Let's talk English Cocker Spaniel

The English Cocker Spaniel emanated from a sporting past. Developed as a bird dog or gun dog, the breed was used widely throughout England and Europe to retrieve small birds, particularly woodcock from which the breed derives their name. A utility dog, English Cocker Spaniels are thought to be the oldest.

The breed can trace its origins back to Spain, the word “Spaniel” actually meaning “Spanish dog.” English Cocker Spaniels gained tremendous popularity throughout Europe over the ages for their acumen as sporting dogs and with birds before the invention of the rifle. Spaniels are classified as either water Spaniels or land Spaniels, specialized in the intricacies of hunting in either milieu, with the English being the smallest of the land variety. The dogs went on to flourish in England in the 19th Century when showing was in full swing and breed standards started to be established. For both their temperament and personality, the English Cocker Spaniel soon stood out from the pack of various Spaniels.

The breed then diverged on the breeding track from their American cousin as the 20^th Century took hold, with both established as official breeds by the American Kennel Club in 1946. The English distinguishes itself with a longer head and nose and shorter-haired coat.

The breed gained tremendous popularity as well with the 1955 Disney movie Lady and the Tramp, with Lady portrayed as an elegant and warm Cocker Spaniel.