Cocker Spaniel Breed Profile

Cocker Spaniel

Origins

The American Cocker Spaniel (ACS) breed has a long and rich history with roots in Spain, England, and America, which is where the breed was developed into the vigorous and refined dog seen today. Like many modern-day Spaniels, the ACS descended from the original old Spaniel types of England, whose heritages can be further traced back to the famous Spanish bird dogs of old known as the Épangeuls (the French word for Spaniel). Prior to the 1600s, a Spaniel was considered to be any dog that performed the function of flushing fowl into a net (prior to the invention of the gun) and then into the line of fire (after the invention of the gun). In 1882, the Kennel Club of England officially separated the Spaniels into three varieties based on size and usage: the Field Spaniel, the Springer Spaniel, and the Cocker Spaniel. The ACS’s earliest American ancestors were said to have arrived in the country along with the first English pilgrims, and it is believed that these dogs accompanied the passengers aboard the Mayflower. From the point of their arrival in America, the ACS’s ancestors were bred to be companions in both the field and home. Eventually, the American-bred dogs began to take on a form and expression all their own, only vaguely resembling their English relatives.

The American-bred dogs were much smaller than their older, larger English cousins. Indeed, the combination of the dog’s small stature, agreeable and eager personality, and tremendous hunting ability made the earliest American Cocker Spaniels ideal house companions and exceptional working dogs. Eventually, the two lines became so divergent that they were recognized as two separate breeds: the English Cocker Spaniel and the American Cocker Spaniel. Recognizing the two separate breeds allowed both the English and the American Cocker Spaniels to be hunted in the field and exhibited in the show ring. Unfortunately, this recognition contributed to the dogs becoming even more dissimilar in appearance and unequal in working ability and purpose.

While fanciers of the hardy English Cocker Spaniels continued to train, work, and breed their dogs for the field, the newly-established American Cocker Spaniel breed quickly became a favorite of show fanciers. With an increase in popularity among this group of dog enthusiasts, the ACS breed won more and more acclaim in the show ring while hunting less and less in the field. Hunters and trainers of bird dogs were further discouraged from using the ACS in the field as show fanciers began agreeing upon standards that were not advantageous to fieldwork and hunting. The showy ACS breed standard called for an even smaller dog with an exaggeratedly domed skull, shorter muzzle, and an abundant, long, soft, flowing coat requiring copious daily grooming. This beautiful coat, which looks great in the ring, also acts as a briar and burr magnet in the field, so the ACS coat offers little protection from sticks and thorns. Eventually, the ACS was viewed as a companion and show dog rather than a working dog since fewer dogs were bred to retain their hunting ability, and more were bred for the purposes of appearance and companionship.

Today, the American Cocker Spaniel is not just a wonderful house dog and companion animal, but the breed also excels in performance events, such as obedience, agility, fly ball, and retriever trials. These little dogs’ love of people and training has made the ACS an excellent therapy and assistant dog to those with various handicaps, such as deafness, blindness, seizures, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The combination of their copious amounts of energy and love for all things scent has allowed the breed to excel in disciplines that include scent detection, search and rescue, tracking, and article search.

However, most important for the breed is its steady comeback to the field. Breeders and field fanciers have found that there are many dogs within the breed that have retained just enough “nose,” energy, drive, and hunting prowess to make surprisingly excellent hunting companions in the field (so long as the coat is kept short). A few devoted ACS owners, breeders, and bird hunters are dedicated to preserving the breed’s original purposes, producing dogs’ exceptional temperament, health, and, most importantly to them, good “bird sense.” To help in the breed enthusiast’s endeavor, various organizations are working with those breeders, owners, and trainers to revive the innate hunting ability of the American Cocker Spaniels and interest in the sport among the breed owners. Dogs and owners can earn points, titles, and championships in organized hunt tests and field trials, proving to be a fun alternative for both the owners and the dogs—allowing them to experience the best of both worlds at home and in the field. After all, underneath the characteristic ACS expression and flowing coat is the gentle nature of an amiable “best friend” and the heart of a bird dog.