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The American Cocker Spaniel

The American Cocker Spaniel has continuously won the hearts of Americans as a pet and companion. For many years this breed carried top honors in registrations of its breed in the records of the American Kennel Club. He loves his family and under ordinary circumstances is very adaptable. He can be trained as a gun dog as he is very intelligent and enjoys obedience work.

He is an ideal size for a family dog and loves human companionship. He beautiful, expressive eyes seem to “talk” to you. Gentle and considerate handling, together with suitable training and lots of love as a puppy, will make him and excellent choice as a family companion.

He is at home in the outdoors as well as indoors. He takes to water very easily and when trained for hunting and field work he will work within gun range. He has a keen nose and is well qualified to flush game and to go out and retrieve, after all he is a Spaniel. He is the smallest of the Sporting Breed Group, yet his sturdy and compact body is capable of good speed and endurance for his size. He should be even-tempered and not at all timid.

This breed comes in a variety of colors to choose from including solid black, shades of cream, and buff as well as reds and chocolates. There is another variety of color known as the parti-colors of black and white, black and tan, and tri-colors of black, tan, and white.

As this breed matures, you will find that grooming is a must. He will develop an abundant, silky, slightly wavy coat that will grow to very long lengths. If not properly cared for the coat will quickly become a matted mess! For this breed it is better to schedule a grooming appointment as soon as possible whether he needs it or not. I always recommend they be brought in as early as eight weeks, just for toenails, pads, and the private areas. A good bath and ear cleaning are a must along with anal gland secretion. It is important to find a reputable pet groomer in your area. Ask the vet if they have any referrals. In most states, pet cosmetology isn’t a licensed practice.

A regular schedule that I recommend for this breed is a full body clip about every 6-8 weeks with a good bath and brush out every 2-3 weeks to keep them mat free.

History

The American Cocker Spaniel is one of the oldest breeds in dogdom. Ancient models were found in Egyptian tombs. The name spaniel makes some assume that the breed might have originated in Spain, but it is more likely he was brought into Spain in early migrations from the East. There is proof that the Spaniel was known in England six centuries ago. The first divisions of Spaniels came around 1500. That’s when they were divided into land and water Spaniels and that is also when they were designated as Springer, Springing Spaniel, Cocker, Cocking Spaniel, and Cock Flusher. Cocker became the name of the smallest, most compact member of the family of Spaniels, stemming from their ability in hunting woodcock.

The English Spaniel which evolved in the early part of the 1800's was probably the type from which the Cocker evolved. Spaniel classes were divided once again in 1866 into large and small Spaniels. By 1874 the Cocker was no longer designated as a separate breed, but was shown as a Field Spaniel. In 1880, a black Cocker Spaniel was imported from England to the United States and was first shown at Manchester, New Hampshire in September of 1883. Around this same time, the founders of the American Spaniel Club were interested in developing the Cocker Spaniel further. This breed was still not recognized as a separate breed.

A division weight was also established with the Cocker being the smallest class. In 1901 the American Spaniel Club decided to eliminate the size qualification which helped to concentrate efforts more toward types.

There was a definite progress in breeding and showing the Cockers after the American Kennel Club rules were changed to allow two varieties. Around 1920, the Cocker Spaniel saw a definite increase in popularity and the American Spaniel Club began holding National Specialty Shows. This is the time when the American Cocker began a general change. More height at the shoulder, greater length of the head, a rounder skull, and shorter muzzle helped to develop the profile we see today.

Breeding has seen a gradual development of a more profuse body coat which many pet owners and judges feel that there is entirely too much of for a breed that is still considered a hunting dog.

The English Cocker Spaniel Club of America was formed in 1935, and it’s main concern was to discourage interbreeding between the two types of Cockers. One prime factor was the American Cocker is much smaller than the English Cocker. The field work required of the American Cocker was different from that in Britain, in that the American Cocker would encounter smaller game birds in the U.S. than abroad. Since the English Cocker had to carry larger game, he was developed with a larger body, head and muzzle.

The English Cocker was recognized as a separate variety of the Cocker Spaniel in 1942 by the American Spaniel Club and in 1946 they dropped any jurisdiction over the English Cocker. From then on the individual breeds of English and American Cockers continued separately.

The American Cocker was not seen in British shows until well into the 1960's and were not registered in Britain until 1968. They have made rapid gains in popularity since then. Between the years of 1940-1956, the American Cocker Spaniel outranked all other breeds in registrations in the American Kennel Club and has remained in the top ten of registrants.

<font=12>*This article was written by Cichlid Lover from our forum and may not be copied or reproduced without written permission from her.

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