AMERICAN COCKER SPANIEL

Due to their small size, American Spaniels can live in city apartments. It is possible for them to live in the open air in the presence of a fenced enclosure and a warm, draft-free kennel, provided that the mercury column does not take critical readings. Caring for the thick, luxurious coat of American Cockers requires some skill from the owner. In addition to daily brushing, the American Spaniel will need visits to the trimming salon for procedures to shorten the hair on the muzzle, ears, neck and paws. Non-show dogs are bathed as they get dirty no more than 1 time in 2-3 weeks with special products (shampoos for long-haired dogs using balm, gel or oil after washing off the shampoo), provided that the owner will vigilantly monitor the condition of the coat (comb, cut, inspect dog after walking for the presence of dirt adhering to the coat, blades of grass, bloodsuckers). It is necessary to accustom a dog to a brush from the first days of her stay in the house, then the animal must get used to the need for bathing and drying with a hairdryer (at first, the dog may experience some discomfort from such procedures). By the way, almost all American Cockers love swimming in open water (after salt water, the dog should be bathed at home or at least rinsed with clean running water). The long ears of American Cockers are often tied up while eating to avoid food contamination.

The owner should pay due attention to the condition of the dog's eyes (they are prone to eye infections), monitor the health of the ears, timely carry out parasite prevention and vaccination. It will be difficult for a busy person, by definition, to properly care for an American Spaniel, not only because of the lengthy coat procedures, but also because these dogs require frequent and rather long walks (2 to 3 times a day for at least an hour). Cockers prefer active pastime to leisurely walks. - running, games with elements of training. Feeding American Cocker Spaniels does not involve any special subtleties. The owner's choice can fall on both high-quality industrial feed and self-cooked food (in which meat should prevail, boiled fish, cereals, vegetables, and cottage cheese should be present).

Despite the fact that today American Cockers more often act as a person’s house friends, and in hunting they prefer dogs that do not require such careful coat care, nevertheless, training and training are important and necessary even for the pet that leaves the walls. houses or apartments just for a walk. And the training of the American Spaniel should begin from an early (2-3 month old) age. It consists in the process of getting used to the puppy to the world around him, people around, other animals. When the puppy goes through the process of socialization, the owner will be able to move on to training. A significant advantage of the American Cocker is that they are rather obedient dogs, grasping the commands of the owner on the fly.

American Cockers can be trained by their owner or be entrusted to an experienced trainer. It should be understood that for self-training of a dog, you will need the necessary platform, equipment, and certain knowledge in this area. These dogs take the General Obedience Course (OKD), General Education Course (OKW) or General Training Course (OKD) with the owner or an experienced dog handler. If the dog is acquired for hunting game, you should think about the training - a rather complex and lengthy process, which has a number of subtleties, which can only be taught by an experienced hunter or a professional trainer.