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84-687: The American Cocker Spaniel is a breed of sporting dog. It is a spaniel type dog that is closely related to the English Cocker Spaniel ; the two breeds diverged during the 20th century due to differing breed standards in the US and the UK. In the United States, the breed is usually called a Cocker Spaniel , while elsewhere in the world, it is called an American Cocker Spaniel to distinguish it from its older English cousin. The word cocker

168-456: A breed standard which is a written description of the ideal specimen of the breed. Other uses of the term breed when referring to dogs include pure breeds , cross-breeds , mixed breeds and natural breeds . Prior to the standardization of dog breeds, there were many different types of dogs that were defined by their own, unique functions. Many different terms were used to describe dogs, such as breed, strain, type, kind, and variety. By

252-461: A lncRNA variant in the IGF1 region arisen in wolves from northern latitudes c. 53.000 years ago and fixed by natural and subsequently by human selection. Their behavioral traits include guarding, herding, and hunting, retrieving, and scent detection. Their personality traits include hypersocial behavior, boldness, and aggression, which demonstrates the functional and behavioral diversity of dogs. As

336-456: A "school" book about hawking , hunting, fishing, and heraldry , attributed to Juliana Berners (Barnes), lists dogs of the time mainly by function: "First there is a greyhound, a bastard, a mongrel , a mastiff, a limer, a spaniel, " raches " (small-to-medium-sized scenthounds), "kennets" (small hunting dogs), terriers , "butcher's hounds", dung-heap dogs, "trundel tails" ( lapdogs ?) and prick-eared curs , and small ladies puppies that bear away

420-450: A 0.46 kg (1.0 lb) teacup poodle to a 90 kg (200 lb) giant mastiff . The skull, body, and limb proportions vary significantly between breeds, with dogs displaying more phenotypic diversity than can be found within the entire order of carnivores. These breeds possess distinct traits related to morphology, which include body size, skull shape, tail phenotype, fur type and colour. The difference in size has been attributed to

504-575: A 2010 study ( Afghan Hound , Akita , Alaskan Malamute , American Eskimo , Basenji , Canaan dog , Chow Chow , Dingo , New Guinea singing dog , Saluki , Samoyed , Shar-Pei , Siberian Husky ), plus another three: the Eurasier , Finnish Spitz and Shiba Inu . The study referred to these 16 as basal breeds, as opposed to ancient breeds, as they exhibited genetic divergence but not all of them were historically considered to be "ancient breeds". The 2012 study found that modern breeds only emerged in

588-642: A Cocker named Zeke lived with Bill Clinton while he was the governor of Arkansas . The American Cocker Spaniel is the smallest dog recognized by the American Kennel Club as a sporting dog, being on average between 13.5 and 15.5 inches (34 and 39 cm) high at the withers . It is a dog of normal proportions, with medium long silky fur on the body and ears, hanging down on the legs and belly (known as feathering). The ears hang down. The breed standard states that size over 15.5 inches (39 cm) inches for males and 14.5 inches (37 cm) for females

672-412: A dam would not be able to parent as many offspring as a sire; furthermore, a dam bred repeatedly may experience a sharp decline in her litter count due to a weaker body caused by too many consecutive pregnancies. Genetic diversity in a population is dependent on the cumulative effects of mutation , natural selection , and population size over many generations. The effective population size ( N e )

756-481: A household name when United States Senator Richard Nixon made his Checkers speech on September 23. A parti-colored American Cocker Spaniel named Dot was one of several dogs owned by Rutherford B. Hayes ; and a buff colored dog named Feller caused a scandal for Harry S. Truman when the dog was received as an unwanted gift with the President subsequently giving it away to a White House physician. More recently,

840-666: A known foundation stock may still not be recognized by some clubs as breeds. For instance, the feist is a hunting dog raised in the Southern United States for hunting small game. Feists have a consistent set of characteristics that reliably differentiate them from other dog types and breeds. However, the United Kennel Club recognizes one breed of feist, the Treeing Feist , while the American Kennel Club does not recognize any feist breed. A dog

