The English Spaniel is an impossibly playful animal. A small tail, hanging ears and huge eyes create a special atmosphere of absolute happiness and joy around this small dog. And the soft, flowing under the fingers, full of shine coat and asks to be stroked.
In the Middle Ages, when this breed was just born, cocker spaniels were used in hunting as hounds water dogs. The breed English Spaniel (see photo below) was born, you guessed it, in England. Today, these pets are not just hunting dogs, they have become loyal friends for people due to their light and cheerful disposition.
English Cocker Spaniel. Breed description
They are not tall, on average 39–41 cm, the knots are slightly smaller. For exhibition individuals, there are quite serious requirements for appearance. The pet should be small in stature and weight. According to the rules of the standard, its weight must vary in the region of 12-15 kilograms. True, the main attention during the test is given to the correct physique, and not to weight. The dog should be moderately well-fed, with a beautiful and shiny coat. No signs of rickets and other deviations in health. Eyes bright and shiny, wet nose, well-groomed ears. Here is the first thing you should pay attention to when buying an animal for yourself. For breeding or participation in exhibitions, the requirements are much wider.
So: There are certain standard rules for the dog English Cocker Spaniel. The description of the breed, presented below, will allow you to understand how the thoroughbred dog should look right.
Standard rules
- The head has a clearly defined, regular skull, with a pronounced transition from the nose to the frontal lobe.
- The ears are flush with the eyes, thin, drop-shaped. Since they are quite long and low set, they easily reach the nose of the dog.
- The eyes are large enough, but not convex and always dark in color. Bright and shiny pupils. But for animals of a chocolate color, a light brown shade of the eyes is allowed.
- The nose is straight, with a large tip and developed nostrils. Color - black, with the exception of breeds of chocolate shades, they allowed brown color of the nose pads.
- Bite: cheekbones smooth, not protruding. The incisors should be placed strictly upright, and the bite should be shaped like a scissors.
- The body is well developed with a regular top line and a slight slope from the lower back to the beginning of the tail.
- The chest is deep, beautifully built, medium in size.
- The back is rather short, straight in shape, with strong muscles.
- The forelimbs are straight, short in length and with full pads.
- The hind limbs are distinguished from the front by more developed muscles. They have impressive hips, giving power and speed of running. Tibiae straight, parallel to each other.
- The tail is below the line of the back. Cut off half or two thirds of the length.
Summing up, we can say that the requirements for these dogs are quite stringent. And when selling a puppy of the breed English Cocker Spaniel, the price is set not only for the personal qualities of the animal, but also for the status of its parents.
A haircut
Since this breed of dog was bred in the UK, a haircut should be done according to the rules of this particular country. It is performed in a very natural style, and looking at the four-legged friend gives the impression that his hair was a creation of nature, and not the result of the painstaking work of the master.
Mowing the English Cocker Spaniel holds its secrets, the main one of which is to use scissors for thinning. The haircut can be divided into two parts - first they treat the head and body, not forgetting to thin out the undercoat of the animal, and then they begin to trim the hair on the ears and paws. The English Spaniel (photo below) is trimmed according to all the rules of the standards for this breed.
Character
It has an extremely good-natured disposition and extraordinary vigor. The dog will be a great friend to children and a wonderful assistant in the hunt. With proper upbringing, with this fun beast, you can participate in agility exhibition competitions.
Spaniels are very affectionate, becoming loyal comrades and companions for their owners for life. Thanks to their very light nature, they get along well with the rest of the animals in the house. But do not indulge their whims, while they are still puppies, otherwise a very wayward and harmful dog will grow up in the future. These dogs are striving to play a dominant role in the family.
Training Rules
They are excellently trained. These are great athletes, in whose blood lives a real hunting passion. Knowing the characteristic features of the dog’s behavior, you should make classes as saturated as possible and establish equal relations. Under no circumstances should you beat a pet; he will never forgive you for this. But the descent is also not worth giving, otherwise your four-legged partner will grow up as an extremely selfish beast.
Care and maintenance
This is a very beautiful dog, with shiny, flowing hair and bright bottomless eyes. But how beautiful she is, so much does she require attention. The greatest advantage of this breed is wool. True, it is also the biggest drawback, bringing a lot of trouble and problems for those who keep a dog at home like an English cocker spaniel. The description of the breed below addresses the very important nuances of caring for this dog.
- Shedding at the dog is not periodic, but permanent. It must be combed every day to remove dead hair. For the same purpose, trimming should be done periodically. Every day combing will save you from the tassels that easily form on a curly thin coat.
- Do not often wash the animal, this may cause dandruff, and the coat itself will become dull and become completely ugly. But you need to clean it daily, especially since the dog simply adores when it is scratched. To do this, use a special brush with teeth of various lengths. Brushing is a very useful procedure, as during it massage is performed, which improves blood circulation and, accordingly, the metabolism of the animal.
