FAQ: American Cocker Spaniels (first draft)
Ruth Ginzberg
working on writing one. Additions, suggestions and corrections welcome.
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Compiled from The Complete Dog Book (AKC), the Cocker Spaniel Owners' Medical
Manual (Breed Manual Publications Ltd.), The Official Standard for the Cocker
Spaniel (AKC Pamphlet), personal experience, & other sources:
BREED DESCRIPTION
The American Cocker Spaniel is the smallest member of the AKC Sporting Group.
He has a sturdy, compact body, standing well up at the shoulders on straight
forelegs with a slightly sloping back reaching strong, muscular hindquarters.
He is a dog of considerable speed, combined with great endurance. Above all he
must be free and merry, sound, well balanced throughout, and in action show a
keen inclination to work; equable in temperament with no suggestion of
timidity. The ideal height at the whithers for an adult Cocker is 14-15
inches; a grown dog will be approximately in the range of 25 lbs, give or take
a little depending on the dog's height, muscularity and bone structure.
There are three recognized varieties of coat-color marking: Black (including
Black with Tan points); Any Solid Color Other Than Black (abbreviated:
'ASCOB'); and Parti-Color (two or more definite, well broken colors, one of
which must be white). Although these three varieties are shown in three
different classes in AKC Conformation Showing, they may be, and commonly are,
interbred. Litters usually contain puppies with more than one variety of coat
marking among littermates.
A Sporting dog, the Cocker Spaniel was bred as a bird-hunting dog. Well-bred
Cocker Spaniels retain much of their original hunting instinct. The Cocker's
inherent desire to hunt renders him a capable gun dog when judiciously trained.
The usual method of hunting is to let him quarter the ground ahead of the gun,
covering all territory within gun range, in a large zig-zagging pattern. This
he should do at a fast snappy pace. Upon discovering the game, he springs
toward it (flushes it) so that the bird takes to the air. Upon flushing the
game he should stop, or preferably drop to a sitting position so as not to
interfere with the shot, after which he should retrieve on command only. He is
likewise valuable for occasional water retrieving, and as a rule, takes to the
water quite readily.
Many of the qualities that make the Cocker Spaniel a valued hunter have served
to make him a highly treasured companion for the home as well. Energetic,
readily trainable, intelligent, affectionate and -- as their constantly wagging
tails tell us -- quite merry, the handsome Cocker is today one of America's
favorite purebreds, Nr. 2 in all-time AKC registrations.
WHAT THE COCKER SPANIEL NEEDS FROM ITS OWNER:
You should expect to take your Cocker Spaniel puppy to Puppy Kindergarten
(socialization) classes as a young puppy, and give him at least some formal
Obedience training, preferably in a class setting. A Cocker Spaniel needs
formal socialization and training in order to become a contributing family
member as an adult rather than an unmanageable, wildly whirling dervish. He may
look cute and innocent as a pup, especially with those appealing big brown
eyes, but his quick mind and high energy render him easily bored. Unless you
have trained and socialized him well into *HUMAN* company & lifestyle, he will
soon find ways to occupy himself -- of which you probably will not approve --
unless you have taught him to control and direct his energies into activities
that are socially acceptable to his human companions.
Potential Cocker Spaniel owners should be aware that the American Cocker
Spaniel has high grooming requirements: the coat needs to be COMBED, not
brushed, every day, and immediately after each field outing if he is used as a
hunting companion. The American Cocker also needs to have his coat clipped
regularly, either by the owner or by a professional groomer. A Cocker Spaniel
who is primarily a family pet, a hunting companion, or an obedience or service
dog does not need the long, fancy "show coat" one sees in AKC conformation
showing. But then he does need regular haircuts, to keep his coat short and
neatly trimmed. He also needs to have his nails trimmed regularly, and daily
ear care to avoid ear infections.
His heritage as a hunting dog also leaves him with high exercise requirements:
a walk around the block several times/day will not fulfill his exercise
requirements, and he may become hyperactive or destructive when he is not given
enough exercise. This (lack of sufficient exercise, and subsequent
destructiveness or hyperactivity) is a common, unfortunate, and preventable
reason that many Cocker Spaniel owners give for returning a healthy Cocker to
his breeder, or for placing him up for adoption or taking him to the pound.
Your Cocker Spaniel needs a minimum of 20-30 minutes of sustained aerobic
exercise at least 3-4 times per week in order to burn off some of that hunter's
energy.
BREED HISTORY
The Spaniel family is a large one, of considerable antiquity. As far back as
1368 we find mention of the "Spanyell," which came to be divided into two
groups, the land spaniel and the water spaniel. One of the oldest types of
land spaniel known, the Cocker Spaniel descended from the original spaniels of
Spain. Further divisions separated the land spaniels on a basis of size, when
the "cockers" and the very small or toy spaniels were separated from spaniels
of larger dimensions. Then, as the cockers and the toys were used for markedly
different purposes, these two were once more divided. The toys eventually
became the English Toy Spaniels which were maintained principally as pets or
comforters, while the Cockers retained their early classification as sporting
dogs. In 1892 Springer Spaniels were formally separated from Cocker Spaniels,
though before, and somewhat after that date one can still find "Cockers" and
"Springers" born to the same litters, with the designations "Cocker" or
"Springer" Spaniel being made solely based on size. This "Cocker" is a direct
ancestor of what is now known as the "English Cocker Spaniel."
