MyDogBreeds
Cockalier is originated from United States but St. Bernard is originated from Switzerland. Cockalier may grow 33 cm / 12 inches shorter than St. Bernard. Cockalier may weigh 78 kg / 171 pounds lesser than St. Bernard. Cockalier may live 5 years more than St. Bernard. Cockalier may have less litter size than St. Bernard. Cockalier requires Moderate maintenance. But St. Bernard requires High maintenance
Known also as the Cockalier Spaniel, the Cockalier is a sweet crossbreed – a mix between the Cocker Spaniel and the Cavalier King Charles spaniel.
Both of these spaniels do have some differences. The Cockalier is a designer breed that hails from the USA. Because he is a hybrid breed the Cockalier isn’t recognized by the American Kennel Club, but as a hybrid, it is recognized by the American Canine Hybrid Club (ACHC).
The St Bernard breed was once called the Alpine Cattle Dogs or the Alpine Mountain Dogs. They have always been farm dogs and mountain dogs in the French and Swiss Alps. They come from the border land of Switzerland and France. They were herding dogs, hunting, search and rescue, watchdogs and draft dogs.
Their ancestors are considered to include the Sennenhunds and molosser breeds that came to the Alps with the ancient Romans. There are four Sennenhund breeds that are believed to have contributed to the original St. Bernard. These included the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog (Grosser Schweizer Sennenhund), the Appenzeller (Appenzeller Sennenhund), the Bernese Mountain Dog (Berner Sennenhund) and the Entlebucher Mountain Dog (Entlebucher Sennenhund) Today the St. Bernard is considered a Molossoid breed.
The first we know of the St. Bernard in any written records was in 1707 at the Great St. Bernard Pass and Great St. Bernard Hospice run by monks. There were found paintings of the dogs dating back into the late 1600’s. It is told that Barry saved upward of 100 people in the St. Bernard pass, and it is from these stories that the dogs gained their snow rescue reputation.
The St. Bernard of that time did not look like the St. Bernard does today as there was much crossbreeding. Many dogs dies during rescues in the avalanches of the mid 1800’s and so they Saint was crossed with the Newfoundland to preserve the breed. You can today see the resemblance in the build and looks of the two breeds. This cross brought about the long haired St. Bernard whose fur was too heavy for rescues.
The St. Bernards of mountain rescue fame were only about the size of a German Shepherd dog and were short haired. After crossing with the Newfoundland and moving into clubs and dogs shows, they have been bred to be much larger. Before the stud book was closed, it is thought that many larger breeds such as the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, the English Mastiff, the Tibetan Mastiff, the Rottweiler, the Great Pyrenees, the English Bulldog, the Great Dane, the Bernese Mountain Dog, the Boxer and the Caucasian Oycharka all contributed to today’s St. Bernard.
In 1884 The Swiss St. Bernard Club was founded and the breed entered the Swiss Stud book as its first entry in 1884. It was 1888 when the standard was approved and the breed became the national dog of Switzerland. Before the name St. Bernard came to be common, these dogs might be called, Barry Dogs, Alepnmastiff, Noble Steeds or Saint Dogs.
The dogs came to England in the early 1800s and to the United States soon after. They were recognized by the European kennel clubs first and by the early 1900’s they were the most popular breed in the AKC.
The Cockalier is a medium-sized dog standing at between 30 and 38cm in height and weighing roughly between 5 and 12kg.
The coat of the Cockalier is silky and wavy. The coat is medium length and can be in colors such as golden, red, black or maybe white and brown.
The ears are fairly long and floppy, the eyes brown and expressive and the tail docked. If left, the tail is long and feathery.
The Cockalier is lively, gentle, intelligent and friendly with his human family, though he can be a little bit aloof with strangers.
He bonds very strongly with his family. They’re robust and are playful with children. They’re active dogs too and love nothing more than a hectic ball game. They don’t know when to stop and can become utterly exhausted if you don’t stop the game.
Have him trained and socialized and then he becomes even more amicable and he’s smart enough to learn basic commands without any trouble.