924-461: A long coat, which no longer make it an ideal working dog. A 2024 study in the UK found a life expectancy of 13.3 years for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds . The American Cocker Spaniel is one of the more commonly affected breeds for progressive rod-cone degeneration . An autosomal recessive mutation in the PRCD gene is responsible for the condition in

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1008-814: A million dogs and 44,000 American Cocker Spaniels found the breed to have a lower occurrence of hip dysplasia with 0.87% compared to 3.52% overall. Dog breed A dog breed is a particular type of dog that was purposefully bred by humans to perform specific tasks, such as herding, hunting, and guarding. Dogs are the most variable mammal on Earth, with artificial selection producing upward of 360 globally recognized breeds. These breeds possess distinct traits related to morphology, which include body size and shape, tail phenotype , fur type, etc, but are only one species of dog. Their behavioral traits include guarding, herding, and hunting, and personality traits such as hyper-social behavior, boldness, and aggression. Most breeds were derived from small numbers of founders within

1092-408: A mix of two breeds and is not the result of intentional breeding . In the United States, the term mixed-breed is a favored synonym over mongrel among individuals who wish to avoid negative connotations associated with the latter term. The implication that such dogs must be a mix of defined breeds may stem from an inverted understanding of the origins of dog breeds. Purebred dogs have been, for

1176-428: A particular environment and in isolation from other populations of the species. This environment included humans but with little or no selective breeding by humans . Popular sire While a popular stud can sire a large number of litters, the effect of a popular dam is more limited. The constraints of the female reproductive cycle requires dams to have several months in between each litter so, even at capacity,

1260-400: A perpetually wagging tail and prefers to be around people; it is not best suited to the backyard alone. Cockers can be easily stressed by loud noises and by rough treatment or handling. Members of the breed were originally used as hunting dogs, but increased in popularity as a show dog. It was bred more and more in conformation with the breed standard , resulting in certain attributes, such as

1344-566: A result, today dogs are the most abundant carnivore species and are dispersed around the world. The most striking example of this dispersal is that of the numerous modern breeds of European lineage during the Victorian era . A genetic study identified 51 regions of the dog genome which were associated with phenotype variation among breeds in the 57 traits studied, which included body, cranial, dental, and long bone shape and size. There were three quantitative trait loci that explained most of

1428-488: A select set of ancestors who had the same characteristics. Dogs of a specific breed breed true , producing young that are very similar to their parents. An individual dog is identified as a member of a breed through proof of ancestry, using genetic analysis or written records of ancestry. Without such proof, identification of a specific breed is not reliable. Such records, called stud books , may be maintained by individuals, clubs, or other organizations. Kennel clubs provide

1512-574: A separate register in the Kennel Club Breed Supplement, as it was previously included in "Any other variety". Registration numbers increased to 309 by 1970 following this full recognition. American Cocker Spaniels have won best in show at the Westminster Dog Show on four occasions, with the first win in 1921 by Ch. Midkiff Seductive. Ch. My Own Brucie won the title twice in 1940 and 1941, and became known as

1596-487: A single Quarter Horse sire called Impressive. Also known as Impressive syndrome, HYPP causes heavy muscling in carrier horses, which is a desirable trait in the show ring. However, homozygotes can suffer from severe disease, which manifests as attacks of muscle twitching, weakness, collapse, and death. The disease became widespread when Quarter Horse breeders began selecting for muscling; by 2003, Impressive had over 55,000 descendants. Quarter Horses are now routinely screened for

1680-728: A sled dog is 20–25 kg (44–55 lb) based on thermo-regulation, and the ancient sled dogs were between 16–25 kg (35–55 lb). The same standard has been found in the remains of sled dogs from this region 2,000 years ago and in the modern Siberian Husky breed standard. Other dogs were larger at 30 kg (66 lb) and appear to be dogs that had been crossed with wolves and used for polar-bear hunting. Between 3,000 and 4,000 years ago greyhound -types of dogs were depicted on pottery and paintings in Egypt and Western Asia. Mastiff -type dogs were kept for guarding and hunting, and short-legged dogs were also bred. Most modern dog breeds are

