English Cocker Spaniel

Called simply Cocker Spaniel in the UK,^[23] this is the breed that was originally recognized by The Kennel Club (KC) in 1892.^[11] TheAmerican Kennel Club (AKC) recognized the English Cocker Spaniel as a separate breed in 1946.^[14]

The size of the English Cocker Spaniel according to the KC is 15.5–16 inches (39–41 cm) at the withers for males, and 15–15.5 inches (38–39 cm) for females. The weight of a show dog should be 28–32 pounds (13–15 kg).^[23]

The English Cocker Spaniel is the most successful breed at the most popular dog show in the UK, Crufts, with seven best-in-show wins since the prize was first awarded in 1928. This was mostly due to the success of dog breeder H.S. Lloyd's Ware Kennel, dogs of which won best-in-show on six occasions between 1930–1950.^[24] They are the second most popular dog breed in the UK according to statistics released by the KC with 22,211 registrations in 2009, beaten only by the Labrador Retriever with 40,943. In third place was the English Springer Spaniel with 12,700.^[25] The English Cocker's popularity has increased steadily since 1999 in the United States when they were ranked 76th in registrations by the AKC, to 2009 when they were ranked 66th.^[20]

There are physical differences between the show strains and working strains in the UK. While the show strain is bred to the conformation standard, the working strain is bred for working ability and as such several physical differences have appeared. Working type dogs tend to be larger with flatter heads and shorter ears. The coat also tends to be shorter and finer than the show variety and have less feathering. The working strain seems to be more energetic than the show strain.^[26]

history of cocker spaniel

While their origins are unknown, "spaynels" are mentioned in 14th century writings.^[1] It is commonly assumed that they originated inSpain, and Edward of Norwich, 2nd Duke of York in his 15th century work The Master of Game introduces them as "Another kind of hound there is that be called hounds for the hawk and spaniels, for their kind cometh from Spain, notwithstanding that there are many in other countries."^[2] The Master of Game was mostly an English translation of an earlier 14th century Old French work by Gaston III of Foix-Béarn entitled Livre de Chasse.^[3]

In 1801, Sydenham Edwards wrote in Cynographia Britannica that the "Land Spaniel" is divided into two types: the hawking, springing/springer and the cocking/cocker spaniel.^[4] The term cocker came from the dog's use in hunting woodcocks.^[5] During the 19th century a "cocker spaniel" was a type of small Field Spaniel; at the time, this term referred to a number of different spaniel hunting breeds, including the Norfolk Spaniel, Sussex Spaniel, and Clumber Spaniel. While there were no Sussex Cockers or Clumber Cockers, there were dogs known as Welsh Cockers and Devonshire Cockers.^[6] The Welsh or Devonshire were considered cockers until 1903 when they were recognized by The Kennel Club as the Welsh Springer Spaniel.^[7]

Ch. Obo II, foundation sire of the American Cocker Spaniel

Prior to the 1870s, the only requirement for a dog to be classed as a Cocker Spaniel was that it needed to weigh less than 25 pounds (11 kg), although breeders separated the cocker from theKing Charles Spaniel which remains a smaller breed of spaniel.^[8] This maximum weight limit remained on the Cocker Spaniel until 1901, with larger dogs being classed as Springer Spaniels.^[9] The colors of the Devonshire and Welsh Cockers were described by John Henry Walsh under the pseudonym Stonehenge in his book The Dog in Health and Disease as being a deeper shade of liver than that of the Sussex Spaniel.^[10] Following the formation of The Kennel Club in the UK in 1873, efforts were made by breeders to record the pedigrees of cockers and springers. In 1892, English Cocker Spaniels and English Springer Spanielswere recognized as separate breeds by The Kennel Club.^[11]

There are two dogs which are thought to be the foundation sires of both modern breeds of cocker spaniels. Ch. Obo is considered by breed enthusiasts to be the father of the modern English Cocker Spaniel, while his son, Ch. Obo II, is considered to be the progenitor of the American Cocker Spaniel.^[12] Obo was born in 1879, at which point registration as a cocker was still only by size and not by ancestry. He was the son of a Sussex Spaniel and a Field Spaniel.^[7] Although Obo was an English dog, Obo II was born on American shores – his mother was shipped to the United States while pregnant.^[12] During his lifetime, it was claimed in advertisements that Obo II was the sire or grandsire of nearly every prize winning cocker in America.^[13]

more about cocker spaniel

Roans

Roan is mixture of white and colored hairs.

The colored hairs are usually found in solid patches or clumps, whereas the white areas are usually flecked or 'ticked' with the solid color.

The roan colors are blue roan (light blue and dark blue), chocolate (or liver) roan, orange roan, red roan, and lemon roan.

Parti-colors

The parti-colors usually consist of two colors, for example you often see orange and white, lemon and white, chocolate (or liver) and white, and the black and white Cocker Spaniel.

