Cocker spaniels are a very popular breed of dog for several great reasons. First, they’re loving and loyal pets to have and to share your home with. They don’t get extremely large so they make an ideal pet for apartment dwellers and are quite friendly to most everyone they meet. Also, they don’t bark a lot so they’re not going to annoy the neighbors if you’re out of the home for the evening. These are reasons that cocker spaniels make a very comfortable pet to own.

Another positive aspect of owning a cocker spaniel is the fact they very rarely need any special treatment. On the whole, they’re very healthy, moderately active dogs who don’t require any form of special diet or a lot of medications. While there are exceptions to the general rule, all you need to take good care of your cocker spaniel is a good grooming brush, a good quality dog food and consistent vet visits for their shots and for check-ups.

When they’re young, they’ll be playful and active. You may be hard pressed to keep up with them in their puppy stage but as they develop and become a full sized dog, they’ll slow down. They will still want to play, but not as hard, nor as long and are a lot more willing to sit on the couch with you and be petted. Fortunately, as intelligent as they are, they can be trained to behave so you don’t have to struggle through puppy-hood as with other breeds.

It doesn’t take a lot to train a cocker spaniel either. They’re eager to please their new master so training won’t be an arduous process. If you’re going to be doing the training, be consistent with your commands and your expectations, give affection and treats on success and be patient. It won’t’ be long before your new pet will not only behave exactly how you expect but will appreciate the training you’ve given him. For someone who wants to have a great pet, a cocker spaniel may well be the ideal choice.