English cocker spaniels are merry dogs with an upbeat personality while working, but a mellow personality when relaxing at home. They’re compact dogs with silky coats. Many people love English cocker spaniels for their great personality and good looks.
They’re excellent sporting dogs with softly contoured heads and beautiful dark eyes. They have close-lying ears and a medium-length coat.
They’ve long been considered hunters’ helpers and were originally bred to flush and retrieve game.
English Cocker Spaniel Traits
English cocker spaniels are cheerful sporting dogs. They’re an active breed and full of energy. They are eager to please their owners and enjoy hunting, which they were bred to do.
However, English cocker spaniels are also well-balanced dogs.
Today, they are classified as a different breed from the American cocker spaniel. The English cocker spaniel has tight eyes that are slightly oval. Their muzzle is equal in length to their skull. The American cocker spaniel, on the other hand, has a shorter muzzle and a more rounded skull.
English cocker spaniel life expectancy. A healthy, well-bred English cocker spaniel can live between 12 and 14 years.
English cocker spaniel personality. English cocker spaniels are friendly, gentle dogs. They’re very intelligent and affectionate companions. They are full of life and make devoted family dogs. They’re very adaptable to many environments, making them easy to travel with.
English cocker spaniel size. English cocker spaniel males and females are relatively close in size. Males' heights range from 16 to 17 inches tall, and females range from 15 to 16 inches tall. Males weigh between 28 and 34 pounds, and females usually weigh slightly less, between 26 and 32 pounds.
English cocker spaniel temperament. English cocker spaniels have great temperaments. They’re enthusiastic in the field and love to be active. They enjoy hunting and working. They’re compact dogs with an active and merry demeanor.
Caring for English Cocker Spaniels
English cocker spaniels have a thick shiny coat that sheds often. They need routine brushing and combing to keep their hair from matting and tangling. Their double coat means they’re big shedders. They’ll also need their hair routinely trimmed. You can use scissors, thinning shears, or a stripping tool if you want to trim them yourself. Just be careful not to cut too close to their skin.
Their ears, meanwhile, should be checked weekly for excess earwax and debris. Other grooming needs include frequent nail trimming and daily teeth brushing with a dog-friendly toothpaste.
English cocker spaniels are active dogs. They need time to run outside daily. They’re very adaptable but like to go on long hikes or walks with their owners. Exercising their mind is also important. Agility, obedience training, and tracking can be fun activities that stimulate your English cocker spaniel’s hunting instincts.
English cocker spaniels adapt well to their family’s way of life. They do well outside working or at home lounging on the couch. They love being around their owner or family.
This breed loves to swim. They love being outdoors and love fetching and playing with a ball or frisbee. They're easily trainable, and you can work on their call and response skills to ensure they don't wander away while outdoors.
Early socialization and puppy training classes are important for their development. This helps them become well-mannered dogs. They’re highly trainable and need boundaries set from a young age.
Additionally they should have the following core vaccines:
- Distemper
- Adenovirus
- Parvovirus
- +/- Parainfluenza
- Rabies
In addition to these, other vaccines are just as essential for some dogs based on their lifestyle and risk.
Health Problems to Watch for with English Cocker Spaniels
English cocker spaniels are typically healthy, active dogs. When breeding, reputable breeders should test for health conditions and keep genetic predispositions in mind. Recommended tests for most dog breeds include:
- Hip evaluation
- Patella Evaluation
- PRA Optigen DNA test
Additionally, English cocker spaniels do have some specific genetic health conditions that you’ll need to look out for.
Progressive retinal atrophy. English cocker spaniels can be affected by centralized or generalized progressive retinal atrophy. Both conditions are hereditary.
Generalized progressive retinal atrophy affects your dog's ability to see at night. Centralized progressive retinal atrophy causes loss of central vision, leaving them with only peripheral vision. This condition is typically identified by the time they're six weeks old. A DNA test can be done one time at any age to check for this condition.
Familial nephropathy. This is a condition in English cocker spaniels that affect their kidneys. It occurs in young dogs and causes early-onset kidney failure. You may notice your dog struggling to urinate or urinating constantly. Other signs include drinking excessive amounts of water and vomiting.
Hip dysplasia. This is an inherited deformity of the hips. It affects proper hip movement and can cause arthritis later in life. Weight gain can affect the joints, worsening the condition. The more the parents are affected by this condition, the more their puppies will be affected. That's why proper evaluation is important to catch the condition early.
Adult-onset neuropathy. This is a hereditary disorder that causes weakness over time. English cocker spaniels are prone to this genetic condition, and signs will typically appear between seven and nine years. You may notice your dog having wobbly hind legs or a wide base when standing. Eventually, that weakness will spread to their front limbs.
Canine distichiasis. This condition causes severe eye discomfort and irritation. It occurs when eyelashes affect the surface of their eyeball. English cocker spaniels are also prone to cataracts and retinal dysplasia.
Special Considerations for English Cocker Spaniels
English cocker spaniels are merry, devoted companions. They follow instructions easily and are very eager to please. They form a bond with their owner that makes them easier to train and more enjoyable to work with.
They do need positive reinforcement to do their part, but if you try a negative or harsh training approach, they will react negatively.
English cocker spaniels work best when they love and respect their owners, as opposed to fearing them. Early socialization is also important to make sure your dog is well-adjusted to other dogs and humans.
The English cocker spaniel has a happy disposition and is known as the "merry cocker." They are dominant dogs but loyal to their person.
If they're socialized well when they're young, they will likely get along with all kinds of people, children, dogs, and pets. Their cheery personality makes them great for families of all ages. They are always happy to be around people.
In fact, they don't do well when left alone. They prefer to be inside with their people. They can get easily stressed, though, by loud noises and rough handling. You should monitor their play with other dogs and young children.
Overall, English cocker spaniels are great house dogs. They love to hang out and lounge with their owner as much as they love to play and spend time outside. Their good nature makes them great as therapy dogs as well.
English cocker spaniels are known as big dogs in small packages. They have a lot of power and energy built up in their small size. However, that doesn’t mean they have as much energy that needs to be released as other breeds. Their versatile temperament helps them adapt from being sporting dogs to loving companions.
English cocker spaniels make great additions to many families with the right care and preparation. This small athletic dog has a positive outlook that makes them great for people living in apartments or people with a backyard, so long as they're getting enough exercise.
History of English Cocker Spaniels
Spaniels have been mentioned as far back as the 1300s as a breed used to hunt game. Weight was their defining characteristic back then. Larger puppies became land spaniels, and smaller puppies became cockers. Cockers flushed and startled birds from their hiding places. They were efficient due to their small size.
English cocker spaniels belong to the AKC sporting group. Their history is dated back centuries. The spaniel breeds of England came from Spanish stock dogs. They were bred long before hunting rifles and worked in tandem with bird hunters using nets, bows, and the occasional falcon.
In the 19th century, the various spaniel types were officially named by breed. At this point, the English springer spaniel, field spaniel, English cocker spaniel, and others were declared to be distinct breeds.
By the early 20th century, American breeders developed a companion-bred cocker. It was smaller, with a shorter head and a more domed skull. It also had a thicker coat. This is what separated the English and American cocker spaniels.
By 1946, the AKC recognized the American cocker spaniel and English cocker spaniel as separate breeds.
English cocker spaniels can easily be confused with American cocker spaniels, but this noble, loving breed stands on its own as a great dog to add to your family. English cocker spaniels have a good temperament and long lifespan, making them great family dogs. Moreover, their even disposition means they'll do well as your first dog or a later addition to your family.
