Mary Allen
The English Cocker Spaniel is a search dog from Great Britain and has been a popular family pet for many years. It is hardly ever used for hunting anymore since its appearance has changed significantly and the dogs can no longer get along well in the undergrowth. In the FCI, the English Cocker Spaniel will definitely find 2 search dogs in the FCI group 8 retrievers – search dogs – water dogs. With a working test and the standard number 5.
English Cocker Spaniel Dog Breed
Size: Males: 39 to 41 centimeters
Bitches: 38 to 39 centimeters
Weight: 12.5 to 14.5 kilograms
FCI Group: 8: Retrievers – Search dogs – Waterdogs
Section: 2: Search dogs
Country of origin: Great Britain
Colors: red and black in solid, two-tone, three-tone, and gray
Life expectancy: 12 to 15 years
Suitable as: Companion, family, retriever, hunting, and tracker dog
Sports: retrieving, dummy, companion, drug dogs, but also as a sympathy dog in retirement homes or with children
Temperament: cheerful, gentle, and affectionate, but full of life and exuberance
Run Needs Medium to High, depending on the type. There are also breeding lines that are predisposed to hunting!
Drooling potential: low
The thickness of hair: high
Care effort: medium to high, depending on hair length. Should be professionally trimmed approximately every 8 weeks.
Coat Texture: Smooth, silky texture, never wiry or wavy. not too plentiful and never curly
Child friendly: yes
Family dog: yes
Social: yes
Origin and Breed History
The English Cocker Spaniel is one of the oldest dog breeds from Great Britain with a very eventful history. The oldest known ancestors of the English Cocker Spaniels are the Spanish bird dogs. As a result, the English Cocker Spaniels are very closely related to the English Setters. It has long been difficult to distinguish setters from spaniels. For example, in the 18th century, there was a spaniel that served as a pointer and was officially called a setter. Back then, spaniels and setters were very similar. The name Cocker also only became established towards the end of the 18th century. the word cocker comes from the English woodcock (= woodcock), these were then the main game that the dogs scared away.
Initially, all spaniels weighing under 25 pounds were referred to as cocker spaniels. They were thus an intermediate stage between the Working Spaniel and the Toy Spaniel, which was popular with the nobility. The appearance of the Cocker Spaniel began to change over the years due to this demarcation. 120 years ago, most dogs that were grouped together under the name Cocker Spaniel were stocky and stocky in build. However, this proved unpopular and soon approached the more elegant setter type. At that time the main reason for changing the breed was its suitability for hunting. The dogs became leaner and had shorter backs.
However, after the Cocker Spaniel became more and more popular with families and private individuals, the breed image changed again significantly. The characteristics, such as the drooping ears with the dense, curly fur, were bred exaggeratedly until the animals sometimes stepped on their own ears while running. In addition, more and more diseases occurred in the dogs and the modern English Cocker Spaniel became absolutely uninteresting for hunters. Because the animals had more and more problems in the dense undergrowth and even in open terrain. In the meantime, the VDH and the FCI have come to an understanding and the clearly exaggerated breed characteristics are scaled back in order to protect the health of the animals.
Nature & Temperament of the English Cocker Spaniel
The nature of the English Cocker Spaniel is still shaped by its original use as a hunting companion. His fine nose is always in use, but he is easy to lead by his owner and is a very happy and bright dog. Especially in Germany, the beautiful English Cocker Spaniel is one of the most popular dog breeds for families and singles. He is a playful dog who can do various sports due to his intelligence. Especially because of his nose, he is well suited for search games and he is even often used as a rescue dog. In England, he is a valued drug dog at airports for customs and police. In addition to his good nose, his open and self-confident nature makes him very suitable for such a job.
His attachment is particularly evident in the family. He enjoys spending time with his owner and family. The English Cocker Spaniel is an intelligent dog who enjoys learning and has an even-tempered will-to-please. The looks of an English Cocker Spaniel are considered to be one of the most beautiful dog looks and yet the owner should pay attention to a consistent line in training in order to get the hunting instinct under control. In everyday life, he is a playful and very friendly dog, equally at home in the country and in the city. He loves human company and gets along well with other dogs. The dog breed is very energetic yet always remains calm and friendly in stressful situations, pursuing tasks with ambition and a certain tenacity that comes from being a scavenger dog.
The English Cocker Spaniel is no longer the passionate hunting dog, on the contrary, it is only very rarely used by hunters and is instead found more and more in families and with private individuals. He is considered a good beginner dog and is a cheerful and playful companion. Despite all the positive characteristics, the English Cocker Spaniel is not a dog that only wants to be cuddled and spoiled all day long. He has an athletic side and an active dog sport like agility or obedience is just right to encourage intelligent animals.
