The American Cocker Spaniel - A Real Friend

The American Cocker spaniel in one the most popular dog breeds in the United States. It has a compact stature and is considered a small dog breed. Between the 1930's and the 1940's this dog breed has been crowned number one by the AKC (American Kennel Club) for seventeen years. The American cocker spaniel is a descendant of the sprinter spaniel, the field spaniel, and the shorter English cocker spaniel. The word cocker refers to chasing wood cock.

The Cocker spaniel came to the United States in the 1880's. The American Cocker spaniel were bred specifically as a hunting dog, they specializes in hunting birds and rabbits. One unique feature about this dog is that, they are nonhound breed, which are specialized in chasing fur instead of feathers. When in hunting mode, these dogs are extremely determined to hunt down their prey so that they can please their owner. These dogs have a lot of fur and require a trip to the groomer more often compared to other dog breeds however, the long fur gives this dog a luxurious look overall. These dogs do require a considerable amount of attention, but they tend to be great companion dogs.

The breed has a bit of spring in its step; and is known to have an alert expression on his face, and an ecstatic tail wagging. One of the major issues facing the breed is the issue of over breeding, which is the result of this breeds huge popularity. Over breeding has a negative effect on the health of this breed as well, health problems include: juvenile cataract of the eyes and other eye problems which are the most common type of health problems this breed faces.

Thus to conclude all; this is one of the most popular breeds in the United States. These dogs are known for their beauty and their hunting skills. They make great companion dogs, and will go through great lengths to please their owner. However, this popularity has backfired on this breed, as it has resulted in over breeding of this breed and this has resulted in a number of health problems in this breed. If you are planning to get this breed, make sure you find a good breeder, which has a clean record and has some sort of record to prove it. Try to avoid puppy mills as puppies from puppy mills can have a number of health issues.