{"id":3081,"date":"2023-07-03T16:49:21","date_gmt":"2023-07-03T16:49:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/householdpets.co.uk\/?p=3081"},"modified":"2024-03-18T11:29:51","modified_gmt":"2024-03-18T11:29:51","slug":"show-cocker-v-working-cocker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/householdpets.co.uk\/show-cocker-v-working-cocker\/","title":{"rendered":"Show Cocker v Working Cocker: Everything You Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Cocker Spaniels are a much-loved breed. They have won people over with their large, soulful eyes and an excellent ability to be the perfect canine companion. It’s no wonder that they are the most popular spaniel breed<\/a> to be owned in the UK. If you are set on owning one of these dogs, then there is another choice that you’ll have to make, too; do you want a show Cocker Spaniel or a working Cocker Spaniel?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people might wonder what differentiates the show Cocker from the working Cocker, but there are a few areas that split these two strains apart. Although they are both the same breed, just different varieties, their appearance, traits, and dietary requirements can set them apart. As their names would suggest, show Cockers were bred for dog shows, while the working strain was primarily bred for farmers, hunters, and other workers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, if you’re set on buying or adopting a Cocker Spaniel but don’t know which type to go for, this article will provide the information to make the right decision for you and your lifestyle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Origins of Cocker Spaniels<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although this dog breed originated in the UK, up until 1893, all Spaniels were known as Land Spaniels before they began to be specified by size and colour. This was when the Cocker Spaniel breed was created, with it later split into two strains; show and working. The Cocker Spaniel was first bred for hunting and flushing out popular game birds, specifically woodcock, hence the name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professional breeders sell the two different types of Cocker Spaniel, even though the Kennel Club website<\/a> shows that the Cocker Spaniel is the recognised breed. Mixing the two Cocker strains is avoided by breeders, even though there are no official regulations against this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Kennel Club describes the Cocker Spaniel as “the merry cocker” for its constantly wagging tail, showing how happy the dog always is. The breed is classed as a “gundog.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Show Cockers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Even though this strain is still classified as part of the working dog group, the show Cocker was bred to have distinct features. Show Cocker breeders began to focus on the dogs’ general temperament as well as posture, muscle tone, and lineage to obtain an ideal overall look to get the grade at dog championships, like Crufts. Generally, these dogs aren\u2019t used for working; they are mainly for show quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Show Cocker Spaniels can be further split into two types – English and American.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Working Cockers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As these dogs were firstly working animals, known simply as Cocker Spaniels, the working strain is often viewed as the original. This type of Cocker Spaniel is still used for raising and retrieving in the UK; they are widely known to be reliable gun dogs. In recent years, working cocker spaniels<\/a> have also been used as sniffer dogs due to their impressive sense of smell and great trainability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Appearance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are physical differences between the show and working Cocker Spaniel strains; many of these differences have been specifically bred into the dogs to obtain the show Cocker image. The differences in appearance can be seen as early as puppyhood in some cases, with the working Cocker Spaniel having a longer body from the get-go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, there are several colours that both show and working Cocker Spaniels can come in, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n