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English Cocker Spaniel

General
Other Names		Spaniel
Dog Group Kennel Club		Gundog
Breed Classification		English Cocker Spaniels belong to the gundog group and are today used in field and agility trials, obedience competitions, as companions and seen in the show-ring.
Cost of Ownership
Average Food Cost		< £4 per week
Feeding Requirements		Puppies must be fed according to the breeder's diet sheet to ensure the bones and muscles develop correctly. As adults, this breed can very greedy so care must be taken to avoid obesity.
		Try Royal Canin Breed Specific Dog Food
Other Expenses		Puppies will cost around £500 - 600. Grooming cost must be taken into consideration as a professional groomer might have to be employed to strip them 3 or 4 times a year.
Average Puppy Price		£500-800
Lifespan		9 - 15 years Cockers can be expected to live until they are 13 or 14 years old.
Average Litter Size		6 The normal sized litter is around 6 puppies, although it is not unheard of for 10 puppies to be born.
General Physical Description		Active dogs with much substance and bone English Cocker Spaniels are wellbalanced compact little dogs Their coats are flat and silky with plenty of feathering on the front legs They cover the ground well their great drive coming from their muscular back legs
Height Min Max Bitch 38cm (15") 39cm (15") Dog 39cm (15") 41cm (16") Weight Min Max Bitch 13kg (29lbs) 14kg (31lbs) Dog 13kg (29lbs) 14kg (31lbs)
Size Category		Small
Weight Height Range		Bitches measure between 38 to 39cms at the withers, dogs between 39 to 41cms. Both sexes weigh between 12.75 to 14.5kgs.
Ailments		Whilst the breed has a relatively long lifespan, they are prone to many eye problems and indeed, blindness can set in from the age of 10. The long drop ears predispose the breed to many infections and, therefore, regular checking and cleaning is a must.
Common Ailments		MAP uroliths Swimmer puppies Kidney problems
Susceptibility To Illness		Medium
Other
History		The English Cocker is no doubt one of the oldest types of land spaniel. Their origins can be traced back to 14th century Spain. Prior to the 1600's all types of spaniels were categorised together; the larger ones being used to spring game and the smaller ones to flush out woodcock. Hence the names Springer and Cocker were derived. In 1892, the Kennel Club of Great Britain differentiated the two breeds separately. In the 1930's, the Cocker was the most popular breed of dog in Britain and there he stayed for almost 20 years! On the other side of the Atlantic, Americans were using the same breeding stock to develop a slightly different Cocker. In 1940, the Kennel Club then split these Spaniels into American and English.
Intelligence		Highly intelligent dogs who are very easily trained, Cockers like to please and are eager to learn.
Show Characteristics		The skull should be well-developed and cleanly chiselled with a distinct stop.The jaws should be strong with a complete scissor bite. The eyes should be full and either dark brown or brown although dark hazel is allowed in the liver-coloured varieties, with an intelligent, gentle, bright and merry expression. The ears should be lobular set on low level with the eyes, well-covered with straight, silky hair. The muscular neck should be moderate in length and set into sloping shoulders. The body should be strong and compact with a level topline which should gently slope towards the tail. The forelegs should be straight and well-boned, and the hind legs well-rounded and very muscular and again well-boned with a good bend of stifle. The feet should be firm, thickly padded and cat-like. The tail should be set on slightly lower than the line of the back and carried level. It is customarily docked.
Country Of Origin		Great Britain
Famous Examples
Records Held
Characteristics
Energy		Medium
Overall Exercise		40 - 60 minutes per day. These dogs adapt effortlessly to the family situation but do remember they are gundogs and, as such, should be given a reasonable amount of exercise. They love to swim so take care when water is in the vicinity to ensure their safety. Allow them time off the lead to play and run off their energies.
Distress Caused if Left Alone		Low
Personal Protection		Low
Suitability As Guard Dog		Low
Risk of Sheep Worrying		High
Tendency to Bark		Medium
Ease of Transportation		High
Level of Aggression		Low
Compatibility With Other Animals		High
Suitable For Children		High
General Character And Temperament		These are busy, friendly little dogs who thrive on human companionship, wanting nothing more than to please their owners. They are ideal pets where there are children about and get on well with other household animals. Cockers can be very manipulative - who can resist their soft, pleading eyes? The sad eyes, however, are a misconception, Cockers are a very happy breed, constantly wagging their tails and bringing 'presents' to one and all.
Grooming
Coat Length		Short/Medium
Grooming Requirement		Once a week
Trimming		Frequent
Requires Professional Groomer		True
Grooming		Their coats must be brushed regularly. The excess hair around the ear passages and beneath the ears must be removed to ensure the ears are adequately ventilated and that no infections set in. The hair around their feet and that between their pads also needs regular attention. They should be stripped out 3 or 4 times a year by a professional groomer. It is possible, however, to learn how to do this yourself.
Colour		Cockers come in a multitude of different colours including: solid colours of black, red, orange and brown, combinations of black with white, liver with white, red and white, blue roan, orange roans, black roans, particolours and tricolours.
Shedding		Little
Suffers From Allergies
Tendency to Cause Allergies

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