English Cocker Spaniel puppies

About the English Cocker Spaniel

The English Cocker Spaniel is the original woodcock flushing spaniel of the British shooting field, and they are still built for the job: compact, deep through the chest, with a silky medium coat and long feathered ears. They are the larger, longer muzzled relative of the American Cocker. English Cockers are busy, cheerful and affectionate, sticking close to their handler in the field and to the family at home, and they rate at the top of the scale with children and other pets.

A Cocker wants a decent walk and a chance to use their nose every day, and they will take as much as you offer. The coat needs a thorough brush and comb weekly, plus a tidy up around the feet, face, neck and ears every month or so. Those heavy ears trap moisture, so check them weekly. This is a soft, trainable dog that responds badly to shouting. Allow more time for grooming than you might think, and keep mats from forming behind the ears.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a English Cocker Spaniel puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A medium breed puppy at eight weeks is a manageable armful that will not stay that way. Most of the growth happens between now and six months, so buy for the adult dog where you can. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming needs are high. Start daily brushing and short, positive handling sessions at eight weeks, well before the adult coat arrives, or the first professional groom will be traumatic. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Progressive retinal atrophy (prcd-PRA), detectable by DNA test on both parents
• Familial nephropathy (FN), detectable by DNA test on both parents
• Adult-onset neuropathy (AON), detectable by DNA test on both parents
• Hip dysplasia, which breeding stock should be hip scored by x-ray before mating

Your English Cocker Spaniel puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Medium for a English Cocker Spaniel.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 11.8 to 15.4 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Kit sizes: crate 30 inch (30 x 20 x 23 in, 76 x 51 x 58 cm) for an adult of up to 15.4 kg; chew toys made for medium breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.

Buying guides for this

• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

Other medium breeds

More on the English Cocker Spaniel

Previous: Dutch Shepherd · Next: English Foxhound

Sources

• akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
• fci.be for country of origin
• royalkennelclub.com for the Royal Kennel Club exercise or grooming band, used where it asks for more than the AKC score
• Health notes from English Cocker Spaniel breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/english-cocker-spaniel/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Photo: Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.