1764-407: A study indicated that some breed-temperaments, such as anxiety or fear, may be linked to gene mutations. Other temperaments may be due to the legacies of 'ancient' ancestry. Groups of owners that have dogs of the same breed and have an interest in dog breeding can form national Kennel clubs . Kennel Clubs maintain breed standards , record pedigrees in a breed registry (or studbook), and issue

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1848-550: A task which would take over 20 years, only being completed in 1905. The dog considered to be the father of the American Cocker Spaniel was sired by the dog considered to be the father of the English Cocker Spaniel. Ch. Obo was bred to Ch. Chloe II, who was shipped to America while she was pregnant. Once in the United States, she whelped a dog who became Ch. Obo II . He differed greatly from

1932-430: Is a disqualification at conformation shows . American Cocker Spaniels weigh around 24 to 30 pounds (11 to 14 kg) on average, with females of the breed usually weighing slightly less than the males. The head of an American Cocker Spaniel makes the breed immediately recognizable, with the rounded dome of the skull, well-pronounced stop , and a square shaped lip. The drop ears are long, low set, with long silky fur, and

2016-475: Is a global organisation with 98 members and contract partners (one member per country) that recognize 356 purebreds. A dog crossbreed is the result of mating two different breeds. "Designer Dog" became a fad in the late 20th century. Dog crossbreeds are combinations of lineages of the domestic dog ; they are distinguished from canid hybrids , which are interspecific crosses between Canis species (wolves, coyotes, jackals, etc.). Notable canid hybrids include

2100-740: Is a term formerly, but no longer, used for a particular group of dog breeds by the American Kennel Club. These breeds were referred to as "ancient", as opposed to modern, breeds because historically it was believed their origins dated back more than 500 years. In 2004, a study looked at the microsatellites of 414 purebred dogs representing 85 breeds. The study found that dog breeds were so genetically distinct that 99% of individual dogs could be correctly assigned to their breed based on their genotype , indicating that breeding barriers (purebred breeding) have led to distinct genetic units. The study identified 9 breeds that could be represented on

2184-412: Is allowed on the feathering according to standards. Parti-colored dogs are white with patches of another color such as black or brown, and includes any roan colored dogs. In addition, American Cockers coats can come in a pattern known as merle , which is not recognized by the American Kennel Club. American Cockers have rounder eyes, a domed skull, shorter muzzle and more clearly pronounced eyebrows than

2268-628: Is commonly held to stem from their use to hunt woodcock in England, while spaniel is thought to be derived from the breed's origins in Spain. The first spaniel in America came across with the Mayflower in 1620, but it was not until 1878 that the first Cocker Spaniel was registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC). A national breed club was set up three years later and the dog considered to be

2352-565: Is neither a breed registry nor does it issue pedigrees or keep addresses for breeders. It is a global canine organization with member and contract partners (one member per country) that conduct international conformation shows, working/hunting/herding trials, and various other events. The results are submitted to FCI for processing, approval and international recognition. Each of the member and contract partners issue and maintain their own pedigrees and respective breed standards, and train their own judges. FCI ensures that each member mutually recognizes

2436-598: Is said to be purebred if their parents were purebred and if the dog meets the standards of the breed. The American Kennel Club allows mixed-breed dogs to be shown but under the condition the animals have been spayed or neutered, are not a wolf hybrid, and not eligible for the AKC Foundation Stock Service Program or an AKC Purebred Alternative Listing (PAL). In Canada, the Animal Pedigree Act lays out strict standards for

2520-463: Is the number of individuals in a given population that are able to reproduce and contribute offspring to the next generation. Genetic diversity decays over generations at a rate that is inversely related to the effective population size. In small populations , a major factor that causes a loss of genetic diversity is inbreeding . Intentionally breeding for desirable attributes in a species is known as selective breeding . This process artificially limits

2604-517: The Fédération Cynologique Internationale ." In 2017, a study showed that 9,000 years ago the domestic dog was present at what is now Zhokhov Island , arctic north-eastern Siberia, which was connected to the mainland at that time. The dogs were selectively bred as either sled dogs or as hunting dogs, which implies that a sled dog standard and a hunting dog standard existed at that time. The optimal maximum size for

