American Cocker Spaniel
HISTORY :
- Sporting dog breed - smallest size
- Relative to the English Cocker Spaniel
- U.S. reference is "Cocker Spaniel" & Global reference is "American Cocker Spaniel" - separate references due to different breed standards in America and the UK
- "Cocker" origins - hunt woodcock in England
- "Spaniel" origins - Spain
- First spaniel in America came on the Mayflower in 1620
- Cocker Spaniel officially registered with the American Kennel Club in 1878
- The AKC officially declared the English Cocker Spaniel a different breed in 1946 due to noticeable differences.
- The UK Kennel Club officially declared the American Cocker Spaniel a different breed in 1970.
- Most popular breed in the U.S. in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1980s
- Best in Show title at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show - 4 shows
- Well-known owners include Richard Nixon and Harry S. Truman
(Full history can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Cocker_Spaniel)
TEMPERAMENT :
- Ideal as a gundog or household pet
- Gentle and devoted
- Average intelligence
- Respectful of authority
- Active and playful
- Naturally shy - socialize when young
- Need firm, loving leadership
- Daily exercise to maintain positive temperament
- Can be difficult to housebreak, but relatively easy to train
- Tolerates other animals
- Owner must show pack leadership to avoid Small Dog Syndrome - if the dog senses leadership among human family, he/she will develop fear, dominance, and viciousness, submissive urination due to overexcitement and lack of mental & physical exercise to burn off energy, aggressive behavior, obsessive barking
PHYSICAL TRAITS :
- Average weight - 15 to 30 pounds
LIVING CONDITIONS :
- Apartment friendly with daily exercise
- Fairly active indoors
LIFE EXPECTANCY :
(Temperament, Physical Traits, Living Conditions, Life Expectancy source : http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/americancocker.htm)
I will not generalize animals, especially cats and dogs, as being every person's best friend. Some love cats but not dogs. Some love dogs but not cats. Some love both cats and dogs. Some aren't really animal people for personal reasons known only to them.
However. In the event that you are a cat &/or dog person, I found an amazing blog on WordPress - Leatherwood Designs. Leatherwood Designs features homemade accessories with, of course, an animal theme. There is an Animals tab with detailed information on anything you may want to know. I am still sifting through the blog for so much more to discover and learn.
I highly recommend leaving a comment under About the Artist tab, especially if you have a common bond. She promotes adoption of cats and dogs in immediate need of a forever home on her Pinterest site. My heart melted with every little face and "liked" away. If interested, ask her to provide her Pinterest link for you to browse.
Leatherwood Designs needs and deserves a grand public and connections. The accessories are adorable and 100% guarantee worth buying. Support her financially. The Pinterest site is just...how I feel about Puppy Love. Support the featured animals in any way you can.
Support Leatherwood Designs.
Puppy Love has long meant to inform and entertain.
A learning process about breeds.
Adorable images of puppies sent in by their owners.
Quirky YouTube videos that impress the blog.
Well, I now am putting a new spin on this nearly three year old tail. You, as the viewer, are taking charge of Puppy Love.
Adopt a Pet is a website that allows potential owners to find the dog or cat breed of their desire. They fill out as much of the form as they can or want. The results following are endless.
I am passing along the adoptapet.com form. Now that you know the history of so many different breeds and have perhaps fell in love with one or more, utilize the form. You never know who you will run into...
I have unearthed to the call from Puppy Love.
I have further unearthed a massive and cruel scam brought against innocent puppies of all breeds.
The Dachshund is officially the breed love of my life. Their adorable floppy ears against their slight and long size. A long sigh of pure happiness...
In a curious search for available pups to adopt in the state of Illinois, I found my one - Floppy, a 7-month-old sweetheart with a dark tan coat.
In another curious search for another source, I found PuppyFind.com. At this point, my search became interesting.
PuppyFind.com is a SCAM. They claim adoptions of AKC-registered breeds. They do not claim their justification for selling price. PuppyFind.com exploits innocent puppies of all breeds through massive pricing, ranging from $400 minimum to at or over $950.
The average selling price offered by a shelter, humane society, or verified rescue group is in the $200 range that covers spay/neuter and all necessary shots up-to-date. This range stands strong depending on the age of the dog, despite breed.
Ideally, dogs would never have price tags on their collars. In all reality, shelter costs make up for the fact that they are non-profit groups heavily reliant on volunteers.
So how dare a vicious website exploit puppies for their own financial gain.
Unconditional love cannot be given when the owner is unconditionally broke.
The interview below discusses the history of keyboards in music. This video has absolutely nothing to do with Puppy Love. However, I do find one "crack me up" moment in the session - nearly everyone in the interview was excited over the sound creation of a dog bark. And now we are back to Puppy Love.
Alas, I share this video for two loves - Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran and puppies 'round the world.
Pawfive to both :)
post-script:
This entry title - Lost for words - has a reason. I am not musically inclined in general and music technology specifically. I have no idea how Nick Rhodes does it.
