Description

The noble Cocker Spaniel is a handsome, compact dog with an intelligent and alert expression. They have long, low-set ears and a rounded head. The muzzle is the same length as the head. Like many gun dogs, the Cocker Spaniel has a deep chest and straight front legs that end with cat-like feet. Although the Cocker Spaniel’s tail was traditionally docked, this is banned in many countries (if it can be proved that the dogs will be used for working, docking is permitted in England and Wales). The Cocker Spaniel’s natural tail is not as hairy of the rest of the body, where a sleek, silky coat grows.

Origin England

Look

The Cocker Spaniel has medium to long silky hair which often is slightly curly. They have feathery hair on the belly, legs and chest: this feathering is meant to protect the dog from scratch or other injuries as it makes its way through the field. Unless you plan on showning your Cocker Spaniel, you may wish to trim the feathering to keep your dog clean and tidy, and to avoid tangles. Your Cocker Spaniel will also need daily brushing (coat care for show dogs is more complicated, as the coat must be stripped). Be sure to clean the Cocker’s dangling ears to keep them clean and to prevent infection. The Cocker Spaniel does shed significantly, but daily brushing should reduce this.

The Cocker Spaniel comes in many colours, including roan, blue roan, black and tan, black and white, brown and white, black, liver, and various “ticked” colours. White markings are very common.

Health

The Cocker Spaniel is quite a hardy, healthy dog, but is prone to a few health conditions:

Hip dysplasia
Eyelid problems
Renal failure
Congenital Sensorineural Disease
Dilated Cardiomyopathy
“Rage syndrome”
At Newdoggy.com we promote puppies coming from reputable breeders, who use genetic testing and good breeding practices to remove genetic conditions from their breeding lines. Newdoggy.com’s Health Guarantee certifies that all promoted puppies are in good health.

Learning

The English Cocker Spaniel is very trainable and friendly. With early socialisation and good training, your Cocker Spaniel will be an excellent canine citizen. The Cocker Spaniel does very well in training if given lots of praise; food treats help too! They are sensitive, so while you should be firm during training, you should be calm and never use harsh training methods. With firm but calm training, your English Cocker Spaniel will not only become a well-trained adult, but will get a chance to exercise his or her intelligence. This dog is very athletic, and often excels in sports such as tracking and canine agility.

Temperament

This affectionate and intelligent breed is often a welcome addition to most families. They are gentle, sweet, and friendly (even to cats), though without good socialisation they may be timid or reserved. Cocker Spaniels, particularly those from Field bloodlines, tend to be energetic, and without enough exercise they may develop behavioural problems.

The English Cocker Spaniel often suffers from separation anxiety. Some become very clingy and stick close to their owners at all times – you need to carefully train and socialise your dog to prevent this clinginess.

Living with

Be prepared for lots of exercise. The English Cocker Spaniel is a gun dog, and was bred to spend all day hunting in the field. Dogs from show bloodlines may be less energetic, but you’ll still need to give them a daily walk. Consider obedience classes or another sport, as these intelligent dogs often enjoy these activities. If you’re committed, the English Cocker Spaniel is an excellent addition to the family, and is friendly towards children, other pets, and strangers. Be warned: the English Cocker Spaniel loves to bark, though usually only at strange noises. Unfortunately, they are much too friendly to be good guard dogs!