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2688-484: The coydog , coywolf , dingo–dog hybrid , jackal–dog hybrid , and wolfdog .   Historically, crosses between dogs of different types were more well accepted at a time when modern purebred breeds (based on the eugenics principles) did not yet exist. Some crossbred dogs, created by breeding two purebred dogs of different breeds, may have the advantage of heterosis , or crossbreed vigor. This advantage can be progressively diluted when two crossbreeds are bred in

2772-418: The fleas and diverse small sorts." A study in 2012 examined 49,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms that gave a genome -wide coverage of 1,375 dogs representing 35 breeds, 19 wolves, and previous published genetic signatures of other breeds, giving a total of 121 breeds covered. The study found a deep genetic split between old-world and new-world wolves, and confirmed the genetic divergence of 13 breeds from

2856-763: The founder effect . Diseases attributed to the popular sire effect include copper toxicosis in Bedlington Terriers , rage syndrome in English Springer Spaniels , and histiocytic sarcoma in Bernese Mountain Dogs . Pedigree analysis of Bernese Mountain Dogs in France showed that only 5.5% of males and 13.2% of females are used for reproduction each generation, with 0.78% of males and 3% of females producing more than 50% of

2940-546: The "Merry Cocker", the American Cocker Spaniel breed standard defines the ideal dog of the breed as being "equable in temperament with no suggestion of timidity." The breed ranks 20th in Stanley Coren 's The Intelligence of Dogs , a rating that indicates good "Working or Obedience Intelligence", or trainability. IQ tests run on a variety of breeds in the 1950s and 1960s showed that the American Cocker performed

3024-509: The 19th century and that claims of their antiquity are based on little or no historical or empirical evidence. The study indicated that throughout history, global dog populations experienced numerous episodes of diversification and homogenization, with each round further reducing the power of genetic data derived from modern breeds to help infer their early history. Of the basal breeds, the American Eskimo Dog and Eurasier were

3108-630: The Cocker Spaniel and the breed gradually diverged from one another, with the two becoming noticeably different by the 1920s. The American Cockers by now had a smaller muzzle , their coats were softer and the dogs overall were lighter and smaller. The differences were so apparent that in 1935, breeders founded the English Cocker Spaniel Club and restricted breeding between the two types of spaniel. The two types of Cocker Spaniel in America were shown together as one breed, with

3192-602: The English Cockers, whose head is more setter-like. In colors, the roan colors are rarer in the American variety than in the English but the shade of buff which is common in the American is not seen in the English breed at all, although there are English Cocker Spaniels which are considered to be a shade of red. The English breed is also slightly larger, being between 14.5–15.5 inches (37–39 cm) in height. Known as

3276-399: The English language to mention numbers of dog types are from the "Cynegetica" (hunting literature), namely, The Art of Venery (1327) by Twiti (Twici), a treatise that describes hunting with the limer (a leashed bloodhound type); the pack of running hounds , which included barcelets and brachetz (both scent hounds ); and the sighthound and greyhound . More significant in recording

3360-511: The English type as a variety of the main breed, until 1946 when the American Kennel Club recognized the English Cocker Spaniel as a separate breed. Initially in the United Kingdom there were a few American Cockers that had accompanied service personnel to American bases in the 1950s and 1960s. In addition, several came over with embassy staff and business people returning home. The first UK Kennel Club registered American Cocker Spaniel

3444-707: The HYPP gene prior to breeding. A study of 10 breeds from the UK's Kennel Club (KC) showed that on average 20% of dogs have recorded offspring. Golden Retrievers have the lowest proportion of male dogs that are sires (5%), and discounting the greyhound (most greyhounds are not registered with the KC), the Akita Inus the highest (13%). A study of three varieties of terrier in 1914 indicates that about 8% of stud dogs (21 individuals) account for 23% of puppies (451 individuals), an average of 21.5 individuals per stud. In comparison,

