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ENGLISH COCKER SPANIEL |
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As the use of
flushing spaniels became widespread in England, the smaller ones were
called "cocking" spaniels. The name may have come from their
use to spring or "cock" the game for the net and, later, the
gun. Yet others feel it came from their usefulness on small game such
as woodcock. At any rate, the merry little spaniels of England have been
popular since the 19th century.
When the Kennel
Club of England was cre-ated,
just before the turn of the century, it soon recognized the Field, Springer
and Cocker Spaniels as separate breeds. Each breed's individual development
started from that time. The Cocker of England continued a rise to popularity
that took him to the number one spot in his homeland during the 1930s
and kept him there for 20 years. He also gained tremendous popularity
in other Commonwealth nations.
While the
Cocker Spaniel in England was rising to perfection, on the other side
of the Atlantic, Americans using basically the same original breeding
stock were developing a slightly different Cocker Spaniel. When imports
from England were brought here during the 1930s, although there were
separate classes for the English variety, there was still interbreeding
between the English Cocker and the now native American Cocker. Because
the two had become so divergent, most breeders felt that interbreeding
was detrimental to both varieties. In 1940, the Kennel Club of England
separated the breeds into the Cocker Spaniel and the Ameri-can
Cocker Spaniel. Soon after, the AKC followed suit but called the resulting
breeds the English Cocker Spaniel (called Cocker in England) and the
Cocker Spaniel (called American Cocker in England). FCI used great sense
in defining both breeds by country, and the rest of the world calls
one the English Cocker Spaniel and the other the American Cocker Spaniel.
The English
Cocker in America holds a steady interest, mostly among exhibitors.
He is a moderate dog, a bit larger, longer headed, and less coated
than the American version. He sports the classic land spaniel tail
which is level with the back and constantly wagging in extroverted
joy of life. Neither the tail tucked in anxiety or pushed straight
up, as seen with some misinformed handlers in the show ring, is typical
of the breed. The breed's hunting instincts abound—if any would care
to use them. He works close to the gun and uses his good nose to flush
out a variety of game. Happy, willing and obedient, he is easy and
fun to be with.
Tails are
docked on pups. Coat care is a necessity but, if kept up, is not a
problem.
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