Content
- Origin of the English Cocker Spaniel
- Physical Characteristics of the English Cocker Spaniel
- English Cocker Spaniel Character
- English Cocker Spaniel Care
- English Cocker Spaniel Education
- English Cocker Spaniel Health
O English cocker spaniel is a very intelligent, playful and sociable dog, who is very attached to his human family and who needs to be always with them to feel good, otherwise he could suffer from separation anxiety. This doesn't mean we can never leave him alone, but if you don't have a lot of time to be with him, it's best to adopt another type of pet. In the past they were used as hunting dogs for different prey depending on their size, and their main function was to hunt woodcock.
In this PeritoAnimal breed sheet we will explain everything you need to know about Cocker Spaniels, from their origin to the care they need or the most common diseases of these dogs.
Source
- Europe
- UK
- Group VIII
- muscular
- provided
- long ears
- toy
- Small
- Medium
- Great
- Giant
- 15-35
- 35-45
- 45-55
- 55-70
- 70-80
- more than 80
- 1-3
- 3-10
- 10-25
- 25-45
- 45-100
- 8-10
- 10-12
- 12-14
- 15-20
- Low
- Average
- High
- Sociable
- very faithful
- Active
- Tender
- Kids
- floors
- Houses
- Hunting
- Sport
- Cold
- Warm
- Moderate
- Long
- Smooth
- Thin
Origin of the English Cocker Spaniel
Spaniels are very old dogs that have always been used for hunting. Although they were formerly used for different types of prey depending on their size, no distinction was made by race. Thus, in the same Spaniel litter, large dogs (mostly used to hunt mammals) and small dogs (mostly used to hunt birds) could be born.
Consequently, the dogs we know today as the Cocker Spaniel, Springer Spaniel, Field Spaniel, and Sussex Spaniel were just one group.
It was only at the end of the 19th century that these breeds separated and the Cocker Spaniel was officially recognized for the first time. His main as a hunting dog was, and still is, to hunt the woodcock.
This small dog became very popular in Great Britain, his homeland, and the rest of Europe. Afterwards it was exported to the United States of America where it also gained a lot of popularity, but the American breeders decided to change the race to achieve a different look.
Of course, the British opposed the changes made by the Americans and decided to ban crosses between the original breed and the American variety. So the two varieties were separated into two different breeds, the American Cocker Spaniel and the English Cocker Spaniel.
The American Cocker became quite popular in his country, displacing English. However, the American version of the breed is little known in the rest of the world, while the English Cocker Spaniel is very popular and appreciated.
Physical Characteristics of the English Cocker Spaniel
Cocker is a dog compact, sporty and athletic. Its head is well shaped without being too thin or too thick. The stop is well marked. The nose is wide and the muzzle is square. The eyes are brown, except in dogs with full or partially liver-colored fur, where the eyes may be hazel. Ears are wide, set low and hanging.
The body is strong and compact. The topline is firm and horizontal to the loin. From the loin to the beginning of the cause, it goes down smoothly. The chest is well developed and deep, but it is neither too broad nor too narrow.
The tail is set low, slightly curved and of moderate length. It was formerly amputated to reduce wounds during hunting days. However, nowadays most of these dogs are family companions, so there is no reason for this practice. In many places the tail continues to be amputated for purely aesthetic purposes, but fortunately this habit is less and less accepted.
The hair is smooth, silky, not very abundant and never curly. There are four color varieties accepted by the breed standard:
- Solid colors: black, red, gold, liver, black and fire, liver and fire. May have a small white mark on the chest.
- Two color: Black and white; orange and white; liver and white; lemon and white. All with or without blemishes.
- Tricolors: black, white and fire; liver, white and fire.
- Rouan: Blue roan, orange roan, lemon roan, liver roan, blue roan and fire, liver roan and fire.
English Cocker Spaniel Character
The temperament of the English Cocker Spaniel is ideal for a family dog. This dog is friendly, sociable, playful and very attached to his family. Creates a private bond with a person in the family group.
The socialization of this dog is usually easy, since it is an animal. sociable by nature. However, that is not why you should ignore it. A Cocker who has not received socialization can be aggressive. In contrast, a well-socialized Cocker tends to get along well with adults, children, other dogs and even other animals.
However, despite the sociable temperament, there are some reports of high aggressiveness in the breed. Cases of unjustified aggression have been reported mainly in solid-colored English Cockers and especially golden ones. This does not mean that all dogs with these characteristics are aggressive, but it is good to know the temperament of the parents before acquiring a puppy.
The main behavior problem of the English Cocker Spaniel is destructiveness. These dogs can be very destructive when they are alone for a long time, since they are dogs that need frequent companionship. They also need to get a lot of exercise.
English Cocker Spaniel Care
The effort needed to take care of the fur is moderate. must brush the dog three times a week and manually remove dead hair every two to three months. From time to time you can do this at the canine hairdresser. In addition, you should frequently check the ears to see if they are dirty and, if necessary, clean them.
these dogs need a lot of exercise daily, so it might be a good idea to participate in dog sports, in addition to the daily walks that all dogs need. However, they adapt very well to life in densely populated cities and apartments.
English Cocker Spaniel Education
It is said that Cockers are very quick to learn and that training is difficult. But this is far from reality. these dogs are very clever and they can learn many things, but traditional training does not always work well with the breed. Positive training is more effective with this breed and allows you to develop the puppy's full potential.
English Cocker Spaniel Health
The breed is prone to certain diseases, among which are:
- progressive retinal atrophy
- falls
- Glaucoma
- hip dysplasia
- Cardiomyopathies
- familial nephropathy
Deafness is a serious problem in two-color Cockers.