At 15 ½ years old, Cocker Spaniel Chelsie is probably the oldest dog competing in the AKC Rally Championship (RACH) Invitational.

If you saw Cherry Pie today, you'd have no idea the athletic, 13-year-old Cocker Spaniel was once a broken-boned puppy, hit by a car, and on the verge of euthanasia. Now in her golden years, the senior dog is healthier than ever, and she has a lifetime of accomplishments to show for it. But before […]

Fanciers of English Cockers cherish the unique combination of qualities essential to this sturdy, merry, small sporting dog. A relatively new breed in the specific sense — records of the “modern” Cocker Spaniel date from about 1850, and the breed was first registered with the Kennel Club (England) in 1873— the flushing spaniel as a […]

With their wagging tails and friendly temperament, the Cocker Spaniel has long been one of the most popular dog breeds. Learn more about this merry breed.

It all started about seven years ago, when Jim Moritz, a mailman from Somerdale, New Jersey, was browsing Craigslist. “It was 11:30 at night, and I saw him there,” Jim recalls. “I said, ‘Oh my gosh. He’s so cute.’ ” The face that caught his eye—and captured his heart—was Buddy, an 8-year-old Cocker Spaniel whose […]

The Cocker Spaniel is one of the AKC's most popular breeds. But did you know there is another Cocker Spaniel breed? That's right, the Sporting Group also contains the English Cocker Spaniel. To add to the confusion, in the rest of the world, the English Cocker Spaniel (ECS) is known simply as the Cocker Spaniel, […]

Lisa Gaertner of Pinecliff Cockers is a lifelong New Jersey resident and has owned Cocker Spaniels for the past 30 years. She is an AKC Breeder of Merit, member of the American Spaniel Club, treasurer of the Keystone Cocker Spaniel Club, and board member of the Cocker Spaniel Club of New Jersey. In addition to […]

COCKER SPANIEL “STRIKER” WINS BEST IN SHOW AT LARGEST EVER AKC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY ROYAL CANIN National Champion Beats Dogs from 50 States and 44 Countries   GCHP CH Silverhall Strike Force, an ASCOB Cocker Spaniel known as “Striker” triumphed over nearly 5,000 dogs to earn a $50,000 cash prize, a paw print pendant […]

It's the moment we've all been waiting for! After an incredible competition, GCHP CH Silverhall Strike Force, an ASCOB Cocker Spaniel known as "Striker" was named Best in Show at the 2017 AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin. "Striker" triumphed over nearly 5,000 dogs to earn a $50,000 cash prize in addition to the […]

English Cocker Spaniel lovers often use the word “merry” to describe their breed. Upbeat in the field and mellow at home, this compact, silky-coated bird dog is widely admired for his delightful personality and irresistible good looks.

The merry and frolicsome Cocker Spaniel, with his big, dreamy eyes and impish personality, is one of the world’s best-loved breeds. They were developed as hunting dogs, but Cockers gained their wide popularity as all-around companions.

Did you know that the Cocker Spaniel and English Cocker Spaniel are two different breeds? Learn more about the breed with these Cocker Spaniel fun facts.

By: Mike Bothwell  A Cocker Spaniel Club of Georgia member shares his experience in taking part in the club's hunt test in December.   The air is crisp and the sky is a rich blue with stars on one horizon and the sun trying to rise on the other. Trees and hedgerows line fields that […]

English Springer Spaniels were originally bred to flush game from the brush. Today they are tireless in the field but happy to relax after a long day out.

Laurie Green has been breeding English Springer Spaniels for 40 years and Grand Basset Griffon Vendéens for six. She adores these people-loving dogs.

With solemn but curious brown eyes, the mahogany spaniel in the doorway gazes upon a visitor. A well-formed male with power in his stance, the dog pads gently forward, in a slow, assessing approach. His big brown nose investigates the newcomer. They say that Field Spaniels can be reticent when first meeting a stranger, but […]

Preparing the sweet, gentle Cavalier King Charles Spaniel to follow good behavior guidelines isn't tricky. This graceful, fun-loving toy spaniel only wants to please you. With some planning, persistence, and a positive outlook, your puppy quickly takes to training. Sandy Harrison, Recording Secretary of the American Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club, acquired her first Cavalier […]

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel's medium-long luscious coat and silky, feathery ears signal royalty. Here's how to groom a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

Spaniels go back to at least the 14th century, but their ancestry may be even older. As of 2025, the AKC recognizes 15 types of spaniel breeds.

In 1926, Roswell Eldridge placed an ad in a dog-show catalog that dared British breeders to bring a royal breed back from the brink of extinction. “Blenheim Spaniels of the Old Type, as shown in pictures of Charles II’s time, long face, no stop, flat skull, not inclined to be domed with spot in centre […]

The sweet and sensitive Field Spaniel is famously docile, but vigorous and game for anything when at play or in the field. These close cousins to Cocker Spaniels and Springer Spaniels may be small in number, but their charm is enormous.

All dogs six months of age or older from the following breeds are eligible to participate in Spaniel Field Trials: AKC Recognized Breeds Cocker Spaniels English Cocker Spaniels English Springer Spaniels Dogs of these breeds recorded with the Purebred Alternative Listing Program/Indefinite Listing Privilege (PAL/ILP) are not eligible to participate. Dogs of these breeds with […]

Latest Rule Changes ESSFTA Changes to Judging Criteria / Amateur Clarification (August 2025) ECSCA Requires 3 Apprenticeships (January 2025) National Championships Minimum Standard of Competition (August 2017) Distance Between Judging / Definition of A Pro (July 2017)   Rulebook Field Trial Rules and Standard Procedure for Spaniels AMENDED DATE: AUGUST 2017  – COVER COLOR: TAN - ISSUE […]

Spaniels are undeniably cute, with a happy and gentle personality. But did you know they are also hardy and skillful hunting companions retrieving water fowl and flushing game birds in all conditions. Spaniels competing in trials will be judged on game-finding ability, steadiness and retrieving. A spaniel’s work in the field is a compilation of […]

English Cocker Spaniel Club of America English Springer Spaniel Field Trial Association National English Springer Spaniel Field Trial Association  

(Originally edited and written by A. Hamilton Rowan, Jr.; updated by M. Sue Richey from material submitted by Evelyn Monte Van Horn and Lisa Brown as cited in the Poughkeepsie Journal.) American sportsmen used Spaniels for hunting game birds and waterfowl long before there were Spaniel field trials. The Cocker Spaniel, recognized by The Kennel […]

The concept of the Spaniel Hunting Test began as a request for an AKC sanctioned event to be known as the "Spaniel Gun Dog Qualification." It had been recommended that AKC sanction Spaniel breed specialty clubs to hold these tests for the purpose of gauging a dog's natural abilities during demands of actual hunting conditions. […]

Airedale Terrier American Water Spaniel Boykin Spaniel Chesapeake Bay Retriever Clumber Spaniel Cocker Spaniel Curly-Coated Retriever English Cocker Spaniel English Springer Spaniel Field Spaniel Flat-Coated Retriever Golden Retriever Irish Water Spaniel Labrador Retriever Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Poodle Sussex Spaniel Welsh Springer Spaniel

All dogs six months of age or older from the following breeds are eligible to participate in Spaniel Hunting Tests: AKC Recognized Breeds Airedale Terriers American Water Spaniels Boykin Spaniels Chesapeake Bay Retrievers Clumber Spaniels Cocker Spaniels Curly-Coated Retrievers English Cocker Spaniels English Springer Spaniels Field Spaniels Flat-Coated Retrievers Golden Retrievers Irish Water Spaniels Labrador […]