American Cocker Spaniel

This is not simply an English Cocker with an accent. The American is the smallest of the sporting breeds, at 34 to 39 cm and 11 to 14 kg, with rounder eyes, a domed skull, a shorter muzzle and a long, silky coat. That coat is the real commitment: plan for regular professional clipping or a lot of home grooming, and routine ear cleaning to head off infections. It is a people-focused companion far more than a field dog, and glaucoma and PRA are the eye conditions to screen for.