American Cocker Spaniel Size, Characteristics, and Life Expectancy

American Cocker Spaniel Dog Breed Introduction

American Cocker Spaniel is a sporting dog breed derived in the United States. This dog is closely linked to the English Cocker Spaniel and is a spaniel-type dog. It is also called Cocker, Cocker Spaniel, and Merry Cocker. The American Cocker Spaniels and the English Cocker Spaniels separated throughout the 20th century because of contradictory breed standards in the UK and the U.S. The American Cocker Spaniel is popularly known as Cocker Spaniel in the U.S. However, it is known as American Cocker Spaniel globally to differentiate it from its English cousin.

The American Cocker Spaniels are derived from the United States. Spanyell is believed to have come from when it was used to name a kind of dog imported into England from Spain in the late 12th century, with the span part of the word mentioning where it originated. British and European spaniels were commonly grouped as water spaniels and land spaniels for centuries. They were later grouped as specific breeds by the 19th century when dog shows, written breed standards, and field trials as well as when the concept of purebred dogs started to get traction in the UK. Among the grouped spaniels were the Cockers, who got their name from their specialty in woodcock hunting.

The Cocker Spaniels later separated into two breeds in the U.S. One was English and the other one American. It was possible to distinguish the two since the English American Spaniel was taller and had a longer head than the American Cocker Spaniel, and its coat was not as extravagant. The two were later registered as separate breeds by the Canadian and English Kennel Clubs starting in 1940, and the American Kennel Club in 1946. However, the AKC had listed the American Cocker Spaniel and the English Cockers as the same breed in 1878. Brucie, a black Cocker helped to make the breed famous by winning Westminster’s Best in Show twice in 1940 and 1941. The American Cocker Spaniels gained popularity in the 1950s.

American Cocker Spaniel Lifespan

An American Cocker Spaniel dog breed can live between 9 to 14 years.

Grooming

The American Cocker Spaniel dog coat needs high maintenance depending on the type of haircut you decide to choose for your dog. Those with longer coats will need daily brushes, first use a quality metal dog comb with fine and medium spacing to remove all the dead and loose hairs, tangles, and mats. Follow with a quality suitable slicker brush to help remove all the loose hair. Your dog will also need frequent haircuts since their hair tends to grow fast. Dry your dog’s ears properly every time they get in the water or become wet.

Clean the American Cocker Spaniel’s ears using a suitable dog ear cleanser and cotton balls or cotton wipes once every week to remove all the moisture and wax that may have accumulated. Frequently check their ears for dirt, pests, infections, debris, and parasites every week. Brush your dog’s teeth at least four times every week using a suitable canine toothbrush and toothpaste of your dog’s preferred taste.

Bath your dog using canine shampoo and conditioner once every two weeks since they are sporting and show dogs. Ensure that you rinse your dog properly to avoid skin irritation and dry their coat using a towel for those with short hair and a drier with low heat for those with long hair. Trim your American Cocker Spaniel’s nails once every 3 – 4 weeks using suitable pet nail clippers to avoid certain health issues for your dog that may be connected to long nails.

Haircut

The American Cocker Spaniels are very hairy dog breeds that require a haircut once in a while. As a dog owner of this breed, there are various haircuts to choose from for your dog. Some of these are:

– The show cut – as an owner, you can also give your dog this cut even though they are not taking part in any shows. These cuts vary between the American and English cuts. In the American cut, your dog’s facial hair is blended around the ears while in the English cut, your dog’s facial hair is trimmed and kept tidy.

– The high & tight haircut – this cut is where you trim your dog’s hair to be short and neat from their head, body, and also legs. However, their hair will tend to grow fast due to their hairy nature.

– Hipster haircut – this is where your dog’s groomer will cut most of its body hair leaving it quite short but leaving long bristles of hair on the head and ears. The left hair on the ears and head will be tied up using a hair tie or a bow to form a lovable haircut.

– Summer Cut – this is where your dog’s hair is cut uniformly from their body, legs, belly, and face to allow them to cool off during summer.

Grooming Styles

There are various haircut or grooming styles for your American Cocker Spaniel. Some of these haircut styles are:

Puppy Cut

The puppy Cut is where your dog’s groomer cuts your dog’s hair evenly on the whole body of your dog leaving roughly 1 -2 in hair length from the skin. This cut is among the easiest haircuts to maintain and is also perfect for summer.

