American Cocker Spaniel

An excellent bird and small-game hunter, this breed is famed as one of the world's most popular household pets.
 
Background Notes
This breed was created by crossing setters and spaniels. During the seventeenth century, it was divided into water and land spaniels, the latter group being further divided into big and small spaniels.

Further selection from the smaller ones created cockers and toy dogs. The cocker spaniel is considered the smallest of the sporting breeds; its name comes from its superb ability to ferret out woodcocks.

Introduced from England to the United States between 1870 and 1880, the American form slowly evolved into a distinct breed that is extremely good at flushing and retrieving small game birds, especially quail.

A perennial international favorite, ranked number one in American Kennel Club registrations of 1984, this breed was featured in Disney's classic cartoon film Lady and the Tramp, and became world famous. England developed a different line of the cocker spaniel recognized as the English cocker spaniel.

Key Characteristics
The sweetest in temperament and the smallest of the gundogs, the American cocker spaniel has a short, firm body with a deep chest; shoulders that slope slightly from withers to loin; a wide, distinctly domed head with a clearly defined stop; an angular muzzle; long, low-set pendant ears; round, full dark brown eyes; and a tail that is customarily docked.

Its straight or slightly wavy silky coat is fairly short on the head, but quite full on the ears, chest, abdomen, and limbs. Coloring includes solid jet black, other solid colors, and parti-color.
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The nose should be black, except that a liver nose is allowed for dogs with a solid brown or liver coat, and a red nose for dogs with a parti-color coat. Free in spirit, extremely cheerful, speedy, an untiring hunter, and a companion always eager to please its master, this breed is also charmingly delicate, loving, and gentle with children.

Care and Exercise
Careful grooming for about forty-five minutes twice a week is definitely necessary. The hair on the head, chin, and shoulders should be kept cut neatly. Although readily adaptable to city dwelling, this dog needs sufficient exercise to keep it from becoming overweight.
 
Puppies and Training
Puppies are born in litters of four to six, Solid-colored dogs are born as solid-colored puppies, but parti-colored ones are almost completely white for two weeks after birth. Cockers are alert and easy to train. Daily lessons are best, but be careful not to give the puppies excessive attention as it tends to make them selfish and noisy.