American Cocker Spaniel facts for kids
An American Cocker Spaniel with its coat clipped into a show cut.
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| Other names | Cocker Spaniel (in USA), Cocker, Merry Cocker | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Origin | USA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The American Cocker Spaniel is a popular dog breed known as a sporting dog. It is a type of spaniel dog. This breed is very similar to the English Cocker Spaniel. However, the two breeds became different in the 20th century. This happened because breeders in the US and the UK had different ideas about what the perfect dog should look like.
In the United States, people often just call this dog the Cocker Spaniel. But in other parts of the world, it's called the American Cocker Spaniel. This helps tell it apart from its older English cousin. The word cocker likely comes from their use in hunting woodcock birds in England. The word spaniel probably comes from the dogs' origins in Spain.
The American Cocker Spaniel was very popular in the United States. It was the most popular breed during the 1940s and 1950s. It also held this top spot again in the 1980s. Overall, it was the most popular breed for 18 years! These dogs have also won the top prize, called "best in show," at the famous Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show four times. One American Cocker Spaniel also won "best in show" at Crufts in 2017.
This breed is the smallest sporting dog recognized by the AKC (American Kennel Club). Its unique head shape makes it easy to recognize. It's a happy dog with good intelligence for learning. However, because it was bred mostly for dog shows, it's not usually a working dog anymore. American Cocker Spaniels can have some health issues. These include problems with their hearts, eyes, and ears.
Contents
How the American Cocker Spaniel Began
Records show that the first spaniel dog came to North America on the ship Mayflower. This ship sailed from England and landed in New England in 1620. The first Cocker Spaniel officially recorded in America was a dog named Captain in 1878.
In 1881, the American Cocker Spaniel Club was created. This club later became the American Spaniel Club (ASC). It is now the oldest dog breed club in the United States. The club's first goal was to create rules to make the American Cocker Spaniel different from other spaniel types. This task took over 20 years and was finished in 1905.
By the late 1800s, this breed became popular in America and Canada. People liked them as both family pets and hunting dogs. In the early 1900s, breeders in America and England started to have different ideas for the Cocker Spaniel. Because of this, the dogs slowly became different. By the 1920s, the American Cockers had shorter muzzles. Their fur was also softer, and the dogs were smaller and lighter overall.
The differences became so clear that in 1935, breeders started the English Cocker Spaniel Club. They even stopped the two types of spaniels from breeding with each other.
Famous American Cockers and Their Popularity
American Cocker Spaniels have won the "best in show" award at the Westminster Dog Show four times. The first win was in 1921. A famous dog named My Own Brucie won this title twice, in 1940 and 1941. He became known as the most photographed dog in the world! Brucie's win in 1940 happened at the same time the American Cocker Spaniel became the most popular dog breed in the United States. They stayed the most popular until 1952.
The American Cocker Spaniel became super popular again in the 1980s. It was the most popular breed from 1984 to 1990. In recent years, the breed's popularity has gone down a bit. In 2005, it was ranked as the 15th most popular breed by the American Kennel Club.
American Cocker Spaniels have also been connected to the US Presidency. In 1952, an American Cocker Spaniel became well-known when Richard Nixon, a US Senator at the time, gave his famous "Checkers speech." These dogs have also been linked to Presidents Rutherford B. Hayes and Harry S. Truman. More recently, a Cocker Spaniel named Zeke lived with Bill Clinton when he was the Governor of Arkansas.
What American Cocker Spaniels Look Like
The American Cocker Spaniel is the smallest dog recognized by the American Kennel Club as a sporting dog. They are usually about 13.5 to 15.5 inches (34 to 39 cm) tall at the shoulder. They have normal body proportions. Their fur is medium-long and silky on their body and ears. It hangs down on their legs and belly, which is called "feathering."
Their head has an upturned nose, and their ears hang down. American Cocker Spaniels usually weigh between 24 to 30 pounds (11 to 14 kg). Female dogs of this breed often weigh a little less than males.
The head of an American Cocker Spaniel is very special and makes the breed easy to spot. They have a rounded skull and a clear "stop" (the area where the forehead meets the muzzle). Their lips are square-shaped. Their long, floppy ears are set low and have long, silky fur. Their eyes are dark, large, and round. The nose can be black or brown, depending on the dog's fur color.
The fur of this breed comes in many different colors. These colors are usually grouped into three main types: black, black and tan, and parti-color (meaning two or more colors).
American Cockers have rounder eyes, a more rounded skull, and a shorter muzzle than English Cockers. Their eyebrows are also more noticeable. English Cockers have a head shape more like an Irish Setter. The English breed is also a bit bigger, usually between 14.5–15.5 inches (37–39 cm) tall.
American Cocker Spaniel Temperament
American Cocker Spaniels are often called the "Merry Cocker" because they are known for their happy personalities. The breed's official description says that an ideal dog of this breed should have a good temperament. This breed ranks 20th in Stanley Coren's book The Intelligence of Dogs. This means they have good "Working or Obedience Intelligence," which means they are easy to train.
In dog IQ tests from the 1950s and 1960s, American Cockers did very well at showing self-control. For example, they could wait for a command before doing something. This skill might come from their hunting past, where they would "freeze" when they found a bird and then flush it out only when told. However, they were not very good at using their paws to move objects, like uncovering a food dish or pulling a string.
If they are socialized well when they are young, American Cockers can get along with people, children, other dogs, and other pets. This breed almost always has a wagging tail and loves to be around people. They are not happy if they are left alone in a backyard. Cockers can get stressed easily by loud noises or by rough handling.
These dogs were first used for hunting. But they became more popular as show dogs. They were bred more and more to fit the breed standard for shows. This led to some features, like their long fur, which now make them less ideal as working dogs.
Lifespan of American Cocker Spaniels
Surveys in the UK, USA, and Canada show that American Cocker Spaniels usually live for about 10 to 11 years. This is a bit shorter than the average lifespan for purebred dogs. It's also one to two years less than other dog breeds of their size. The larger English Cocker Spaniel usually lives about a year longer than the American Cocker Spaniel.
American Cockers in Popular Culture
- The famous animated film Lady and the Tramp features the character Lady, who is an American Cocker Spaniel.
- Trilby from the Australian-American TV show Raggs is an American Cocker Spaniel.
Images for kids
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An American Cocker Spaniel with a golden coat.
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A black American Cocker Spaniel.
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An American cocker spaniel.
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A black female.
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American Cocker Spaniel puppy with brown coat.
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A particolor dog.
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Head of a black female.
See also
In Spanish: Cocker americano para niños
