Editing English Cocker Spaniel (section)

== Description ==
The English Cocker Spaniel is a sturdy, compact and well-balanced dog. It has a characteristic expression showing intelligence and alertness. Its eyes should be dark and its lobular ears should reach "a bit past" the tip of the nose when pulled forward.<ref name="akc" /> Today, a significant difference in appearance exists between field-bred and [[conformation show]]-bred dogs.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}} The Cocker's tail is customarily [[Docking (animals)|docked]] in North America.<ref name="akc" /> In countries where docking is legal, the tail is generally docked at about 4–5 inches (10–13&nbsp;cm) in field-bred dogs while show dogs are generally docked closer to the body.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}} Docking is now illegal in Australia<ref>{{cite web |title=Is the tail docking of dogs legal in Australia? |url=https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/is-the-tail-docking-of-dogs-legal-in-australia/ |website=Royal Australian Society for the Protection of Animals |access-date=19 February 2024}}</ref> and South Africa.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tail Docking • Cape of Good Hope SPCA |url=https://capespca.co.za/services/inspectorate-department/tail-docking/ |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=Cape of Good Hope SPCA |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=SAVC |date=2009-08-19 |title=Tail Docking |url=https://savc.org.za/taild/ |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=SAVC |language=en-US}}</ref> In England and Wales, docking can only be carried out on dogs where the owners have proved that the dogs will be used as working or shooting dogs.<ref name="defra">{{cite web |url=http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/welfare/act/docking.htm |title=Defra, UK – Animal Health and Welfare |access-date=9 September 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090427081157/http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/welfare/act/docking.htm |archive-date=27 April 2009}}</ref>

The breed standard indicates that the males of the breed are on average between {{convert|15.5|and|16|in|cm}} at the [[withers]] with the females a little smaller, growing to between {{convert|15|and|15.5|in|cm}}. Both males and females of the breed weigh approximately {{convert|13|-|14.5|kg|lb}}.<ref name="standard">{{cite web|publisher=The Kennel Club|url=http://www.thecockerspanielclub.co.uk/breedstandard.htm|title=The Cocker Spaniel Club: Breed Standard| access-date=13 September 2009}}</ref> American Cocker Spaniels are smaller, with males being on average between {{convert|14.25|and|15.5|in|cm}} and females again being smaller on average at between {{convert|13.5|and|14.5|in|cm}}, both weighing approximately {{convert|11|-|13|kg|lb}}.<ref name="standard" />

The English Cocker Spaniel is similar to the English Springer Spaniel and at first glance, the only major difference is the larger size of the Springer. However, English Cockers also tend to have longer, and lower-set ears than English Springers. In addition Springers also tend to have a longer muzzle, their eyes are not as prominent and the coat is less abundant.<ref name="differences">{{cite web|last=Gormish |first=Denise |publisher=English Cocker Spaniel Club of America |url=http://www.ecsca.org/difference.html |title=A comparison of English Springer Spaniels, American Cocker Spaniels and English Springer Spaniels |access-date=13 September 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101121224038/http://ecsca.org/difference.html |archive-date=21 November 2010}}</ref>

=== Colour ===
The breed standard of the United Kingdom's Kennel Club states that in solid colours, no white is allowed except for a small amount on the chest<ref name="standard" /> and the American Kennel Club has standards for features including the expression, neck, topline, and body.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/english-cocker-spaniel/|title=English Cocker Spaniel Dog Breed Information|website=American Kennel Club|access-date=2019-02-01}}</ref> In working Cockers, breeders value working ability over the colour of the dog.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}

Solid English Cocker colours can come in black, liver/brown, red/golden with black or brown pigmentation<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thecockerspanielclub.co.uk/colours.htm |title=Understanding Cocker Colours, Patterns and Markings Page 1 |last=Davis|first=Jinty Gill|date=9 September 2000 |publisher=The Cocker Spaniel Club |access-date=7 January 2010}}</ref> and Parti-coloured cockers come in blue roan, liver roan, orange roan with black or brown pigmentation, lemon roan with black or brown pigmentation, black and white ticked, liver and white ticked, orange and white ticked with black or brown pigmentation, lemon and white ticked with black or brown pigmentation,<ref name="colours3">{{cite web |url=http://www.thecockerspanielclub.co.uk/colours3.htm |title=Understanding Cocker Colours, Patterns and Markings Page 3 |last=Davis|first=Jinty Gill|date=9 September 2000|publisher=The Cocker Spaniel Club |access-date=7 January 2010}}</ref> black and white, liver and white with brown pigmentation, orange and white with black or brown pigmentation, lemon and white with black or brown pigmentation.<ref name="colours4">{{cite web |url=http://www.thecockerspanielclub.co.uk/colours4.htm |title=Understanding Cocker Colours, Patterns and Markings Page 4 |last=Davis|first=Jinty Gill|date=9 September 2000|publisher=The Cocker Spaniel Club |access-date=7 January 2010}}</ref>

Of the solid colours, sable is considered rare and controversial and is classified by some countries as being a type of parti-colour on account of its mixed hair shafts.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}} While some have claimed this colour is from a cross with a different breed,{{who|date=February 2024}} geneticists{{which|date=February 2024|reason=Is it just genomia that has reported this?}} have discovered English Cocker sable is unique to this breed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.genomia.cz/en/test/locus-eh|title=Genomia: Testing of dogs: Locus EH|website=genomia.cz|access-date=2019-01-05}}</ref> In addition, a silver/ash colour, usually associated with the [[Weimaraner]] dog, is considered genetically possible but is yet to be recorded by the United Kingdom's Kennel Club.<ref name="colours2">{{cite web|url=http://www.thecockerspanielclub.co.uk/colours2.htm|title=Understanding Cocker Colours, Patterns and Markings Page 2|last=Davis|first=Jinty Gill|date=9 September 2000|publisher=The Cocker Spaniel Club|access-date=7 January 2010}}</ref> Of the roan varieties, lemon roan with a light brown pigmentation is the most recessive of all the roans.<ref name="colours3"/> Plain white Cockers are rarely born and not encouraged in the breed.<ref name="colours4"/>

{{Clear}}
<gallery widths="200" heights="200" perrow="5">
File:ECS Black.jpg|Solid black with acceptable amount of white on chest
File:Snowing Bella.JPG|Black and tan
File:Bild Braunschimmel.jpg|Liver Roan
File:Zahir the English Cocker Spaniel.jpg|Blue Roan and Tan
File:Frida della Kalesa standard cocker.jpg|Black and White
File:Gessa d'Aran Copo de Nieve- arancio roano- prop.Kalesa.jpg|Orange and white
</gallery>
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