During the nineteenth century there were two other lines of "cocker"
development. One involved dogs known as "Field or Cocker Spaniels," which
eventually branched out into Sussex, Field, and (what came to be known as
English) Cocker Spaniels, the latter weighing less than 25 lbs and being
usually black in color. The other line involved the spaniels of the House of
Marlborough, of which there were two types -- a small, round-headed,
short-nosed red-and-white, and a slightly larger dog with shorter ears and
longer foreface. The Marlborough "cockers" developed into the English Toy
Spaniels, but before they emerged as a distinct breed, they fused with the
smaller cockers of partial Field Spaniel derivation. From these two lines
combined came the spaniel approximating the dog known since 1936 as the
American Cocker Spaniel. In a picture form:
Ancient
Spanyell
/ \ Other Ancient Breeds
/ \ |
/ \ |
Land Spaniels Water Spaniels-----------
/ \ |
/ \ Irish Water Spaniels
(larger) (smaller) Portugese Water Dogs
/ \ Poodles
Field-Or-Cocker Spaniels House of Marlborough Dogs
/ | \ | \
/ | \ Cockers English Toy
/ Field \ | / Spaniels
/ Spaniels Cockers | / | ------------------
/ / | \ | / | | Cavalier |
/ ____________/ | \ | / | | King (see |
/ / / | \ | / | | Charles FAQ) |
/ | / | \ | / | ------------------
/ | / | \ | / --------------------------------
Sussex | English English American/ | | | |
Spaniels | Springers Cockers Cockers Blenheim King Ruby Prince
| | Charles Charles
Welsh |
Springers ----------------------
| | |
Black A.S.C.O.B. Parti-Color
In the United States, the American Spaniel Club is the breed club for most
spaniel breeds except the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, which has its own
very active breed club.
The American Cocker Spaniel has been one of the all time favorite breeds in the
USA, consistently in the top 10 breeds (since WWII) for numbers of purebred
litters registered with the AKC, and in numbers of individual dogs registered
with the AKC. The popularity of the American Cocker Spaniel has, ironically,
been its worst enemy. Because of high demand for American Cocker Spaniel
puppies, and the propensity for them to look "cute" and "appealing" in pet
store window displays, puppy mills have been among the major breeders of the
American Cocker Spaniel for many years now. This has given us many purebred
American Cockers who, while perhaps purebred in the strictest genetic sense,
suffer from very poor selection of sire and dam (sometimes a single stud dog
and a few bitches will produce hundreds of puppies for a puppy mill over the
course of their lifetimes). Genetic defects are rampant among puppies bred
from these poorly selected matings. When these genetically poor specimens are
then mated with one another, and the process is repeated over and over in
generations of puppy mill puppy breedings, the genetic stock of the breed as a
whole suffers greatly. For this reason, it is very important to the survival
of the breed that prospective Cocker Spaniel owners be *SURE* to select
carefully among reputable breeders of American Cocker Spaniels, and avoid puppy
mill bred Cocker Spaniel puppies. This is no longer a "political" issue; it is
an issue regarding the preservation of a healthy genetic pool among American
Cocker Spaniels.
AMERICAN SPANIEL CLUB HEALTH REGISTRY
In 1976 out of a growing concern about hereditary diseases affecting the
American Cocker Spaniel and the English Cocker Spaniel, the American Spaniel
Club established a health registry. The health registrar publishes a
compilation of flushing spaniels that have been cleared of one or more of five
hereditary disorders: Cataracts
Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)
Factor X deficiency (a clotting disorder)
Hip Dysplasia
Von Willebrand's Disease (since 1988)
To obtain the requirements for participation in the registry, send your request
with a SASE to the registrar:
Ms. Judith Wright
2600 Ellsworth Rd
Baldwinsville, NY 13027
Membership in the American Spaniel Club is not a requirement for usage of the
health registry. Any person interested in the well being of the Cocker Spaniel
should consult the registry for information on clear bloodlines and individual
dogs. A copy of the annual health registry publication can be purchased from
the registrar for $5.
Doing this much work just in order to select a breeder for your Cocker Spaniel
puppy may seem like a big hassle. It might seem, oh-so-much easier just to
answer that ad in the paper, or to go to the local pet store and pick out a
cute little Cocker pup. But remember: you are investing in a friend, family
member, possibly a hunting companion (if you elect to make use of the Cocker's
flushing & retrieving talents as a sporting dog). You will invest your time,
energy, money, and emotional bonding capacity in socializing this puppy and
turning him into a well-behaved, contributing & loving family member. You do
not want to then see him suffer tragically from hereditary diseases which can
cripple or kill him at a young age. Invest your time and energy now in making
sure you acquire a healthy pup, so he can be a long-term loving member of your
family, happy and healthy, loving and enjoyable to be around...
WHAT ACTIVITIES CAN YOU DO WITH YOUR COCKER SPANIEL?
The Cocker Spaniel is a wonderful companion and able assistant in a variety of
human-and-dog activities. Some which you might wish to consider:
Obedience Trials
Field Trials
Hunting, and Hunting Tests
Tracking
Search and Rescue Work
Agility Competition
Frisbee
Flyball
Jogging or Hiking
Therapy Work
Humane Education (visit pre-schools and elementary schools)
Entertainment (teach your Cocker some tricks & entertain kids at
birthday parties, the library, the village green, etc.)
Most of these require some amount of training and preparation for both you and
your Cocker Spaniel. This helps form and maintain the bond between you, and is
good for both of you in terms of fun, enjoyment of one another's company, and
stress reduction.
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____ Ruth Ginzberg /^ ^\
( / \ Philosophy Department / 0 0 \
/\/ @@___ Wesleyan University V\ Y /V
/ __O Middletown, CT 06459-0081 / - \
/\\ ,,,,' (203) 347-9411 x2263 | \
\\___/ rgin...@eagle.wesleyan.edu || (__V