Cocker Spaniel
Named for the woodcock it was bred to flush, and it works with its tail going the whole time. The English and the American are two separate breeds now.
Overview
In the United States this name means the American Cocker Spaniel, and elsewhere it means the English Cocker, which is the dog on this page: the original cocker, a compact flushing spaniel bred to put woodcock up for the gun, which is where the name comes from. It is taller, longer muzzled and less heavily coated than the American Cocker it split from in the early twentieth century, and that breed has its own page.
UK data gives a life expectancy at birth of 11.31 years. There are two distinct populations, working and show. Working cockers are lighter, faster and considerably higher drive, show cockers are heavier and calmer, and choosing between them is the most consequential decision a buyer makes. It is one of the most commonly rehomed breeds when a working line puppy goes to a household that wanted a calm pet.
Temperament
Cheerful, affectionate and busy. Cockers are famously merry, with a tail that never stops, and they are good with children and with other dogs. They are sensitive and soft, and harsh handling produces a shut down dog.
Working lines are considerably higher drive than show lines and need substantially more exercise and work. Some solid coloured lines carry a temperament problem sometimes called rage syndrome, a sudden aggression with no warning, and while it is uncommon it is worth asking a breeder about directly.
Care and grooming
A silky feathered coat that needs brushing three times a week plus trimming every couple of months. It mats behind the ears, on the legs and under the body.
The ears are the recurring problem: long, heavy and hair filled, they hold moisture and infect readily, and they need weekly cleaning for life. Progressive retinal atrophy and familial nephropathy both have DNA tests, and hip dysplasia is worth asking about. Acquired deafness is also seen in older dogs of the breed.
Living and exercise
An hour and a half a day for show lines and more for working ones, plus scent games, which they love.
They are prone to obesity and it compounds everything else. They are excellent family dogs when the exercise is genuine and difficult ones when it is not.
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