The English Cocker Spaniel is a hunting species previously used only for bird hunting. Today, the English Cocker Spaniel is a popular pet because it is very kind and active. In this article, you will find a lot of interesting and useful information about the English Cocker Spaniel dog breed.
The English Cocker Spaniel has developed muscles and a strong body that is well-folded. They are very mobile, agile, and fast dogs. The English Cocker Spaniel has a large head in the right shape and a rectangular cheek. The dog has round dark eyes and a wide nose, which is black or brown depending on the wool color. The look is sensible, intelligent, and benevolent.
The cocker spaniel has low-planted and long ears. They are located at eye level on the sides of the head and covered with a slightly curly, thick wool. These dogs have magnificent wool in a variety of colors. It is quite long, but very soft and silky to the touch. It has thick sub-hairs.
The longest hair of the Cocker Spaniel is on the chest, legs, and stomach, and the shortest is on the head. The color of the English cocker spaniel has many options. The most common are black, red, sandy, chocolate, and spotted; there are other options. This breed is quite compact. The growth of the English cocker spaniel in the hole is about 15 inches and weighs no more than 33 lb. Previously, the dogs of this breed had a tail, but now the tail has gone out of fashion. Dogs live 14–16 years.
England is the birthplace of this breed. The English Cocker Spaniel is a breed of dog that was artificially bred in the early 19th century. They raised it intending to create the perfect hunter. At the time, there were very strict standards for this breed, which made further breeding very difficult. But today’s demands on them have changed considerably and have become much milder. That is why the breed of English Cocker Spaniel is now widespread and popular all over the world.
Intelligence and character of the English Cocker Spaniel
The English Cocker Spaniel is a real hunting dog. Today, it is a sporting breed because the endless energy keeps this dog in motion. It moves very vigorously and rapidly. The natural playfulness and cheerfulness make these dogs desirable pets for any family, including where there are small children. You can’t be afraid that the cocker spaniel will bite the child. It is also worth noting the remarkable smell and vision, thanks to which these dogs come out as good hunters.
The cheerful and playful appearance is best expressed by the responsive and friendly character of the English cocker spaniel. This breed feels great both in large families and with lonely people. In the family, the dog chooses one person as the owner and has a strong affection for him. Concerning the rest of the family, the dog will be a friend, but the owner is one.
Despite the fact that today the English Cocker Spaniel dog is more of a pet, it still remains a great hunter. On a walk, the cocker spaniel shows his passion for any birds he encounters on his way. The Cocker Spaniel is a very intelligent and easily trained dog. She has no equals in the game, where you have to find something or bring something. It’s a real field-hunting master.
If you have chosen a cocker spaniel as your future pet, note that this dog is sensitive. It will be necessary to give up the manifestation of sharp negative emotions, as the dog is extremely susceptible to screaming and, naturally, it is categorically impossible to apply physical punishment to her. This breed should be treated with love and kindness. The main rule in the training of a pet is the absence of any violence in the process of communication and upbringing. These dogs are very sensitive to human moods.
The Cocker Spaniel captures the commands on the flight, and you will not need monotonous, repeated repetitions. Moderate patience and persistence are required in education. This dog cannot be allowed to ignore commands, because then it will be difficult to correct disobedience to commands. When raising children, it is worth using the method of “prank” but not “knut.”.
Food motivation will be the key to this.
Cocker Spaniels love delicacies and will be happy to meet the requirements only to get a reward. In education, it is necessary to encourage and form habits during games as well as in civilized ways to express dissatisfaction. This approach will make a puppy an obedient pet. When introducing commands in the apartment, it is necessary to carry out their fixation on the street. It is not recommended to leave the dog alone for a long time; cocker spaniels do not tolerate loneliness. Otherwise, the pet will spoil the character; he will tear up and become angry. But most importantly, love your dog, play with him, and take care of him. Then you will have a happy and cheerful dog. The Cocker Spaniel is one of the most intelligent breeds; he understands everything and responds to everything with reciprocity.
Usually, cocker spaniel puppies are bred at the age of 1.5 months. From this point on, the baby should be taught the rules of conduct in the apartment. Prohibitions must be imposed. Of course, the cocker spaniel is a clever dog, but it will not learn the rules and will not form habits without proper participation in the upbringing.
Make sure to show the puppy his place of rest, dishes with food, and water. The species is very smart and quickly understands what to do. If you do not allow yourself to jump to bed or play with boots, then it will be difficult to get rid of such habits. Also, do not forget to buy toys and special bones. To keep your household items from becoming toys, the bones are also a great way to brush your teeth.
