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In
the most famous social occasion in dogdom, the scallywag, Tramp,
took his Lady to an Italian restaurant for a spaghetti dinner in
the back alley. The two larger-than-life canines slurped pasta and
fell in love to the music of the concertina, and Walt Disney had
another animated hit on his hands. Tramp, of course, was a nondescript
terrier-type mongrel - a dog of the streets, if you will. Lady,
on the other hand, was a sensitive, demure Cocker Spaniel, a dog
that has won the hearts of tens of millions of families over the
past several decades.
The
smallest dog in the Gundog Group, the American Cocker Spaniel is
a lot of dog in a compact package. It is a dog with definite appeal
as a family pet and child's companion, an often-time winner in the
show ring, and an intelligent worker in the field.
A well-bred
Cocker is sweet, loyal, cheerful, playful, trustworthy, easily trained,
and adaptable. It needs a moderate amount of exercise and will get
podgy if allowed to be a complete couch potato. Its sensitivity
may be its only drawback, for discipline must be gentle or the Cocker
may wilt. The popularity of the breed in the USA almost led to its
downfall: puppy farmers and backyard breeders flooded the market
with poorly-bred specimens that were yappy, snappy, nervous, high-strung
dogs - difficult to train and handle. If you're thinking of acquiring
an American Cocker, avoid pet shops and backyard breeders at all
costs, preferring to seek out a reputable breeder through reliable
sources.
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Once
upon a time, a very special Cocker was chosen for the blessing of
mankind. He was, at first, black in colour. But, when the hands of
blessings were placed upon him, the areas touched turned to purest
gold. His eyes were blessed to see the good - his mouth to speak the
praise - his ears to hear the truth - his chest to hold a loyal heart
- his feet to take him spreading joy - and, his tail to show his never-ending
love. Many more, so blessed, have followed this first one. Today they
are known to man as black and tan. |
Some
people say...
That
the temperaments of the three colour varieties are completely different!
ASCOB
(any solid colour other than black) Cockers - especially
buff - are not the brightest stars in the firmament. They're not
great at obedience, either. Some say that, as puppies, they're wild
creatures, but as they mature they become real couch potatoes...
Black
Cockers have stable temperaments, some say. Black and tans
are the smartest of the whole bunch, but also quite mischievous
- they have little self-control. Blacks adore their owners and like
to touch you with their paws or cold noses...
Parti-colour
Cockers are smart, while red and white partis are more stable
than black and white partis. Black and white partis are the clowns
of the family - everything is one big game...
Believe
it or not.....
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