Temperament:
Bold and keen to work, the American Cocker Spaniel is equally suited to life as a gundog or as a household pet. Cheerful, sweet, and sensitive. The Cocker Spaniel is respectful of its master's authority without much challenge. Merry and endearing. A happy tail-wagger. Gentle and trusting, with average intelligence. They are lively, playful and devoted, but should be socialized well when they are young to avoid a tendency for shyness. Usually good with children. Cockers love everyone and need people to be happy. They can be difficult to housebreak and some like to bark. However they are mostly easy to train and get along well with other animals. Note: This is a very popular breed; the above is the typical temperament of the American Cocker Spaniel, like any breed there are always exceptions. Due to this breeds popularity one must be careful to choose a Cocker from a reputable breeder; as some have reported in to the Dog Breed Info Center® reports of Cockers that have not had great temperaments and were not good with children. Cockers with this type of temperament are not typical of the breed. Before adopting an American Cocker, be sure to give it a puppy temperament test and if possible ask to meet the parents. Beware of poorly bred puppy-mill Cockers as they may have bizarre temperamental changes and behavioral problems. This would include shy-sharpness, which is a combination of fear and dominance that can cause viciousness. Also Submissive urinating; aggressive guarding of objects, people and places, hyper-sexuality and roaming.

Grooming:
The eyes need regular cleaning. Some owners prefer to leave the coat long, brushing daily and shampooing frequently with quarterly scissoring and clipping. Others prefer to clip the coat to medium length to be more functional. Either way, the dog will need regular trimming. When brushing, be careful not to pull out the silky hair. This breed is an average shedder

Exercise:
American Cockers have plenty of stamina and need regular exercise. They should be taken on daily, long walks. When walking, avoid brushy thickets that can tangle the coat.

Living Condition:
Cockers will do okay in an apartment if they are adequately exercised, and are fairly active indoors. A small yard is sufficient.

Origin:
The popular Cocker Spaniel, sometimes called the American Cocker Spaniel, was originally developed from careful breeding of the English Cocker Spaniels brought to the United States. The American Cocker Spaniel is smaller than the English Cocker Spaniel and has a different conformation. The name "Cocker" comes from the woodcock, a game bird these spaniels flushed particularly well. Today, the Cocker Spaniel serves primarily as a companion and glamorous show dog. It can also be used for hunting, tracking, retrieving, watchdogging and agility.