In the first days of the appearance of the English cocker spaniel puppy in the new house, do not leave him alone; otherwise, the baby will endure stress. When you take the baby in your arms, hold it with both hands. As it is very mobile, it can just slip out of your hands and fall. Puppies are curious and able to climb on a sofa, chair, or table. From there, the brave people are so eager to jump, so be careful.
The English Cocker Spaniel is a special species; you invest in them, and you pay. Love, care, and attention will give you a loyal friend and protector. English Cocker Spaniels are kind, shy, and cheerful dogs. Cocker Spaniel is easy to train; he likes to learn, as he is very energetic, active, and curious. At the age of 3 months, you can start educational training.
To make a cocker spaniel exclusively a guard dog will not work with any training. This breed is characterized by sociality and friendliness. They can be friendly even with strangers. But despite such increased friendliness and the desire to communicate, they are still more likely to show mistrust to strangers than vice versa.
The breed has one disadvantage: it is a little nervous and very impressive. With a rough attitude and strict dressing, the pet becomes a nervous and stuck creature. Also, for a puppy, socialization is very important; otherwise, he will grow shy and frightened. Socialization and communication will help raise a healthy and kind dog. English cocker spaniels are overly susceptible to emotions, and even with a normal upbringing, they are inclined from strong excitement to involuntarily make a loose under themselves.
Cocker spaniels are very mobile and need daily walks, during which they will be able to spend their insatiable energy. This breed of dog is so fascinated that following the trail can make you completely forget about everything. Keep this in mind, and let the dog down from the handle only in safe places.
Because of their sensitive nature and love of communication, they find it difficult to experience loneliness and fall into depression. If the dog is abandoned, it begins to behave inappropriately: it laughs, becomes aggressive, and starts to spoil everything in the house. Of course, for each dog, everything is individual, because the determining factor will be the temperament of your pet.
Caring for the English Cocker Spaniel requires some effort; the dog should be regularly bathed, shaved, and trimmed. The contents of the English cocker spaniel require careful and regular care, especially for the wool. The owners will need a variety of grinders, brushes, scissors, and trimmers.
Timely shaving of the wool will help to avoid confusion. Although cocker spaniels are not very lazy, chesting will save you from excess wool in the apartment. Usually, it is enough to shave the pets 2-3 times a week, but during the lining period, it is necessary to do this daily. The haircut of an English cocker spaniel is an important part of care, and it should be taught from childhood. Wool procedures are familiar to this breed. The dog will behave calmly in the process of a haircut if it has been trained since childhood.
Sobak likes frequent bathing. You can bathe every week using a shampoo for long-haired dogs. It is very important to dry the dog with a hairdryer after bathing; otherwise, it may get cold at the crossroads. However only drying the hairdryer is allowed in the cool mode, as the hot air is harmful to their skin. It is necessary to pay attention to the care of the ears; if you do not take care of them, they will smell unpleasant. It is necessary to carefully and not deeply clean the ear canals with a cotton stick.
The English cocker spaniel tends to be obese; poets keep an eye on the amount of food consumed and do not give in to the provocation of pitiful eyes at an empty bowl after the part just eaten. The diet should include raw meat (beef and chicken without bones), cooked by-products (liver, heart, lungs), seafood, vegetables, fruits, dairy and sour milk products (milk, cheese, cheesecake, cream), cakes (wax, wheat, rice, ham), and soups.
You can mix natural foods with special dog foods. The pet should always have free access to fresh water. Feeding an adult dog is enough once a day. Food should be at room temperature and not contain salt. Uneaten food and food residue should not be left in the bowl.
The English cocker spaniel can suffer from both acquired and inherited diseases. They rarely get sick, as they are naturally active and healthy dogs. Cocker spaniels have psychological disorders (hysteria, panic, and aggression), diseases of the visual organs (cataracts, glaucoma, and others), and skin diseases (prone to various fungal infections). During walks, be sure to wear a flea-proof necklace.
But the most vulnerable part of a dog’s body is its ears. They often develop infection and inflammation; otitis can appear. Check your ears regularly, especially if your dog is shaking his head and itching his ears. Owners should regularly inspect and clean the ear canals.
To eliminate the appearance of problems with health, you should regularly visit a veterinarian and monitor the correctness of care and nutrition. The basis of the health of the dog, its vigor, and its activity is a balanced diet. It is necessary to take frequent walks in the fresh air. But just walking is not enough; the dog needs additional loads in the form of exercises and games.