Or, in the case of the tricolour, black, white and tan.

Ticking

Ticking is a term used when there are small flecks of color showing in the white of the dog's coat.

Open Marked

The term "open marked" is used where there is no ticking or roan markings in the dog's coat, instead the coat will have clear white between the colored patches.

You'll also find dogs with tan markings on their face, (above the eyebrows and on the muzzle) under their tails, on their feet, and on their chest. Where the dog's coat is predominantly black, his colouring would be termed black and tan.

Golden Cocker Spaniels 

Watercolour of Max, our golden Cocker Spaniel - I love it!

This beautiful watercolor of Max was commissioned for my birthday by my husband, Don (very sweet!). Max was about 12 months old at the time and I think it's an absolutely gorgeous likeness and I love it!

Come on, I'm waiting!

The cute looking Cocker Spaniel in the above photograph is Max, at three and a half years old.... - he's such a sweetie - 

Golden Cocker Spaniel puppy on patrol!

The above puppy is Max patrolling his garden to make sure next door's cat stays in his own garden! Max is almost 6 years old now - I don't know where the time went?

Puppy days are very special. Like our youth, they'll never come around again so make sure you and your puppy enjoy those special times while you still can - appreciate every single day you have together.

Just look at that appealing little face!

Max is still a puppy in this picture, although a few months older. He'd gone looking for some shade as it was a very hot day - extremely unusual for our neck of the woods!

Max at six days old! My golden Cocker Spaniel baby is so cute!

The above picture was taken at the breeders when he was less than one week old - he was so cute!

- See more at: http://www.about-cocker-spaniels.com/golden-cocker-spaniels.html#sthash.RgK6PIPf.dpuf

Solid Coat Colors Of The Cocker Spaniel

According to Wikipedia, the colors of the breed consist of the following:

Black, liver with brown pigmentation, red with black or brown pigmentation, golden with black or brown pigmentation, sable, silver, ash, black and tan, liver and tan, blue roan, liver roan, orange roan with black or brown pigmentation, lemon roan with black or brown pigmentation, black and white ticked, liver and white ticked, orange and white ticked with black or brown pigmentation, lemon and white ticked with black or brown pigmentation, black and white, liver and white with brown pigmentation, orange and white with black or brown pigmentation, lemon and white with black or brown pigmentation.....Phew!

I'm certainly not an expert on coat colors, but generally speaking, the solid colors (also known as 'self') are chocolate, black, golden, and very rarely seen, sable.

Golden Cocker Spaniels can be a light golden in color or a darker, more reddish shade.

Where the golden coats are darker, they're sometimes referred to as red Cocker Spaniels.

Some breeders say that the golden Cocker Spaniel is prone to 'Rage Syndrome' but today breeders are very careful and check the history of the sire and dam for any sign of the condition prior to breeding.

Thankfully, rage syndrome in Cocker Spaniels is very rare.

If there's evidence to suggest that either dog has shown signs of rage syndrome, they're unlikely to be used for breeding purposes.

 I've  owned a black Cocker, it's said that the black, glossy coats are much heavier and because of this they may need more grooming than any of the other colors.

Chocolate Cocker Spaniels are a beautiful reddish-chocolate brown and they're often referred to as 'liver' colored.

If you're planning to show your pet, breed standards recommend that the coat shouldn't contain any white, however a little patch on the chest is allowed.

- See more at: http://www.about-cocker-spaniels.com/golden-cocker-spaniels.html#sthash.RgK6PIPf.dpuf

cokers spaniels

Cocker Spaniels are dogs belonging to two breeds of the spaniel dog type: the American Cocker Spaniel and the English Cocker Spaniel, both of which are commonly called simply Cocker Spaniel in their countries of origin. In the early 20th century, Cocker Spaniels also included small hunting Spaniels.

Cocker Spaniels were originally bred as hunting dogs in the United Kingdom, with the term cocker deriving from their use to hunt theEurasian woodcock. When the breed was brought to the United States, it was bred to a different standard, which enabled it to specialize in hunting the American woodcock. Further physical changes were bred into the cocker in the United States during the early part of the 20th century.

Spaniels were first mentioned in the 14th century by Gaston III of Foix-Béarn in his work the Livre de Chasse. The "cocking" or "cocker spaniel" was a type of field or land spaniel in the 19th century. Prior to 1901, Cocker Spaniels were only separated from Field Spaniels and Springer Spaniels by weight. Two dogs are considered to be the foundation sires of both modern breeds, the English variety are descended from Ch. Obo, while the American breed descends from Obo's son, Ch. Obo II. In the United States, the English Cocker was recognized as separate from the native breed in 1946; in the UK, the American type was recognized as a separate breed in 1970. In addition, there is a second strain of English Cocker Spaniel, a working strain which is not bred to a standard but to working ability. Both breeds share similar coat colors and health issues with a few exceptions.