THE COCKER SPANIEL
Thank you for your interest in the Cocker Spaniel. This fun loving, merry little dog makes a wonderful family friend and a devoted companion. They thrive on and need the companionship of a human being and are definitely not for a person who wants a dog to lock in a pen in their back yard. The sturdy little Cocker can be housed indoors or out of door and providing the dog receives the love and affection it requires, it will happily settle for either situation. If kept indoors however, there is a problem in that being a long haired dog it sheds a little hair every day. This disadvantage may be overcome to a certain extent by regular grooming and particular attention should be paid to keeping the hair trimmed away from under and around the ears, the undercarriage and the feet. If kept out of doors, the dog will require a suitable shed or kennel which is warm and draught free in winter, cool in summer and weatherproof at all times.
The breed as a whole does not encounter many problems although there have been some cases of bad temperament arising mainly in the "pure bred" golds. This problem is not usually found the well bred pedigree puppy, so please think and research carefully before you buy your Cocker Spaniel.
A "good doer", the Cocker is not a fussy eater and will eat almost anything. A narrow food bowl is recommended so that their long ears fall either side of the bowl and not in the food. Advice on nutrition can be obtained from your breeder, veterinarian or from the book called "The Cocker Spaniel" by Miss C. C. Jenkins. This book is an extremely informative publication covering all aspects of the breed and is available only through the Cocker Spaniel Club of Victoria Inc.
The Cocker Spaniel is a breed that was first mentioned some 3000 years ago as existing in the Mediterranean countries. These "long eared rabbit dogs" were observed in the Roman province of Spain and it is believed they were brought to England after the Roman conquest of Britain in approximately 56 BC They featured prominently both as working dogs and pets through the reigns of Henry V111 and the Stuart Kings and were referred to as wood-cocking spaniels, the small dog which could go through the hedges and undergrowth to out flush the wood-cock.
The beginning of this century saw the formation of the Cocker Spaniel Club of England and they drew up the early standard of the breed for shooters who needed a small, active, strong dog, sturdy enough to work cheerfully and tirelessly all day flushing or driving out the game.
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