De Engelse Cocker Spaniel
De Engelse Cocker spaniel is de kleinste van de spanielrassen. Door zijn
fraaie uiterlijk en handzaam formaat ook erg geliefd als huishond en daarom
door de schoonheidsfokkerij niet meer geselecteerd op de jachteigenschappen.
De Cocker spaniŽl is geschikt om zowel op haarwild als op veerwild te jagen,
maar zijn specialiteit is de jacht op konijnen. Door zijn grondige zoekwijze
zal hij ook het meest vastzittende wild vinden en tot springen dwingen. Een
Cocker is geschikt om te apporteren, mits het wild niet te groot is (haas).
De Cocker komt in vrijwel alle kleuren voor. Voor de jacht verdient een hond
met veel wit de voorkeur.(veiligheid). In ons land komt steeds meer vraag
naar werkende Cockers.
To begin a history of any of the spaniel
breeds, it is important to note that the word "spaniel", means a "dog of
Spain". It is generally accepted that Spaniels are traced back to Spain
for their development as a hunting and retrieving breed of dog. From Spain
the dogs were transported, traded, given away as gifts, or simply traveled
with their masters to England. Spaniels were used in England for hunting on
the estates of the wealthy and were further developed and bred for specific
purposes there. Spaniels are found in art work, in mosaics, and in the
writings of such authors as Chaucer, Shakespeare and Elizabeth Barrett
The spaniel was a generic term used to describe a type of dog. When a
litter was born the owner/breeder would decide what use a particular dog or
pup was to be put to. Much depended on the size and how muscular the dog
turned out to be, the stamina he/she displayed, and the intelligence of the
dog. What type of game the dog was to hunt was also a factor. The spaniel
could possibly be used for hunting the forests, pointing in high brush,
flushing birds out of thickets, or used in marshes for retrieving ducks,
geese, etc. So to begin with there were no distinct breeds of spaniel, only
the generic description of the type of dog.
The English Cocker Spaniel is a flushing spaniel, and was developed to flush
woodcocks, thus he became known as a "cocker". They were also useful in
tracking rabbit. The English Cocker Spaniel is one of the smallest of the
sporting dogs (the smallest is the "American" Cocker Spaniel, which has an
identical history). The English Cocker was brought to America and Canada in
the 1870's, where breeding for a purpose continued, but changes in the breed
In 1881, the American Cocker Spaniel Club was founded. In the year
1892 the Cocker Spaniel was recognized by The Kennel Club of Great Britain
as a distinct breed of dog from the Springer Spaniel with whom it had been
classed. The Cocker Spaniel Club of England was formed in 1902.
The Cocker Spaniel became quite popular in America and Canada due to its
willingness to retrieve just about anything the hunter could bring down, and
its temperament when around people. The cocker is friendly, energetic,
fun-loving and not timid. This dog became quite popular as a family and
companion dog. During the 1920's and 1930's a change came about to the
English Cocker Spaniel breed. It was as if the English Cocker became
"Americanized". The bloodlines that were being developed by breeders were
following a different type of conformation. The head became smaller, the
height of the dog was shrunk by 1 to 2 inches, and the dog became lighter in
weight. The coat became longer, silkier and softer. The "Americanized"
Cocker Spaniel became used as a family pet, instead of a hunter's helper.
The differences became so striking that breeders who preferred the "English"
type formed the English Cocker Spaniel Club of America in 1935, and agreed
not to interbreed their dogs with the "Americanized" variety. For the next
ten years, until 1946, the Club and its members sought to have the American
Kennel Club recognize their dog as a separate breed. Until 1946, the
English Cocker (also called the Engie), and the American Cocker competed in
show conformation as one breed. In 1946, the A.K.C. recognized the English
Cocker Spaniel as a separate breed from the "American" Cocker Spaniel.
The English Cocker Spaniel is still used today as a hunter, companion, and
family pet. It does very well in obedience, is excellent as a therepy dog
due to its outgoing nature, and is also used as a search and rescue dog.
Breeders, owners, and exhibitors all agree that it is a lot of dog in a
Meer informatie bij de