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Animal register · DogIn the app

English Cocker Spaniel

Cocker Spaniel (UK), English Cocker, Merry Cocker

The English Cocker Spaniel — in Britain simply the Cocker Spaniel — is a different breed from the American Cocker Spaniel. The FCI standard describes a merry, sturdy, sporting dog, well balanced and compact, with low-set lobular ears and a flat, silky coat; the AKC standard calls it merry and affectionate, of equable disposition, and lists solid black, liver and shades of red as well as parti-colours with white. The Royal Kennel Club's Breed Watch lists no points of concern specific to the breed.

The Royal Kennel Club recommends up to an hour of exercise a day and grooming every day, and gives its lifespan as over 10 years; a VetCompass study of UK English Cocker Spaniels found a median age at death of 11.44 years. PDSA says that thanks to its patient personality it tends to get along well with children, always under supervision, but warns that it is known for separation anxiety and should never be left alone for more than four hours. PDSA also advises a daily brush and leaving a gap between eating and exercise.

Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).

Updated:

English Cocker Spaniel — photo (AI)
AI-generated photo

At a glance

Size
small — The Royal Kennel Club S337
Adult weight
males 13–14.5 kg, females 13–14.5 kg — PDSA S339
Daily exercise
up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S337
Brushing
every day — The Royal Kennel Club S337
Shedding
sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S337
Lifespan
median 11.44 years — Engdahl KS S342; more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S337

Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.

Who it suits

Good for:

Keep in mind:

  • needs brushing several times a weekS337S339
  • loves food — watch the weightS340
  • chews things when boredS339
  • loves company — best with someone home most of the dayS339
  • shedsS337S340

The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

What it needs

From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.

Exercise

  • Daily exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S337

Coat and grooming

  • Coat: medium length — The Royal Kennel Club S337
  • Brushing: every day — The Royal Kennel Club S337
  • Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S337

Meals

  • Strongly motivated by food — helpful in training, but watch the portions. — PetMD S340

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • 8–12 weeks: 4 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 3–6 months: 3 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 6–12 months: 2 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • Adult: at least 2 meals a day — VCA Animal Hospitals S19
  • Senior: 2–3 meals a day, smaller portions — Dogs Trust S14

Lifespan

  • Lifespan: median 11.44 years — Engdahl KS S342
  • Lifespan: more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S337

Life stages

  • Reaches adult size at: about 12–15 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • Puppy: until about 6–9 months — AAHA S11
  • Young adult: until 3–4 years — AAHA S11
  • Senior: the last 25 % of the expected lifespan — AAHA S11

Size and weight

  • Size: small — The Royal Kennel Club S337
  • Height at the withers: males 39–41 cm, females 38–39 cm — FCI S336
  • Height at the withers: males 40.6–43.2 cm, females 38.1–40.6 cm — American Kennel Club S343
  • Adult weight: males 13–14.5 kg, females 13–14.5 kg — PDSA S339

Training

  • No. 18 in Stanley Coren's ranking of working and obedience intelligence. — Wikipedia S35
  • FCI standard no. 5, group 8 (retrievers, flushing dogs and water dogs); origin: Great Britain. — FCI S335

Questions and answers

Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.

How much exercise does an English Cocker Spaniel need?

According to our sources, the English Cocker Spaniel needs this much exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S337.

How long does an English Cocker Spaniel live?

According to our sources, the lifespan of the English Cocker Spaniel is: median 11.44 years — Engdahl KS S342; more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S337. The sources give different values, so each one is listed.

How big does an English Cocker Spaniel get and how much does it weigh?

Size and adult weight of the English Cocker Spaniel, according to our sources: Size: small — The Royal Kennel Club S337; Adult weight: males 13–14.5 kg, females 13–14.5 kg — PDSA S339.

How much grooming does an English Cocker Spaniel need?

Coat and grooming of the English Cocker Spaniel, according to our sources: Brushing: every day — The Royal Kennel Club S337; Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S337; Coat: medium length — The Royal Kennel Club S337.

Who is the English Cocker Spaniel a good fit for?

Our sources describe the English Cocker Spaniel as a good fit for: family life — The Royal Kennel Club, PetMD S337S340; families with children — PDSA, VCA Animal Hospitals S339S341; homes with other pets — PetMD, VCA Animal Hospitals S340S341. Keep in mind: needs brushing several times a week — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S337S339; loves food — watch the weight — PetMD S340; chews things when bored — PDSA S339; loves company — best with someone home most of the day — PDSA S339; sheds — The Royal Kennel Club, PetMD S337S340.

