"I’m cool with whatever as long as we’re together!"
Cocker Spaniels are equally at home chasing birds in the field or playing fetch in your living room. They take joy in almost everything they do and are always sniffing around for the next thing to get into. It’s important to work with a reputable breeder, but once you find the right one, this breed will capture your heart!
When bred correctly, Cocker Spaniels are sweet, loyal, affectionate, and playful. They have a tendency to bark, but this can be curbed by starting their training at a young age. They are trainable and do best with positive reinforcement in the form of doggie treats or human affection. Cocker Spaniels usually get along well with children and other animals when they are socialized at an early age.
Cocker Spaniels have a soft, wavy coat that you can keep styled in one of two ways. The puppy cut is a shorter coat length that you’ll need to brush and trim about every two weeks. The famous, flowing show-coats take even more effort, including weekly bathing, brushing, and trimming.
It’s important that Cocker Spaniels are kept as inside dogs. They need to live with their families to be happy, as Cocker Spaniels do not do well when left alone for long periods of time. The size of your house or yard is less important, and they can live just fine in almost any situation provided they get their exercise.
Cocker Spaniels don’t need quite as much exercise as many other sporting dogs, but they still require daily playtime. They have a high prey drive, so if given the opportunity to hunt, they will do so. Cocker Spaniels enjoy activities like playing fetch, swimming, sniffing for trouble, and of course, cuddling.