The Appearance of the English Cocker Spaniel
The English Cocker Spaniel is a medium-sized dog with a compact build and particularly prominent floppy ears. Males reach a height of 39 to 41 cm and females a height of 38 to 39 cm. On average, they should weigh between 12 and 14 kg, although the breed has a tendency to become overweight if not exercised. He always seems very happy. Due to its almost permanently wagging tail and its smooth, medium-length to long fur, which has slight waves and small curls on the ears and the creek area. The fur is silky soft and has a beautiful shine.
The English Cocker Spaniel has a wide range of coat colors and color variants that characterize the breed. There are dogs with a monochromatic appearance, in which the colors black, red, gold, and chocolate brown appear. In the case of the multicolored dogs, there are mostly two-colored and three-colored coat patterns in black and white; orange-white; brown-white; lemon-white and black-white-tan; Brown-white-tan and the so-called mold colors occur. The mold colors are blue mold, orange mold, lemon mold, and brown mold, sometimes with tan markings.
At What Age is a Cocker Spaniel Fully Grown?
On average, the Cocker Spaniel is fully grown at 12 months.
Training and Husbandry of the English Cocker Spaniel – This is Important to Note
Although the English Cocker Spaniel is a former hunting dog, it is fairly easy to train. The happy dogs can be enthusiastic about any kind of training and want to please their owner. Good basic obedience is quickly learned and the Cocker looks for new challenges, these can be active dog sports. There are many sports that the English Cocker Spaniel enjoys. But he is also a good riding companion or can be used to full capacity on the bike. An English Cocker Spaniel that gets enough exercise and daily occupation will become a happy and very pleasant companion who offers a haven of peace in the stressful everyday life and is always at the side of its owner.
The English Cocker Spaniel is a dog that is very suitable for beginners. Of course, a good upbringing should not be neglected. It is advisable to visit a dog school, as the beginner can get help with training there and he can directly look at different dog sports. Without a good education, the English Cocker Spaniel’s temperament quickly becomes a problem. Training dogs with positive reinforcement is quite easy.
Are Cocker Spaniels Difficult to Train?
No, it is considered to be very easy to train and can also be handled well by beginners.
Diet of the English Cocker Spaniel
Due to overbreeding, which has long prevailed among English Cocker Spaniels, many representatives of this breed suffer from allergies and intolerance to individual ingredients in dog food. It is usually a grain allergy or an allergy to beef or something similar that largely determines the diet of the animals. If an allergy is present, it is advisable to consult a veterinarian about the right diet.
Whether the owner feeds his dog wet food or dry food depends on his circumstances. When training, dry food is much easier because it can be taken with you and is simply portioned. This is not so easy with wet food, but wet food has advantages in a diet because the dog loses weight faster, even though he can eat a good portion. Because wet food consists largely of moisture, which produces mass and fills the stomach. A major disadvantage of wet food is the high proportion of waste. The cans create significantly more waste than bags of dry food.
Healthy – Life Expectancy & Common Diseases
The health of the English Cocker Spaniel clearly depends on the breeder of the animal. Most breeders now understand and pay much more attention to the health of the animals and no longer just to an ideal of beauty. Unfortunately, there are still a variety of diseases that can burden animals. As a result, dogs with overbred characteristics usually have a significantly lower life expectancy. Animals often live as little as 8 to 10 years, while a healthy English Cocker Spaniel easily lives to 12 to 14 years. It is therefore essential to pay attention to the health of the parent animals and to attend regular veterinary checks in order to identify problems at an early stage.
There are a few known diseases that English Cocker Spaniels often suffer from. Most of these diseases are due to the exaggerated beauty of the animals. The long floppy ears with dense and heavy fur cause the most problems. The dogs suffer from painful ear infections which, if left untreated, can lead to meningitis. In addition to inflammation, fungi and bacteria are often found in the ear and ear canal.
The eyes are also often damaged by overbreeding. The lower eyelids droop too low and the red under a layer of skin is visible around the eye. This dries out in the air and is susceptible to disease and inflammation. This can usually only be remedied by an operation in which the eyelid is tightened. Due to the exaggerated fur, which is too heavy for the dog’s skin and thus causes permanent irritation of the skin. The result is skin diseases and dry and scaly skin.
The joints of the English Cocker Spaniel have also suffered from breeding, HD and ED are not uncommon, especially in old age, but can often still be treated well. Early recognition of the first symptoms such as limping or stiff legs is the best help here.
