Why does my working cocker spaniel have short ears and no curls?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is hard to know as that will depend how much genetic material he has. He is likely going to look more like the breed he looks like now as he continues to grow. Good luck!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Genetics do come in to play for how an animal will look, including hair type. Poodles have tight curly hair and Cavaliers have wavier hair. Which puppies in the litter get what hair type is a roll of the dice! I hope this helps!

I am sorry to hear about your concern for your puppy! Unfortunately in many dogs we can have changes in the carraige of the ears as they grow/mature. In some breeds, such as german shepherds, the ears will be taped by a vet or experienced dog breeder in an attempt to get them to stand in a certain manner, but this is not a gaurantee of the altering of the ear carraige. If you are not planning on showing your dog, I would accept her for ear sweet self and learn to love her funny ears (and they may continue to change as she grows). I myself have a lab mix with ears that do not match in their carriage. It gives them character!

It is possible to have shorter hair depending on their genetics. For instance (just an example), if long hair is a dominant gene and and short hair is a recessive gene then there is a chance for a puppy to have two of the recessive genes and end up with shorter hair. As long as you know there were not any other intact males around while she is in heat (the puppies can have different fathers), then I expect that she is full blooded and I would not worry about her shorter hair! She is just special! :) As she gets older, her hair may get longer.

It is different for each dog. Some dogs have ears that stand up right away while others require some time and patience. If his ears perk up when he is excited or when called, then they likely will stand up eventually. Usually, by 6 months of age, the ears are up all the way.

Well, I am partial to a Cocker Spaniel! Mine just turned 15; she was the first dog that was all mine. I got her from a good breeder that wasn't breeding a ton of dogs (which could mean they are just doing it as quickly as possible rather than with intention). She has had only a few ear infections in her lifetime, and I am not sure if it is due to good genetics or the fact that I keep the hair on her ears trimmed so they don't get heavy, which could reduce airflow around the ear canals. I do not pluck ear hair either. Cockers are a great breed for a house companion. They can be taught basic commands, and more if you want! We did some basic agility training. I would say bulldogs aren't great for first-time pet owners. We like to say bulldogs keep vets in business! In my experience, they tend to have more than average health issues, and frequently they can be tricky to manage. They can have respiratory difficulties due to their anatomy. They can have skin issues from the folds in their skin. They tend to have severe food and environmental allergies. I am not a fan, but my clients who own them are in love! Either way, we are always here to help!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Sometimes this can be contributed to developmental factors and the cartilage in the ear becomes more firm in a particular position. Sometimes an ear infection can cause an ear to lay differently then the other. I would recommend having Lily's ears examined by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.