American Cocker Spaniel

Pronunciation
American Cocker Spaniel
Description
This is a beautiful spaniel with very long hanging ears, a rounded head, and a profuse, silky, feathered, medium-length coat. The head is chiseled with an abrupt stop. The muzzle is wide, deep and broad with a square jaw. The upper lip hangs down, covering the lower jaw completely. The teeth are strong and should meet in a scissors bite. The nose is always black on black dogs, but may be brown on other dogs. The eyes are round, set on so they look straightforward. The eye rims are slightly oval. The body is compact, with a short back. The topline should slope gently downwards from front to back. The front legs are straight, with good bone. Dewclaws on front and rear legs should be removed. The coat comes in buff, black, and other solid colors, black-and-tan (like a Rottweiler or Doberman Pinscher), parti-color (white with black, white with buff or red, white with black and tan points) Some requirements for correct markings are specified in the standard. The tail is docked to 2/5 it's original length and is carried on a line with its back; it is constantly in motion. Field lines generally have shorter coats which are better suited to work in brush. They also have better hunting instincts. Both types make good pets.
Temperament
Bold and keen to work, the American Cocker Spaniel is equally suited to life as a gundog or as a household pet. Cheerful, sweet, and sensitive. The Cocker Spaniel is respectful of its master's authority without much challenge. Merry and endearing. A happy tail-wagger. Gentle and trusting, with average intelligence. They are lively, playful and devoted, but should be socialized well when they are young to avoid a tendency for shyness. Usually good with children. Cockers love everyone and need people to be happy. They can be difficult to housebreak and some like to bark. However they are mostly easy to train and get along well with other animals. Note: This is a very popular breed; the above is the typical temperament of the American Cocker Spaniel, like any breed there are always exceptions. Due to this breeds popularity one must be careful to choose a Cocker from a reputable breeder; as some have reported in to the Dog Breed Info Center® reports of Cockers that have not had great temperaments and were not good with children. Cockers with this type of temperament are not typical of the breed. Before adopting an American Cocker, be sure to give it a puppy temperament test and if possible ask to meet the parents. Beware of poorly bred puppy-mill Cockers as they may have bizarre temperamental changes and behavioral problems. This would include shy-sharpness, which is a combination of fear and dominance that can cause viciousness. Also Submissive urinating; aggressive guarding of objects, people and places, hyper-sexuality and roaming.
Height, Weight
Height: Dogs 15 ½ inches (38cm.) Bitches 14 ½ inches (36.8cm.)
Weight: 15-30 pounds (7-14 kg.)
Health Problems
Some major concern in American Cocker Spaniels are cataracts, glaucoma and patellar luxation. Some minor concerns are hip dysplasia, ectropion, entropion, PRA, allergies, seborrhea, lip fold pyoderma, otitis externa, liver disease, urolithiasis, prolapse of nictitans gland, CHF, phosphofructokinase deficiency, and cardiomyopathy. Occasionally seen are gastric torsion and elbow dysplasia. Also IMHA (Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia) One owner stated, "Our cocker never had a sick day in her life until she suddenly became lethargic and urinated blood. Six days later, and $3000 in vet bills, she died. I know you can't list every illness due to space limitations, but the internal medicine specialist that treated our dog said that IMHA is relatively common in cockers, and almost always fatal. It's a fast-acting, silent killer.
Living Conditions
Cockers will do okay in an apartment if they are adequately exercised, and are fairly active indoors. A small yard is sufficient.
Exercise
American Cockers have plenty of stamina and need regular exercise. When walking, avoid brushy thickets that can tangle the coat.
Life Expectancy
About 12-15 years.
Litter Size
1 - 7 puppies - Average of 5
Grooming
The eyes need regular cleaning. Some owners prefer to leave the coat long, brushing daily and shampooing frequently with quarterly scissoring and clipping. Others prefer to clip the coat to medium length to be more functional. Either way, the dog will need regular trimming. When brushing, be careful not to pull out the silky hair. This breed is an average shedder.
Origin
The popular Cocker Spaniel, sometimes called the American Cocker Spaniel, was originally developed from careful breeding of the English Cocker Spaniels brought to the United States. The American Cocker Spaniel is smaller than the English Cocker Spaniel and has a different conformation. The name "Cocker" comes from the woodcock, a game bird these spaniels flushed particularly well. Today, the Cocker Spaniel serves primarily as a companion and glamorous show dog. It can also be used for hunting, tracking, retrieving, watchdogging and agility.
Group
Gun Dog, AKC Sporting
Recognition
FCI, AKC, UKC, KCGB, CKC, ANKC, NKC, NZKC, CKC, CCR, APRI, ACR