History

1300’s

This history of the Cocker Spaniel can be traced back to 1300’s. Geoffrey Chaucer penned about a cocker in “One of his works, The Wife of Bath’s Tale,” he spelled them as “spanyels.” Which is the spelling and term used for this wonderful breed over 723 years ago.

1600’s

The Cockers started out as springers and field spaniels. In the 1600’s they were bred to be practical small hunting dogs to help keep dinner on the table, with energy to go all day, and eager to please the owner.

Did you know that the Cocker Spaniel came to America in 1620 on the Mayflower and was one of the first dogs to call America home? When thanksgiving comes back around and you are sitting down to enjoy your feast. Giving thanks for your bountiful harvest of food, family, and friends. Along with your cocker spaniel (or Mastiff) you will be reenacting a similar scene from November 1621. With the 50 surviving Pilgrims who sat down with members of the Wampanoag tribe to celebrate that first Thanksgiving. Thanking God for their bountiful harvests, delicious game, good friends, and most of all thanking God for the hope that they are building a better freer future for themselves and their families for generations to come.

“In 1667, Nicholas Cox describes small land spaniels of courageous mettle, “strong, lusty and nimble rangers, of active feet, wanton tails and busy nostrils”” The breed has have stayed true to this definition to this day!

1800’s

“Cockers had come to the United States during the latter half of the 19th century, but 1884 marked the arrival of Obo II, a 23-pound son of Farrow’s Obo. Obo II was ancestor to Robinhurst Foreglow, the dog that changed the Cocker, creating the more modern dog—up on leg and shorter of back. All of today’s winning Cockers trace back to one or another of Foreglow’s four sons.”

1900’s

They have always been happy companions over the centuries. Gaining popularity several times as America’s dog. “Just as in England, the popularity of the Cocker exploded during the ’20s and ’30s…By 1936, there were three separate varieties shown—Black, Parti, and English. Later, a fourth division was added for the ASCOBs.”

By the 1940’s the American Cocker Spaniel and the English Cocker Spaniel were officially recognized as two separate but similar breeds. The English Cocker Spaniel has different standards from the American Cocker Spaniel from size, to shape, to function. As the English Cocker head is shaped to carry birds better. However, both hold fast to that wonderful happy merry temperament that makes for amazing companions.

In the 1900’s the American Cocker gained popularity and became the standard breed for marketers, from sunscreen to spark plugs. Walt Disney even got in on the action with their 1955 Lady and the Tramp. The cocker was also the dog of choice for many books and simple readers for kids. Even greeting cards and prints showcased this wonderful pup. Therefore at this time American Cockers were very popular in the home many families had a cocker. “To love this breed is to be caught up in its ever-happy temperament. The breed standard says, “Above all, he must be free and merry.””

The Cockers Dark Past…

I would be lying if I were to say that the cockers never had a moment of sorrow in their long history. For at some point in the last part of the 1900’s (around 1980’s) and at the last peak of the breeds popularity. Some people decided that they wanted to breed these wonderful little dogs. However, this became a huge detriment to the breed, leading to its fallout. These new breeders did not understand or search out how to better and keep the integrity of the breed.

This led to what we refer to today as “backyard breeding.” Because of the misunderstanding of how exactly breeding works many dogs began developing aggressive behaviors, became hard to train, and developed health issues galar. Unfortunately, I still hear some people today talk about the breed in negative terms because they remember that tiny short moment in the Cockers history. Their memory paints the cocker as a not so good companion dog and some even call them not smart dogs.

At some point during that time people stopped desiring the breed as they were scared to bring this wonderful companion into their homes especially with kids.

Late 1900’s Saving the Breed!

However, many breeders quickly realized what was happening and began to dedicate much of their lives to saving and even rebuilding the cockers reputation back to its former glory in both confirmation and in temperment. So that today, several decades later, you can find your own happy, loving, loyal, sweet temperamented cocker spaniel, that matches the original temperament standards from 100’s of years ago.

Through the hard work of these wonderful people who have researched, bred, diligently studied, and collaborated with other like minded breeders. Working hard to keep the integrity of the breed, because of their love for and determination to save the breed we are back to the little Cocker Spaniel as the amazing dog it was. Here is a link to what the AKC says about the American Cocker – showing the outcome of what these wonderful people accomplished who have saved our breed.

Today!

The Cocker Spaniel is one of the best breeds (in my humble opinion) and makes a great and happy companion today as they did over the past centuries.

The words of Nicholas Cox still ring as true today as they did in his time in the 1660’s for they indeed are “strong, lusty and nimble rangers, of active feet, wanton tails and busy nostrils”

If you are interested in getting a cocker spaniel of your own. Please do! They are so worth investing in and are amazing dogs. I would not know how to live without a cocker spaniel by my side. They are loyal, sweet, happy, adorable, and the best companion you could have. Many breeds can boast of many things but the cocker can boast in that it is the smallest of the hunting breeds! Which means they make both a good manly dog and a sweet ladies companion all in one solid 25ish pound package of fuzzy cuteness.

If you don’t already have a breeder, please do your research. Go to shows and meet cockers and breeders. Find breeders online and ask questions. Meet the dogs before you take a puppy home. It is important to do your research and find a good reputable breeder that you trust. Reputable breeders often become your friends, as they are willing to answer questions, supporting you and your puppy to help you both have an amazing life together. Oh and be willing to be on their waiting lists…its so worth the wait for a good healthy wonderful family companion!

References:

Weishaupt, J. (2023.) 16 Surprising Cocker Spaniel Facts You May Not Know. Retrieved July 29, 2023. From: https://petkeen.com/cocker-spaniel-facts/

AKC Staff. (2021.) Were There Dogs on the Mayflower? Retrieved July 29, 2023. From: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/were-there-dogs-on-the-mayflower/

Paddock, A. (2022.) Cocker Spaniel History: America’s Most Popular Dog in the Mid-1900s. Retrieved July 29, 2023. From: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/celebrating-the-cocker-spaniel/

Other Fun References for the American Cocker Spaniel!

AKC (2018.) Official Standard for The Cocker Spaniel. Retrieved July 29, 2023. From: https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/Cocker_Spaniel.pdf

AKC (N.A.) Cocker Spaniel Dog Breed Information. Retrieved July 29, 2023. From https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/cocker-spaniel/