Cocker Spaniel Characteristics are many and are as unique as the breed itself.
They are loyal and affectionate to some degree, but can sometimes be snippy, especially if teased. They love to play and have a good amount of energy, so making sure they are walked regularly and get a lot of exercise is a very important factor in owning a cocker spaniel.
A cocker spaniel was originally bred for hunting and if they are not exercised enough, they can become a bit hyper and need a certain amount of activity. Most cockers love to run, catch a ball and enjoy learning and being trained.
I had an American Cocker Spaniel, who, at the age of 7 or 8 actually learned a set of tricks at that age. I used treats to encourage him and taught him some basic commands and he actually learned quite well, these certain commands such as sit, to give me his paw and to lie down.
Cockers usually get along with children except when there has been a history to the particular dog, such as one that was rescued or ill-treated. They also usually get along well with cats and most other dogs.
Other physical characteristics are a beautiful and thick feathered coat. Their colors range from the light brown or buff color to black, to white and brown mixes with spots or freckles to their lovely coat. Of course, the adorable and floppy long ears are a typical feature to the breed as well as their big round and somewhat droopy eyes.
The other outstanding feature of the Cocker Spaniel is the docked tail. The average weight of a cocker is around 18 to 28 pounds, although our dog was around 40 pounds, since he was a really big boy.