Origin 
           The popular Cocker Spaniel, sometimes called the American Cocker Spaniel, was originally developed from careful breeding of  the English Cocker Spaniels brought to the United States. The American Cocker Spaniel is smaller than the English Cocker Spaniel and has a different conformation. The name "Cocker" comes from the woodcock, a game bird these spaniels flushed particularly well. 
             Today, the Cocker Spaniel serves primarily as a companion and glamorous show dog. It can also be used for hunting, tracking, retrieving, watchdogging and agility. 
      Group  
            Gun Dog, AKC Sporting 
       This is a beautiful spaniel with very long hanging ears, a rounded head, and a profuse, silky, feathered, medium-length coat. The head is chiseled with an abrupt stop. The muzzle is wide, deep and broad with a square jaw. The upper lip hangs down, covering the lower jaw completely. The teeth are strong and should meet in a scissors bite. 
       The nose is always black on black dogs, but may be brown on other dogs. The eyes are round, set on so they look straightforward. The eye rims are slightly oval. The body is compact, with a short back. 
        The topline should slope gently downwards from front to back. The front legs are straight, with good bone. Dewclaws on front and rear legs should be removed. The coat comes in buff, black, and other solid colors, black-and-tan (like a Rottweiler or Doberman Pinscher), parti-color (white with black, white with buff or red, white with black and tan points) Some requirements for correct markings are specified in the standard. The tail is docked to 2/5 it's original length and is carried on a line with its back; it is constantly in motion. Field lines generally have shorter coats which are better suited to work in brush. They also have better hunting instincts. Both types make good pets. 
       Temperament  
                Bold and keen to work, the American Cocker Spaniel is equally suited to life as a gundog or as a household pet. Cheerful, sweet, and  sensitive, the Cocker Spaniel is an inseparable friend of children, and respectful of its master's authority without much challenge. Merry and  endearing. A happy tail-wagger. Gentle and trusting, with average intelligence. They are lively, playful and devoted, but should be socialized well when they are young to avoid a tendency for timidity. 
                Cockers love everyone and need people to be happy. They can be difficult to housebreak and some like to bark. However they are  mostly easy to train and get along well with other animals. 
            This is a very popular breed. Beware of poorly bred puppy-mill Cockers as  they may have bizarre temperamental changes and behavioral  problems. This would include shy-sharpness, which is a combination of fear and dominance that can cause viciousness. Also Submissive urinating; aggressive guarding of objects, people and places, hyper-sexuality and roaming. 
                         Height, Weight 
      Height:     Dogs 15 inches (38cm.) 
                Bitches    14inches (36.8cm.) 
     Weight:        24-28 pounds (10.9-12.7kg.) 
       Dogs larger than these limits are disqualified from shows. 
                        Health Problems  
       Some major concerns are cataracts, glaucoma and patellar luxation. Some minor concerns are hip dysplasia, ectropion, entropion, PRA, allergies, seborrhea, lip fold pyoderma, otitis externa, liver disease,  urolithiasis, prolapse of nictitans gland, CHF, phosphofructokinase  deficiency, and cardiomyopathy. Occasionally seen are gastric torsion and elbow dysplasia. 
                        Living Conditions  
      Cockers will do okay in an apartment if they are adequately 
exercised, and are fairly active indoors. A small yard is sufficient. 
                        Exercise  
      American Cockers have plenty of stamina and need regular exercise. When walking, avoid brushy thickets that can tangle the coat. 
                        Life Expectancy 
               About 12-15 years. 
                        Grooming  
     The eyes need regular cleaning. Some owners prefer to leave the coat long, brushing daily and shampooing frequently with quarterly scissoring and clipping. Others prefer to clip the coat to medium  length to be more functional. Either way, the dog will need regular trimming. When brushing, be careful not to pull out the silky hair. This breed is an average shedder. 

                                  Recognition  
                   FCI, AKC, UKC, KCGB, CKC, 
                 ANKC, NKC, NZKC, CKC, CCR