The American Cocker Spaniel is a hunting dog that is used in hunting wild birds and small game. Like many other gun dogs, there is the show variety of the breed as well as the hunting variety. In some cases, the dogs can cross over as hunting runs strong in the blood of the American Cocker Spaniel.
History of The American Cocker Spaniel
The American Cocker Spaniel has been recognized by the AKC in the 1940s. Despite its name, the breed originated in the United Kingdom where it was then brought to the Untied States at the end of the 19th century. There are considered to be a sporting breed. The American Cocker Spaniel is often known as just the “Cocker Spaniel” and is distinct from the English Spaniel in that it is considerably smaller in appearance.
The breed was established by the American Kennel Club as a distinct breed fro the English Cocker Spaniel in 1947. At this time, it was recognized by the AKC as a breed apart from the English variety. The name “cocker” came from the fact that Spaniels hunted for woodcock in England. Although the breed that we know today as the American Cocker Spaniel was not officially recognized by the AKC until the 1940s and did not appear in the United States until the late 1800s, Spaniels of other varieties have been imported to the United States since the 1600s.
Appearance of the American Cocker Spaniel
The American Cocker Spaniel is a long haired dog that is somewhat small in stature. The average American Cocker Spaniel weighs around 23 pounds. The colors vary including black and tan, tan, and black and white dogs. The American Cocker Spaniel used in the field can be any color, although most field dogs are a mixture of black and white, making it easier to spot them in the field. Purely sable colored American Cocker Spaniels are not desired by hunters for fear that they can blend in with their surroundings.
The long coat on the American Cocker Spaniel will shed twice a year. In hunting dogs, many owners have the dog puppy cut in the summer months to make it more comfortable for the animal. Field dogs of this breed tend to be smaller than the show variety with the average male being about 13 inches in height and about 20 pounds in weight.
Use Of American Cocker Spaniel In Field
The American Cocker Spaniel is seen as a flushing dog and is ideal for hunting upland birds and small game. Because of its small stature, it is ideal for flushing out prey in the field. Spaniels are not natural retrievers, although they can be trained to retrieve with a good deal of patience. Some hunters will use a Spaniel and a Retriever as hunting companions.
Training your American Cocker Spaniel to hunt should be done without the use of harsh training. They are a very lively dog and very easily excited, which can be distracting to some hunters. However, they have a very deep need to please, making them relatively easy to train. Their small size makes it easy to keep the dog in the house when you are not hunting and they have a good temperament to get along with the rest of the family as well as other animals. They are intelligent animals and have a lifespan of about 10 years, although smaller dogs tend to live longer.
