A popular hunting dog of the American Cocker Spaniel breed often becomes a pet of urban residents who have no idea what hunting is. Dogs have an attractive appearance and a wonderful character, but like any hunting breed, they have their own characteristics of education and care.
Material Content:
- 1 History of breed origin
- 2 Description of the American Cocker Spaniel
- 3 Life span
- 4 Breed standard and puppy selection
- 5 The purpose and nature of the dog
- 6 Maintenance, care and feeding
- 7 How to train and educate a cocker spaniel
- 8 Pros and cons of the breed
- 9 What is the difference between American and English Cocker Spaniel
History of breed origin
Cockers were brought to America in the 80s of the XIX century, they hunted woodcocks and rabbits. This is one of the few breeds that track not fur, but fur animals. Over the years, the breed has undergone some changes - the muzzle has become shorter, the coat is longer, the weight is less. A new breed has appeared - the American Cocker Spaniel.
The Cocker Spaniels took first place in the American Kennel Club’s studbook more often than any other breed.
In the 80s of the last century, it was a cult dog that many wanted to have. The IFF recognized the breed in 1985.
Description of the American Cocker Spaniel
American Cocker Spaniels have a beautiful appearance. They have a wonderful soft coat with a thick undercoat, large expressive eyes. The dog’s ears, chest, stomach and legs are decorated with thick, slightly curled curls.
The working qualities of American cockers have been preserved and can be successfully developed during the training process.
But who would have the idea of walking through the woods with such handsome men? Dogs retained the energetic and agile nature of their ancestors; they do not sit still for a minute if they are not busy with food or sleep. The exception is individuals suffering from gluttony, sick or too lazy.American Cocker Spaniels are very active and smart, trusting, people-oriented.
Life span
In cocker spaniels, ear, eye, and skin diseases are common. A dog can inherit eye cataracts, epilepsy, dysplasia, and character problems.
The average life expectancy of American Cocker Spaniels is 13 to 15 years. How many dogs live depends largely on the care and living conditions.
Breed standard and puppy selection
The cocker spaniel has a strong body, adapted for fast running and exhausting loads during the hunt, and the appearance of a graceful and noble animal with a cheerful character, always ready to go.
Description of the breed and requirements of the standard:
- the head is well balanced, proportional in size;
- dark eyes look smart, lively and bewitching;
- the skull is round, the transition from the forehead to the muzzle is well pronounced;
- the nose is black or consistent with coat color;
- elongated muzzle;
- scissor bite;
- hanging ears with long hair;
- the neck is slender, slightly elongated;
- the back is strong, the chest is deep;
- tail with long hair, slightly raised, but not above the line of the back;
- limbs with powerful muscles and strong bones, slender, straight.
The dog has a lot of colors, the main ones are chocolate, black and fawn, the rarest is the roan. The coat is soft and long, silky. She is very beautiful, but requires special care and regular haircuts. In American Cocker Spaniels, weight is unlimited by the strict framework of the standard, the height of the dogs should be from 34 to 39 cm.
To choose a healthy puppy, you need to meet his parents. You can do this at a dog show by learning from the owner of the animal you like when the next mating is planned.
You can buy a thoroughbred animal through the club. If a pet is planning to participate in exhibitions, choose a puppy from a litter of champions in several generations. Its cost will be two times higher than that of a puppy with minor defects in appearance.
Buying an animal on the market or by private announcement is not worth it. It has long been known that the dog inherits not only disease, but also character. There is no guarantee that a pet with a dubious pedigree will grow up being good-natured and cheerful, and not aggressive or cowardly.
The purpose and nature of the dog
The dog is distinguished by high intelligence. She is very mobile and active, all the time looking for herself an occupation, game or communication with the owner. Thanks to the natural mind and curiosity, it can be easily trained by teams.
Pets perceive training as a fun game. Dogs are friendly and affectionate, they love one owner and are loyal to him. They get along well with young children, for the sake of the owner and his family, they are ready for self-sacrifice.
The modern purpose of the American Cocker Spaniel is a companion dog. But do not forget about his excellent hunting qualities, which many breeders are trying to develop and strengthen.
Cocker Spaniels are looking for prey, focusing on the smell, they also have a keen look and sharp scent. The better they smell during the hunt, the more they wag their tail.
