American Cocker Spaniel: the compact love package

The American Cocker Spaniel is one of the most popular dog breeds in its home country.

ogsAlthough not the most popular breed everywhere, everyone knows the American Cocker Spaniel. If nothing else, it’s from the much-loved Disney tale Lady and the Tramp, as one of the main characters, Lady, is a proud representative of the breed. The American Cocker Spaniel is generally described as a happy and mischievous dog, whose mischievous yet friendly personality only adds to the breed’s appeal.

History of the American Cocker Spaniel

The origin of the breed cannot be discussed without mentioning the English Cocker Spaniel, as they were closely related until 1946. But let’s start a little earlier in the story!

Spaniels are thought to have originated in Spain, and were probably already helping people hunt at a time before rifles were available. However, with the advent of the firearm, smaller Spaniels such as the Cocker Spaniel fell out of favour with hunters for a while, so there was a period earlier in the breed’s history when they were more of a companion dog than a hunting dog. This changed by the middle of the 19th century, when they were once again used. They were named after the bird called the woodcocker, because they specialised in hunting it.

The cocker spaniel really became a separate breed in the 1800s, at least when (more precisely in the second half of the century) the need arose for English breeders to separate the different sizes of spaniels, mainly for show purposes. The larger spaniels became the English Springer Spaniels, the smaller ones the English toy spaniels (King Charles spaniels), and in the middle of the range were the cocker spaniels. A completely separate class was not opened for them until 1892. After that, however, the popularity of the Cocker Spaniels in England grew steadily and in 1935 they became the most popular breed.

Birth of the American Cocker Spaniel

So far we have only talked about cocker spaniels in general, but now we distinguish between the English and the American variety, so it is worth mentioning this distinction.

In the second half of the 19th century, more and more cocker spaniels came to America, and in 1884 Obo II arrived. His name is interesting because his bloodline is that of Robinhurst Foreglow, the cocker spaniel who could be described as the prototype or direct ancestor of the American Cocker Spaniel.

Some of the American breeders preferred dogs with a smaller build suitable for showing, while others preferred larger dogs that were more closely related to the original cocker spaniels and could be used for hunting. Thus the breed began to split into two, the former being called American cocker spaniels and the latter English Cocker Spaniels. The English and Canadian kennel clubs began to register the two breeds separately in 1940, and the AKC followed suit in 1946. In the United States, the American Cocker Spaniel is simply called the Cocker Spaniel, the English version being given the distinctive name.

Breed standard

Small in stature, muscular and compact in build, a well-proportioned breed, “never appearing long or short”. The average height at the withers is between 35.56 cm and 38.10 cm, depending on sex, but it is very specifically stated in the standard that any height in excess of 36.83 cm for females and 39.37 cm for males is excluded. However, the animal must not be too small (36.83 cm for males and 34.29 cm for females), as this will result in a penalty at the show. Average body weight is 9–14 kg.

The standard for the colouring of the American Cocker Spaniel is similarly circumstantial, mainly because of the wide range of colours and patterns allowed. The colours and patterns accepted by the FCI are as follows:

• Black or black tabby.
• ASCOB (Any Solid Colour Other Than Black): any solid colouring other than black, from cream to dark red, including brown or brown with tufts. A little white on the chest is allowed but not desirable.
• Parti-color: two or more colors are present, well separated from each other.
• Cherry pattern.

The coat is short on the head and medium long on the body. On both sides of the chest, ears and limbs, the coat is longer and thicker. The body is not too long, the back is muscular and slopes gradually down to the tail. His chest is deep, his belly is tucked up and his limbs are strong and parallel. The skull is convex, but not excessively so, and the ears are elongated and drooping. Head angular, muzzle proportionate to the skull and broad. The nose is usually black and the eyes dark brown. According to the standard, a docked tail is ideal.

The breed was adopted by the FCI in 1965 and is classified in Breed Group 8, Retrievers – Hounds – Water Hunters.

Character of the American Cocker Spaniel

American Cocker Spaniels are generally friendly and kind to everyone, whether children, other pets or even strangers. Although they sometimes have reservations about the latter, they can be quickly befriended.

They are easy to train because they like to prove themselves to their owners, and they are usually easily motivated by reward walls and toys. These dogs are sensitive and respond best to positive methods. They welcome the opportunity to prove themselves in different dog sports, such as agility, and they demand exercise. However, their energy levels are not very high, so they can easily be exercised with a combination of regular walks and play.

The Ideal Environment

They are affectionate and love to spend time with their owners, whether it’s for relaxation or for walks, games or hikes. The American Cocker Spaniel is well-adapted, easily kept in an apartment because of its small size and temperament, although it may be happy to have a garden where it can run and play freely. However, it is not recommended for outdoor use only, as it needs to be close to its owners. An excellent family dog, as mentioned above, he gets on well with children and is very affectionate.

Care

Grooming an American Cocker Spaniel is not an easy task, it requires consistency and skill. Ideally, you should comb through the coat several times a week with the appropriate comb, which is a metal comb with medium wide teeth. Regularity is important as it is easy for the coat to tangle and become matted. Occasionally, it is a good idea to bathe the coat with a shampoo appropriate for its coat; it is also a good idea to check the skin. The ears should also be cleaned regularly and the condition of the claws is also important.

It may be worthwhile to regularly seek the help of a groomer to keep your pet looking neat and tidy.

Common Health Problems

In general, the breed lives a long (10-14 years) and more or less healthy life, but there are some health problems that often affect American Cocker Spaniels. These include:

• ear infections;
• skin problems: often, but not exclusively, the result of inadequate grooming or allergies;
• hip dysplasia;
• von Willebrand-Jürgens syndrome: a blood-clotting disorder that makes affected dogs more vulnerable to various injuries or even surgery.