Breed: English Cocker Spaniel

Description:
Sporting group
Medium
Males average height: 16-17". Females average height: 15-16".
Males average weight: 28-34 lbs. Females average weight: 26-32 lbs.

Temperament: responsive, affectionate, cheerful, good-natured, obedient.

The English Cocker Spaniel is a descendant of the original English spaniels that were recorded in journals around the late 1300Æs. Over the years, the spaniels were divided into two groups: water and land varieties. The land spaniel variety was the ancestor of the English Cocker Spaniel. This breed was utilized to retrieve game and to flush out woodcock. This breed has a great nose for scent. Around 1946, the American Cocker Spaniel was quite popular and it became necessary to make it known that the English Cocker Spaniel was a separate breed. The English Cocker Spaniel body is heavier boned and larger; they are sturdily built. Their head is also quite different from the American Cocker Spaniel. The coat of the English Cocker Spaniel is long and silky, there is no curl and there is a slight amount of feathering along the belly and behind the legs. This coat does shed. The body of this breed is compact and strong, with a docked tail.

They are wonderful with children, and are people lovers. This breed is used in pet therapy programs, as well as in such activities as flyball and agility. They are a great companion dog. The English Cocker Spaniel does well in large, wide-open spaces as well as in apartments. Requires daily exercise. Should sleep and live indoors, close with their family.

Colors: black, black/white, blue roan (most common color), liver, liver/white, golden, red, red/white, red roan, orange/white, orange roan, lemon roan, lemon/white, sable, sable/white; most also have tan markings. Training: socialization, obedience. All training needs to be dealt out with a gentle and patient hand, they are a sensitive and emotional dog. Not a breed recommended for those who would have to board their dog in a kennel or leave them all day alone in a yard.

Grooming: needs to be brushed frequently. Attention to grooming keeps the coat healthy and in top shape. This dog has a tendency to gain weight, so their diet needs to be monitored closely. When looking at puppies, the breeder should be asked if the dogs within their kennel are screened for hip dysplasia. Ask to see the sire & dam's certification from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA). They also should have annual eye exams. Deafness is a problem within this breed; dogs should be BAER tested. (This stands for Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response). Potential buyers of an English Cocker Spaniel (or any other breed) need to avoid breeders that don't do health checks. They are good with other dogs in the home, but not good with non-canine pets; not aggressive toward strange dogs.