English Cocker Spaniel
With medium size and a driving, powerful gait, The English Cocker Spaniel has been a hunting breed. They have long ears and usually please their owners and family. This breed is energetic whether at home or in the field and they enjoy the time that you spending together. As lovable companions, they need a lot of attentions and patience.
| Other Names | Cocker, Cocker Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel (English) |
| Color | Black, Black & Tan, Black & White,Black White & Tan,Liver, Liver & Tan, Blue Roan,Blue Roan & Tan,Red, Red Roan |
| Height | Males: 15-18 inches. Females: 15-17 inches. |
| Weight | Males: 26-35 pounds. Females: 24-33 pounds. |
| Life Span | 12-14 years |
| Personality | Energetic, Merry, Responsive |
| Exercise | Regular Exercise |
| Origin |
| Popularity | #50 |
| Groom Needs | Occasional Shedding |
| Kids Friendly | Yes |
| Dog Friendly | Yes |
| Watch Dog | |
| Family Dog | Yes |
| Litter Size | 3–12 |
English Cocker Spaniel Video
Introduction
This is a breed of gun dogs; a type of hunting dog which helps hunters in finding games, especially birds, and retrieving them. Gun dogs are also known as bird dogs. The English Cocker Spaniel is known to be an active, good-natured dog. This breed is one of the many varieties of spaniels and is the root of the American Cocker Spaniel, which is its cousin. The English Cocker Spaniel comes in various types of markings. There is the self or solid type of markings, the particolored type, and the roan type of markings. The solid English Cocker Spaniels have little or no white and the particolored ones have patches or spots of color. Freckles of color on their noses and legs are common characteristics of particolored dogs and this is known as “ticking”. The roan type is a version of ticking which is seen as extreme. Here, speckles with the same color as solid patches are seen on the white dog parts of a dog. Puppies that have the roan type are born white with colored patches and when they mature, these white patches become roan, just like the spots that can be seen on Dalmatians.
A male English cocker spaniel stands 16-17 inches at the shoulders and has a weight of 28-34 pounds. A female English cocker spaniel stands 15-16 inches at the shoulders and has a weight of 26-32 pounds.
It has a lifespan of 12-15 years. This breed of dogs is known to be kind, intelligent, compassionate, and alert. They also tend to make great family pets. They are quick to create a strong bond with an individual within the family it belongs in and this is most especially with the person who feeds it. They hate being alone and are extremely loyal to their owners.
Living with English Cocker Spaniel
With medium-length, long and silky coat, brushing and combing two or three times a week is required to remove mats and tangles and keep the English Cocker clean. Shedding moderately and bathing every six weeks should be promised, which can help keep the dog’s hair floating onto your clothing, floor and furniture.
Clipping the hair on the head and ears and scissoring around the feet and tail every two months are necessary. Trimming nails every couple of weeks is also needed to keep the dog tidy and clean. It’s important to clean the ears weekly and keep it dry, which can help prevent yeast or bacterial infections.
Brushing the teeth frequently is good for fresh breath and overall health. If there are any doubts, you should ask an experienced groomer for advice.
As upbeat, active sporting dogs, the English Cocker Spaniel requires a lot of daily exercises to keep its physical and mental health. The dog is a pleasing and devoted companion, so he usually plays well with the owners and children. Besides, the Cockers get along well with other dogs and pets and love hunting, agility and retrieving competitions. You can make him a calm housedog by proper exercise.
Taking a long walk on leash or running in the field or playing games in the yard all are good forms of exercise that the dog need in daily life. Hiking with the breeders also can help the breed to keep health. The English Cocker Spaniels may persist to hike up to five miles.
With strong hunting instincts, the dog should keep on a leash when take a walk or in a fenced yard.
To maintain health, the English Cocker Spaniel should be provided with a well-balanced diet. High-quality food should be given to the dog under the supervision and approval of the vet. Besides, the food must change with metabolism, individual habit, activity level and the age(puppy, adult, or senior).
The English Cockers love to eat, and they are easy to put on weight if you’re not careful. So watch out the calories in the food that you give your dog to prevent them from gaining too much weight and lead to obesity. For example, you should avoid cooking bones and foods with high fat.
To keep in good shape, the breeder should measure the food and feed twice a day. Don’t leave the food out all day. As a responsible breeder, you should learn about which food are appropriate for your dog and which are not. Check with the vet if you have any questions about your dog’s weight or diet.
In general, the English Cocker is healthy, but sometimes they will suffer from some health conditions. Some common diseases including hip dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), renal failure, deafness, dilated cardiomyopathy, familial nephropathy, adult-onset neuropathy and obesity.
A responsible breeder should have the breed tested regularly to prevent some health conditions that may affect the dog. Brushing teeth with toothpastes designed for the breed is necessary. Check the dog’s ears regularly to prevent infection.
Common health tests for the breed include PRA optigen DNA test, patella evaluation and hip evaluation. Besides, the breeder should learn about some symptoms and know what to do when the dog suffers from health problems.
Total Annual Cost: $3177.9
Cost is estimated for the first year and may vary depending on many factors, such as dog food, health care, leash, collar, licensing, possible fencing, crates, training and obedience classes, dog-walking, grooming, treats, toys, flea, tick, and heart-worm meds, microchips, etc.
The English Cocker Spaniel is smart, loyal and easy to train, especially in the competitions of obedience and agility. Usually the female Cocker is stubborn, but when she recognizes who the owner is the dog will follow your commands willingly. Harsh or rigorous ways of training may lead to withdrawal. Gentle training and positive reinforcement will be more appropriate for the breed. They get bored with the repetition so you should make training varied and sessions short.
Early training is necessary, which can help reduce barking and maintain a peaceful relationship with your neighborhood. It needs a little long time to housebreak, so consistent training and proper praise are required, which can help you get a success.
As hunting dogs, the English Cocker Spaniel doesn’t like to be left alone even one or two hours. They may have separation anxiety that may damage your belongings or injury the dog. Crate training may help a lot. They prefer adventures outside and excel in many sports, such as retrieving, flushing and tracking.
History
At first in England, Spaniels were divided into land spaniels and water spaniels and differentiation began only in the mid 19th century. Around this time, land spaniels became more specialized and weight became a basis for divisions among types. Around 1840, Cockers and Springers came from the same litter and this was a common sight.
Other types of Cockers were recorded in the 1850s and 1860s. After the Spaniel Club was formed in 1885, the sport of conformation showing began among spaniels. The Springer and Cocker were placed in the same class until breed standards for each of the types were created by the Spaniel Club. Eight years later, the two types were separated by the Kennel Club.
The American Cocker Spaniel was developed in the 19th century from the English Cocker Spaniel, to retrieve birds like quails and woodcocks. It was in 1936 that the English Cocker Spaniel was seen as a separate breed. Before then, the two cocker spaniels, the American and the English, were shown together.
Helpful Information
Breed Club: ENGLISH COCKER SPANIEL CLUB OF AMERICA, INC.
Breed Club Link: http://www.ecsca.info/
Breed Club Rescue: The English Cocker Spaniel Club of America Health and Rescue Organization
Breed Club Rescue Link: http://ecscahealthandrescue.org/