DogLvr.com

By Robert Benjamin

The American Cocker Spaniel was bred from the English Cocker Spaniel and is smaller than its English cousin. A Cocker Spaniel will average about 14 ½ to 15 ½ inches in height and 15 to 40 pounds in weight and will live 12 to 15 years. Cocker Spaniels have long silky coats that need to be brushed almost daily, but are considered average shedders. Cocker Spaniels like to run through the grass and woods and their coats will become tangled and matted. If this is not taken care of immediately by brushing the dirt and debris out, it could lead to some uncomfortable skin infections. Trimming the coat regularly is necessary and some owners prefer to keep the coat at a medium length.

Often called a ’sweet’ dog, Cocker Spaniels make excellent family pets, due to their good nature. They love being with children and their family and often require minimal obedience training. In fact, formal obedience classes are not necessary with this dog as long as a few simple commands are taught and the master is consistent with using the training. However, training should not be skipped, as Cocker Spaniels can sometimes be stubborn. Cocker Spaniels are also described as ’sensitive,’ so care should be exercised when correcting their behavior.

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Welcome New Visitor!

By Darin Hosking

The “Checkers speech” made the English and American breeds of Cocker Spaniels famous almost overnight. Richard Nixon made his famous speech on September 23, 1952. Being accused of taking a bribe, Nixon admitted receiving a Cocker Spaniel as a gift from a traveling salesmen. His daughter named the cocker spaniel “Checkers”.

Even though the AKC separates the English Cocker Spaniel and the American Cocker Spaniel breeds, the term Cocker Spaniel refers to two different breeds of dogs, both of which are simply called Cocker Spaniel in both of their countries of origin.

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The English Cocker Spaniel: Game Bird Dog

By Michael Russell

The traditional sport of hunting the “gamecock” is the foundation of the word “Cocker”. The term “Cocker” denotes those spaniels which were used for hunting this bird. Many years ago hunting dogs were classified according to size. Those over 25 pounds were classified as Field Spaniels and those under 25 pounds were classified generally as Cocker Spaniels. Selective breeding of Spaniels and other hunting breeds in the nineteenth century began to distinguish and discriminate between the different types of Spaniels.

The Cocker spaniel was classified as a separate breed by the English Kennel club in 1892 and by 1946 in the United States two different “Cockers” were classified, the American Cocker spaniel and the English Cocker Spaniel. The two breeds diverged in several ways. the English Cocker is notably the dog which retains a strong hunting instinct. The muzzle of the English Cocker is longer with less stop than that of the American Cocker Spaniel. The body is square, in contrast to the American Cocker which presents a sloping back and exaggerated rear angulation.

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