Friendly, sporty and fun loving, Cocker Spaniels are happiest when they’re working.
Originally bred as hunting dogs, Cockers were quickly found to be fantastic all-rounders: Robust, superfast runners, easy-to-train and packed with energy – yet at the same time, the perfect medium size - standing at around 15 inches tall. It’s no wonder then, that the breed quickly became great companions, not just working dogs. They adore playtime, long forest walks and are partial to a swim too. And to top it all, they have long silky coats, making them the ultimate pretty, lovable, sporty four-legged friend.
7 Fun facts about Cocker Spaniels - courtesy of the Scotsman
- The American and the English Cocker Spaniel are quite distinct from each other, but both are simply known locally as Cocker Spaniels.
- The name ‘Cocker’ comes from the original reason they were bred – to hunt woodcock.
- Cockers come in a large range of colours – from black, liver, red and golden to a combination of two or three of these colours.
- The English Cocker Spaniel is the most successful at winning Crufts – ever!
- Two US presidents had Cocker Spaniels at the White House – Nixon and John F. Kennedy.
- Other celebrity owners include the Oprah Winfrey and George Clooney.
- Cocker Spaniels are excellent at smelling illness. In 2004, researchers showed that dogs can identify cancer by scent and 2 Cocker Spaniels achieved the best results in the tests
In summary, Cocker Spaniels have boundless energy, which means they are no strangers to wet and messy terrains – and they also have double coats which are silky and require that bit of extra grooming.
Cocker Spaniels and Dogrobes
The Dogrobe towelling dog coat is perfect for drying a Cocker Spaniel’s silky long double-coat! Thanks to the Dogrobes’ longer loops inside, the warm air from your dog’s skin is able to circulate more easily, drying their fur in the process. The Dogrobe ties easily around the torso and secures in place with a bow on top of their back, keeping it neatly out of the way as they dry.
As soon as your walk is over, you can wrap your Cocker Spaniel in their brightly coloured or exclusively-designed Dogrobe, making mud-spattered walls and car interiors a thing of the past.
If your Cocker wears a harness, the clever access-opening on the Dogrobe makes it easy to access the D-ring so you can clip the lead on in a flash.
Those long silky, fluffy ears are prone to getting wet, so the Dogrobes Snood is perfect for drying out the ear area, as well as keeping the ears tucked away to avoid extra spatter inside cars and at home after a good trek.
The Dogrobes Gauntlet finishes the job with ease, allowing you to rubble your dog’s fur and speed up the drying even further.
Which size should I choose?
The XS size is usually the best fit for a Cocker Spaniel, but at events over the summer we have seen a couple of tiny working Cockers that fit our TOY size. It’s best to measure your Cocker Spaniel as each dog within a breed is different.