With a lack of exercise, the English Cocker Spaniel tends to be overweight. Of course, this can lead to further problems for the dog. While in general the English Cocker Spaniel is a good eater who will not leave food behind, with enough exercise they can maintain a reasonable build.
How Much Does an English Cocker Spaniel Cost?
From a reputable breeder who pays close attention to the health of the animals, the English Cocker Spaniel can cost $1400 to $1600 as a puppy. Depending on whether it is a rare color scheme, the price can even rise to $2000.
Grooming of the English Cocker Spaniel
If the English Cocker Spaniel comes from a sane breeder, caring for the animal is not very complicated. The beautiful coat should be brushed daily and cleaned of dirt, leaves, and small twigs caught in the coat after walks. The fur is usually longer on the ears, front legs, chest, belly, hind legs, and buttocks and could quickly become matted here, which is why it should be combed extra with a coarse comb. The fur on the underside of the paws sometimes needs to be trimmed back. On average, the English Cocker Spaniel sheds as much fur as other dog breeds.
The dog’s ears should be checked every day so that inflammation or fungal infections are detected quickly. The eyes should also be examined, these must be clear and should not become red or show any discharge.
How Do You Clip an English Cocker Spaniel?
The fur that is too long should be cut back every three to five months and, especially in summer, the dog can be shaved more to withstand the heat.
English Cocker Spaniel Activities and Training
The English Cocker Spaniel loves long walks in the woods and in spacious parks. But he also likes to accompany his owner in the city and also comes to the office, where he can be a significant enrichment for the workplace with his good-natured nature and cheerful nature. With enough training, the English Cocker Spaniel can also be left alone for a good few hours. However, this should be taught to the dog early and practiced with a lot of patience. But he has to be busy every day and the active dog also needs a task mentally. Search games are ideal for keeping him busy on a daily basis. Just hide a few treats in the apartment or in the garden and let the dog search for them. Experienced dogs can also look for food bags or similar things.
In addition to daily activities, dog sports such as agility or dog dance make sense. With a good basic upbringing, he can also accompany a horse or ride a bike, but the condition of the animals should be taken into account. Untrained dogs can only walk short distances on a bike or alongside a horse.
The English Cocker Spaniel loves excursions and many Cockers are also quick to get enthusiastic about swimming. When outdoors, the English Cocker Spaniel should always stay close to its family, because the cheerful and playful dog can quickly awaken its innate hunting instinct, especially when it is unobserved. With good training, the dog’s hunting instinct can be easily controlled, since the English Cocker Spaniel has a great need to please its owner and to work together with him.
Good to Know: Special Features of the English Cocker Spaniel
Probably the greatest feature of the English Cocker Spaniel is its very beautiful appearance, and the dog always seems cheerful and friendly. This makes him a good dog for the city or other densely populated areas, as very few people perceive such a dog as a threat. Due to his open character, he is also a true soul comforter and helps lonely people in particular to reconnect and can give support and comfort to people in difficult situations.
Older people in particular get along well with the clingy dog and are more encouraged by the dog to keep moving and to go out the door. Due to his nice nature, he is also a good starter dog.
What is Cocker Rage?
Cocker rage is sudden and unprovoked spaniel aggressive behavior that lasts only a few minutes and then resolves. Experts are unsure where this behavior comes from and believe a genetic defect could be partly responsible since it occurs almost exclusively in representatives of the breed that are bred for appearance.
Cons of the English Cocker Spaniel
A disadvantage of the English Cocker Spaniel is its cheerful nature because due to its bright nature and enormous play instinct, it is sometimes difficult to remain consistent during training and to show the dog its limits. In addition, the high number of possible hereditary diseases is of course a disadvantage, which can be avoided if you pay close attention to the breeder.
Are Cocker Spaniels Hypoallergenic?
No, the Cocker Spaniel is not an antiallergic breed.
Is the English Cocker Spaniel Right for Me?
The English Cocker Spaniel is a very good-natured dog that enjoys being around people and has no problems with other dogs. With a good education, they make perfect companions, but you need time for these dogs. Especially for employment, because the English Cocker Spaniel needs attention from its owner and wants to be part of everyday life. He is by no means a lap dog. He needs exercise in the great outdoors. The English Cocker Spaniel is well suited for active seniors and beginners can also get along with the active dogs.
Can Cocker Spaniels Be Left Alone for a Long Time?
With enough activity, the English Cocker Spaniel can be left alone for up to five hours without any problems. However, a dog should not be alone in length, because it must also be able to meet its needs.