Mini English Cocker

Looking at the parent history, the Dachshund originated in Germany where he was used to hunt badgers, foxes and wild boar back in the 16th Century. These dogs varied in size, being bred to match whatever it was they were hunting. Originally known as the Teckel in Germany, the breed was refined by German foresters from the 18th to the 19th centuries. These dogs were fearless hunters, and entered the burrows of prey. Other breeds have contributed to the Dachshunds development, the smooth hair variety from cross breeding with the French Braque and Basset Hounds and the long-coated Dachshund, created from various spaniels and terriers. It is the only dog that is recognised by the American Kennel Club that hunts above and below ground. The breed became popular in the early 1900s but fell on hard times during World War 1 due to the German connection. But they rose to become popular again in the 1950s. Today they rank 6th in popularity out of 155 breeds recognised by the AKC. Spaniels have a long history and can be rated either as land or water spaniels. Known for their hunting and retrieving skills on land and water, they varied in size and weight.  It was only towards the end of the 19th century that breeders began dividing them into specific breeds. All spaniels that were less than 25 pounds were classified as the Cocker Spaniel. But disputes among breeders cause a reclassification to create standard breeds for each spaniel type. American breeders were more interested in a smaller dog and bred accordingly, while the English preferred a bigger dog. In 1936 a special classification was deemed to be the English Cocker Spaniel to separate it from its smaller American cousin. The English Cocker Spaniel had finally found its place in the dog breeding history.