Finding the perfect family pet can be difficult.
My family has always been lucky. Throughout my life we have had four completely different dogs, ranging in size and personality. Our current dog is named Obie and he is a cock-a-mo. With his huge grin, constantly wagging tail and beautiful fur, we fell in love with him immediately – and so does almost everyone he meets.
If you’re looking for your new family pet, or just want to learn more about the cock-a-mo, look no further. Here are eleven interesting (and helpful) facts about the cock-a-mo.
Contents
A Beautiful Breeding History
The cock-a-mo is a cross breed between the Cocker Spaniel and the American Eskimo. Today, both breeds are considered good companion dogs. They share many similar characteristics, in both appearance and personality.
The American Eskimo was initially a German farming breed. Today, it is known for its playfulness and beautiful white fur. The cocker spaniel, famous for its long, curly ears and sweet face, has been a favourite at dog shows for years, although it was originally bred as a hunting dog.
The cock-a-mo combines the best of each breed. This medium sized dog stands anywhere from 9 to 19 inches tall (20 to 40 lbs). Playful, smart and loving, the cock-a-mo makes for a great family pet.
The cock-a-mo is a medium sized dog with a friendly personality. This breed combines the beautiful qualities of the American Eskimo and the Cocker Spaniel.
Cock-a-mos Love the Outdoors
The cock-a-mo loves to be outdoors and can be quite energetic – but it is not unmanageable. Giving them regular exercise can be easy and fun: take your dog for a walk twice a day or let them have time to run around the backyard.
For the cock-a-mo, the most important thing is to spend time with their family. Whether running through a park, walking around the neighbourhood, or playing in their back yard, working in exercise for your cock-a-mo is easy and enjoyable.
The cock-a-mo loves spending time outdoors. Here, he runs ahead along the forest path, but never too far from his family.
Cock-a-mos also enjoy indoor playtime with their toys
The cock-a-mo has an incredibly playful personality.
In the 1920s, the American Eskimo was used in circus acts across North America as a dancing dog. That fun, performance personality lives on today: my cock-a-mo will sometimes dance across the kitchen on his hind legs (usually when he wants more food).
While regular walks are important, there are other ways to make sure your dog gets the right exercise. Often, I enjoy playing with my dog around the house – he loves his toys and we play small games of fetch or tug-of-war. He gets excited but will easily calm down.
The cock-a-mo loves playing with their toys. Here, Obie sits with a favorite toy, hoping to have some playtime with his owner.
The cock-a-mo is a great apartment dog
Being a medium sized dog, the cock-a-mo doesn’t need much space. A family-oriented animal, it will find a spot to rest and watch over its family’s activities.
The cock-a-mo is not an aggressive barker. While the occasional surprise postman may be cause for alarm, the cock-a-mo is a quiet dog. It prefers to chase squirrels, rather than bark at them.
Cock-a-mos require regular grooming
Both the American Eskimo and the Cocker Spaniel are known for their beautiful fur coats – but both require a lot of maintenance.
Regularly take your dog to the groomer. The cock-a-mo has a double coat (two layers of fur). One is a base layer that protects their skin, the other looks pretty. This means the fur cannot be shaved down but must be constantly trimmed or brushed. It also means that a cock-a-mo is not hypoallergenic.
That said, maintenance is easy! A regular grooming appointment is simple to arrange and helps ensure your dog has regular check ups (our groomer is through our local vet). We also take time to comb out all the loose hair with a brush.
Introduce your dog early to grooming treatments and it will be easy to keep good practices in the future.
Cock-a-mos love winter more than summer
Due to their thick double coat, the cock-a-mo loves the snow. Obie will roll around in it and chase snowballs. We have not needed to buy a winter coat for our dog, and we see temperatures well below freezing for several months of the year.
Summer is a different story. July will bring temperatures as high as 30 or 40 degrees Celsius, thick with humidity. Obie loves to lie in the grass or wander our backyard, but often he becomes overheated and seeks refuge inside the house.
