It is suspected that the Foxker was developed in the 1990s from the Cocker Spaniel and the Toy Fox Terrier. The Toy Fox Terrier can be attributed to England as far back as the 1500s. The breed was developed in order to coax foxes from their dens during the hunt. In the beginning, it was developed from the Smooth Fox Terrier who widely varied in size between 7 to 20 pounds. The smaller dogs were always prized more than the bigger dogs due to their innate ability to be eager when it came to ratting, hunting, and defending their home. In 1912, the United Kennel Club registered the first Smooth Fox Terrier. In the mid-1920s, there was a petition created in order to develop a separate category for the smaller dogs. In 1936, the Toy Fox Terrier was registered. It was not until 2003 when the American Kennel Club officially acknowledged the breed. The Cocker Spaniel descended from the Spaniel family. The word “spaniel” means “Spaniel dog” and it is suspected that the breed originated in Spain. In the 1800s, the Spaniels were divided into two groups: toys and large hunting dogs. The Cocker Spaniel was highly talented with field hunting woodcock. In 1892, the Cocker Spaniel was recognized as a breed in England. In the late 1870s, the English Cocker Spaniel was imported to the United States and was registered in the first studbook of the National American Kennel Club (later known as the American Kennel Club). In 1881, the oldest breed club in America, the American Spaniel Club, was developed. Throughout the years, breeders began favoring the smaller Cocker Spaniel due to his conformation. In 1940, the breed gained much popularity with the addition of Brucie, who won Best American Breed in Show at the Westminster Dog Show. In 1946, the AKC recognized the American and English Cocker Spaniels as two distinct breeds.
