Cocker Spaniel

Cocker Spaniel is the name of two breeds of spaniel, the English Cocker Spaniel and the American Cocker Spaniel. Each is called simply the Cocker Spaniel in its own country. Both go back to hunting dogs bred in Britain, and the word cocker comes from their use on woodcock.

History

Spaniels are mentioned in writings of the 14th century, and are commonly assumed to have come from Spain. In 1801 Sydenham Edwards divided the land spaniel into two kinds, the springing spaniel and the cocking spaniel. Through the 19th century cocker spaniel was a loose term for a type of small field spaniel. Until the 1870s the only rule was weight: a cocker had to be under 25 pounds (11 kg). That limit stayed until 1900, and bigger dogs were classed as springers.

The Kennel Club was formed in 1873, and breeders then began to record pedigrees. In 1892 it recognized the English Cocker Spaniel and the English Springer Spaniel as separate breeds.

Two dogs stand behind the modern breeds. Ch. Obo, born in 1879 to a Sussex Spaniel and a Field Spaniel, is regarded as the father of the English Cocker. His son Ch. Obo II, born in the United States after his mother was shipped there in whelp, is regarded as the founder of the American Cocker.

In the United States the dog was bred smaller, to suit the smaller American woodcock, and in the early 20th century breeders there favored a more stylish look. Separate classes for the two types were created in America in 1935. The American Kennel Club recognized the English Cocker as a separate breed in 1946, and The Kennel Club did the same for the American Cocker in 1970.

Appearance

The American Cocker is the smaller of the two, with a shorter back, a domed head and a shorter muzzle. The English is taller, with a narrower head and chest.

English Cockers stand about 38 to 41 cm (15 to 16 in) at the withers by The Kennel Club’s standard, and show dogs weigh 13 to 15 kg (28 to 32 lb). American Cockers stand 34 to 39 cm (13.5 to 15.5 in) by the American Kennel Club’s standard and usually weigh 11 to 14 kg (24 to 30 lb).

Both come in many colors: solid black, liver, red and golden; black and tan, and sometimes liver and tan; roans, tricolors, and solid colors with white markings.

In Britain the English Cocker has two strains. Show Cockers have more domed skulls, longer ears and a thicker, silkier coat with heavy feathering. Working Cockers, bred for the field and not to a standard, are often a little taller and leaner, with flatter skulls, shorter ears and a shorter, finer coat.

Temperament

Cockers were bred as gun dogs: to work close to the handler, flush birds into the air, find the fallen bird and bring it back with a soft mouth. English Cockers of both strains are friendly and affectionate. Working Cockers have more stamina and a stronger drive to work, and can be demanding pets without training and things to occupy their minds.

Facts on this page were checked against Wikipedia and may have changed since.