English vs American Cocker Spaniel: Size, Coat and Energy

Side by side

Size: the AKC gives English Cocker males 16 to 17 inches and 28 to 34 pounds, females 15 to 16 inches and 26 to 32. American Cocker males stand 14.5 to 15.5 inches at 25 to 30 pounds, females 13.5 to 14.5 inches at 20 to 25. Lifespan: AKC lists 12 to 14 years for the English and 10 to 14 for the American. Popularity: the American ranks 32nd and the English 36th on the AKC list.

Energy: VCA describes the English as needing a long walk, jog or energetic games daily, and the American as needing moderate daily exercise. Grooming: both are high maintenance; VCA advises daily brushing for the American and two to three sessions a week for the English. Training: both are eager and sensitive and respond best to rewards. With kids: VCA calls the English usually very good with children and the American generally good. Best for: English for active, outdoorsy families; American for a companion-focused home.

One breed that became two

Spaniels were developed by at least the 1300s to flush birds, and VCA explains that smaller land spaniels that hunted woodcock came to be called Cocker Spaniels. The AKC recognized the Cocker Spaniel in 1878. As the Cocker became America's most popular breed in the 1930s and 1940s, American show dogs grew smaller, with rounder heads, than the original English stock.

In 1936 the AKC split the breed into two varieties, and in 1946 it made them two separate breeds: the English Cocker Spaniel, closer to the original type, and the Cocker Spaniel, which most people call the American Cocker. VCA notes the names are reversed outside America, where the English dog is simply the Cocker Spaniel and the other is the American Cocker Spaniel.

How to tell them apart

The English Cocker is the more athletic-looking dog: taller and less rounded in the head, with a silky coat that is flat or wavy and of moderate length. The AKC describes it as upbeat in the field and mellow at home, a compact bird dog. VCA says it remains truer to the original Cocker type.

The American Cocker has a rounder head, large round eyes and a profuse, feathered coat that creates a rounded outline. The AKC calls it merry and frolicsome, with big dreamy eyes and an impish personality. Put side by side, the American looks smaller and more glamorous; the English looks like it is ready to go hunting.

Temperament and exercise

VCA describes the English Cocker as a cheerful, devoted companion, eager to please and quick to learn, outgoing with strangers and good with other pets and dogs. It enjoys retrieving and hunting and, per VCA, makes a calm housedog when it gets enough exercise: a long walk, jog or vigorous games each day. VCA even calls it a good candidate for dog parks.

The American Cocker is described by VCA as gentle, affectionate and sociable, with a sensitive nature that responds well to gentle, reward-based training. It needs moderate daily activity, such as walks and play. VCA notes it has limited tolerance for being left alone and that, without consistent guidance or early socialization, some individuals develop anxiety or reactivity. Both breeds do poorly with harsh corrections. Since both enjoy retrieving, a plush squeaky toy or two from our Cocker Spaniel dog toys makes an easy fetch game indoors.

Grooming and ear care

This is where the American Cocker asks the most. VCA advises daily brushing with a suitable dog brush to prevent tangles and notes that professional grooming is often needed to keep the coat in shape, along with trimming the fur on the paws. The English Cocker's coat needs brushing and combing two to three times a week; VCA suggests clipping the head and ears monthly and the feet and tail every two months, and keeping stray hairs out of the eyes.

Both breeds have long, heavy ears that trap warmth and moisture. Check them weekly, clean them as your vet shows you, and dry them after swimming or bathing. Book professional grooming every few weeks if you do not plan to clip at home (a dog grooming kit covers the basics between visits), and budget for it, because it is a real ongoing cost with either breed.

Health and which to choose

VCA names ear disease and allergic skin disease as common concerns in American Cockers, along with eye conditions including glaucoma, cataracts and eyelid disorders, plus hip dysplasia, patellar luxation, intervertebral disc disease, epilepsy and hypothyroidism. Ask breeders of either breed for hip and eye screening on both parents, and see your vet promptly for a red or cloudy eye, head shaking or a smelly ear.

Choose an English Cocker Spaniel if you want a sturdier, more energetic companion for hikes, jogs or bird work, with slightly lighter grooming. Choose an American Cocker Spaniel if you want a smaller, affectionate housedog with moderate exercise needs and are ready for daily brushing and regular grooming appointments.

This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your pet.