MyDogBreeds
Both Cockachon and American Pit Bull Terrier are originated from United States. Cockachon may grow 17 cm / 6 inches shorter than American Pit Bull Terrier. Cockachon may weigh 21 kg / 46 pounds lesser than American Pit Bull Terrier. Both Cockachon and American Pit Bull Terrier has same life span. Cockachon may have less litter size than American Pit Bull Terrier. Both Cockachon and American Pit Bull Terrier requires Low maintenance.
The Cockachon is not a pure bred dog but rather a cross between the Cocker Spaniel and the Bichon Frise. Very little if anything is known about who initially developed the Cockachon. It is known that the International Designer Canine Association (IDCA)registered and recognized the hybrid in 2009.
It is obviously a relatively new cross breed. The hybrid is also recognized by the American Canine Hybrid Club (ACHC), International Designer Canine Registry (IDCR) and the Designer Dog Kennel Club (DDKC).
The history of the American Pit Bull Terrier might be a confusing one to some dog lovers and certainly to the general public that tends to lump all the “bully” breeds into a category called “pit bull”. This is because of the negative reputation this group of breeds has acquired over the past 30-50 years due to misuse and mis-breeding by the dog fighting industry. This categorization includes the American Pit Bull Terrier, The American Staffordshire Terrier, the Bull Terrier and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
There is major confusion and disagreement on the difference between the American Pit Bull Terrier and the American Staffordshire Terrier. The AKC does not recognize the American Pit Bull Terrier as a separate breed, but its founder and the UKC, ADBA do so. In the 1930’s the American Pit Bull Terrier was a recognized breed and in response to the negativity of pit-fighting, they renamed it as the American Staffordshire Terrier.
The American Pit Bull Terrier was developed to be a little larger in size than the Staffordshire in both height and weight. This breed comes from crossing various Bull and Terrier breed to get a working dog. The Amstaff for the most part is bred to be a show dog and is not usually a “street dog” used in dog fighting rings. The direct ancestors of the APBT are the Old English Bulldogs and the Old English Terriers. These dogs are great family dogs, gentle beyond comparison unless raised to fight. They make great therapy dogs as well as police dogs. They are not by nature cruel, aggressive or attack dogs.
Both professional confirmation breeders and street fight breeds have developed new strains of the American Pit Bull Terrier. A few are worth mentioning here.
One of the oldest strains of the American Pit Bull Terrier they are red in color and that red is a very unique tone. They have a copper colored coat and nose with red nails, red lips and amber or red eyes. These dogs were originally from Ireland and when they came to America they had the red nose. Originally bred for gameness, it is the red color that is sought after now.
These are another old breed, but they have black noses and were initially bred by John P. Colby in the late 1800s. These dogs were known to be indominable fighting dogs and were bred into almost every line of American Pit Bull Terriers that exist today. The line is still maintained by the Colby family.
The Cockachon is a cute, little dog very popular in current times. He is small, compact, dark eyes, a round head and black nose. He has a baby face and fluffy hair. It has a furry tail and a blunt muzzle.
The Cockachon is a mix between the American Cocker Spaniel and the Bichon Frise. In order to get a better idea of what the hybrid can look like just look at the individual parents. The American Cocker Spaniel is a small dog with a short muzzle and domed head. It is in the Sporting Group, but it is the smallest member of the group. He has a compact, sturdy body and though domed his head is refined.
The Cocker’s stance includes a sloping topline, muscular hindquarters and strong shorter legs adds up to a balanced canine. The coat can be in a wide variety of colors including liver, golden, black, and red. Also, it could be liver and tan, black and tan, roan or tricolors. So, while the Bichon Frise is always white the Cockachon can be any of these colors including white. The types of coats that the Cocker Spaniel and the Bichon Frise have are very different as well.
The Bichon Frise is also a small dog, actually smaller than the American Cocker. The Cockachon usually ends up being about the size of the Bichon at 5-10 kg in weight and 23-30 cm in height. The skull of the Bichon Frise is round rather than domed and the muzzle is also rounded. The tail is long and curly while the Cocker would usually have a cropped tail. The nose and eyes of the Bichon Frise are black and its hair is dense and curly. Unlike the Cocker Spaniel it barely sheds.
