Cocker
Health
and Genetics
Health
Immune
System and Disease Resistance
OFA (Hips)
CERF (Eyes)
Homeopathy
Vaccination Protocols
Genetics
Control
of Genetic Disease
Sample
of Genetic Pedigree
Genetic Services
The
Dog Genome Project
Basic
Genetics
Genetic Risk Analysis Software
Pedigree
Software
with COI capacity
Research
Cornell
University
AKC
Health Foundation
ASC
Foundation
TAKE ACTION!
Research Studies
Epilepsy
Longevity
Cataract
Lymphoma, MHC and Immune mediated diseases, and hypothyroidism.
Cocker Resources
Cockers.com
Merck
Vet Manual
Time
to Go
Pet
Loss Support
Support Hotline
AVMA Pet Loss
For
a Cocker Soul
Waiting
Cocker Spaniels are basically healthy animals. Regular grooming, fresh water and good quality food plus your special friendship, can keep a Cocker content and active for many years.
Cockers can live as long as 15 years, with the average being around 11 years.
Cocker owners can encounter conditions, such as eye disease, hip dysplaysia, immune system disorders and endocrine system dysfunction (thyroid). Learning as much as we can about prevention in both our breeding programs and our daily care routines offers the fancier and pet owner alike the best future.
What is a good breeder? A good breeder is someone who is socially responsible and interested in the long term well-being of the Cocker Spaniel.
There is a plethora of research underway all over the world on diseases and conditions found in canines and some in Cockers specifically. It is important to question the credibility of any research and to critically consider the application of it to any given breed, and indeed, any individual dog.
Still, knowing what is happening in these areas helps the Cocker fancier better understand the challenges we face today. It offers suggestions for better management of breeding programs and so, safeguards the health and lives our lovely Cockers.
The American Spaniel Club Foundation supports research in Cocker Spaniels through grants and recruitment of participants. It also provides fanciers with education programs and resources for control of genetic disease and encourage responsible dog ownership and ethical breeding.
Breeder
Responsibilities
(George
A. Padgett, DVM from "Control Canine Genetic Diseases")
1. Should have established
breeding goals defined by their ideal dog so they know what they are
breeding for and can select an appropriate test mate.
2. Should have an established
selection method to use in selecting the test mate.
3. Should have arrived at a hierarchy or degree of disagreeableness of traits known to occur in their breed which they can apply to their dogs (all may not involve the "health" of their dogs).
4. Should know traits that occur in their line and traits that potentially could occur in their animal or are known to exist in their animal.
Breeder Obligations
Register all animals that are known or potential carriers with an appropriate disease registry.Test mate all offspring retained for breeding or sold as "breeding" quality in order to assure knowledge of the pathway of the gene in question.
Thoroughly explain to any purchaser of potential breeding stock that the defective gene may be present and what will be required to eliminate the gene. Do not imply that it is of no importance.
Thoroughly assure yourself and the breed that "pet quality" animals that will not be shown or used for breeding remain pets.
- Require a spay/neuter agreement.
- Do not issue papers until the animal is spayed or neutered.
- Require a deposit, sufficient to pay for the spay or neuter, to be returned when evidence is presented that the surgery has been done.
- Require that the spay or neuter be completed before the animal is nine months.