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3528-456: The UK study showed that 5% of Labrador males and 10% of Golden Retrievers sired more than 100 individuals each. The most popular dam (a Labrador Retriever ) carried 72 offspring, while the most popular stud (an English Springer Spaniel) sired 2,538 offspring. In many breeds, more than 90% of unique genetic variants are lost over six generations. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums maintains studbooks for their captive species, which contain

3612-552: The United States during the 1940s and 1950s and again during the 1980s, reigning for a total of 18 years. They have also won the best in show title at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on four occasions, the best in show title at Crufts in 2017, and have been linked to the President of the United States on several occasions, with owners including Richard Nixon and Harry S. Truman . In 2021,

3696-445: The attempt to create a breed, narrowing the gene pool. The best way to continue taking advantage of crossbreed vigor is from the breeding of dogs of purebred ancestry, as this vigor is typically seen only in the first generation cross of two purebred animals of separate breeds, thus taking advantage of genetic diversity . A mongrel, mixed-breed dog or mutt is a dog that does not belong to one officially recognized breed but can be

3780-553: The best when tested on its ability to show restraint and delayed response to a trigger, a trait which was put down to the breed's bred-in ability when hunting to freeze upon finding a bird before flushing it out on command. However, they proved to be the worst breed tested when it came to manipulating objects with their paws, for instance uncovering a dish of food or pulling on a string. With a good level of socialization at an early age, an American Cocker can get along with people, children, other dogs and other pets. This breed seems to have

3864-563: The branches of a phylogenetic tree which grouped together with strong statistical support and could be separated from the other breeds with a modern European origin. These 9 breeds had been referred to as "ancient breeds". The study found that the Pharaoh Hound and Ibizan Hound were not as old as once believed; rather, they had been recreated from combinations of other breeds, and that the Norwegian Elkhound grouped with

3948-562: The breed being separated into two distinct types, called water spaniels and land spaniels. By 1801, the smaller variety of land spaniel was called the Cocker or Cocking Spaniel, so named for its use in flushing woodcock . According to historical records, the first spaniel was brought to North America aboard the Mayflower which sailed from Plymouth , England and landed in New England in 1620. The first Cocker Spaniel recorded in America

4032-882: The breed club to be unacceptable (called faults ). In addition, most breed standards include a historical section, describing the place of origin and the original work done by the breed or its ancestor types . Dogs with a breed standard may be accepted into one or more of the major registries ( kennel clubs ) of dog breeds, including The Kennel Club (1873, UK), American Kennel Club (1884), New Zealand Kennel Club (1886), Canadian Kennel Club (1888), United Kennel Club (1898), United Kennel Clubs International (UCI, Germany 1976), Australian National Kennel Council (1958), and other national breed registries. Recognized dog breeds are classified by groups , such as Hound, Terrier, Working, Herding, Sporting, Non-Sporting, Toy and Miscellaneous; some groups may be further subdivided by some registries. Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI)

4116-408: The breed suffer from a wide variety of health ailments including problems with their hearts, eyes and ears. The word spanyell is thought to date from the late 12th century when it was used to name a type of dog imported into England from Spain, with the span part of the word referring to the country of origin. Records from the mid-14th century show that selective breeding was already in place, with

4200-422: The breed. A study in the US veterinary data found the American Cocker Spaniel to be predisposed to glaucoma with 5.52% of dogs having the condition, the greatest prevalence of all breeds. American Cocker Spaniels can present with a nutritional form of dilated cardiomyopathy that is associated with low blood concentrations of the amino acid taurine. This form of dilated cardiomyopathy is in many cases reversible if

4284-505: The breeding, exhibiting and judging of pure-bred dogs. It now has 99 member countries. According to BigThink , over 40% of the world’s dog breeds come from the United Kingdom , France and Germany . It states: " Great Britain and France are the ground zero of dog fancying, with 57 registered breeds each. Germany is not far behind, with 47 breeds. These three countries alone represent more than 40% of all dog breeds recognized by

