Cocker Spaniels are very happy dogs, always keen to learn and please their owners, which makes them easy to train. Their flat, silky coats come in a variety of colours: black, white, tan or brown, or a mix of any of these. They are very active dogs and love to swim.
Facts & advice
Cocker Spaniel
A high energy, fun-loving friend for the whole family
Vital stats
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| Size: | Medium |
| Coat: | Long haired, requires daily grooming |
| Exercise | 1 hour a day |
| Life span: | 11+ years |
| Breed group: | Gundog |
| Temperament: | Playful, affectionate, intelligent |
Cocker Spaniel temperament & personality
Originally bred as gundogs, Cocker Spaniels’ natural instincts to ‘work’ mean they’re intelligent, loyal and willing to please.
- Known to be lively, adaptable and friendly, they can live very happily in all types of households.
- Kind and gentle, Cocker Spaniels can make excellent dogs for first-time owners.
- They’re a sociable breed that quickly form strong bonds, and enjoy being around other people and pets.
Cocker Spaniel training & exercise
Cocker Spaniel training is highly enjoyable, as the breed is intelligent and very willing to learn. They respond well to obedience training and positive reinforcement.
Training tips
- To make sure your pet is kept safe while off the lead, consider starting recall training from a young age, along with other puppy training that will help encourage good behaviour.
- Cocker Spaniels are always eager to please and will respond well to positive reinforcement.
Keeping them happy
- They can be sensitive to loud noises and heavy handling, but good socialisation from early on will help to ensure they are used to unexpected events, such as busy environments and attention from young children.
- Cocker Spaniels are energertic, intelligent and inquisitive dogs and will need plenty of playtime and mental stimulation to keep them out of mischief. A bored Cocker Spaniel may resort to unwanted or destructive behaviours, such as whining, scratching and chewing, as a way to release pent up energy.
Exercise
- For the first six months, Cocker Spaniel puppies should be exercised gently but after this period you can add longer, more exciting walks to your daily routine. Start off slowly, introducing extra activity in small, manageable steps.
- Vets recommend that adult Cocker Spaniels exercise for up to an hour a day.
Game ideas
- Clever and inquisitive, the best activities for this breed involve mental stimulation. They love interactive games like fetch, as well as walks with lots of smells to explore, and they appreciate time to roam free; just make sure you are in a secure area to keep your dog safe.
Common Cocker Spaniel health conditions
There are certain health conditions that affect Cocker Spaniels more frequently than other dog breeds. We’ve outlined some of our recent claims data to help you understand some of the health issues we see more in Cocker Spaniels than in other dog breeds. If you’re buying a puppy, you can increase your chances of having a happy and healthy dog by choosing a reputable Cocker Spaniel breeder.
Eye disorders are very common in dogs. Dry eye, for example, occurs when a dog isn’t producing sufficient tears, and results in a chronic inflammation of the surface structures of the eye. Another common, painful eye irritation is corneal ulceration, which happens when the surface of the cornea is grazed as a result of scratches from other animals or vegetation, or because of foreign material in the eye, chemicals, heat or smoke, or infection. Treatment depends on the type and severity of eye problem and may be required for life to keep the dog’s vision in good health. Corneal ulcers, for example, can be treated using eye drops and sometimes surgery.
Dogs are susceptible to various common ear diseases. These can affect the external ear flap (such as haematoma), the middle/inner ear (vestibular disease, for example) or the ear canal (otitis). A haematoma is a blood-filled swelling that occurs in the ear flap, while the ear canal can become irritated by grass seeds, parasites, allergies or infections. Irritation can lead to a condition called otitis, which simply means ‘inflammation of the ear canal’. It causes an intense itch, leading the dog to shake its head, flap its ears and scratch them using its back paws. If the otitis is due to an allergy, treatment is required for the lifetime of the dog.
Cocker Spaniels are prone to a variety of lumps and bumps developing in the layers of fat, skin and muscle. These can be cysts, abscesses, lipomas or tumours including mast cell tumours. Mast cells are normal skin cells that help dogs respond to trauma and damage by releasing histamine. However, these cells can sometimes replicate into a serious type of tumour called a mast cell tumour. These tumours vary widely in size and shape, but most take the form of a solitary lump within the skin. Treatment depends on the size and location of the tumour but almost always involves surgical removal.
Cocker Spaniels are prone to immune-based diseases that attack the red blood cells. This can lead to the sudden onset of a condition known as haemolytic anaemia which can cause a variety of symptoms including weakness and lethargy. Often the exact trigger for why this happens is never identified. Treatment involves various diagnostic tests, blood transfusions and ongoing medical therapy to prevent the immune system from attacking the body's own tissues.