Shedding

Hypoallergenic

The American Cocker Spaniels are not hypoallergenic dogs since they shed moderately and produce less dander and drool. Although there are no purely hypoallergic dogs, these dogs can be considered a bit friendly to allergic people.

Training

The American Cocker Spaniels are highly trainable dogs and eager to please hence will tend to follow commands diligently. These dogs are also sensitive therefore harsh training methods or correcting tones do not work well with them. Gently correct your dog as they are quite responsive to corrections as well as a disliking tone in their owners/trainer’s voice. Positive reinforcement works well for this dog breed especially food rewards and verbal praise.

Teach your American Cocker Spaniel simple command words like stay, release, leave it, sit, yes, no, and down. Make sure that you reward your dog frequently when they get a command right or give them a loving pat on the back while praising them. Start socializing these dogs early and enroll them in puppy training classes as soon as they are 12 weeks old. Also expose them to other animals, people, sounds, and noises early so that they are not bothered by them in their adulthood.

Potty training your dog is a crucial part of training. It is recommended to start this the moment you bring your dog home. Train them to potty outside and take them out frequently until they can do it on their own. For housebreaking your dog, create a feeding and training schedule and be consistent. Also, crate training your dog is important in case you need to leave the house or contain them in one place. Crate training helps your dog to be clean and able to hold it and notify you when they want to potty.

American Cocker Spaniel Characteristics

– Playful.

– Energetic.

– Affectionate.

– Good with young children.

– Adaptable.

– Protective.

– Trainable.

– Friendly.

– Good-natured.

– Good with other dogs and animals.

– Happy.

– Open to strangers

– Intelligent.

– Eager to please.

– Gentle.

Cute

The American Cocker Spaniels are regarded as cute dogs because of their friendly, sweet, and happy traits. They also look up at their owners enthusiastically with emotional eyes with their faces covered with long, silky ears. These dogs are also friendly to strangers, young kids, other dogs, as well as other animals.

Exercise

The American Cocker Spaniels are highly energetic and require adequate exercise for both mental and physical stimulation. These dogs need 1 to 1 hour 30 minutes of exercise every day through games of fetch, short jogging sessions, walks, hiking, and other play sessions. Your dog will also enjoy engaging in any activity where they get to spend time with people they love. If you want to engage your American Cocker Spaniel in mental and physical challenges, you can try training them in dog sports like flyball or agility.

Barking

The American Cocker Spaniel dogs bark a lot and louder. These dogs were originally used as hunting dogs which resulted in their frequent barking. They also tend to bark a lot if they don’t get enough exercise and have a lot of piled-up energy to burn off. They can also bark due to separation anxiety if they have been left alone for a while by their owners.

Apart from American Cocker Spaniels, other dog breeds include:

Dalmadoodle.

Bordoodle.

Schnoodle.

Shih Poo.

Sheepadoodle.

American Cocker Spaniel Size

Male American Cocker Spaniels weigh 26 – 30 lbs ( Approx. 12 – 14 kg ) while females weigh 21 – 25 lbs ( Approx. 10 – 11.3 kg ). Female American Cocker Spaniels stand at a height of 13 – 14.5 in ( Approx. 33 – 37 cm ) and males are 14 in – 15.5 in ( Approx. 36 – 39.3 cm ) tall.

Height

A male American Cocker Spaniel has a height of 14 in – 15.5 in ( Approx. 36 – 39.3 cm ) while its counterpart has a height of 13 – 14.5 in ( Approx. 33 – 37 cm ).

Weight

Female American Cocker Spaniels weigh 21 – 25 lbs ( Approx. 10 – 11.3 kg ) while the male counterparts weigh 26 – 30 lbs ( Approx. 12 – 14 kg ).

Average Weight

The average weight of a female American Cocker Spaniel is 21 – 25 lbs ( Approx. 10 – 11.3 kg ) while the average weight of a male is 26 – 30 lbs ( Approx. 12 – 14 kg ).

Mini

The American Cocker Spaniels Mini are known as the smallest dog breeds in the American Kennel Club. These dogs are medium-sized hence they are given the term mini to describe their size.

American Cocker Spaniel Price

The price of Merry Cockers varies depending on their size, coat color, and the breeder. These dogs range between $700 – $2,000.

Health Issues

The American Cocker Spaniel dogs have a probability of suffering from congenital health problems like:

– Skin problems.