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4368-483: The cocker spaniel ranked 29th in registrations with the American Kennel Club . The breed is the smallest of the sporting dogs recognized by the AKC, and its distinctly shaped head makes it immediately recognizable. In addition, there are some marked differences between it and its English relative. It has average working intelligence, although by being bred to a show standard it is no longer an ideal working dog. Members of

4452-446: The detrimental gene is present in 77% of Dobermans. To decrease the frequency of the defective gene, Doberman breeders can breed carriers of the gene with unaffected individuals, and subsequently breed the non- carrier offspring. In any population that is overly-inbred and at risk, breeders should run pedigree analyses and genetic testing for deleterious alleles in each individual before making their breeding decisions. Actions to limit

4536-461: The documenting of what it calls "evolving breeds". The breed standard for each breed of dog is a detailed description of the appearance and behaviour of an idealized dog of that breed. Included in the breed standard description are externally observable aspects of appearance and behaviour that are considered by the breed club to be the most important for the breed, and externally observable details of appearance or temperament that are considered by

4620-511: The dog receives taurine supplementation. The American Cocker Spaniel is predisposed to the following dermatological conditions: allergic skin disease , intertrigo , Malassezia dermatitis , melanoma , otitis externa , plasmacytoma , primary keratinisation defects, sebaceous adenoma , and vitamin A-responsive dermatosis. The American Cocker Spaniel is predisposed to hypothyroidism . A North American study looking at records of over

4704-556: The dog–wolf genetic divergence are not known. Dogs are the most variable mammal on earth with around 450 globally recognized dog breeds. In the Victorian era , directed human selection developed the modern dog breeds, which resulted in a vast range of phenotypes. Most breeds were derived from small numbers of founders within the last 200 years, and since then dogs have undergone rapid phenotypic change and were formed into today's modern breeds due to artificial selection imposed by humans. These breeds can vary in size and weight from

4788-509: The end of the Victorian era, society had changed and so did the role of dogs. The form was given a more prominent role than function. Different types or breeds of dog were being developed by breeders who wanted to define specific characteristics and desirable features in their dogs. Driven by dog shows and the groups that hosted them, the term dog breed took on an entirely new meaning. Dog show competitions included best-in-breed winners, and

4872-554: The eyes are dark, large, and rounded. The nose can be black or brown depending on the color of the breed. The coat of the breed come in a variety of shades with the colors being separated into three main groups: black/black and tan, any solid color other than black (ASCOB), and parti-color. The black variety is either all black, or with tan points on the dog's head, the feet and the tail in a pattern called black and tan. The group known as ASCOB includes all other solid colors from light cream through to dark red, although some lighter coloring

4956-416: The father of the modern breed, Ch. Obo II , was born around this time. By the 1920s the English and American varieties of Cocker had become noticeably different and in 1946 the AKC recognized the English type as a separate breed. It was not until 1970 that The Kennel Club in the UK recognized the American Cocker Spaniel as being separate from the English type. The American Cocker was the most popular breed in

5040-508: The genetic and demographic identity of a population and can serve as valuable tools for tracking and managing each individual in an ex situ population. Studbooks and other forms of pedigree tracking can be useful tools to combat the problem of the popular sire effect and advise breeding decisions that will enhance genetic diversity. The Doberman Pinscher breed is overwhelmingly affected by von Willebrand disease , an autosomal recessive bleeding disorder; genetic testing has revealed that

5124-437: The last 200 years. As a result of their adaptability to many environments and breedability for human needs, today dogs are the most abundant carnivore species and are dispersed around the world. A dog breed will consistently produce the physical traits, movement and temperament that were developed over decades of selective breeding. For each breed they recognize, kennel clubs and breed registries usually maintain and publish

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5208-478: The modern breed, being only 10 inches (25 cm) tall and with a long body, but was considered to be an excellent dog of that era and became a popular sire . Towards the end of the 19th century, the breed had become popular in America and Canada due to their dual use as a family pet and a working dog . In the early 20th century the breeders on either side of the Atlantic had created different breed standards for

5292-454: The modern breeds because the genetic heritage of the modern breeds has become blurred due to admixture, and the basal breeds have mostly avoided admixture with them due to geographic or cultural barriers. As dogs are a subspecies but their breeds are distinct genetic units, and because only certain breeds share the same type of cancers as humans, the differences in the genes of different breeds may be useful in human medical research. In 2014,

