The Cocker Spaniel

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Please Note: The information below is provided by the Cocker Spaniel Club of Qld Inc. Most of the information can be found on the Club website at www.cockerspanielclub.com. The Club, nor its Executive and/or Committee take responsibility for the accuracy of the information provided. Prospective buyers/owners of the breed should undertake their own research into the breed and ascertain if the Cocker Spaniel is suitable for their requirements

Appearance

Merry, sturdy, sporting; well balanced; compact; measuring approximately same from withers to ground as from withers to root of tail.

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 but in recent years in many countries tail docking is now banned and the Cocker Spaniel can be seen with a full length undocked tail.

History

The first mention of the existence of the spaniel is found in a description written by Gaston Phebus in 1300. It was nearly five hundred years later that English spaniels were divided into seven separate breeds which include: the Clumber spaniel, the Cocker spaniel, the English Springer spaniel, the field spaniel, the Irish water spaniel, the Sussex spaniel, and the Welsh Springer spaniel.

A large and specialized group of dogs, land spaniels consisted of two sizes. They were often found in the same litter, and it was in 1892 that the two sizes were considered to be two separate breeds. The smaller spaniel, weighing less than 25 pounds, was called the cocker spaniel because of its talent for hunting woodcock. But the two different size spaniels shared an affinity for hunting.

It was in 1901 that the weight limit for the cocker spaniel was no longer recognized, and the breed quickly became popular in England. In the 1930's, the Cocker was the most popular breed of dog in Britain and there he stayed for almost 20 years!

The Cocker Spaniel is still one of the top ranked breeds in popularity throughout many part of Europe and in Australia.

Temperament

Gentle and affectionate, yet full of life and exuberance. The Cocker Spaniel is a busy, friendly little dog which thrives on human companionship, wanting nothing more than to please their owners.

They are well suited for families and singles alike – get on well with children and other animals and are well known for their easy going nature and ever wagging tail.

Care / Grooming

The Cocker Spaniel does require a moderate amount of care grooming if kept as a family pet. Showdogs require a considerable amount of grooming but there is nothing more beautiful than a Cocker Spaniel in full show coat with its eyes sparkling, coat gleaming and tail ever wagging.

As the breed may grow a large coat it is import ant to keep the coat clean and free of knots at all times. This is easily done by daily brushing and bathing once a week.

Basic trimming to be undertaken weekly includes cutting of nails, removal of excess hair around ear passages, removal of hair between the pads and around the feet. Many owners nowadays chose to have their Cocker Spaniel ‘clippered off’ which in turn reduces the amount of grooming required.

It is recommened that the breed should be trimmed out at least 3 to 4 times a year by a groomer. Many breeders offer grooming services and are pleased to teach new owners how to maintain their coat

Health

The Cocker Spaniel is generally a healthy, sturdy, purebred dog. However, like so many others, this breed does have some known health problems.

We have listed below, the generally accepted, conditions that can affect this breed. Other problems such as overshot or undershot jaw, epilepsy, auto immune diseases, deafness, blue eyes, various eye problems such as PPM, entropian etc also occur in the breed.

Many things can and do go wrong, as a puppy grows up, but many problems are unseen unless specifically tested for (dogs with HD can run for miles, jump fences and lie like a frog - unless you actually X-ray a dog, you cannot diagnose HD).

PRA - PROGRESSIVE RETINAL ATROPHY

PRA is a descriptive term applied to retinal diseases that affect all breeds of dogs. The same clinical signs are present in all PRA affected animals. Affected animals will show night blindness and a progressive loss of day vision.
Many PRA affected English Cockers can be diagnosed between three and five years of age. It is during this age period subtle retinal changes can be noted by the experienced ophthalmologist. Even though the same clinical signs will be present in all PRA affected animals, the age of onset of disease differs from breed to breed. The onset period is divided into three approximate age groups: early, middle, and late. The English Cocker falls into the late-onset group (4-7 years old). This late-onset form of the disease is now called Progressive Rod-Cone Degeneration (PRCD). PRCD is inherited RECESSIVELY

HD - HIP DYSPLASIA

Canine hip dysplasia (CHD) is the most common, heritable orthopedic problem in dogs. It is usually characterized by hip joint instability (laxity) and secondary degenerative joint disease (DJD). Normally, the ball-shaped head of the femur fits snugly into the socket (acetabulum). When the hip doesn't fit tightly, degenerative joint disease begins. The genetic basis for CHD is thought to be polygenic and multifactorial

FN - FAMILIAL NEPHROPATHY

A recessively inherited renal disease that has been recognized in the English Cocker for more than 50 years. FN is a form of "hereditary nephritis" which refers to a group of glomerular diseases that are linked to genetic collagen defects.

Onset of renal failure due to FN typically occurs between six and 24 months of age. Clinical signs may include polydipsia (drinks more), polyuria (urinates more), weight loss, lack of appetite, vomiting, or diarrhea. These symptoms are commonly associated with any type of renal failure.

AON - ADULT ONSET NEUROPATHY

A progressive weakness due to a neuropathy has been recognized as an autosomal recessive, hereditary disorder in English Cocker Spaniels by the research team at the University of Missouri Animal Molecular Genetic Lab.
Clinical signs typically begin between 7.5 and 9 years of age and consist first of an uncoordinated gait or wobbling in the hind limbs. The stance in the hind limbs is wide-base and the hocks will drop lower to the ground. The weakness eventually progresses to also involve the front limbs. When dogs become non-ambulatory in all limbs, difficulty in swallowing also becomes apparent. The neurologic signs seem to progress gradually over 3 to 4 years and more slowly than those of degenerative myelopathy.

AMS - ACRAL MUTILATION SYNDROME

AMS is the self-mutilation of limb extremities linked with located insensitivity to pain
Clinical signs include severe licking of footpads and paws to the point of bleeding, ulceration. Auto-amputation of the claws, footpads, and digits through self-mutilation can also occur. Lesions (wounds) on limbs and inability to feel pain on distal limbs are also clinical signs. Age of onset ranges from 3 to 12 months. The disease is described as an autosomal recessive condition.

It is hoped that the outline of the above conditions, will make you more informed about the breed's health issues.

Your puppy will be a joyous member of your family for the next 10 to 15 years, and like children, they may or may not turn out exactly how you envisioned, however, your love and care, will ensure that they can live a long and happy life as most of the conditions can be corrected or eased by your veterinarian.

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