These popular gundogs are named after their original work helping to hunt woodcock. The breed was formally recognised in 1893 and they are a popular family pet. There are 2 types of Cocker; the working dog and the show dog. They’ve been bred for different purposes and so can be quite different in appearance and temperament.
Working Cocker spaniels are bred for their abilities rather than resemblance to the breed standard so can have finer coats and shorter ears. They can make good pets in the right hands but are very active and need something to ‘do’.
The show Cocker Spaniel is bred for its looks with a heavier longer coat, longer ears and less stamina generally. They will love a long walk but will not be quite as energetic.
Both strains are happy, busy, intelligent dogs. They are good companions with friendly temperaments who prefer to be with people rather than being left alone. They require daily grooming (especially the show dog strain) as they have medium length coats, so won’t suit owners who work all day.
It’s a good idea to trim their coat every 2-3 months and give them a regular bath using a good dog shampoo to keep their coat in tip-top condition.
Pet profile
A happy, enthusiastic small gundog, who is suited to country or town living as long as you have a small to medium sized garden and is a popular family pet.
- Size: medium sized, 39-41cm tall (15.5-16 inches)
- Weight: 13 – 14.5 KG (28-32 Ibs)
- Life expectancy: 10 - 12 years
Exercise and nutrition
Cocker Spaniel puppies just need to play in the garden initially. Once they’ve had their inoculations they can start to go on walks and meet new friends. Once they are 6 months old, they can go for longer walks, building up their stamina gradually. Adult show type dogs need about half an hour of exercise twice a day, but will enjoy longer outings, too.
Working strains will need considerably more than this. They have enormous stamina, needing lots of exercise, and need an owner who can devote time to play and training. They can be great agility dogs, loving the challenge!
Both types of Cocker Spaniel love a game of fetch with ball or frisbee, and they are very good at it as they are bred for retrieving! Making sure they have daily, fun exercise sessions will help to keep them happy and fit.
They don’t tend to be fussy eaters but feeding them a good quality dog food is important. When you buy your puppy from a reputable breeder, stick to the feeding schedule the breeder advises and change their routine gradually as advised by your vet.
As a general rule you should be able to feel your dog’s ribs, but not see them. Working Cocker’s may need a higher protein diet to provide for the extra energy they need.
Common health problems and illnesses
Buying your puppy from a reputable, licensed breeder who screens their breeding dogs for hereditary diseases is the best way to ensure your puppy is healthy, but the breed does tend to suffer from a few problems. To ensure they have the best health insurance so you can take care of any health issues, take out dog insurance while your puppy is young, before they develop any conditions.
This is an inherited condition in dogs where the rods cells in the retina degenerate over time causing progressive loss of vision and ultimately, blindness. It occurs in both eyes simultaneously. The first signs are usually a loss of night vision as the rods are responsible for vision in dim light. You might notice that your dog’s pupils are dilated and that the eyes reflect more light, shining in the darkness. If it is caught early enough some vets believe daily antioxidant treatment can help to preserve some sight, especially day vision, but it is not proven to work.
There are DNA tests that can identify animals with this condition, or those that are a carrier of the recessive gene that can cause this condition in their offspring, so ask the person providing your puppy if they have screened the parents for this condition before you buy your dog.
If you suspect your dog has PRA take them to your vet for a diagnosis as soon as you can.
This inherited disease is prevalent in Cocker spaniels and causes young dogs to suffer early onset kidney failure. Dogs with this condition are born with abnormal kidneys meaning they can’t remove waste products from the blood and excrete them in their urine as normal dogs do. This causes more kidney damage. The condition has a rapid onset, usually in dogs aged between 6 months and 2 years of age, and unfortunately, the condition is fatal.
Dogs with familial nephropathy are excessively thirsty and urinate a lot, lose their appetite, are lethargic, can vomit, get anorexia, bad breath, poor coat quality and pale mucous membranes. If you think your dog might be suffering take them to a vet immediately for a diagnosis.
This is a genetic condition causing deformity in the hip joints of affected dogs. It is possible to x-ray the hips of breeding dogs to see if they have the condition and assess how severe it is. If you are buying a puppy from a breeder you should ask to see the parent dog’s hip scores and compare them to the Breed Specific Statistics to see if your puppy’s parents are badly affected.
Hip dysplasia causes changes in the hip joint which get worse as the puppy gets more active. These changes can lead to excessive wear and tear of the joint which can eventually become painful and affect your dog’s health and happiness. Symptoms include lameness, stiffness after resting, difficulty jumping up into the car or using stairs and not wanting to exercise. If you think your dog might be suffering take them to your vet for a diagnosis and care plan. There are medications that help manage the condition, and in severe cases, surgical procedures which can help too.
Making sure your dog is not overweight, massage and heat treatments, good bedding and sensible exercise plan can also help too.
Fun facts
- Loved by Princes, Presidents and actors this breed is popular both sides of the pond!
- In 1935 Paul Sperry patented a boat shoe sole with wave-like grooves after noticing his Springer Spaniel walked easily over ice and noticing the grooves on his dog’s pads.
- Maybe the most famous Cocker Spaniel is Lady from the 1955 movie “Lady and the Tramp”.
