Monday, July 6, 2009

The Right Start


If you have not yet decided which type of Cocker Spaniel you want, get further advice from experts and then choose carefully according to your desires and lifestyle. Have your home prepared for your new arrival, and begin your young companion's life with you as you mean to continue.

ADVICE ON WHERE TO BUY
VETERINARY CLINIC - Your local veterinary clinic is an excellent source of informed advice on what to look for in a healthy puppy. Dog training clubs will also likely be able to recommend specific breeders who can provide puppies and sometimes adults too.
ANIMAL RESCUE CENTERS - Dog shelters and rescue centers often have adult Cockers in need of new homes. These dogs may take some time to settle in to their new home, but can eventually make devoted companions. As with all "recycled" individuals, however, they may well harbor unexpected personality quirks.

DECIDING ON A PUPPY OR A DOG
Puppies are both appealing and exasperating. Acquiring a puppy means that you can mold its behaviour to fit your family's lifestyle. When viewing a litter, watch how the puppies behave, decide which sex you prefer, and select a puppy that seems bright, alert, and healthy. Be prepared to invest time and energy in initial house and obedience training. If this is too daunting, consider getting a trained adult Cocker.

SETTLING IN AT HOME
GETTING ACQUAINTED - Your new puppy is likely to feel disoriented when it first arrives in your home. Initially restrict it to just one room in the house. Offer it food, water, and a chewable toy, preferably in a crate. Provide soft bedding in one section for it to lie on and have an equal area of newspaper for toileting. If you have another pet, keep it in a separate room until your puppy is asleep.
FIRST NIGHT ALONE - The first night that your puppy is away from its mother and litter is the hardest. The crate will provide a safe "den", and with a little perseverance your puppy will settle down and sleep in it. Initially keep the crate in your bedroom and get up once each night for the first few weeks to take your puppy to relieve itself.

HEALTH CHECKS FOR YOUR NEW DOG
Arrange for your vet to examine your new Cocker, and make any purchase conditional on your vet's confirmation that the dog is healthy. It will be examined for signs or parasites, infection, malnutrition, and congenital or inherited diseases. The law states that if a puppy is not healthy at the time of sale, you are entitled to a refund or replacement.

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Monday, June 22, 2009

Sex Type and Differences

PHYSIQUE AND TEMPERAMENT: THE SEXES COMPARED
Male Cockers are only marginally larger than females and share their gentle looks. There are virtually no differences between the sexes in ease of housebreaking, nervousness, destructiveness, whining for attention, excitability, or need for activity.

GENTLE, RESPONSIVE FEMALE
There is no difference in the trainability of female and male Americans, but female English Cockers are considered easier to obedience train. Females of both breeds are less likely to disobey their owners than males. A female English Cocker, however, will demand more petting than a male and is more likely to bark anxiously; she will also be more aggressive to other dogs.

GENTLE, ASSURED MALE
Males tend to be slightly more assertive, with male English Cockers more likely to bark protectively in their homes. Both males, especially the English, are more wary of strangers. American males can sometimes be a little unreliable with unknown children. Males are more likely to be aggressive toward strange dogs.

GENDER-SPECIFIC MEDICAL PROBLEMS
A variety of diseases are caused or influenced by sex hormones. Unless spayed early in life, females of all breeds may suffer from breast cancer and pyrometra, or womb infection. Neutering early in life eliminates the risk of these problems. Males sometimes get tumors around the anus, testicular cancer, or prostate inflammation or cancer, with associated pain or bleeding when attempting to urinate. Again, neutering is the best treatment, but the Cocker's tendency to gain weight means that diet must be controlled after neutering.

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Thursday, June 18, 2009

COATS AND COLORS

Cocker Spaniels have a richer variety of colors than perhaps any other breed. Genetically, black is dominant to all other colors, which is why vivacious tricolors such as black, white and tan or blue roan and tan are relatively uncommon.


WIDE-RANGING COLORATION
Cocker coats are classified into solid and parti-colors. Included in solids are black, chocolate, deep autumn red, liver, and light cream; black-and-brown-and-tan also comes under this grouping, with tan points on specific areas of the body, such as in spots over the eyes. Parti-colors are coats of two or more distinct colors, one of which is white; these are subdivided into ticked, roaned, mixed, and tricolors. A ticked coat is primarily white with one or two colors through its hair; a roan has more evenly blended; a mixed dog has two well-broken colors, one of which is white; and tricolors have three solid blocks of color. Breeders rarely cross solids with parti-colors.

COAT LENGTH AND TEXTURE
American Cockers usually have longer coats than their English cousins because they are bred primarily as show dogs rather than working dogs. In terms of texture, the darker the color the denser the coat. Light colored coats are silkier than the darker colors; parti-colored and tan dogs will have a mixture of dense and fine hair. Ticked coats are also silky and have less feathering than dark coats. Some breeders feel that the solid chocolate coat has a tendency to be woolly.


Here are some types of colors:

Blue Roan - This is a popular mix of black and white. Roans also occur in orange, lemon, and liver.





