Cocker Spaniel Breed

The Cocker Spaniel breed was bred as gun dogs.  The Cocker Spaniels use their noses to methodically cover areas to flush ground dwelling birds into the air.  The Spaniels then use their eyes and scent ability to follow the bird to where it lands, gently picking it up and dropping it back by their handler.

Temperament of Cocker Spaniels

Cocker Spaniel Breed have a good temperament.  A Cocker Spaniel is loyal, cheerful, playful, adaptable, and easily trained.  They make excellent family pets.  When not given exercise and the opportunity to fulfill their natural urge to flush ground birds they may substitute these outdoor activities by going after inappropriate objects, indoors, that remind them of birds.  They need exercise or they may become fat, food obsessed and depressed.

Cocker Spaniels are more likely to wag their tail and welcome strangers than they are to act aggressively or territorial.  Some Cockers are good watch dogs and will bark when people approach.  They are excellent companion dogs.

  
The Cocker Spaniel breed loves to be active and does best with a family that is moderately active.  They need social interaction with people and other dogs to be happy and content.  Without the needed attention they often revert to chewing and barking.

Cocker Spaniel Dog Training

Cocker Spaniel Training

Cocker Spaniel training is a necessity or your dog will be difficult to deal with since an untrained Cocker Spaniel can be very mischievous.   Cockers need to be trained to sit, stay, lie down, walk on a leash and come on command.  Cocker Spaniels are intelligent dogs enjoying ball playing and doing tricks.

Cocker Spaniels are naturally friendly and affectionate.  They need to be socialized to people, dogs and other animals.  They have little prey instinct.  They will chase other animals just for the fun of it.

In order to fulfill its role in your family and to be content Cocker Spaniels need an especially good alpha dog leader to be its master.  If you are reluctant to fill this role you should seek out a trainer to assist you.

The Cocker Spaniel is a quick learner and wants to please its owner.  They are very sensitive to your voice tones.  The Cocker Spaniel should be taught basic commands.  Barking may be a problem.  While the Cockers are still in the puppy stage encourage them to inhibit their barking.  Train the Cocker to alert you with a single bark.  Do not allow them to develop the habit of continuous barking.  Housetraining may also be a problem.

Cocker Spaniel Health Issues

Well-bred Cocker Spaniels are subject to few genetic diseases.  They are subject to eye diseases such as cataracts, glaucoma.  They suffer from chronic ear and skin infections.  The Cocker Spaniels long ear prevents ear circulation that would dry the ear and prevent moisture.  Cocker Spaniel puppies must be taught from an early age to allow their ears to be handled.  Cocker Spaniels should be fed using a deep narrow bowl that permits them to eat and drink without getting their ears in the food or water.

Cocker Spaniels love to run in fields and thick grass.  Cocker owners must be willing to groom the soft silky coat of their Cocker Spaniels on a regular basis.  If they are not groomed regularly tangles can pull the skin and cause sores.

Cocker Spaniel Physical Characteristics

The Cocker Spaniel is a smaller sized spaniel with boundless energy.  The Cocker Spaniel has a beautiful, silky medium long coat that is easy to care for and maintain.  The body of the Cocker Spaniel slopes slightly down from the shoulders to the hips.  The hind legs are strong and relatively straight and tall.  They are surprisingly athletic and natural retrievers.  The coat of the Cocker Spaniel is varied in length with the hair on the head is short and the hair on the ears, neck and chest tends to be long and feathered.