Singular or plural?

[dawnngcm]

I saw a photo in Facebook which two English Cocker Spaniel are in there. The title of the photo wrote "I love Cocker Spaniels".

I guess the author wanted to say he/she loves this particular kind of dog.

Is it more suitable to use "Cocker Spaniel"(singular) rather than "Cocker Spaniels(plural)"?

 

[bhaisahab]

The plural is correct.

 

[MikeNewYork]

If one wishes to express a love of the breed and use the singular, one can say "I love the Cocker Spaniel (breed)".

 

[dawnngcm]

If one wishes to express a love of the breed and use the singular, one can say "I love the Cocker Spaniel (breed)".

Yes, I think that is what he/she means.

 

[Barb_D]

I'm sure Mike meant you could ALSO say that. "I love Cocker Spaniels" is perfectly correct.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Yes, of course.

 

[Tdol]

And they are lovely dogs.

 

[MikeNewYork]

As patients, not my favorites.

 

[Tdol]

What do they have?

 

[MikeNewYork]

A tendency to bite. Often it because their ears hurt from chronic infections.

 

[Tdol]

OK- my mother had Cavalier King Charles Spaniels for many years and they were all very sweet, so I wondered what the issue was. :up:

 

[MikeNewYork]

Cavaliers are far different from Cockers. They are very sweet. Unfortunately a high percentage of them have congenital heart disease.

 

[Tdol]

I've never been bitten by a Cocker - a Dalmatian bit me as a child.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Dalmatians can be snippy.

 

[Tdol]

To be fair, she was a mother with a litter.

 

[MikeNewYork]

That probably explains it.