The American Cocker Spaniel

Appearance

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.

History

The American version of the cocker spaniel is derived from the English cocker spaniel. In the late 1800s, many English cockers were brought to America, but American hunters preferred a slightly smaller dog to hunt quail and other small game birds. Just how this smaller cocker was developed is not entirely clear; some credit the dog Obo 2nd, born around 1880, as the first true American cocker. But other evidence points to crosses of the English cocker with even smaller toy spaniels (that nonetheless arose from the same ancestral stock). Initially the English and American cocker spaniels were considered varieties of the same breed, but they were officially separated by the AKC in 1935. Although cockers were already popular, after the separation the American cocker surged in popularity and has remained one of the most popular breeds of all time in America. In fact, it was the most popular breed for many years. So popular was it that it was eventually divided into three color varieties: black, particolor and ASCOB, which stands for "any solid color other than black." Only recently has its popularity spread to England, where it was recognized by the English Kennel Club in 1968, and it has gained admirers steadily since.

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.

Care / 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.

Health

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

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