I have been a dog owner all of my life and each breed I owned was fantastic in a number of ways. From my Poodle to my Cattle Dog, to my Cocker Spaniels, I have been fortunate enough to have had intelligent dogs.
Cocker Spaniels are the smallest dogs in the sporting breed category. American Cocker Spaniels are smaller than English Cocker Spaniels and were bred to flush woodcocks out of dense foliage. Some people actually refer to these dogs as gundogs because they are able to work with hunters to retrieve game. They are good at this because of their well-developed sense of smell.
Today, when people think of Cocker Spaniels, they think of Lady from Lady and the Tramp: a soft, cute, cuddly dog. That is actually true for many of these dogs. They are good with small children as long as you make sure children don’t try to take things from the animal’s mouth. Even a gentle dog can nip or bite if they are resource guarders. For that reason, as you train your dog, make sure you also train the humans that interact with them.
If you do decide to have a Cocker Spaniel as a pet, please adopt, don’t buy. Find a rescue group in your area and do your research about the breed to determine if it is the right dog for you. Or check with your local animal shelter. You can find out what type of temperament the dog has from the foster family and/or the shelter.
*A few of these links, including the American Kennel Club link, may mention dog breeders. While these are credible websites, I STILL encourage you to adopt any pet.
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