English Cocker Spaniel

English Cocker Spaniels are good gun dogs and are also very popular as show dogs. They are active, enthusiastic dogs typically with happy, playful dispositions. They are often constantly wagging their tails which is the reason for their nickname ‘merry cocker’. They make loyal companions and can be somewhat possessive of their owners.

These dogs have an alert, intelligent expression. Their eyes are usually dark and their ears are long and hanging. In North America, the tails of English Cocker Spaniels are usually docked. However, docking is illegal in Australia and Scotland. In England, only those dogs which will be used as working or hunting dogs are eligible for docking. These dogs are barred from participating in dog shows in England.

The average height of the breed is between 15.6-16 inches (39-41 cm) and weight ranges from 13-14.5 kg (28-32 pounds). Females are typically smaller than males. These dogs look very like the English Springer Spaniel, but are smaller in size. English Cocker Spaniels also have longer ears and a smaller muzzle compared to Springers.

Cockers working as show dogs have to belong to a certain category of colors only. However, working dogs can have a variety of different color coats. Their coats can be either solid or roan. Some common colors are black, tan, black and tan, silver, chocolate, blue roan and tan, and even orange, red, gold, red roan, red and white, among others. Sable is rare to find among solid colored coats and white with block/brown spots is also thought rare. There are hardly any plain white Cockers.

The English Cocker Spaniel makes a good, somewhat stubborn pet. They dislike being left alone and need to be around a particular person or the family in general. They are affectionate towards children. Red and golden Cocker Spaniels have a tendency to be aggressive, especially if they are male.

Some common disorders seen in these dogs include skin allergies, rage syndrome, shyness, deafness and cataracts. Rage syndromes can cause the dog to attack suddenly and without any apparent provocation. They are also known to be susceptible to benign tumors. The average life expectancy of these dogs is between 11-12 years. Some of the fatal illnesses reported in recent years include cancer and cardiac disorders.

Spaniels have been found in popular culture and literature for nearly 500 years. The earliest distinction between spaniels in England was between land and water spaniels. The differentiation of breeds we see today did not start until the 1800s. In those days, these dogs were primarily used for hunting and their use for entertainment (such as, in shows) was rarely heard of. Today, this breed is coming back into demand as both a hunting and a working dog.

After the second World War, the popularity of English Cockers as pets and as show dogs soared rapidly. In more recent times, Cuban Airports are known to use trained English Cocker Spaniels as sniffer dogs to check passengers’ bags’ for drugs or food.