American Cocker Spaniel Dog

The American Cocker Spaniel has been developed from the English Cocker Spaniel. It is unknown when the first English Cocker Spaniels arrived in the in the United States however the deviation fro the original breed was so great by 1930 the breed became recognised as a separate breed.

In 1940 a separate standard was set for the race and eleven years later the new race was recognized by the FCI. The most noticeable changes between the two breeds is the luxuriant hair and rounder skulls.

Description
The American Cocker Spaniel is the smallest member being up to 38 cm in the group of spaniels. They are powerful have a compact build, a noble head, and are a completely balanced dog. The dimension of the sternum to the buttocks is slightly longer than the measure from the highest point of the withers to the ground.

The body is muscular and slightly sloping to the rear, the chest is deep, with the lowest point no higher than the elbow and the chest front is sufficiently wide for adequate heart and lung space. The coat should be short and fine on the head, and of medium length on the body with sufficient undercoat to offer protection.

The feathers are long clumps of hair that extend on the coat and a good breed dog will be well feathered on the chest, abdomen and the backs of the legs.
The coat can be a single color or multicoloured or monochrome with black or black with tan markings sometimes with a little white on the chest and or on the neck.

Other monochrome colours are commonly found which vary from the lightest cream to darkest red, including brown and brown with tan markings. Multicoloured animals must have two or more clearer, well-defined colours from each other, with some white in-between.

Other colours vary from a cream to darkest red and a variety of brown with white and “gray” roaning and include combinations with tan markings. The ears are limp, long, leathery and well feathered, placed well above the line of the lower eye area.

American Cocker Spaniel can live to be 12 years and older.
Use

Because of the lush fur of the American Cocker Spaniel it is not useful as a hunter. Nevertheless the dog still possesses a hunting instinct, so they need plenty of exercise. Today, these dogs are pure show dogs and are usually kept as a companion and family dogs.
Care

The American Cocker is considered to be very cheerful, gentle and lively dog who understands their place in a family and are good with children and very good with other dogs. Their hunting instinct requires consistent training and discipline.