Brush the English Cocker’s medium-length coat two or three times a week to prevent or remove mats and tangles. You may also need to trim it for neatness every couple of months. A bath every six weeks or so doesn’t go amiss. The coat sheds moderately, but regular brushing will help keep loose hair from floating onto your floor, furniture, and clothing.
The rest is basic care. Trim the nails as needed, usually every couple of weeks. Brush the teeth frequently for good overall health and fresh breath. Most importantly, keep the ears clean and dry to prevent bacterial or yeast infections from driving your dog into a state of itchy madness.
There is no such thing as too much exercise for the English Cocker Spaniel. This breed needs daily exercise, so take it for a walk or run, or even train it for dog competitions. The English Cocker Spaniels excels at hunting, retrieving and agility competitions.
A well-balanced diet is essential to a healthy and happy English Cocker Spaniel. Choose a premium brand and feel free to rotate different flavors of the same brand. They should be fed a high-qualitydog foodappropriate to the dog’s age (puppy, adult, or senior) and activity level. Some English Cockers are prone to gettingoverweight, so watch your dog’s calorie consumption and weight level.
Treatscan be an important aid in training, but giving too many can cause obesity. Give table scraps sparingly, if at all, especially avoiding cooked bones and foods with high-fat content. Learn about whichhuman foodsare safe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog’s weight or diet.
Although the English Cocker is overall a healthy breed, some genetic health conditions are known to occur occasionally. These include progressive retinal atrophy, hip dysplasia, familial nephropathy, and adult-onset neuropathy.
Responsible breeders will have their breeding stock tested for conditions that can affect the breed. The English Cocker’s ears should be checked regularly for signs ofinfection, and theteethshould be brushed often, using a toothpaste designed for dogs.
English Cocker Spaniels are intelligent dogs and can be trained for a variety of activities. This breed is often trained to compete in dog competitions in agility and obedience. For an early age, you should start basic obedience. As well, the English Cocker Spaniel is sometimes difficult to housebreak.
As well as being smart, this breed’s temperament makes them obedient and loyal. The female English Cocker Spaniel is known to be a bit stubborn, but once you make it clear who is the boss, your dog will obey your commands willingly.
If you are taking your English Cocker Spaniel with you on the hunt, training is relatively simple, as this dog instinctively knows how this relationship is supposed to work.
