Crested Cocker

The Cocker Spaniel and Chinese Crested have been bred together in Europe and the United States since the early 20th century to create the hybrid commonly known as the Crested Cocker or Chinese Cocker. The Cocker Spaniel and Chinese Created have very different histories. The Cocker Spaniel comes from England and was bred in the 1800s for sporting purposes, particularly woodcock hunting. The close relationship between England and America led to the breed’s migration to North America where it became a popular show dog, pet, and hunting companion. Up until the mid-1900s, Cocker Spaniels in England and America were considered to be the same. However, divergent breeding practices in the two countries lead to a smaller variety (the “American” Cocker Spaniel) and a larger variety (the “English” Cocker Spaniel). They are now considered to be two separate breeds by the American Kennel Club, with the American version having been recognized in 1878 and the English version having been recognized in 1945. The other parent breed, the Chinese Crested, is an ancient breed that is believed to have descended from either the Xoloitzcuintli or the Abyssinian Sand Terrier - both hairless dogs from Africa and Mexico (respectively). Early versions of the Chinese Crested lived all across the world on ships and in port cities beginning in the 13th century where they were kept as pets by merchants to hunt small vermin on ships and docks. This breed became particularly popular in Chinese cities - hence the prefix to the Chinese Crested’s name. It was only until the 1800s when people began to keep the Chinese Crested as pets, primarily in Europe and the United States. In fact, in the 1920s, famous stage personality Gypsy Rose Lee, spearheaded a movement to popularize the breed in North America. She was somewhat successful and the Chinese Crested was officially recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1991. Nonetheless, the breed is not widely popular among toy breed dog owners today.