Cheerful, merry and tender-hearted are
only a few of the words of praise the Cocker Spaniel inspires
into its admirers. Take just one look into this dog's twinkling
soft-brown eyes and you'll be captured by this breed's sweet
personality as well.
The original standard for the Cocker was
adopted in 1881 by the American Cocker Spaniel Club. In their
early appearance these dogs were know as "Dogs of the British
Isles". These dogs varied greatly in height and in a single
litter, larger dogs would be registered as Springer Spaniels,
and smaller dogs were registered as Cockers. The two breeds
continued to split. In 1940 the English and American Cockers
were also recognized as separate breeds, with the English
Cockers being somewhat larger, coarser through the head and
sturdier build. Thus the American Cocker Spaniel became the
smallest member of the sporting-dog family. His inherent desire
to hunt, which was the Cockers original purpose still makes him
a capable gun dog when properly trained.
The Cocker Spaniel standard states that it
should reflect the original utility of the dog as a sporting
companion, describing a sturdy, compact body and a cleanly
chiseled and refined head. It is a dog capable of considerable
speed and endurance. Above all, the Cocker must be merry and
affectionate and in action show a keen interest to work. The
ideal height at the withers is 15" for males and 14" for
females. The eyes are one of the most appealing features for
this Spaniel. They should look back at you with softness and
intelligence. Their docked tail also contributes to their
personality and gives them the cutest "bum wiggle" around! Their
gorgeous long flowing coats while contributing to their beauty
need frequent brushing and grooming.
The American Cocker Spaniel comes in three
colour varieties. They are black, parti-colour and any other
solid colour other than black. The blacks may be solid black or
have tan markings which include over the eyes, cheeks, muzzle
underside of ears, all feet or legs, under the tail and on the
chest.) The parti-colour consists of one or more solid colours,
one of which must be white. Tan markings are preferred. The
solid colours other than black range from the lightest cream to
the deepest red, including chocolate and brown with or without
tan markings.
Cocker Spaniels have lots of energy and
are natural show-offs, thus many excel in conformation,
obedience and agility activates. The Cocker is a spirited and
enthusiastic companion. Like a small child it genuinely wants to
please but can be easily distracted. This merry and mischievous
nature combined with its loving sweetheart personality make the
Cocker extremely popular as a family dog. One thing about the
Cocker Spaniel is for certain, you will never be loved more by
any other breed!
