Origins of the Cocker Spaniel Breed

Understanding what the dog was originally bred to do will help you to understand the dog’s traits.

Cocker Spaniels are a type of gundog which also includes pointers, setters and retrievers.

The Cocker Spaniel was named after its purpose – hunting woodcock. Said to have originated in Spain over 700 years ago, the breed was used in England for flushing game birds out of thick marshy bushland into the open for game hunting. This might be why Cocker Spaniels are not fearful of thunder or fire crackers.

What is the Cocker Spaniel temperament like?

Cockers Spaniels are known for their merry, playful nature and ‘bustling’ gait as they wag their tail and busily smell everything. Aggressive Cocker Spaniels are rare and their nature and willingness to please makes them the perfect family pet.

These affectionate pups thrive on companionship and are exceptionally social. Their distinctive long ears and expressive eyes give them an endearing charm. Here are some key traits:

• Playful and affectionate: They love to play fetch and run around for short bursts – but they don’t require hours of exercise. Cocker Spaniels can be known as velcro dogs who want to be by your side constantly (more accurately – they will whinge if they are not up your left nostril!). Expect lots of cuddles and licks! But also expect whining and scratching at the door if they can’t be inside with the rest of their pack (you).
• Intelligent: They are quick learners, making training sessions enjoyable – but because this is a form of attention, you might need to run the excitement out of them first! Without stimulation they will find their own entertainment that humans think is naughty. They are great at learning obedience and scentwork.
• Food driven: Cocker Spaniels will sniff out your treats and are not shy of begging or trying to sneak food from your bench – beware! This means they are very easy to train with treats, but it also means that they might become food protective at meal time. It doesn’t matter what breed of dog you encounter, you should never try to interact with a dog that is busy eating, or let small children play near dogs at meal time. Beware of over-feeding – they will try to convince you with their lovable expression!

Cocker Spaniels have a very playful side, often engaging in antics that keep families entertained. Teddy has become quite a calm boy as he grew into an adult, while Lola is still a cheeky ratbag – at 2 years old she is still jumping high enough to reach food on the kitchen bench, so we need to be vigilant!

What are the physical traits of the Cocker Spaniel?

Because of the purpose they were bred for, Cocker Spaniels love water, have long ears to funnel scent into their noses, and have a prominent “stop” – the indentation where the skull meets the nose – so that their eyes stay free of debris while they run through thick undergrowth to flush out birds.

Fully grown Cockers Spaniels weight between 13-14.5kg and grow to a height of between 38cm and 41cm, with fuly grown females a touch smaller than their male counterparts.

Their long floppy ears are a bit of an optical illusion because the hair is left long on the bottom of the ear so they appear 1/3 longer than they actually are.

What colours do Cocker Spaniels come in?

Cocker Spaniels come in many coat colours! A particolour coat means it has a mixture of white with one or more colour and a solid coat is generally a single colour or black/tan or liver/tan. Show breeders know that the breed standard only allows for a small white patch on the chest of a solid coloured Cocker.

Solid colours include:

• Golden
• Black
• Red (usually a darker shade of golden and often with a brown nose)
• Liver (also known as chocolate and has a brown nose and light eyes due to the lack of black pigment)
• Black and tan
• Liver and tan

Parti colours include:

• Roan (lots of white spots throughout the coat): lBue roan; orange roan; lemon roan; liver roan; blue roan and tan; liver roan and tan.
• Bicolours: Black and white; orange and white; liver and white; lemon and white. All with or without ticking.
• Tricolours: Black, white and tan; liver, white and tan.

Depending on the coat genetics of the parents, it can be tricky to predict the colours of a litter before they are born!

How much exercise do Cocker Spaniels need?

Cockers Spaniels are content with one walk per day for enrichment and exercise. They are a small breed to they don’t need to walk for miles, and if you live in a hot climate they will heat up very quickly and want to go for a swim or back into the air conditioning.

Because they have a driving gait, and get very excited, they tend to tug on the leash. This can be fixed with some simple obedience training. However, sometimes I don’t mind my Cocker Spaniel tugging on the leash because they are trimming their nails on the footpath at the same time!

What are the grooming needs of Cockers Spaniels?

Cocker Spaniels generally grow a double coat which sheds seasonally. As a puppy they start with fluffy fur coats, then as they grow older their silky gard hairs will start to grow through.

If you want your Cocker Spaniel to look like a show dog, you will be up for professional grooming every 1 to 2 months, and weekly brushing. This is because a ‘show groom’ leaves feathers (long hair) on the chest, belly and legs of the dog, as well as on the ears. Weekly brushing is critical for preventing matting because matting can pinch or hurt the dog.

If you ask the groomer for a ‘pet groom’ they will trim more of the feathers for easier care.

I groom my own Cocker Spaniels – Teddy has a thick double coat that I strip the fluffy undercoat from, and Lola has a single coat that is easier to manage. We are building a collection of grooming articles here.

Is a Cocker Spaniel right for me or my family?

The ideal human family for a cocker spaniel is one that can be with them 24 hours a day! But this is not realistic in today’s modern world.

Because of their merry, loving nature, they are great dogs for families with children. Beware of over-excitement around very small children – a Cocker Spaniel that hasn’t been trained might jump out of excitement and frighten an infant.

If you have limited mobility or time to provide walks, this still could be the dog for you – as long as you can provide plenty of cuddles and play fetch in a small area once a day they will get enough stimulation.

The best commitment you can make to your Cocker Spaniel is to do some basic training early on – this will benefit your pup as much as your sanity.