Corkie -- English Cocker Spaniel X Yorkshire Terrier

		Corkie
		He is not recognized by the F.C.I.


Origin			Great Britain -> U.S.A.
Translation			Francis Vandersteen

A brief presentation of the Corkie

The Corkie is a hybrid dog, the result of crossing a Cocker Spaniel with a Yorkshire Terrier. The Corkie is a small to medium-sized dog with a medium to long coat. When properly bred, the Corkie is a charming family dog. But, and it's a big but, the breed is prone to over-sensitivity, which can lead to liveliness and unpredictability. It's true that, when properly socialized as a puppy, trained into adulthood and treated with respect, the ideal Corkie is a charmer and a pleasure to have around. The overall message is that you reap what you sow with a Corkie. Treat them like a princess and you could end up with an eye-catching prima donna. But set limits and use reward-based training methods and you'll have a loving, loyal canine companion.

History of the Corkie

The English Cocker Spaniel's most distant relative dates back to the 14th century, while the Yorkshire terrier dates back to the 19th century. Their combined offspring, the Corkie, is a newcomer, with the first voluntary mating taking place towards the end of the 20th century.

	A little of the English Cocker Spaniel
	The Cocker Spaniel takes its name from the woodcock they flushed out for hunters to shoot. Looking back to their earliest roots, Spaniels were hunting dogs, used to hunt birds and waterfowl. Some Spaniels naturally became more adept at waterfowl and diverged to become Spaniels, while others excelled on land and gave rise to breeds such as the Springer Spaniel and Cocker Spaniel. The English Cocker Spaniel is said to have crossed to America in 1620, aboard the Mayflower. Once again, they were used for hunting. Later, however, selective breeding produced a variant, which is the American Cocker. These dogs were primarily intended for parade and had a slightly different conformation with a more domed head and even longer ears.

	Standard of the English Cocker Spaniel
	A little of the Yorkshire Terrier
	As its name suggests, the Yorkshire Terrier originated in Yorkshire, England. They were hardy characters with a tough job to do. These tenacious Terriers were bred to hunt rats in cotton mills to limit the vermin population. They were highly prized by their proud owners and appreciated for their hunting skills. Because of the Yorkshire Terrier's small size, it could enter the house at a time when other hunting dogs were confined to outdoor kennels. In part, this led to their normalization within the home and led to them becoming family favorites.

	Standard of the Yorkshire Terrier

Appearance of the Corkie

A medium-sized dog, a well-mannered Corkie is a good family companion. Both parent breeds have silky, straight coats. The main question with their offspring is how long the coat will grow. In reality, the hair tends to be medium to long, stiff and soft to the touch. As the Yorkshire is traditionally black and tan, it's the Cocker side of the family that offers the greatest diversity of colors. Indeed, Corkies can be: roan blue, tan, red and white, red, black, black and white, silver and a range of intermediate shades. Corkies can have straight or floppy ears, depending on which parent they prefer. They have a reasonably long muzzle, with a black leather nose. Their body shape is generally well proportioned to their legs, with a slightly stocky lean. The tail is of medium length and feathered.

Temperament of the Corkie

The Corkie is a classic case of producing what you're looking for. These dogs are small and cute, but they also have sensitive souls. This means they're less tolerant than dogs and feel threatened. Unfortunately, their reaction to anxiety can be rapid, as a way of protecting themselves. To counter this tendency, you need to start young, with the breeder socializing the puppies while staying with the mother. In the future, the new owner must make a concerted effort to continue exposing the puppy, in a positive way, to a variety of new sights, sounds and smells. Then, as an adult dog, the work of building self-confidence continues. This is done through positive training methods, which allow the dog to remain in control and fearless. In turn, this reduces anxiety and the urge to break. Another aspect of Corkie's character is his built-in prey drive, which goes back to his parental heritage. This can make them unreliable around other pets, so supervision is necessary at all times.

Needs and activities of the Corkie

The Corkie can become lazy and even overweight if not active on a daily basis. They need at least 45 to 60 minutes of vigorous exercise every day to stay healthy and happy. Without enough exercise, your Corkie can become anxious and bored, which can cause behavioral problems. You can take your Corkie for a walk around the neighborhood, a hike in the park, a long game of fetch, a trip to the dog park or even agility training. If you have a private fenced yard, you can let your Corkie play outside for an hour or two, but they also need mental stimulation and attention.

Maintenance of the Corkie

Grooming of this hybrid is moderate to high. Their long, silky fur is sensitive to matting and needs to be brushed daily. Many owners have their Corkies groomed every four to six months to make them easier to care for. A stiff bristle brush and a metal comb are needed, as well as a smoother brush for finishing. You should use your fingers to untangle knots so as not to damage their coat. They need their nails trimmed every two or three weeks, and you should clean their ears once a week and check for redness, wax build-up and mites. In addition, brushing their teeth with a soft toothbrush several times a week will help prevent dental problems.