Cocker Spaniel Breed Information

The Cocker Spaniel is a relatively small, compact dog, with a height at the shoulders of approximately  39-41 cms (15 ½ -16 ins) for males & 38-39 cms (15-15 ½ ins) for females. Weight is approximately 13 - 14 kg's for dogs and 11 - 12.5kg's for bitches. A Weight Chart for cockers from birth to adulthood can be seen here.

The Cocker is classed as a medium sized dog. The average life span of a well cared for and healthy Cocker is approximately 11 - 12 years although some may live up to be 15 plus.

There are a wide variety of colours (the base colours are black, red and liver in solids and in parti-colours there are blue, orange and liver [chocolate]). In addition to the base colours, both the solid and parti-colours can have 'tan points'.

The Cocker Spaniel is a gundog, and he will enjoy (given the opportunity!) many happy hours investigating interesting smells and looking for the opportunity to flush out wildlife from the surrounding countryside. Equally, a Cocker is at home on his owner's lap or in front of the fire. Most Cockers (although not all) like water & relish the occasional swim. Cockers are adaptable dogs and can be easily trained to retrieve as well as flush.

Cocker Spaniels are a popular breed; however, this popularity can create problems. Unfortunately, far too many cockers are being bred simply for profit, so it is wise to seek out a responsible breeder with a genuine commitment to Cockers (rather than a commitment to making money), whether it is a show or working type.

For full details of the Breed Standard please go the UK Kennel Club site via this link.

They are a breed that are very much “in your face” and would not suit owners who want placid dogs who are content to sit & be calm and quiet all day whilst owners are busy, they can be quite lively, bouncy and exuberant due to their zest for life.

Cockers are also a breed which can be manipulative due to their intelligence and the fact that they are 'in tune' with their owners & need firm (clear rules and boundaries) but kind and gentle handling. Their soulful eyes and sweet demeanour can mean that they look sad and owners may be tempted to excuse any unacceptable behaviour that occasionally arises which can result in an unruly and disobedient dog.

The very house proud should consider whether a cocker is suitable for their lifestyle. As a breed they shed significantly if left in full coat and due to their long coats, big paws and love of rooting about in the undergrowth they can bring a lot of dirt, moisture & debris into the home.

Cockers are generally very friendly towards other animals including other dogs, cats & small pets. Early socialisation around other animals is important though as like many dogs they will chase other animals (to play with them as opposed to hurt them) if not trained appropriately from a young age.

Cockers can be a noisy breed. Our own dogs are quiet as "church mice" most of the time, very little disturbs the peace! However, many cockers can become over excited or over stimulated (by activities around the home & various sights and sounds) and this is likely to trigger a barking session! Training away from noisy responses to events is they key!

Cocker Spaniels are known for their fun, lively & kind natures. They are happy little dogs with ever wagging tails whose enjoy life to the full.

They are also friendly & busy little dogs who thrive on human company and really prefer to be around people most of the time. A Cocker likes to be with the family and if allowed will follow you from room to room. They are merry and happy dogs, they are happy to work, happy to play and above all, they are happy to be cuddled and fussed!

Cockers have very gentle & soft personalities and do not like to feel as if they have displeased their owners, their feelings can be easily wounded and they respond badly to overly strict handling by becoming withdrawn and miserable.

Cockers are generally very tolerant of children and owners should ensure that children behave appropriately towards them as a well socialised and trained cocker is very unlikely to retaliate should he get hurt or frightened.

Cocker Spaniels make brilliant family pets due to their wonderful temperament. The Cocker's reputation goes before him as a friendly, happy and well-mannered dog. They are easy to train (with patience & consistency), eager to please and make devoted companions.

The Cocker Spaniel has a long and silky coat. The Cocker coat, if not clipped will require regular and thorough grooming in order to prevent matting & to keep the dog comfortable. Heavily coated cockers can get very woolly quite quickly and this is uncomfortable for the dog, may lead to skin/ear infections and adds to the time taken to keep the dog mat and tangle free.

A well-trimmed Cocker is a pleasure to behold, however it does take time (lots of time!) and practice to keep a cocker in full coat without the dog looking like a sheep in need of shearing!

New owners should take time to familiarise themselves with the coat care of a Cocker (your breeder should be a good source of information, they will perhaps be willing to advise you or in some cases they will trim dogs for a living).

There are two "styles" of trimming a cocker, the first (used by show breeders) is to "hand strip.” Hand stripping is the removal of surplus hair coat by gentle plucking until the dog is neat and tidy. Only the old and dead hair is removed & when done correctly this method of trimming does not hurt the dog. Delicate areas, the feet and the ends of the feathering are finished using scissors.

Hand stripping leaves the coat soft and natural looking. It is however, a technique that needs to be learned and it is also time consuming and can be quite arduous! The aim of trimming a cocker is to trim the coat so the natural shape (construction) of the dog is visible but in such a way as to appear as if the coat grew naturally!

The other method of trimming a cocker is to use electric clippers. Skilful use of the clippers can produce a dog that looks to be in "show trim" but without the hours of work hand stripping involves. It is important to note that if a dog is to be shown its coat must be hand trimmed, the use of clippers is not acceptable.

To see photos of a dog being hand stripped visit our "hand stripping" page.

Grooming Parlours

If you wish to have your Cocker professionally trimmed, find a grooming parlour who knows about Cocker Spaniels. Most grooming parlours will clip cockers in a short "gundog" clip i.e. all hair & feathering taken off to within 2 - 3 millimetres! Some will clip and leave feathers on but owners should be aware that most grooming parlours do not know where to leave feathering & where to take it away which often results in a rather "misshapen" appearance compared to the look of a show trimmed cocker.

Due to the time consuming nature of hand stripping most if not all grooming parlours will not hand strip a cocker's coat. Occasionally a grooming parlour will be willing to strip the coat, however this is usually done with tools (i.e. a terrier stripping knife) as opposed to removing surplus coat by hand (plucking). Once a dog has had its coat trimmed by tools, it can be difficult to revert to hand stripping due to the "damage" done to the coat.

The average Cocker will require clipping approximately every 5 - 6 weeks or if hand stripped, the coat will need attention more frequently.

Cockers are generally hardy & healthy dogs. Like all living beings, the occasional health issue can occur but these are not frequent. For more information on various ailments common to many dogs (& humans too!) visit our cocker spaniel health page.

There are few hereditary issues known to occur in the breed, however prcd-PRA, FN (& possibly hip-dysplasia) are three diseases which the parents of a puppy should be health screened for to ensure that the risk of their offspring developing these diseases is eradicated or minimised in the case of hip-dysplasia.

The history of the cocker spaniel and the other spaniel breeds in the Gundog Group. For more information please click see our history of the breed page.