His favorite spot? Sleeping on top of the vent and hogging all the air conditioner for himself.
Make sure to take extra care in extreme weather conditions for your dog, so they are always comfortable and healthy.
Snow is no problem for the cock-a-mo. With a thick coat of fur, the cock-a-mo can spend an afternoon running through the snow happily
Cock-a-mos love other animals and are easy to introduce to the family
When we adopted Obie, we already had another dog and a cat. This posed no problem: Obie was excited to make new friends and quickly became a loyal brother. He gets on especially well with our cat: they have a wonderful bond and spend most of their days together.
Out for a walk, the cock-a-mo will be eager to meet new dogs, no matter what size. Their happy and outgoing disposition make it easy when greeting neighbourhood dogs. With a wagging tail and perked up ears, it will sometimes be a little too friendly for smaller dogs but never aggressive.
Taking your cock-a-mo to a family gathering with other dogs is never a problem, and dog parks will be an easy place to give your cock-a-mo socialization and exercise.
The cock-a-mo gets along great with other pets. Here, Obie plays with the family cat in their backyard.
Patience and routine are the best way to train the cock-a-mo
The cock-a-mo is a smart dog. It watches, listens and learns very well. This makes them very easy to train.
This is especially important when introducing your dog to new situations. Having patience and creating routine are important, but it won’t take long for the cock-a-mo to learn a new behaviour (or trick!).
Repetition is key to creating a new behaviour. By nature, the cock-a-mo wants to play, which can be difficult when trying to teach them how to walk on a leash, or how to behave in a long car ride.
With Obie, we made each new situation comfortable, worked hard to maintain good habits, and saw excellent results in short time.
Training your cock-a-mo is never difficult. Routines are easy to create and maintain. Here, Obie sits in the back seat of the car, a space he has learned is safe and comfortable.
The cock-a-mo likes to meet new people, but can be shy
Many neighbours often want to say hello to this dog – and the cock-a-mo is always happy to make a new friend.
Sometimes the cock-a-mo can be a little shy. Being highly sensitive and intelligent, the cock-a-mo can recognize nervousness in a person. Rather than act aggressive, the cock-a-mo will be more cautious in approaching this person or may simply choose to avoid them.
Their ears need to be carefully cleaned
The biggest health concerns for this breed are the ears. It is important to regularly check and clean your cock-a-mo’s ears. Large ears that are covered can result in wax build-up or worse, infection.
For the most part, however, this breed can be easy to care for. It does not have difficult demands and does well on a basic, balanced diet. With its excellent nose, the cock-a-mo is never far from the kitchen and will try to tell you it would enjoy your dinner as well as it’s own.
The beautiful ears of the cock-a-mo must be carefully cleaned, to ensure they don’t become infected.
The cock-a-mo is happiest when surrounded by family
When we introduced Obie to our home, we never knew what a loving family member we had just gained. In many ways, this makes it ideal as a pet and companion.
Eager to please, the cock-a-mo loves to simply be near its family. If you’re watching a movie, it will find a spot nearby to curl up with a bone. Eager to please, you’ll always find your cock-a-mo by your side. In the morning, it is guaranteed to be the first face that greets you.
And trust me: it’s the best alarm clock I’ve ever had.
Bringing Obie into our lives was an excellent decision. The cock-a-mo has endless love to give and will always be a rewarding companion
Jen Jones is a professional dog trainer and behavior specialist with more than 25 years of experience. As the founder of ‘Your Dog Advisor’ and the ‘Canine Connection’ rehabilitation center, she applies a holistic, empathetic approach, aiming to address root causes rather than merely treating symptoms.
Well known for her intuitive and compassionate approach, Jen adopts scientifically-proven, reward-based methods, encouraging positive reinforcement over punishment. Jen specializes in obedience training, behavior modification, and puppy socialization. Her innovative methods, particularly in addressing anxiety and aggression issues, have been widely recognized. Jen has worked with many of the world’s leading dog behaviorists and in her free time volunteers with local animal shelters and rescue groups.