– Von Willebrand disease.

– Ear infections.

– Hip dysplasia.

– Thyroid issues.

– Eye problems.

– Elbow dysplasia.

– Patellar luxation.

Names

An American Cocker Spaniel parent can choose to give his/her dog other names depending on their dog’s character and other inspirations. These names include:

– Jinx.

– Cosmo.

– Clarence.

– Enya.

– Slapstick.

– Pascal.

– Tex.

– Chevalier.

– Vic.

– Smudges.

– Avery.

– Pebbles.

– Monroe.

– Sparky.

Feeding | Food

It is important to feed your American Cocker Spaniel a suitable balanced diet for their energy needs and life stage. Your dog’s diet should have healthy fats, fiber extracted from berries and vegetables, minerals, high-quality protein, and vitamins. An average adult American Cocker Spaniel will require 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 cups of dry food divided into two meals every day.

Closely monitor how much your dog eats every day including treats to prevent them from becoming obese. As for raw food, you can try chicken, meat, offal, and bone with small portions of plant ingredients. Raw foods have a 70% of water/moisture that keeps your dog hydrated. Ensure your dog always has a clean bowl of fresh water, especially when feeding on dry foods.

American Cocker Spaniel Colors

A Merry Cocker comes in various coat colors that include:

– Silver.

– Brown.

– Black.

– Brown & Tan.

– Buff.

– Black & Tan.

– Black & White.

– Red.

– Buff & White.

– Golden.

– Red & White.

– Blue Roan.

– Brown Roan.

– Sable.

– Brown White & Tan.

– Red Roan.

– Black White & Tan.

– Sable & White.

Brown

A brown Merry Cocker can have a brown roan & tan, brown, chocolate brown, brown white & tan, brown & white, brown & tan, or brown roan colored coats. However, those with chocolate brown colored coats are considered faulty in the dog breed color standard.

Chocolate

Chocolate American Cocker Spaniels are not as common as they used to be since responsible breeders have focused on breeding these dogs based on temperament rather than color. However, a chocolate Merry Cocker is not recognized by the American Kennel Club as a breed standard color.

Red

A red Merry Cocker is formed by two recessive red genes. In most cases, the dog’s eyes and skin colors are visible, while some dogs have less color on their noses. Also, solid red puppies of this breed have a 30% probability of retaining the white color on their faces. This color is not so common and is not rare either.

Merle

The American Cocker Spaniels have various colors and markings such as roan, merle markings, white markings, and ticked. However, the only standard markings recognized by the American Kennel Club are roan and merle.

Black

Black American Cocker Spaniels are among the common colors for this dog breed. In addition, it is considered a solid coat color in these dogs and a breed standard color by the AKC with registration code 007. Dogs with this black coat possess a brilliant shine compared to other colors.

Tail

The American Cocker Spaniels are born with a tail that is later cut or docked when they are 3 – 7 days old without using anesthetic. Their tail is cut to the required length for the breed standard.

Hunting

These dogs were used in the early days as hunting dogs. The American Cocker Spaniels hunted down woodcock in England, UK. These dog breeds also enjoy hunting in small games and will love finding hidden objects in games like hide and seek.

American Cocker Spaniel Puppies

A dam of an American Cocker Spaniel can litter around 4 – 7 puppies at a go.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How Much Should American Cocker Spaniels Weight

An average male Merry Cocker should weigh 26 – 30 lbs ( Approx. 12 – 14 kg ) and a dam 21 – 25 lbs ( Approx. 10 – 11.3 kg ).

How Long Do American Cocker Spaniels Live

Merry Cocker dogs have a life expectancy of between 9 – 14 years.

Do American Cocker Spaniels Shed

Yes. The American Cocker Spaniels are moderate shedders hence they shed moderately throughout the year and heavily during their twice-a-year- shedding season in Autumn and Spring.

Are American Cocker Spaniels Hypoallergenic

No. These dogs are not hypoallergenic since they shed moderately and produce less drool and dander which has a possibility of causing allergic reaction. However, since a Merry Cocker drools less and produces less dander, they are considered to be suitable for allergic people.

American Cocker Spaniel Quick Facts

• They tend to bark a lot especially due to separation anxiety or lack of enough exercise.
• An American Cocker Spaniel is more likely to have an ear infection because of its long and hanging ears.
• They require hair coat maintenance through, especially those with long coats.