American Water Spaniel vs English Cocker Spaniel

An American Water Spaniel
Photo: Canarian
An English Cocker Spaniel
Photo: Jean-Pol GRANDMONT

Side by side

American Water Spaniel
English Cocker Spaniel
Adult weight
Males 14–20 kg (30–45 lb); females 11–18 kg (25–40 lb) (breed club figure)1
13–14.5 kg (29–32 lb)2
Height
Males 38.1–45.7 cm; females 38.1–45.7 cm (breed club figure)1
No sourced figure
Lifespan
12–13 years3
Median 13.3 years4
Fully grown
11 months, both sexes5
10 months, both sexes5
Group
Retrievers & water dogs6
Retrievers & water dogs7
Coat
Curly coat6
Coat with feathering7
Shedding
Holds loose hair until it is brushed or clipped out
Sheds through the year
Grooming
Brushing a few times a week
Exercise
Plenty
Health
No sourced figure
Dry eye (far more likely); Ear discharge (far more likely)8,9
Class
Field
Family

Which suits you

Size
The American Water Spaniel is a little larger on average: about 16 kg (35 lb) as an adult, against 14 kg (30 lb) for the English Cocker Spaniel.
Shedding
Their coats shed differently: the American Water Spaniel holds loose hair until it is brushed or clipped out, the English Cocker Spaniel sheds through the year.
Temperament
They differ most on affection (American Water Spaniel: affectionate on its own terms; English Cocker Spaniel: a lap or leaning dog) and on independence (American Water Spaniel: cooperative, with its own ideas; English Cocker Spaniel: keen to work with you).
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
Take the breed matcher

What they're like

American Water Spaniel
Retrievers & water dogs · Medium

In temperament it is eager, cheerful and intelligent, keen to work and affectionate with its family, though it can be reserved with strangers. It remains an uncommon breed.

English Cocker Spaniel
Retrievers & water dogs · Medium

In temperament it is cheerful and affectionate, and it is often called the merry cocker, a nod to its lively nature and busy tail. It is keen to please and closely attached to its people.

The American Water Spaniel page →The English Cocker Spaniel page →

Breed traits

Day to day
American Water Spaniel
English Cocker Spaniel
Activity
Differs
Needs lots of exercise
A good daily walk and play
Intelligence
Learns readily, likes games
Learns readily, likes games
Handler demand
Needs steady training
Needs steady training
With people
American Water Spaniel
English Cocker Spaniel
Affection
Differs
Affectionate on its own terms
A lap or leaning dog
Loyalty
Bonded to its family
Bonded to its family
Independence
Differs
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Keen to work with you
Around the home
American Water Spaniel
English Cocker Spaniel
Sensitivity
Differs
Average
Needs a calm, predictable home
Voice
Barks to alert, then settles
Barks to alert, then settles
Prey drive
Chases; needs managing
Chases; needs managing
Breed explains only about 9% of how individual dogs differ in behaviour10. Meet the dog. A good breeder breeds for temperament as well as health, and matches each puppy's personality to the right home11,12.

Puppy growth

Reference curves · both sexes
The American Water Spaniel grows to the heavier adult, about 16 kg against the English Cocker Spaniel's 14 kg.
American Water Spaniel
English Cocker Spaniel
01020302m4m6m9m12m18m
01020302m3m4m6m9m12m18m

More comparisons

Compare the American Water Spaniel with
English Cocker Spaniel vs English Springer SpanielAmerican Cocker Spaniel vs English Cocker SpanielCavalier King Charles Spaniel vs English Cocker SpanielEnglish Cocker Spaniel vs Golden RetrieverEnglish Cocker Spaniel vs Field SpanielEnglish Cocker Spaniel vs Welsh Springer SpanielAll breed comparisons →

Sources

Parts of this page were written by AI ·