American Cocker Spaniel

AMERICAN COCKER SPANIEL  Origin:United States  Particular uses: Companion and hunting dog  Life expectancy: 13 years  Male height: 37 - 39 cm.  Male weight: 10- 13 kg approx.  Female height: 34 - 36 cm.  Female weight: 11 - 12 kg approx.  FCI-Standard: No. 167 - Group 8

Historical Summary of the Breed
Between the two world wars, the Cocker Spaniels the English had brought to the United States started to differ from their ancestors to the point where it was impossible for the breed to remain under the same name. In the United States, to obtain a breed pedigree the dog must carry the pure blood of an English Cocker Spaniel for three generations.

The American Cocker Spaniel is a show dog and companion dog. The dog breed is used less for hunting than its English relative.

General Appearance
Compact and well-built, it is, in general, a well-balanced dog. Its forelegs are straight and its torso descends slightly to its strong, muscular, angled hindquarters.

It has a round skull and modeled head. Its muzzle is wide and deep with a pronounced stop. The neck is long, allowing the dog to touch its nose to the floor. Its nostrils are developed in the style of a hunting dog and it has a square jaw with strong teeth and a lock-jaw bite.

The ears have a low-set droop and are very long and covered with long hair. Its eyes, which are round with a dark brown iris color, look to the front. Its coat is slightly wavy with a silky texture and it has tassels on the ears, lower thorax, abdomen and limbs.

Temperament and Behavior
It is a happy, lively, somewhat proud and very curious breed. These dogs are very fearful. It is a perfect friend for children as it is very playful. Furthermore, it is perfectly adaptable to many styles of life and people age groups. It is very intelligent and has a lot of personality, therefore it needs to be trained and educated even as a puppy.