Cockachon is originated from United States but St. Bernard is originated from Switzerland. Cockachon may grow 32 cm / 12 inches shorter than St. Bernard. Cockachon may weigh 81 kg / 178 pounds lesser than St. Bernard. Cockachon may live 5 years more than St. Bernard. Cockachon may have less litter size than St. Bernard. Cockachon requires Low Maintenance. But St. Bernard requires High 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 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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.