American Cocker Spaniel (detailed introduction)

　　The American Cocker Spaniel is also called the Gamecock Dog, Cocker Spaniel, Gamecock Spaniel, and Hunting Spaniel. Originating in the United States, the breed was extensively bred and refined there, becoming the current small-sized dog. It was identified and recognized in 1946, and has become one of the most popular dog breeds worldwide, often used as a family companion dog.
　　Morphological Characteristics:
　　The dog should be energetic, gentle in temperament, lively and cheerful, and alert. The coat should be long to wavy, rich and dense, definitely not short and sparse; eyes should be round, with a gentle gaze and dark eye color; ears should be long and hanging down to the nose, richly feathered, long with large waves. The body structure is compact, muscles full and sturdy, chest broad, back slightly sloped, tail short; limbs thick and short, strong and powerful, with a round head. The muzzle is deep, the lower jaw short and square; toes compact with cat-like feet, the gait graceful and not messy. Head: a proportionate head (the head should be in balance with other parts of the body) including expression: the expression should be intelligent, alert, gentle, and appealing.
　　Skull Area:
　　Skull: rounded but not exaggerated or flat; eyebrows distinct. The bone structure below the eyes clearly contoured. Stop: prominent Facial Features:
　　1. Nose: the nose should be sized appropriately to balance the muzzle and face, with well-developed nostrils, typical of a sporting breed. Black, black-and-white, or black-and-tan dogs should have black noses; other color dogs may have brown, liver brown, or black noses, with darker colors preferred. The nose color should coordinate with the eye rims.
　　2. Muzzle: wide and deep. To maintain proper balance, the distance from the stop to the tip of the nose should be half the distance from the stop over the top of the head to the occiput.
　　3. Neck: the neck should be long enough for the dog’s nose to easily reach the ground, muscular, with no excessive loose skin hanging below the throat. The neck rises from the shoulder, slightly arched, tapering slightly where it joins the head.
　　4. Topline: slightly sloping down towards a strong hindquarters.
　　5. Back: strong and evenly sloped, slightly descending from the shoulders to the base of the tail.
　　6. Chest: deep, with the lowest point no higher than the elbow; the front of the body should have enough width to accommodate heart and lungs without being so wide as to interfere with the straight forward movement of the front legs. The ribcage is deep with good curvature.
　　7. Tail: docked, continuing line with the topline, level with or slightly above the topline but not standing upright like terriers nor too low to make the dog appear timid. The tail moves happily when the dog is in motion.
　　Limbs:
　　1. Forequarters: front legs parallel, straight, bones strong, muscles developed, close to the body, positioned directly under the shoulder blades.
　　2. Shoulders: shoulders well laid back at approximately 90 degrees with the upper arm, allowing easy forward stride. Shoulder blades distinct, slightly angled, no protrusions; the point of the withers forms a comfortable angle to ensure sufficient rib curvature.
　　3. Elbows: from the side, the front legs stand vertical to the ground, elbows located just below the highest point of the shoulder blades.
　　4. Carpus: short and strong. Front dewclaws are removed.
　　5. Hindquarters: viewed from behind, hind legs remain parallel whether standing or moving. Hind leg bones strong and muscles developed.
　　6. Buttocks: broad, rounded at the rear, muscular.
　　7. Thighs: powerful and well defined.
　　8. Stifles (knees): moderately angled. Strong, closely connected whether standing or moving, with no slipping or loosening.
　　9. Hocks: strong and set low. Rear dewclaws removed.
　　10. Feet: compact, large, round, with tough keratin pads; feet neither splay outward nor turn outward.
　　Gait: Although the Cocker is the smallest breed in the sporting dog group, it exhibits the typical sporting dog gait. The gait is neat, smooth, and relaxed, with sufficient stride. Good gait coordination requires balanced fore and hind drive. The power comes from strong, muscular hindquarters, while the build of the shoulders and front limbs allows for forward extension without shortening stride to balance the strong drive from behind.