overbreeding, and breeding of poorly tempered dogs, Cocker Spaniels have become notorious for being biters. If you are considering this breed for yourself, please take that into consideration, especially if you have children. Be sure to get one from a reputable breeder who breeds for excellent temperment. Cockers were listed at one time as being the top biters. Do the breed a favor and spay/neuter your pets- leave the breeding up to the professionals, no matter how adorable YOUR dog is.
More than most other breeds, American Cocker Spaniels need a great deal of companionship and do not like being left alone for more than a few hours. They tend to express their unhappiness through destructive chewing and barking. If you work all day, this is not the breed for you.
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