Cocker Spaniel

The Spaniel can be: a solid colour (black, red, chocolate), barring white, which is not admissible; parti and bi-coloured (black and white, black and tan, brown and tan, orange and white, brown and white, lemon and white) with or without flyspeck; tricoloured (black, white and tan, or brown, white and tan);  or roan (either blue, brown, lemon, orange, blue and tan or brown and tan). 

The coat is medium-long. 

The coat lies flat throughout the dog’s body, is of silky texture without ever seeming wirehaired. The hair should not be wavy, curly, nor too abundant. 

The eyes must be brown or dark brown, never light.

The English Cocker Spaniel is a cheerful, robust, athletic and compact dog. The frame’s length is more or less proportionate to the height of the shoulders. The head is chiseled, with a nicely formed skull, a square muzzle and well defined stop. The eyes are large, but not prominent; they give off a smart and gentle expression. The ears are set low, lobe-shaped and pendant: they should be set at the level of the nose, but no lower. The body is strong and compact, the limbs are rather big-boned and upright. The tail is ever so slightly tucked in under the ridge line; it is always in movement (a signature trait of the breed). 

Gentle and very demonstrative of his affection, this hunting dog is an everyday companion full of life, very pleasant to cohabitate with on account of his contagious joy. 

Very cheerful and animated, this dog is endlessly playful and enjoys spending time with children above all else. 

When still a pup, the English Cocker Spaniel is tricky to handle on account of his insatiable energy and enthusiasm. It is only with age and proper training that he arrives at a calmer demeanour.

The English Cocker Spaniel is very intelligent, he very quickly grasps what is expected of him and adapts to various situations and lifestyles remarkably well. In this sense, he is an impressive hunting dog and an ideal life companion to many different types of owners. 

Often considered to be a companion dog, we tend to forget that he is an excellent hunter. Initially bred for the purpose of woodcock-hunting, he is in fact very versatile and can just as well hunt for hares as for pheasants, and other small game (feathered or otherwise). 

When it comes to his approach to strangers, differences in temperament tend to depend on the variety (even if, of course, exceptions may always exist). To wit: the multi-coloured Cocker Spaniels tend to be friendly with everyone, and welcome guests with cheer and enthusiasm. On the other hand, solid-coloured Cockers tend to be more introverted and possessive of their families, thus proving to be more distant towards strangers. 

Very loyal, the English Cocker Spaniel is a great companion, a partner in crime at times, but above all else- an excellent work assistant. He is as a result always very dependant on his owner, and would move heaven and hell to please him. 

The Cocker Spaniel is only happy when he is surrounded by family. He tolerates his owners’ absences very badly and should not be subjected to prolonged moments of solitude (five hours max.)

It is said that the multi-coloured subjects get more easily distracted than the solid-coloured variety but, on the flipside, question their owners’ commands much less. This in direct opposition to the solid-coloured specimens, that are perhaps more focused, but also occasionally more stubborn. 

The Cocker Spaniel’s training must in fact be cemented at a young age. As soon as he integrates the household, certain boundaries must be established to prevent the pup from developing bad habits. 

The handler must be strict, gentle, conscientious, consistent and fair if he wants to ensure a seamless cooperation with this dog.

When this dog barks, it is mainly to solicit the attention he may be lacking. It is his way of making a point that he is here, and he needs to be taken care of. 

Be careful, however, not to endorse this attitude, at risk of the barking becoming excessive.

Amidst all hunting dogs, the English Cocker Spaniel is by far the least prone to running away. Given how loyal he is to his master, he would only be tempted to leave his side by an extraordinarily intriguing trail. 

Such is the extent of his attachment to his owner that he could prove to be destructive and a nuisance if he is left alone for too long without having been gradually and positively exposed to solitude.  

The Cocker’s signature attention-seeking gesture is gnawing at his family’s slippers!

Quite the eater, it is important not to give in to all of this dog’s whims lest he procure excess weight. 

Very sociable and friendly with guests, this Spaniel is under no circumstances a good watchdog. Rolling over and demanding to be patted may, indeed, not be the most effective deterrent to a potential intruder. 

The English Cocker Spaniel is a perfect companion dog to many prospective owners: single people wishing for uplifting company, a family with children, or very active individuals who need a jogging partner… He brings joy to the little and big ones alike and seamlessly adapts to his handlers’ moods.

He can absolutely live in a flat if he is provided with several walks a day to dispense of his large energy stores. 

Whatever his living situation (a flat or house with garden), his biggest priority is to be at his owners’ side, inside the warm comfort of their home. It is therefore inconceivable to have him spend most of his time outside, in which case he would rapidly develop behavioural issues.

You must never forget that the English Cocker Spaniel is, first and foremost, a working dog. As a result, he does require much stimulation in the way of physical and mental exercise, sense of smell, and social interactions to fully live out his potential and be fully content. 

In addition to being a very good hunting companion, he is a top choice for the most athletic of owners who yearn for canine company during the various activities they undertake.

This medium-sized dog is relatively easy to transport, but must have mastered basic discipline and be very well socialised to keep his owners’ company wherever they may venture.

A cross-species, canine/feline exchange can be very successful, especially if both individuals have grown up together and if the Cocker’s predatory instinct is kept in check. 

The fact that the Cocker is rather sociable with fellow dogs does not dismiss you from having to start socialising him as soon as he is a few months old, and ensure that he develops and reinforces his ‘canine code of conduct’. Encounters must be supervised, regular and, most importantly, positive. 

Quite the joker, this hunting dog loves to play and spend time with children. Endowed with a huge amount of energy, he proves to be tireless, especially in assisting the children with mischief around the house! 

Even though he does adapt to his environment easily, the English Cocker Spaniel is not a lapdog! Those who live a more sedentary lifestyle- the elderly and all those who would not enjoy going out for a run with the dog, should sooner consider his cousin- the American Cocker- who has a calmer personality and is less stressful to handle. 

Hair loss is generally moderate throughout the year, but more pronounced during autumn and spring, the yearly moulting seasons. Brushes will have to be daily during the latter. 

Life expectancy is 13 years on average. 

He is robust and enjoys a long life; you must simply make sure to clean his eyes, and more particularly, to check his ears often (especially if he lives in the country) to make sure they have not become a nest to foreign, infection-causing pathogens. 

Though he is resilient and passionate about working, this hunting dog should not be overly stimulated during heatwaves. 

Despite his robustness, it is not recommended that he sleeps outside during challenging weather (cold and rain). 

If he gets enough exercise, there is no reason why the English Cocker Spaniel would gain excess weight. Having said this, since he is quite greedy, be careful not to give into all of his whims, and spoil him with too many snacks. 

• Progressive retinal atrophy
• Hereditary Nephropathy (kidney disease)
• Hip dysplasia
   

It’s a ‘Spaniel’- but does that mean ‘Spanish’ or ‘English’? He is undeniably English, can’t be more so in fact: the breed as we know it originated in the United Kingdom in 1879, but the English had been using this type of Spaniel for hunting already since the 18th century. His more distant roots are, however, likely to be Spanish, as described by Dr. Cajus in 1570 in his De Canibus Britannicis. We can even find references to the English Spaniel in publications dating back to the end of the 14th century. His name springs from ‘Woodcock’. The Cocker is namely a real expert in hunting for the latter bird.