Other considerations:
● Cocker Spaniels are very social and love nothing more than following their owners around.
● These are physically sound pets that can live for as long as 15 years. But, they might be susceptible to different types of allergies.
● Due to their loving nature, they make excellent therapy dogs.
● Cocker spaniel puppies that are 6 months or younger should not be exercised to the point of exhaustion.
● A short 20 minute walk is adequate exercise.
How can I take good care of my Cocker Spaniel or Cocker Spaniel Puppy?
Nutrition
These dogs love their food. Therefore, their meals should be portion-controlled to prevent obesity and other weight-related problems. In particular, puppies should get approximately 150 – 250g of dog food per day. When older approximately 175 – 260g of food daily.
Of this amount, at least 25% should be made up of proteins. And, if you have a working Cocker Spaniel, they need a much higher amount of protein.
Grooming
When it comes to the Cocker Spaniel, grooming is a somewhat intense and pricey affair. They have long hair, which needs frequent grooming. That is, daily brushing and bathing every 6-8 weeks.
On the plus side, well-groomed Cocker Spaniels are some of the most attractive creatures.
Recommended Grooming Tips:
● Trim their nails once a month.
● Check the ears for dirt and redness weekly.
● Use deep and narrow dog food bowls. This way, they won’t end up getting their ears damp as they drink water.
Exercise
These dogs are full of energy. They were originally hunting dogs before they became companions. As such, they need at least 1 hour of exercise each day. Apart from taking walks, these dogs enjoy playing and running around in the yard or garden.
Training
On a scale of 1 – 10, we rank Cocker Spaniels at a 9 on how trainable they are. These dogs are highly-intelligent and they are always ready to learn new tricks.
As with other breeds, Cocker Spaniels should be taught obedience commands. This way, they’ll be well-aware of their boundaries.