5376-416: The most part, artificially created from random-bred populations by human selective breeding with the purpose of enhancing desired physical, behavioral, or temperamental characteristics. Dogs that are not purebred are not necessarily a mix of such defined breeds. Therefore, among some experts and fans of such dogs, mongrel is still the preferred term. Natural breeds rose through time in response to

5460-413: The most photographed dog in the world. Brucie's win in 1940 coincided with the American Cocker Spaniel becoming the most popular breed of dog in the United States, and they would remain the most popular until 1952. The breed won the title for the fourth time in 1954 with the victory going to Ch. Carmor's Rise and Shine. The popularity of the American Cocker increased once again in the 1980s with it becoming

5544-480: The most popular breed again from 1984 until 1990. In more recent years the popularity of the breed has decreased, with it ranked 15th most popular by the American Kennel Club in 2005. The breeds most recent victory came in 2017 when it won the best in show title at Crufts. American Cocker Spaniels have had several links to the United States Presidency . In 1952, an American Cocker Spaniel became

5628-406: The next generation in heterozygous individuals. Excessive breeding of any one dog will cause an extraordinary dose of his genes, including any deleterious recessive alleles he may carry, to be contributed to the gene pool. The accumulation of these recessive mutations in the reproducing individuals of a population can cause breed-related diseases in future generations through a phenomenon known as

5712-771: The next generation. Because the offspring and grand-offspring of sires turn out good, breeders often breed them to each other and conduct additional backcrosses for generations. Sometimes a sire will be bred so extensively that, decades later, breeders may not be able to tell just how closely related their dogs are, as the sire's history has run off their pedigree. This happened with the Australian Shepherd , with most show-line Aussies tracing back, repeatedly, to two full brothers: Wildhagen's Dutchman of Flintridge and Fieldmaster of Flintridge. In Quarter Horses, hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (HYPP), an autosomal dominant disorder of potassium regulation, can be linked back to

5796-458: The other European dogs despite reports of direct Scandinavian origins dating back 5,000 years. Dog types are broad categories of dogs based on form, function or style of work, lineage, or appearance. In contrast, modern dog breeds are particular breed standards, sharing a common set of heritable characteristics, determined by the kennel club that recognizes the breed. The spread of modern dog breeds has been difficult to resolve because many are

5880-441: The pedigrees and judges of all FCI members. Purebred dogs have more health problems than mongrel dogs, and require more veterinary visits, and tend to have lower longevity. Indeed, studies have reported lifespans that are shorter by between one and almost two years. Notably, dog breeds with flat faces and short noses have breathing difficulties, eye trouble and other health issues. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale

5964-412: The phenotype variation. Indicators of recent selection were shown by many of the 51 genomic regions that were associated with traits that define a breed, which include body size, coat characteristics, and ear floppiness. Wolf Shar Pei Shiba Inu Chow Chow Akita Inu Basenji Siberian Husky Alaskan Malamute Afghan Hound Saluki other breeds in the study "Ancient breed"

6048-598: The product of the controlled breeding practices of the Victorian era (1830–1900). In 2010, a study looked at 48,000  single nucleotide polymorphisms that gave a genome -wide coverage of 912 dogs representing 85 breeds. The study found distinct genetic clusters within modern dogs that largely corresponded to phenotype or function. These included spitz-breeds, toy dogs, spaniels, Mastiff-like breeds, small terriers, retrievers, herding dogs, scent-hounds, and sight-hounds. There were 17 breeds that conflicted with phenotype or function and these were thought to be

6132-510: The products of the controlled breeding practices of the Victorian era (1830-1900), and the accurate documenting of pedigrees with the establishment of the English Kennel Club in 1873 in imitation of other stud book registries for cattle and horses. The domestic dog is the first species, and the only large carnivore , to have been domesticated. The first dogs were certainly wolflike, but the phenotypic changes that coincided with