The pancreas is a fragile organ that lies between the liver and the small intestine. Cocker Spaniels can be prone to a condition called pancreatitis, which means ‘inflammation of the pancreas’. It occurs when the digestive enzymes within the pancreas start attacking it. There are mild and severe forms of the condition. Treatment for the mild form revolves around supportive care and avoiding highly fatty foods in the longer term. The severe form can require more intensive treatment, such as IV drips and various medicines, to restore good health.
Cocker Spaniel grooming
A Cocker Spaniel’s coat is flat, silky and comes in a variety of colours, including chocolate, tan, black, and white. As they are a longhaired breed, regular grooming is part of life with a Cocker Spaniel.
- Gentle daily brushing can help your dog form positive associations when being groomed, help keep their coat clean and shiny, prevent matting and ensure they’re happy being handled by professional groomers.
- Cocker Spaniels are prone to ear infections, as their long, heavy ears can prevent air from properly circulating the ear canal. Use your grooming sessions to check your dog’s ears for signs of infection, such a strange smell or black or brown wax, as well as checking their body for any lumps or signs of parasites.
- As gundogs, Cocker Spaniels are naturally drawn to water – and with water comes mud! Bath your dog as often as necessary, making sure to use an appropriate dog shampoo to help limit skin allergies.
- It’s also important to regularly brush your dog’s teeth, as this can help to prevent plaque and tartar from building up and will keep their gums healthy.
Find out more dog health tips to help your pet stay in the best condition.
Cocker Spaniel nutrition
With a real love for food, and a tendency to form a close bond with the person who feeds them, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on a Cocker Spaniel’s weight. Vets recommend a nutritious, high-quality pet food diet.
- Stick to the food packaging guidelines when weighing out your dog’s food but bear in mind your dog’s age, size and activity level when determining portion sizes.
- If your Cocker Spaniel is a working dog, ask your vet about an appropriate high-protein diet to ensure they’re getting the extra energy they need.
Cocker Spaniel frequently asked questions
Cocker Spaniels are a moderate shedding breed. They will drop hair all year round but they tend to have a heavier shed in the transitions between winter and spring and summer and autumn. There’s nothing you can do to stop shedding, but brushing your dog regularly will help to remove some of that loose hair and keep your Cocker Spaniel’s coat in tip top condition!
Due to their kind and gentle nature, Cocker Spaniels are consistently ranked as one of the UK’s most popular dog breeds. Friendly, loyal and intelligent, the Cocker Spaniel makes for a great family pet that will live very happily in a busy household alongside other pets. However, their intelligence and energetic nature means they need plenty of mental stimulation and physical exercise as well as adequate socialisation from an early age to keep unwanted behaviours, such as aggression, at bay.
Sociable and adaptable, Cocker Spaniels love to be around people and live happily in busy family environments. Whilst they are very friendly with children and other pets, their high energy means they have a tendency to be boisterous and may be better suited to households with older children. As with all breeds, playtime between your Cocker Spaniel and children should be supervised to make sure everyone stays safe and happy.
Cocker Spaniels are extremely intelligent and energetic dogs and usually continue to act like a puppies well into their adult years and don’t ever truly slow down. Cocker Spaniels need plenty of mental stimulation and physical exercise throughout their life to keep excessive energy and behavioural problems at bay.
As a working breed, Cocker Spaniels are intelligent and eager to please, making them easy to train. Cocker Spaniels are quick learners who respond well to positive reinforcement methods. It’s worth remembering, however, that this is an extremely active breed and Cocker Spaniels can get over-excited and distracted easily so keep training sessions short and fun. It’s also important to start basic training early, with plenty of socialisation from puppyhood.
Active and energetic, Cocker Spaniels need a minimum of one hour’s exercise every day, but most dogs of this breed can keep going for as long as you let them! Make sure you mix up walks often to keep things interesting, and allow plenty of time for sniffing, playing games and lots of off-lead running time in a safe and secure area.
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Cocker Spaniel insurance considerations
Choosing the right insurance for your Cocker Spaniel can help keep them happy and healthy should they develop any problems. As some conditions can be lifelong, it’s important to consider the length of time policies cover different conditions when choosing dog insurance. Petplan’s Covered For Life® policies allows you to claim for the same condition year after year, so long as you renew your policy, allowing your pet to receive the best care for ongoing conditions.
We always offer these things as standard:
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy & pet therapies
Along with physiotherapy, which is covered within the Vet Bills benefit, we also cover Pet Therapies like herbal medicine, homeopathy and acupuncture. You can also claim for hydrotherapy, up to £500 per illness/injury in dogs and cats (no additional limit for rabbits).
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