Today’s St. Bernard is not a large dog, he is a giant dog. Weighing in at 140-200 pounds and standing 28 to 35 inches tall, he is a lot of dog. Bred with mastiffs and large mountain dogs, they have proportional and powerful build. They are strong, sturdy and well muscled. They have either a smooth or rough (short or long) coat. Their eyes are brown or occasionally blue. They have tight lids, and square heads and muzzles.
There are two coat types called smooth and rough, or short and long. The smooth shorter coat is tough, flat and close against the body and the long, rough coat is dense, wavy and heavy around the legs, neck and ruff. Both types have long tails that hang low and are heavy. Saints are known to slobber, drool and snore.
The Cockalier is such a clever dog and he wants to please. He just loves his human owners, protecting them against strangers. He doesn’t take too kindly to strangers, preferring to devote all his love and loyalty to those he knows.
He just craves attention and wants to be in your vicinity all the time. He is also good with children and will get on well with other pets in the home.
Once you’ve had a Cockalier in your life, you’ll want to reconsider having one of them again as they make awesome pets and companions.
3.Adaptability no - these are giant dogs that need a lot of room. A large fenced yard or farm is best. They won’t do well in an apartment. They need exercise every day and loping around a yard is very good for them. They love to play in the snow, carry a backpack or pull a cart. They love to have a “job”
4.Learning ability – They are smart and highly trainable if motivated. They may appear lazy but they are just laid back and need a motivation.
The Cockalier is a healthy dog breed and can reach between 12 and 15 years of age. Look out for common canine health issues such as hearing loss and ear infection and vision issues.
Cockaliers that have an ear infection will shake their head and scratch their ears. The inside of the ears may be red and there may be an unpleasant smell coming from the ears. Your pet will need to see the vet.
This is a common disease with King Charles Spaniels where the mitral valve wears out and leaks and is associated with a heart murmur.
The earliest sign of a leaking mitral valve is normally a heart murmur, but it doesn’t mean heart failure is imminent, but congestive heart failure will eventuallt occur. Your dog will tire when walking, be lethargic and also have a cough. It will definitely be time to see the vet.
The first problem this breed faces is how fast they grow and gain weight. This can lead to serious health issues if not controlled. Their bones can be damaged by this excessively fast rate of growth. Other issues facing the breed include:
When you choose one of the commercially manufactured dog foods there are, you want to avoid those more inferior ones that have ingredients in them that can cause your dog to get sick.
Look for the high-quality ones and choose the foods that have natural, wholesome ingredients in them. The vet can always help you with your decision to select a food that will of benefit to your pet.
Try to give your pet some good homemade food too such as some raw meat occasionally as well as boiled chicken, vegetables and brown rice. Fresh, cool water should be constantly available.
The Cockalier is going to require some brushing because he sheds quite a bit. Some dog owners prefer to get the Cockalier professionally trimmed. During grooming, check your pet over for any unusual lumps.
Your Cockalier will also need to have his nails trimmed, and because of the long ears, you will need to look inside the ears to ensure there is no redness and signs of infection.
Some dog owners don’t have the time or they don’t want to probe inside their pet’s ears and then a doggy-grooming-parlor can be a good idea as they do all this for you.
The Cockalier is an energetic dog, requiring a lot of exercise and games. These dogs love water games and will love you spraying him with water from the garden hose. Failing that, he’ll jump right into the swimming pool with you. Ball games are just up his street, and he will remind you every day that it’s time for his walk.
1.Feeding the puppy – You want to control their growth. Do not overfeed, and make sure they exercise but not too much. Feed a high quality large breed puppy food 3-4 X a day in small amounts.
2.Feeding the adult – The problem you face with he adult St. Bernard is the potential for Bloat. Don’t over feed. Don’t feed before or after strenuous exercise. Feed 2-3 X a day in smaller amounts to prevent Bloat. Feed a high quality breed specific food if possible or an extra large breed formula.
4. Games and Exercises They need exercise but not as much as you might think. The St. Bernard is a laid back lumbering character so don’t over exercise her. They enjoy weight and cart pulling but they are not athletes who enjoy frisbee or agility. Search and rescue trials and tracking trials are perfect athletic endeavors for them.