6216-425: The purebreds were winning. Breed standards are the reason the breed came to be, and with those standards are key features, including form, function and fitness for purpose. The Kennel Club in the UK was founded in 1873, and was the world's first national kennel club and breed registry. The International Canine Federation was founded in 1911 as a worldwide organization. Its objective is to bring global uniformity to

6300-553: The recognition of distinct dog breeds, but there are many independent clubs with differing, and sometimes inconsistent standards and they need not apply scientific standards. Four varieties of the Belgian Shepherd Dog are recognised as four distinct breeds by the New Zealand Kennel Club . Further, some groups of dogs which clearly share a persistent set of characteristics and documented descent from

6384-638: The result of crossing some of the other phenotypes. As in a 2004 study that found 9 'ancient breeds' to be genetically divergent, the study found 13 breeds that were genetically divergent from the modern breeds: the Basenji , Saluki , Afghan hound , Samoyed , Canaan dog , New Guinea singing dog , dingo , Chow Chow , Chinese Shar Pei , Akita , Alaskan malamute , Siberian husky and American Eskimo dog . The study found that there were three well-supported groups that were highly divergent and distinct from modern domestic dogs. The earliest books in

6468-455: The rules for conformation dog shows and trials and accreditation of judges. They often serve as registries , which are lists of adult purebred dogs and lists of litters of puppies born to purebred parents. A dog breed is represented by a sufficient number of individuals to stably transfer its specific characteristics over generations. Dogs of same breed have similar characteristics of appearance and behavior, primarily because they come from

6552-504: The size of the population pool, thereby increasing the rates of inbreeding as well as inbreeding depression , and decreasing a species biological fitness . Deleterious mutations in dominant traits are removed from the gene pool by natural selection when the affected individual fails to successfully pass the gene onto the next generation. Recessive mutations, on the other hand, are only expressed and selected against in homozygous recessive individuals; thus, they can be silently passed onto

6636-546: The use and description of various dog types is The Master of Game (circa 1406) by Edward of York , a treatise that describes dogs and their work, such as the alaunt , greyhound, pack scent hounds, spaniel , and mastiff , used by the privileged and wealthy for hunting purposes. The Master of Game is a combination of the earlier Art of Venery and the French hunting treatise Livre de Chasse by Gaston Phoebus (circa 1387). The Book of Saint Albans , published in 1486,

6720-543: The use of popular sires have been recommended to reduce the loss of genetic diversity in individual breeds. Such limits are in effect in German Shepherd Dogs in Germany. The Norwegian Kennel Club recommends that no individual dog should have more offspring than the equivalent of 5% of the number of puppies registered in its breed during a five-year period. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale adopted

6804-478: The very recent product of cross-breeding other basal breeds. Most basal breeds have hybridized with other lineages in the past. If those other lineages were other basal breeds then a basal genetic signature remains. The combination of introgression and past population bottlenecks suggested that basal breeds have little or no genetic connections to their ancestral populations and that their genetic distinctiveness does not signify ancient heritage. They are distinctive from

6888-468: Was Aramingo Argonaught, born January 17, 1956, and bred by Herbert L. Steinberg. Two judges confirmed that the dog was an American Cocker and not an English Cocker before the Kennel Club permitted the dog to be shown. In the 1960s they were shown as a rare breed, which meant that they did not have a show class of their own and could only be shown in variety classes. This included Aramingo Argonaught, who

6972-570: Was a liver and white dog named Captain, who was registered with the American Kennel Club in 1878. In 1881, the American Cocker Spaniel Club was formed; it would later become the American Spaniel Club (ASC) and is now known as the oldest breed club for dogs in the United States. The task of the club was initially to create a standard to separate the Cocker Spaniel in America from other types of land spaniels,

7056-450: Was the first American Cocker Spaniel to be shown at Crufts in 1960 in a class entitled "Any variety not classified at this show". In 1968, the KC agreed to have the breed shown in the category "Any variety gundog other than Cocker" and stated that the American Cocker was not a variety of "Spaniel (Cocker)". There were around 100 registrations between 1966 and 1968. In 1970 the breed was given

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