Gundog group · United States
American Cocker Spaniel
Also called Cocker Spaniel, Cocker.
What makes them remarkable
Its small frame had a hunting advantage: Cockers could push into the dense shrubs where game birds hid.
- Happy
- Smart
- Gentle
- Merry
- Trusting
- Size
- Small
- Weight
- 9 to 14 kg20 to 30 lb
- Lives
- 10 to 14 years
- Energy
- Moderate
- Trains
- High
- Barks
- Moderate
Training
Training an American Cocker Spaniel
Gundog breeds. Quick to learn and quick to get over-excited. The work is calm around distractions, not obedience.
Gentle Methods
Start here
Sensitive breed, harsh corrections cause shutdown.
Ear Care
Keep ears clean and dry to prevent infections.
Socialisation
Can be timid without early, positive experiences.
The app turns this into five to fifteen minutes a day.
Add your American Cocker Spaniel and it builds the plan around their age, where they came from and what they already know, one step at a time.
Free to start. iPhone. No card needed.
At home
Living with one
Bred to find, flush and retrieve game alongside a person. Biddable, busy, and happiest with a job.
Gets on with
- ChildrenHigh
- Other dogsHigh
- StrangersHigh
- CatsHigh
Breed averages. Early socialisation and the individual dog matter more.
- Exercise
- 1 hour daily. Walks and play sessions.
- Grooming
- High maintenance. Regular professional grooming needed.
- Drool
- Low
- Coat
- Long, Silky, WavyBlack, Buff, Red, Brown, Parti-colour
- In a flat
- Can work, with enough exercise outside it.
Health
Things to ask a breeder or vet about
Ear Infections
Moderate
Long ears trap moisture
Eye Problems
Moderate
Cataracts and glaucoma
Hip Dysplasia
Mild
Less common but possible
Where they come from
History
Developed from English Cocker Spaniels, bred smaller for American woodcock hunting.
- Lady · Refined lady of the house
Similar breeds
All breeds
Cocker Spaniel
The “cocker” in its name comes from the woodcock it was bred to flush out of dense cover.
Small · Gundog
American Water Spaniel
This Great Lakes hunting dog was developed to work from small boats and became Wisconsin’s state dog.
Medium · Gundog
Boykin Spaniel
The breed’s story begins with a stray spaniel found near a South Carolina church.
Medium · Gundog
English Setter
“Setter” describes its old job: crouching low, or “setting”, to show hunters where birds were hiding.
Large · Gundog