History And Origin of the Cocker Spaniel
There are two main types of Cocker Spaniel, and they are the American and the English Cocker Spaniel. In order to fully understand your dog’s behavior, intelligence, and capabilities, which in turn will help you train him or her efficiently, you must take a moment and study their history.
The English Cocker Spaniel
The existence of the Cocker Spaniel dates back almost 500 years, as signs of them were mentioned through art and literature such as Shakespeare’s plays in the years of 1564-1616. It is believed that the Cocker Spaniel may have arrived in England during the invasion of Caesar, and that their true origin is from Spain from where the name “Spaniel” is also believed to have derived.
In the early stages, there were many different types of Cocker Spaniels such as Devonshire, Welsh, and even small dogs such as the Sussex Spaniels were referred to as Cocker Spaniels. At that time the Cockers were mainly divided in two divisions: the water and land Cocker Spaniels. The water Cocker Spaniels, which are today extinct, were strong swimmers, and thus used mostly for collection of game during hunting.
The land Cocker Spaniels were mainly used for land hunting purposes. As the water Cocker Spaniels became extinct, the Springing Cocker Spaniels were further divided by their sizes into large and small species.
It was not until the late 1800s that the English Cocker Spaniel we know today developed, and breeding was oriented to cultivate the specimen that we have today. Even then there were distinct other Cocker Spaniels that were known as the Working Cocker Spaniel, which was mainly used for hunting purposes. The first Cocker Spaniel Club was formed in 1885, and the English Cocker Spaniel received a separate status in 1936.
The American Cocker Spaniel
The Cocker Spaniel came to America in the late 1800s, and was bred mostly for hunting and show purposes. In the 1900s, the Cocker Spaniel gained a lot of popularity because of its friendly nature. It was that popularity that made this breed hold the number one position in the American Kennel Club (AKC) for 16 years (1940-1952 and 1984-1990), something that no other breed was able to achieve.
The History Behind the Tail Docking of the Cocker Spaniel
Tail docking was done mainly not to interfere with the dog’s occupation, such as hunting. Later, it was adopted to keep the appearance of the dog as per the requirements of the AKC for various shows and competitions.
The Cocker Spaniel evolved in time from a hunting, working dog to a still active but more docile, family dog with the same active and lively temperament, which still requires daily exercise. The Cocker Spaniel is known for his or her obedient nature, trying to please everyone by doing exactly what it is expected.
A Cocker Spaniel brings along life and color to any household as well as loyalty. Cocker Spaniel temperament is what makes this breed still a very popular choice when it comes to picking a family-oriented pet dog.
