Golden cocker retriever dog breed

The Golden Cocker Retriever is an excellent blend of three great breeds of dog. Golden Retrievers are easy to train compared to other breeds and love to help. They&rsquo-ll do almost anything for your affection and approval. Cocker Spaniels are a little more difficult but still enjoy working for and receiving praise. With proper training and exercise, you and your Golden Cocker Retriever will have an excellent relationship.

Below is more detailed information about the breed. In general, expect all of the breeds features including appearance and demeanor to fall within the range of both breeds. This statement doesn&rsquo-t mean it will fall in the middle of that range. As an example, it&rsquo-s extremely unlikely you would end up with a high activity dog from the combination of these three medium action breeds. You might, however, get a Golden Cocker Retriever that appears significantly like one of its component breeds much more than the others.

Due to the considerable variation in appearance between the Golden Retriever and Cocker Spaniel expect this breed to vary widely. There might even be a significant variation within the same litter. The coat variation includes a significant difference in the hair itself as well as the coat color. You&rsquo-ll need to see photos at a minimum, and preferably visit the dog in person, to understand how the individual dog looks.

Other Names

• Cogal
• Dakota Sport Retriever

Description

The Golden Cocker Retriever is a Hybrid between a Golden Retriever, American Cocker Spaniel, and English Cocker Spaniel. The ideal distribution is 50 Golden Retriever, 25 American Cocker Spaniel, and 25 English Cocker Spaniel. However, the Cocker Spaniel portion may balance differently with as little as 12.5 of one and 37.5 of the other.

Appearance varies widely depending which breed the color and texture of the coat originates. The Cocker Spaniel ears come through reliably though appear significantly different depending whether or not the dog inherits the straight coat of the Golden Retriever, the wavy hair of the Cocker Spaniel, or a mix of both textures.

Temperament

Expect breed character to vary between that of the Retriever and the Cocker Spaniel. All three breeds want to please their owners, need moderate activity, and only bark when they feel there&rsquo-s reason to do so. Sometimes the Cocker Spaniels end up with &ldquo-Small Dog Syndrome,&rdquo- a situation where the dog believes it&rsquo-s higher in pack rank than all humans. This so-called syndrome is not an attribute of the breed but a result of allowing inappropriate dominance behaviors that are almost always corrected immediately in larger dogs due to their size. Proper training will eliminate the problem, and the Golden Cocker Retriever will likely be large enough that any dominance behavior it displays will be problematic.

As long as the dog doesn&rsquo-t develop &ldquo-Small Dog Syndrome&rdquo- and is properly socialized it should function well around children as well as other pets. All dogs are different, and a poor initial introduction can undermine a successful relationship so still use caution when introducing your dog to other dogs, cats, or other animals for the first time.

Height, Weight

Gold Retrievers are large dogs while Cocker Spaniels fall into the medium range. Expect your Golden Cocker Retriever to fall somewhere between. To get a better idea of the size your specific dog will grow to, take a look at the parents.

Health Problems

No specific health problems are attributable to this breed. It&rsquo-s possible that any health problems present in the three component breeds might appear. Mixed breed dogs tend to be healthier than pure breed dogs when it comes to inherited conditions.

Living Conditions

As all three component breeds make good indoor pets as well as enjoy their outside activity, expect the Golden Cocker Retriever to behave similarly.

Exercise

Moderate exercise will be required. Moderate exercise means playing around the house, in the yard, and getting one walk per day should be sufficient for an adult dog. Puppies typically need a lot more exercise.

Life Expectancy

Typical life expectancy of 11 to 12 years. Yearly check-ups recommended as many large dogs, Golden Retrievers included, have specific health ailments which arise over time. Crossing with the Cocker Spaniel will significantly decrease the risk the Golden Cocker Retriever suffers from the same issues.

Litter Size

Litter size will vary significantly based on the size of the dog. Larger dogs tend to carry larger litters in general. Prepare for somewhere between four to twelve puppies if your dog is expecting.

Grooming

All three breeds have a medium coat and shed seasonally. Weekly brushing is ideal to maintain a healthy coat and prevent tangling or matting of the fur. You will likely brush the dog less if they have more of a Golden Retriever coat as the Cocker Spaniel coat tends to tangle and mat easier due to the curls.

Origin

These dogs originated as a mix between a Golden Retriever, English Cocker Spaniel, and American Cocker Spaniel.

Recognition

• ACHC = American Canine Hybrid Club
• DRA = Dog Registry of America, Inc.
• International Designer Canine Registry® = American Cocker Spaniel x Golden Retriever = Golden Cocker Retriever
• International Designer Canine Registry® = English Cocker Spaniel x Golden Retriever = English Comfort Golden

The Golden Cocker Retriever is an excellent moderate energy breed that&rsquo-s entirely comfortable indoor or out. One walk a day and some play time inside will keep this breed content. There should be no issues with children or other pets assuming the dog is properly trained and socialized. No need for any particular health worries, though Golden Retrievers do have some issues on their own making it necessary to get your pet in for yearly checkups. Expect your Golden Cocker Retriever to be with you a long time as life expectancy is typically eleven to twelve years.

Expect your Golden Cocker Retriever to be with you a long time as life expectancy is generally eleven to twelve years. While it is a long term commitment this is a great choice of breed for someone with a little bit of a place to run around and time to walk the dog every day.