English Cocker Spaniel

An old land spaniel used to flush and retrieve game in dense cover, the English Cocker Spaniel is a merry, affectionate dog whose tail rarely stops wagging. Faithful and engaging, the English Cocker is an excellent family companion due to his even temperament and trainability. Though adaptable to different living situations, the breed requires daily exercise. His silky coat needs frequent brushing and stripping or clipping.

Medium

Medium

Bitches between 38 to 39cm at the withers, dogs between 39 to 41cm tall

Medium

12.75 to 14.5kg

Agility, Field Trials, Hunting Tests, Obedience, Rally Obedience, Tracking

These are busy, friendly little dogs who thrive on human companionship, wanting nothing more than to please their owners. They are ideal pets where there are children about and get on well with other household animals.

Cockers can be very manipulative - who can resist their soft, pleading eyes? The sad eyes, however, are a misconception, Cockers are a very happy breed, constantly wagging their tails and bringing 'presents' to one and all.

Active dogs with much substance and bone, English Cocker Spaniels are well-balanced, compact little dogs. Their coats are flat and silky with plenty of feathering on the front legs. They cover the ground well, their great drive coming from their muscular back legs.
12 to 15 years
Black, liver, or red
Their coats must be brushed regularly. The excess hair around the ear passages and beneath the ears must be removed to ensure the ears are adequately ventilated and that no infections set in. The hair around their feet and that between their pads also needs regular attention. They should be stripped out 3 or 4 times a year by a professional groomer. It is possible, however, to learn how to do this yourself.
Whilst the breed has a relatively long lifespan, they are prone to many eye problems and indeed, blindness can set in from the age of 10. The long drop ears predispose the breed to many infections and, therefore, regular checking and cleaning is a must.
As adults, this breed can very greedy so care must be taken to avoid obesity.

The English Cocker is no doubt one of the oldest types of land spaniel. Their origins can be traced back to 14th century Spain. Prior to the 1600's all types of spaniels were categorised together; the larger ones being used to spring game and the smaller ones to flush out woodcock.

Hence the names Springer and Cocker were derived. In 1892, the Kennel Club of Great Britain differentiated the two breeds separately. In the 1930's, the Cocker was the most popular breed of dog in Britain and there he stayed for almost 20 years!

On the other side of the Atlantic, Americans were using the same breeding stock to develop a slightly different Cocker. In 1940, the Kennel Club then split these Spaniels into American and English.

An old land spaniel used to flush and retrieve game in dense cover, the English Cocker Spaniel is a merry, affectionate dog whose tail rarely stops wagging.

English Cocker Spaniels belong to the gundog group and are today used in field and agility trials, obedience competitions, as companions and seen in the show-ring.

Did you know President John F. Kennedy owned an English Cocker Spaniel named “Shannon.”

Similar breeds like English Cocker Spaniel

null

Australian Terrier

null

Beagle

null

Bichon Frise

null

Border Terrier

RightPaw

Find responsible breeders on RightPaw

Looking for your new best friend? RightPaw makes the journey of finding a puppy simpler, safer and more supportive. Visit RightPaw to search for verified breeders, learn about their breeding programs, and apply for a puppy.

Find responsible English Cocker Spaniel breeders on RightPaw