The English Cocker Spaniel BreedThe Cocker Spaniel's AppearanceThe English Cocker Spaniel breed is formally classified as a sporting dog.The working Cocker Spaniel is more commonly used in hunting and field sporting events and the show Cocker is more often seen in the ring.
However, both working and show Cockers may be used in the field. The Cocker Spaniel breed is sturdy and medium-sized; somewhere between 39 - 41 cms in height for the males and the bitch is slightly smaller at around 38 - 39 cms. Their ideal weight is approximately 13 to 14.5 kgs. Cockers have a well developed skull and the muzzle is more square than sharply pointed. The ears are set low on the sides of the head, level with the eyes, and are covered in long, soft, silky hair. Cocker Spaniel eyes are beautifully expressive, liquid pools of endearment - their eyes can simply melt your heart. They're usually brown in colour, but can sometimes be hazel depending upon the dog's coat colour. Their bodies are strong and compact with a well-developed chest. Their hindquarters are round and plump and they have strong, muscular, back legs which help them to cover ground very quickly. Cocker have quite a muscular neck and can be surprisingly strong if pulling on the lead, which Cocker Spaniels are prone to do. Their paws are quite well padded and cat-like. The Cocker Spaniel's tail used to be docked - usually within the first week of birth, but, in many countries this is now banned. If you own a Cocker Spaniel you will know that this tail hardly ever stops wagging!
Cocker Spaniel Coat ColoursCocker coats can be seen in many colours; golden, red, black, brown, black and white, liver and white, red and white, black roan, orange roan, blue roan, tricolours and particolours.Their top coat is straight, sometimes slightly wavy and is luxuriously silky in texture. The coat is heavily feathered on the legs, body, chest and ears. In show circles, it's considered a 'fault' if the coat texture is woolly or thick, like cotton wool.
Grooming Your Cocker SpanielThe Cocker Spaniel breed needs a regular grooming routine to keep its coat healthy-looking and in good condition.Ideally, the coat should be professionally hand-stripped to retain its silkiness and feathers given a light trim where necessary. It pays to stay on top of your Cocker's grooming and do a little each day. Without a strict grooming regime it's likely that your Cocker will develop thick matting which will need to be cut away.  In the worst cases, your Cocker Spaniel's coat may be beyond grooming and may need to be completely shaved. Unfortunately, once the silky top coat has been removed with an electric trimmer, it never grows back in the same way. Cocker Spaniel grooming shouldn't take much more than around 30 minutes every day. Many owners find such a grooming routine too onerous and take their pets to a professional groomer for a 'Cocker cut' every 3 months or so to keep them looking like Cocker Spaniels.
The Cocker Spaniel Breed StandardThe Cocker Spaniel breed standard is a set of guidelines outlining the desired appearance and characteristics, as defined by the Kennel Club.To ensure the breed remains true, professional Cocker Spaniel breeders follow this breed standard and will only breed from carefully selected, near perfect, dogs and bitches.
Cocker Spaniel HealthThe Cocker Spaniel breed has a lifespan of between 10 and 12 years (although many Cockers do live longer) and during this lifetime they may be susceptible to many dog dog eye problems, including blindness.Cocker Spaniel health is important and most eye problems in dogs can be avoided simply by taking better care of them and ensuring they're clean at all times. Cocker Spaniel ears, by design, don't get enough air circulation, the lack of which creates warm, moist, dark conditions inside the ear - an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. Checking and cleaning Cocker Spaniel ears regularly is extremely important if you're to keep infections at bay.
The Cocker Spaniel TemperamentThe Cocker Spaniel temperament is second to none.Cockers are a very gentle and loving breed. They make good family dogs as they're great with children! They're also intelligent, which makes them very easy to train, but they can be quite 'stubborn' or 'strong-willed' and need firm handling.
Cocker Spaniel CharacteristicsCocker Spaniel characteristics are very endearing; it's a most handsome, willing, and delightfull little dog.
Cockers are very gentle and happy in nature and their little tails never stop wagging! They love to frolic and play, no matter what. In fact, their happy nature has earned them the nickname of 'The Merry Cocker'! You can often see the Cocker Spaniel with his bottom in the air, tail wagging furiously, head sniffing the ground following the scent of a rabbit - oblivious to everything around him. We're certainly biased, but we believe the Cocker Spaniel breed is the best! If you're ready to give a puppy (or a dog) a loving home you'd do well to consider a Cocker Spaniel. Why not visit your local Cocker Spaniel rescue center or dog adoption center and see what they have to offer? We're certain you won't regret it! Alternatively, you can search through our directory of Cocker Spaniel breeders to find a breeder in your area.
 Custom Search Return to top of page - Cocker Spaniel Breed More Cocker Spaniel Information Return to the Cocker Spaniel Homepage |