- Claws are trimmed as they grow, using a clipper. Do not forget about the wool, which grows in between the pads on the legs, it must be cut.
- In winter, coming from the street, always wash off the salt from the paws of your pet, it can provoke severe inflammation.
- Ears also need close attention. Somewhere once or twice a week they are cleaned with a special solution, and periodically, using a cotton swab, various secretions are removed. During feeding, ears need to be tied up, or buy a bowl for cocker spaniels. Excess hair in the ears is trimmed.
- About three times a week, you should wipe your eyes with tea leaves or a certain solution, which is sold in a veterinary pharmacy.
- Teeth also need regular brushing with animal toothpaste and a brush. Do not rely on food that cleans your teeth yourself.
Remember, you need to accustom your four-legged friend to hygiene from childhood. And then the procedures, the implementation of which has already been brought to automaticity, will not take up much time. And your dog will be healthy and beautiful.
Do not buy the English Cocker Spaniel if ...
The animal has a very beautiful coat, which requires constant attention. If you are not ready to devote a considerable part of the time to your dog from your personal life, then you should not start it, so you will only ruin the life of yourself and your pet.
Who should definitely buy the English Cocker Spaniel
If you have never had a dog, but you are ready to deal with your dog, giving him all the caress and care; or you have children, and your whole family decided to get a four-legged friend in the house, then this is exactly the dog that you need. Incredible mobility and friendly character will not leave anyone indifferent. For hunters and those who simply love to travel in nature, this dog will be a wonderful partner.
Health
Spaniel lives about 15 years and has, in general, good health. True, some representatives of the breed with age overcome such eye diseases as glaucoma and cataracts. Keep in mind that dogs with a uniform color are usually prone to aggression and require a more rigorous education. A prerequisite for maintaining the health of the animal is a large number of walks in the fresh air and active physical activity.
Knitting Features
If you decide to breed puppies for sale, you should consider that this is a rather complicated process. Think carefully, clearly assess your capabilities, and only then proceed with the search for a partner for your dog. Indeed, for puppies of the English Cocker Spaniel to appear in the near future, you should invest a lot of effort and finance in caring for your pregnant pet.
Before mating, it is necessary to carry out all the necessary tests so that the bitch is completely healthy. It is also necessary to do a genetic test. The estrus should be repeated 2 times a year - this is an indicator of the norm. It is after passing all the procedures before estrus that mating the English Cocker Spaniel will become the most fruitful.
The knitting process itself must be tightly controlled. First, animals are given time to get to know and adapt to new conditions. Further, so that the bitch does not break out, it is held by the head and under the stomach, until the so-called castle. The duration of the castle is usually about ten minutes. After a couple of days, knitting is recommended to be repeated.
Pregnancy and childbirth
An ordinary pregnancy, without any problems, lasts 56-63 days. To accurately determine the day the birth begins, a rectal temperature is measured. When it decreases and stays in the region of 37 ° C, you can begin to prepare for the process of puppies being born.
Primary birth is best done in the presence of a veterinarian, since a caesarean section may be necessary. Puppies appear in the fetal membranes, do not interfere, the bitch herself will gnaw them and free the babies. Childbirth is a rather long process, usually the second puppy appears only three hours after the first. Then things go a little faster.
Puppies of the English Cocker Spaniel require a very careful attitude. If the bitch does not have milk, or there is too little of it, then you will have to feed the babies yourself. Every two hours, including at night, they will need to be drunk from a bottle with warm milk.
Somewhere in 2.5 months puppies are vaccinated. And only then, plus a week of the incubation period, you can go out with the kids for a walk. When selling puppies of the English Cocker Spaniel breed, the price of promising young animals is much higher and can differ greatly from the usual market value.
Color
The black English cocker spaniel is actually not always completely plain. This color has many options, for example: black and tan, black with gray, black and pie. A pure, black shade without impurities is a rather rare phenomenon.
In the breed, the English Cocker Spaniel colors are very diverse, and in different countries have their own wishes for coloring. So, for example, in Eastern Europe they like a golden-red version of the color, and a rare, pure white color is considered undesirable, since it can go hand in hand with congenital deafness.
Summing up, let’s say: if you have children and want to get a dog, then take a closer look at a puppy like the English Cocker Spaniel. The description of the breed provided in this article makes it clear that an amazing four-legged friend will grow out of it, who will delight you with his cheerful disposition every day.
The English Cocker Spaniel always gets very supportive feedback. Many owners say that this is a wonderful dog, a little timid, but very kind. Everyone likes her touching face and beautiful coat. And always the owners celebrate her playful character.