Spaniel American Cocker Breed Description, History, Grooming, Health Issues and Living Conditions

Description: The American Cocker Spaniel dog breed is of medium size with a height of 15 inches, for a dog and 14 inches for a bitch. Their weight is 15 to 30 pounds for both male and female. They have a rounded head with a pronounced stop. With the square and deep muzzle, that is broad. Their teeth meet in a scissor bite. Their eyes are round, with slight almond shaping to the rims. The merle cocker spaniels, being the exception to the rule with blue eyes. This breed have long, low set ears that have feathering. Their legs are straight. This breed has a docked tail, if this is permitted, as some countries have outlawed this practice. The coat is flat silky and can come with slight waving. The coat is medium in length, but short on the head. They have feathering on their chest, ears, tummies and legs. The coat may come in any solid colour, Black and tan points, multi colour combinations, can be white, with buff or red. It is worth noting the field lines have a shorter coat than the show lines within this breed.

History: The American cocker spaniel dates back as far as the 14th century. This dog originated from the English cocker spaniels, which were brought to the United States. They were then bred down in size and called the American cocker spaniel. This breed is more popular than the English cocker spaniel. This is a hunting gun dog and works well in all terrains including water. This breed is excellent at retrieving and flushing out the game. They are renowned for their gentle mouth, and listening to commands well. Some of their many talents are hunting, retrieving, tracking, competitive obedience and agility.

Temperament: The American Cocker Spaniel dog is keen to work and can be playful and devoted that need socializing, well to avoid extreme shyness. This breed needs firm, loving leadership, with lots of long walks and exercises daily, to be happy. This is one of the easiest breeds to train. It is wise to remember the leadership needs to be the human, or the dog may suffer from small dogs syndrome and here, we would see a completely different dog. The owner has to be the alpha, showing good pack leadership. The daily mental and physical exercise will stop most behaviour problems such as guarding aggressively an object or obsessively barking. With a good owner, who understands the canine behaviour, the dog will be happy and content.

Health issues: Unfortunately, this breed has many health issues from problems with the eyes, and the major concerns can be hip dysplasia, PRA, liver disease, CHF, IMHA, and a host of many more health problems. Carefully check with a veterinarian and good reputable breeders for a full list of health issues, before considering this breed. As with any dog it is very important that you make sure they are up to date on all vaccinations, de-wormings and heart worm preventatives. It is also suggested by the majority of licensed veterinarians that you take your puppy or dog in for a check up at least twice each year.

Grooming: Daily eye care is important with this breed as they tend to tear. The coat can be left long, which will require daily brushing, gentle brushing is best. This coat needs bathing and frequently needs clipping, every other month, if desired. This breed needs regular trimming and is an average shedder.

Living conditions: The American cocker spaniel will be fine in an apartment providing, they have had their exercise. A small garden is all that is required.