Game rules, not veterinary advice

How PetPrep simulates it

In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.

Life stageStartsMeals a dayDaily step goal
Puppyarrives at 2 months4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 21,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 6,000 from month 6
Young dogmonth 926,000 steps
Adultmonth 36 (3 years)26,000 steps
Seniormonth 103 (8.6 years)24,500 steps
  • Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 1 hour, so 6,000 steps a day.
  • Learns commands 1.5× as fast as the mixed breed of the free plan.
  • Becomes a senior in month 103 (8.6 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
  • Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
  • Combing 7 times a week.
  • Care: a visit to the groomer every 12 weeks — a reminder for the parent.

Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine, PDSA, Engdahl KS S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S337S339S342

Health

For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.

  • Hip dysplasia, a loose, poorly developed hip joint, occurs in the breed and can eventually lead to arthritis. — PDSA S339
  • Skin allergies (atopy), which cause itching and sore skin, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S339
  • The breed is prone to ear infections; keep a close eye on ear hygiene. — PetMD S340
  • Progressive retinal atrophy, an inherited eye disease that can slowly lead to blindness, occurs in the breed; DNA tests and eye testing are available. — The Royal Kennel Club S337
  • An inherited kidney disease (familial nephropathy) occurs in the breed; a DNA test of the parents is available. — The Royal Kennel Club S337
  • Autoimmune conditions, where the body reacts against itself, can occur in the breed. — The Royal Kennel Club S337

Before you buy: what to check with the breeder

Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.

For every breed

  • See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
  • The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
  • Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
  • Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
  • National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
  • Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10

Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.

Health tests of the parents for this breed

Tests the Royal Kennel Club recommends as a minimum

  • Genetic diversity — check the inbreeding coefficient — The Royal Kennel Club S337
  • DNA test for acral mutilation syndrome (AMS), a nerve disorder that takes away pain feeling in the paws — The Royal Kennel Club S337
  • DNA test for progressive retinal atrophy (prcd-PRA) — The Royal Kennel Club S337
  • Hip X-ray screening for hip dysplasia (UK: BVA/KC scheme) — The Royal Kennel Club S337

Further tests for best practice

  • DNA test for adult-onset neuropathy (AON), an inherited nerve disease — The Royal Kennel Club S337
  • DNA test for familial nephropathy (FN), an inherited kidney disease — The Royal Kennel Club S337
  • Eye examination by a veterinary eye specialist (UK: BVA/KC/ISDS scheme; for some breeds with gonioscopy) — The Royal Kennel Club S337

These lists come from the UK's Royal Kennel Club and are an orientation; national kennel clubs can set their own, stricter rules. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.

Similar breeds

Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.

Sources

Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.

  1. S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
  2. S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
  3. S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
  4. S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
  5. S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
  6. S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
  7. S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
  8. S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
  9. S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
  10. S335FCI — FCI breeds nomenclature — ENGLISH COCKER SPANIEL (5)https://fci.be/en/nomenclature/COCKER-SPANIEL-5.html
  11. S336FCI — FCI-Standard N° 5 Cocker Spaniel Anglais (PDF, French)https://WWW.FCI.BE/Nomenclature/Standards/005g08-fr.pdf
  12. S337The Royal Kennel Club — Spaniel (Cocker) — breed page (older address)https://thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/breed/display.aspx?id=2052
  13. S339PDSA — Cocker Spaniel breed informationhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/medium-dogs/cocker-spaniel
  14. S340PetMD — English Cocker Spaniel — dog breed health and carehttps://petmd.com/dog/breeds/english-cocker-spaniel
  15. S341VCA Animal Hospitals — English Cocker Spaniel — breed pagehttps://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/breeds/english-cocker-spaniel
  16. S342Engdahl KS, Brodbelt DC, Cameron C, Church DB, Hedhammar Å, O'Neill DG (VetCompass, RVC) — Demography and disorders of English Cocker Spaniels under primary veterinary care in the UK. Canine Medicine and Genetics 2023;10:4https://rvc-repository.worktribe.com/OutputFile/1612511
  17. S343American Kennel Club — English Cocker Spaniel Study Guide (official standard text) (PDF)https://www.akc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/English_Cocker_Spaniel_Study_Guide.pdf
  18. K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
  19. K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
  20. K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
  21. K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
  22. K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy

PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.

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