"I don't see Cocker Spaniels in the news ripping up innocent children."
You're not paying attention. Cockers have a very bad biting history including their very own aggression problem that causes inexplicable attacks called Rage Syndrome.
The fact that these attacks don't make the newspapers says more about media bias and hype than about the nature of the breed.
"There is a definite breed-association with aggressiveness. The most common breed of dog I see this problem in is the Cocker Spaniel."
http://www.2ndchance.info/aggresive.htm
"Unstable temperaments. American Cocker Spaniels are a dime a dozen, and most of them are bred and offered for sale by people who don't have the slightest idea of how to breed good-tempered dogs. Obedience instructors and behavioral consultants see LOTS of American Cocker Spaniels with neurotic behaviors, including aggression, biting, moodiness, and general nastiness."
http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/americancockerspaniels.html
Many a family has bought a darling little Cocker Spaniel puppy at the pet store only to have it grow into a psychotic, screaming, urinating, biting terror. Cocker Spaniels are a wonderful breed, especially suited to families, when purchased from a reputable breeder. Cocker Spaniels are notoriously awful dogs when purchased from pet stores and poor breeders. This is true not only of Cocker Spaniels, but many, many other popular breeds.
http://www.virtualimpax.com/klhh/2897.htm
Cockers are not recommended to families with young children. Many Cocker Spaniels have behavioral problems resulting in defensive biting.
http://www.gopetsamerica.com/cocker-spaniel/cocker-spaniel.aspx
In reported dog bite cases, authorities found that:
* In over half of the bite cases, the victims were children under twelve years of age.
* More German Shepherd Dogs, German Shepherd mixes, Chow Chows, Chow Chow mixes, Cocker Spaniels, Cocker Spaniel mixes, and Akitas had more reported bites than other breeds.
http://www.lizpalika.com/dogbite.html
The breed has a poor reputation among many veterinarians and is a top contender on their list of most disliked breeds. A veterinary exam must be done with or without the patient's consent, and a sensitive Cocker, stressed by pain, fear or both, may self-protectively bite the hand that reaches for it.
'snip'
Groomers, like veterinarians, commonly cite aggression in this breed. Ahwren Sheldan, owner of My Pet's Place Grooming in Bellingham, Washington, has groomed professionally for 27 years. She says, "For 15 or 20 years, Cockers were one of the most difficult breeds to groom."
http://www.dogworld.com/dogworldmag/populardogs/cocker.asp
As usually happens, popularity breeds excess, and the cocker spaniel suffered for its stardom. So did many unsuspecting buyers who wound up with mean instead of merry cocker spaniels. Cockers became infamous for behavioral disorders -- particularly a constellation of passive-aggressive behaviors that drove them to crouching and urinating submissively or to screaming and biting. The term cocker spaniel rage was coined to describe their behavior.
The AKC, before caving in to pressure from breeders and recalling the entire first printing (30,000 issues) of the 19th edition of The Complete Dog Book, had listed the cocker among 40 breeds deemed "not good" with children. For all the indignation fired toward the AKC, its opinion is shared by many observers.
"The cocker spaniel's reputation for not getting along with children is well known among those who work with them," reported the Sun-Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, last year. In that article the director of Broward County Animal Control declared, "We don't recommend that families with children adopt them."
http://www.petpublishing.com/dogken/breeds/cocker.shtml
on rage syndrome
http://www.cockerspanielrage.org.uk/memoriam.htm
Well done