Many Cockachon have floppy ears, curly coats and come in any variety of colors though many, many are white.
True to their reputation as fighters, the American Pit Bull Terrier looks like one – powerful, strong and well built. This belies their gentle disposition but too often they are judged by their looks. With a broad, brick shaped head, thick neck and deep chest, they are stocky, muscular and agile. They usually have cropped ears, but the tails are not docked. Their legs are strong and hindquarters especially muscular. These dogs are much stronger than they look. Round soulful eyes are one of the traits that people who keep these dogs as companion animals love about them. They have a scissor bite and one of the strongest jaws of all domesticated canines.
People created the Cockachon to get a small, lap or carry dog that had certain characteristics. These characteristics included a very social, loving dog. He is active and friendly, sweet and gentle. He is loyal, and loves being loved. He is great with other dogs and you can trust him with your children. He is a little independent but very loyal.
Like many little dogs he can have serious separation anxiety. Crate training is recommended so that he has a place to feel safe when you are not with him.
For those who live with the American Pit Bull Terrier there is no better dog. The APBT loves people and loves children. They think they are lap dogs, and they certainly are watch dogs. They love their people but their barks at strangers at home are not because they are protecting their people but rather they are greeting the strangers into their home. Unfortunately, they will not greet another dog in the same way. However, when their people are seriously threatened they will give their lives to defend them.
These are strong, confident dogs who want to please their people. They love children and make great family dogs but require a strong owner and a strong pack leader. The need to be under control around other dogs and because of their strength, need a strong owner. It is their aggression towards other animals that must be controlled.
Hybrid dogs seldom have a lot of inherited diseases as they seem to jump a generation but if they do, it can be either a combination of both breeds issues or issues from just one of the breeds in the cross. For the Cockachon these issues include:
This loose kneecap issue is common to many small dogs and can cause lameness if not addressed.
Eyelid problems such as the ones that might bother a Cockachon can be found in many small dogs. These include Entropion and Ectropion.
Though the American Pit Bull Terrier is healthier than most large dogs, they do have an issue with hip dysplasia. Breeders have been working to breed this out of the APBT and their work in this area has helped with the other issues with the patella, heart and thyroid. The APBT can have skin allergies and Demodex Mange. This condition can be either deadly or just a localized skin issue. Immunizations and testing is essential for this breed. When not immunized, American Pit Bull Terrier puppies have a greater incidence of parvovirus than other breeds. They also might have cataracts and congenital heart disease.
Don’t overfeed a Cockachon. Give him ¾ -1.5 cups of dry food of high quality in two meals per day.
In addition to the issues listed above, the Cockachon is also prone to heart disease and cardiac issues.
The Cockachon has a lot of energy for its size. Make sure it gets plenty of exercise. If walks are the exercise of your choice make sure you walk him for 30 minutes a day. He loves to play, and a back yard would be nice. These little guys do well in obedience but are usually to small for agility.
How you feed your American Pit Bull Terrier puppy is important to her health as an adult and long life. The adult dog should be fed one and a half to two and a half cups of high quality food twice a day. Puppies should be fed more often as they grow. DO not feed your APBT soft or canned dog food. Their food should be dry. Be careful not to feed too much as you do not want an obese American Pit Bull Terrier.
As previously mentioned this is a healthy breed with problems with:
These are usually inherited, and the pup may show signs early, or they could be developed later in life. They can be removed.
Hip dysplasia as in many larger, stronger breeds this can be a major problem. Breeds should test for it and APBT breeders are attempting to breed it out of the APBT.
This is a congenital issue that breeders are also breeding against and if they have it your American Bit Bull Terrier was likely born with it.
Many APBT are allergic to grasses or out outside allergens. Shots or medication can deal with these.
This is an athletic, joyful breed that loves to play, love sports and loves any activity that bonds it with its family. Some of the many sports the American Pit Bull Terrier likes to participate in include: agility, obedience competition, weight pulling, lure coursing and fly ball. He also needs backyard exercise and daily walks.
When walking your American Pit Bull Terrier, make sure she is on a leash as the breed has a tendency to be aggressive with other dogs coming into their space. The APBT loves to work. They are good therapy dogs, search and rescue dogs, even service dogs.