Cocker Spaniel breed description
The English Cocker Spaniel is a British dog breed that dates back to the Middle Ages. The breed standard was approved in 1893. A few years later, the American spaniel was bred in the United States. Its representatives were slightly smaller and had special aesthetic values. In 1946, the American Kennel Club recognized the American and English Cocker Spaniels as two separate breeds of dog. The English Cocker Spaniel belongs to group 8 - retrievers, flushing dogs and water dogs, to section 2 - flushing dogs, whose task is to follow the trail, scare and proclaim game and retrieve smaller game.
Cocker Spaniel appearance
The Cocker Spaniel is a medium-sized, elegant dog. Dogs of this breed reach a height of about 39-41 cm at the withers, while female dogs - 38-39 cm. The weight of adult individuals ranges from 12,5 to 14,5 kg of weight. The color of the Cocker Spaniel is varied: one-color (red, chocolate, black, golden, beige), as well as two-color (white and black, white and gold, white and brown, white and red, white and orange, black and tan) and tricolor.
Suggested sizes and widths of accessories for this breed of dog:
Here are the suggested sizes for adult dogs of this breed. They were selected on the basis of many years of experience in sewing accessories and the most common choices of other dog owners of this breed. Remember, only measuring will give you 100% certainty - every dog is different.
The Cocker Spaniel is compact, square in shape, with the body slightly sloping from the loin to the base of the tail. Na the shapely head is set with large, expressive, friendly eyes. Their color harmonizes with the coat. The most common are brown, dark brown or dark walnut. Long, low-set ears are covered with thick fur. Cocker Spaniel's coat is long, straight, smooth and pleasant to the touch. Medium length on the back, abundant on the feet, and short on the head. The chest is deep, well developed. The limbs are straight and strong. The tail is set slightly below the topline and is carried horizontally in motion.
Character
The Cocker Spaniel is a gentle, playful and friendly dog. It is these qualities that make him a great family friend. However, when deciding to buy a dog of this breed, we must be aware that the hunter's blood still flows in his veins. Swimming, scuba diving and scrubbing are among his favorite activities. This busy, playful pooch likes an active lifestyle and requires a lot of exercise during the day. In fact, he never lacks energy, so he is a perfect companion for family trips and outdoor games. He is the perfect companion - he is devoted, faithful and loyal. He is strongly attached to the owner and does not tolerate loneliness. It should not be isolated from the household members on a daily basis. He is usually friendly towards strangers, greets guests with enthusiasm and joy. It happens, however, that an individual possessive towards the guardian shows a great distance towards strangers.
Cocker Spaniel is eager to learn, intelligent, perceptive and alert. His training, however, requires consistent, patient, fair conduct and the use of gentle teaching methods. It is worth starting learning with a puppy, because a spoiled spaniel becomes extremely stubborn, overly barking, undisciplined, possessive, and his excessive energy can cause the caregiver a lot of trouble.
Cocker Spaniel - grooming
The beautiful, delicate coat of a Cocker Spaniel requires proper care. The necessary treatments include regular, thorough brushing (especially around the groin and ears) and trimming the hair (especially on the head and inside the ears). We also use the clipper to cut the hair on the neck and under the tail. We should perform this treatment for the first time when the puppy is six months old. You should also remember to comb the hair with your hand after a long walk and remove sticks, leaves, Velcro, etc. If your pet does not rub its claws by itself, systematically trim them and remove tartar. We bathe Cocker Spaniels as needed. It is worth using a shampoo for long-haired dogs, and after bathing, use a strengthening and anti-static conditioner.
Health
The English Cocker Spaniel is a hardy breed that shows high resistance to weather conditions. He is not bothered by wind, rain or snow. Although it tolerates high and low temperatures quite well, it should be protected against extreme temperatures and walks should be limited both on hot and very frosty days. Taking care of your pet's health, pay special attention to its ears, which due to their structure are prone to infections (especially inflammation of the inner ear) and require systematic treatments. Regularly remove hair from inside the auricle and clean the external ear canal.
Cockers are prone to eye diseases:
- cataracts,
- curl of the eyelid (entropion)
- progressive retinal atrophy
- conjunctivitis
In old age, they are also more likely to develop cancer, kidney, heart and joint problems.
Interesting facts
- the name "cocker" most likely comes from the English "woodcock" - woodcock, or forest bird that cocker spaniels hunted.
- Cocker Spaniels are characterized by a perfect sense of smell, extraordinary intelligence and willingness to cooperate with humans. These features make dogs of this breed often used by uniformed services, including for the detection of drugs, explosives and gas leaks.
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