Appearance
The American Cocker Spaniel is the smallest dog recognised by the American Kennel Club as a sporting dog, being on average between 13.5 to 15.5 inches (34 to 39 cm) high at the withers. It is a dog of normal proportions, with medium long silky fur on the body and ears, hanging down on the legs and belly (known as feathering). The head has an upturned nose and the ears hang down. The breed standard states that size over 15.5 inches (39 cm) inches for males and 14.5 inches (37 cm) for females is a disqualification at conformation shows. American Cocker Spaniels weigh around 24 to 30 pounds (11 to 14 kg) on average, with females of the breed usually weighing slightly less than the males.
The head of an American Cocker Spaniel makes the breed immediately recognizable, with the rounded dome of the skull, well-pronounced stop, and a square shaped lip. The drop ears are long, low set, with long silky fur, and the eyes are dark, large, and rounded. The nose can be black or brown depending on the colour of the breed.
The coat of the breed come in a variety of shades with the colours being separated into three main groups: black/black and tan, any solid colour other than black (ASCOB), and parti-colour. The black variety is either all black, or with tan points on the dog's head, the feet and the tail in a pattern called black and tan. The group known as ASCOB includes all other solid colours from light cream through to dark red, although some lighter colouring is allowed on the feathering according to standards. Parti-coloured dogs are white with patches of another colour such as black or brown, and includes any roan coloured dogs. In addition, American Cockers coats can come in a pattern known as merle, which is not recognised by the American Kennel Club.
American Cockers have rounder eyes, a domed skull, shorter muzzle and more clearly pronounced eyebrows than the English Cockers, whose head is more setter-like. In colours, the roan colours are rarer in the American variety than in the English but the shade of buff which is common in the American is not seen in the English breed at all, although there are English Cocker Spaniels which are considered to be a shade of red. The English breed is also slightly larger, being between 14.5–15.5 inches (37–39 cm) in height.
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