Solid Colors - Black dominates all solids - if one parent is black, there is a 50 percent chance of each puppy in the litter being black. Chocolate was developed as a solid color quite recently.
















Orange-and-White - Mixed colors actually predate solid colors, and existed in Spaniels well before Cockers were recognized as a distinct breed.




















Black-and-White - The striking contrast between black and white in this American Cocker's luxuriant coat makes it a popular parti-color for breeders.




Tricolored - This is genetically one of the most complicated coat patterns.





Buff Coat - This is a recent color in terms of Cocker evolution, with a wide range of shades to choose from.

Brown-and-Tan - For showing purposes, tan should be 10 percent or less of the color.


PUPPY PAW COLORS
It is sometime possible to tell the adult color of puppies born with light coats by looking at the color of their pads. For example, newborn puppies with black pads and noses are likely to become blue roans as adults. Puppies born with pink- or pink-and-black-flecked pads and noses may develop black-and-white coats or even black-and-white ticked coats later in life.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

The American Cocker


The smallest of all gundogs, the American Cocker was created in a relatively short period of time from the breeding of selected English Cockers. It has a more pronounced stop between the skull, a shorter muzzle, more domed head, and a more luxurious coat than its English cousin, butit possesses an equally loyal, affectionate temperament.

A ROUNDER SKULL
The American Cocker has a slightly domed, rounded skull, with a "well-chiseled" bone structure beneath its eyes that readily differentiates it from the English Cocker. Beneath the dense coat is a firmly muscled, solidly boned body.

AFFABLE, INNOCENT FACE
Selective breeding has given the American Cocker a high dome, an accentuated stop, and a short, deep muzzle. Breeders selected these appealing features when the American Cocker was being developed.

ROBUST, BALANCED, AND DEFINED
In spite of its profused coat of hair and relatively small, compact body, the American Cocker Spaniel is a gundog and therefore capable of endurance and surprising speed. It has a well-balanced physique, and is able to perform in the field or in the rigors of advances obedience training.

The English Cocker


The neatly packaged, moderately sized English Cocker was developed by breeders who wanted a small gundog suitable for use in dense undergrowth. As the breed's popularity as a companion increased, standards evolved emphasizing temperament and coat texture. Today's English Cocker is a lovable creature especially suited to the family home.

COMPACT AND MUSCULAR
The English Cocker's compact body is surprisingly well muscled under its dense protective coat and is set on well-boned, sturdy legs. A double coat of hair protects the forelegs and the thick pads on the feet are protected by dense hair between the toes.

GENTLE-LOOKING AND DIGNIFIED
There is no coarseness to an English Cocker; its expression is invariably soft and accommodating. Even when actively alert, its low-set ears and warm eyes make it heart-melting attractive.

A STURDY, WELL-PROPORTIONED BODY
The English Cocker's desire to retrieve, and its compact, insulated body make it ideal for working in dense undergrowth. Its willingness to respond to command also suits working to the gun or obedience training. Its luxurious coat, gentle expression, and convenient size make it equally attractive as a popular companion.

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Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Cockers are the best choice.

THE NEED TO CARRY
When a Cocker picks up it's lead and brings it up to you it is amusing. But when it presents your used socks to visitors, it can be more exasperating. Accept the fact that your Cocker will feel the need to carry items in its mouth and that embarrassing situations might occur as a result!

A RESPONSIBLE OUTDOOR WORKER
Most Cocker Spaniels are kept as companions, but they were bred to work and thrive on frequent, robust mental and physical activity. Although Cockers will spend much of their lives indoors, they are not lap dogs content to live centrally heated, cosseted lives - they need vigorous daily exercise. You should make time in your schedule to accommodate this if you are considering acquiring one.

CARED FOR AS ONE OF THE FAMILY
The responsible, easy-to-train, affectionate Cocker Spaniel will only make an ideal family companion if you are willing to utilize its superb evolutionary development by providing sensible and considerate training. Good family dogs do not appear spontaneously; they are good companions because their training has been good. You must make a commitment to invest time and energy in your Cocker's proper development.

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Introduction to Cocker Spaniels

A HOME-LOVING HUNTER
American and English Cocker Spaniels share a lovable nature and easygoing disposition that make them ideal companions in the home. Their willingness to please and considerable obedience skills have also led to substantial success at the highest levels in the show ring, but that does not mean that their hunting and retrieving characteristics have been abandoned. You only have to watch an energetic Cocker at play in the countryside to recognize its working roots.

THE PERFECT COMPANION
A "merry breed" is how the Cocker Spaniel has been described for hundreds of years and this is now even etched into hallowed pages of the breed standard. Bred initially for driving game from undergrowth, Cockers are still adept in field trials today, exhibiting an extremely high standard of work. Even American Cockers bred for the show ring have retained the sturdy physical features of their working ancestors under their lavish coats. But it's the Cocker's loyalty and friendship that really stand out, and it is debatable whether there is a finer all-round companion in the canine world.