Dogs are ideal for hunting in the forest, they can climb under any obstacle from the branches, easily cross a stream or a small river. Thanks to their short legs they make good way through the thicket, but it is harder for them to travel long distances than large dogs.
Maintenance, care and feeding
In everyday life, American Cocker Spaniels are unpretentious, they have an excellent appetite and are always in a good mood. It takes long walks to maintain dog health. In addition to daily games and training on the street, attention must be paid to the appearance of the pet.
Long hair requires time and special care products. It takes more than 1 hour for a dog to dry it after a bath.
Care for the cocker spaniel that participates in exhibitions should be especially thorough:
- For the beauty of wool, high-quality dry and canned food and vitamins are needed.
- Wool must be washed once a week. Then comb with air conditioning, blow dry.
- The dog’s back is trimmed. The hair is cut on the legs, head and body.
- Mowing an American Cocker Spaniel is done every three weeks.
- It is necessary to properly care for the ears - dig in once a week, massage, cut off excess hair. A dog can eat and walk in a knitted hat so that its long beautiful ears are not smeared.
American Cocker Spaniels tend to be overweight. Adult animals need to be fed 2 times a day at a specific time. Puppies more often - 3-4 times a day.
Natural foods should be warm and soft. Once every two weeks you need to spend an unloading day, giving the pet only 40% of the usual diet. The menu should include cereals, vegetables, dairy products, herbs, meat.
- The meat is given to the dog every other day, it is pre-frozen, cut into pieces or passed through a meat grinder. You can’t give pork, rabbit meat, but you can give poultry and beef.
- Cereals are poured with boiling water.
- Grate vegetables, finely chop greens. Vegetables can be given raw and stewed.
- Sea fish should be included in the cocker spaniel ration, but before offering it to the dog, all bones must be removed.
Many owners prefer not to bother compiling a full-fledged dog menu and buy dry feed of super premium quality in the store. This is also the right decision, because professional feed contains all the vitamins and minerals necessary for the animal.
How to train and educate a cocker spaniel
American Cocker Spaniels are overly energetic and nervous, especially when children are nearby. But for well-bred dogs this is not a problem. Therefore, it is important to take a training course with puppies. Representatives of the breed are very smart, well aware of what is required of them. The Cocker Spaniels perfectly sense the mood of the owner.
If a dog is planning to participate in the exhibition, you need to teach her not to be afraid of strangers, to be able to present herself. She should know the basic commands: “Sit!”, “Stand!”, “Lie!”, “Fu!”, “Come to me!”.
It is impossible to assure repetition of commands. The dog should accept training for the game, only then will it obey.
During a speech at the exhibition, no one will require a hunting dog to perform service commands.
Cocker spaniels for hunting are raised in a special way, walking in the forest and explaining everything in practice. They are trained to search for the beast, to bring prey, not to be afraid of shots, to give a voice, noticing the game, and much more.
Pros and cons of the breed
The American Cocker Spaniel is characterized by reliability and love of freedom, beauty and grace, tireless energy and quick wits. But having fallen in love with a dog’s doll face, you need to think about the pros and cons of the breed, before buying a puppy.
Pros of the American Cocker Spaniel:
- effective appearance;
- small body size;
- good hunting qualities with proper education;
- lively and peaceful character;
- devotion to the owner.
So, these dogs have a lot of advantages for urban maintenance, but they have their drawbacks.
The disadvantages of the breed include the following qualities:
- the need for careful hair care;
- hyperactivity;
- tendency to bark frequently;
- disobedience with improper upbringing;
- gluttony.
In some representatives of the breed, negative traits are less pronounced. Dogs quickly adapt to the owner, they have a very flexible character. Therefore, the bad behavior of the dog should be blamed on the person who raised him.
What is the difference between American and English Cocker Spaniel
The American and English Cocker Spaniels have differences in character and appearance, although it is easy to confuse these breeds.
Unlike American dogs, the English version is used for hunting. While the American Cocker Spaniel prefers performances over hunting.
The American Cocker Spaniel has wide-set large eyes, which is a drawback for the English version of the breed. When choosing producers in American kennels, the advantage was given to dogs with a beautiful appearance, and hunting qualities were not taken into account.
