Appearance: 

The smallest of the spaniels, the Cocker Spaniel comes in several colors of jet black, black and tan, buff, chocolate, cream, red, particolored and tri-colored. In Diane Morgan’s The Simple Guide to Choosing a Dog, she clarifies that while the Cocker Spaniel’s coat is beautiful, it is very high in maintenance. Their silky outer-coat needs daily brushing. Show dogs require professional grooming every few weeks. The American Kennel Club (AKC) says the Cocker Spaniel has a “sturdy, compact body” and is a “well-balanced dog that is capable of considerable speed and great endurance.”