American Cocker Spaniel Dog Breed History and Description

Description: The American Cocker Spaniel dog breed is of medium size with a height of 15 inches, for a dog and 14 inches for a bitch. Their weight is 15 to 30 pounds for both male and female. They have a rounded head with a pronounced stop. With the square and deep muzzle, that is broad. Their teeth meet in a scissor bite. Their eyes are round, with slight almond shaping to the rims. The Merle Spaniels, being the exception to the rule with blue eyes. The American Cocker Spaniel dog breed has long, low set ears that have feathering.

Their legs are straight. This breed has a docked tail, if this is permitted. Some countries have outlawed this practice of docking tails. The coat is flat silky and can come with slight waving. The coat is medium in length, but short on the head. They have feathering on their chest, ears, tummies and legs. The coat may come in any solid color including Black with tan points. Multiple color combination's can be white, with buff or red. It is worth noting the field lines have a shorter coat than the show lines within this breed.

History: The United States version of the Cocker Spaniel dates back as far as the 14th century. This dog originated from the English Cocker, which was brought to the United States. They were then bred down in size and became the American Cocker Spaniel. This breed is more popular than the English version. This is a hunting dog and works well in all terrains including water. This breed is excellent at retrieving and flushing out the game. They are renowned for their gentle mouth, and listening to commands well. Some of their many talents are hunting, retrieving, tracking, competitive obedience and agility.