English Cocker Spaniel vs English Springer Spaniel

Photo: Jean-Pol GRANDMONT

Photo: Kruming

Side by side

English Cocker Spaniel

English Springer Spaniel

Adult weight

13–14.5 kg (29–32 lb)1

Males 22–25 kg (49–55 lb); females 18–22 kg (40–49 lb) (breed club figure)2

Height

No sourced figure

Males 48.3–53.3 cm; females 45.7–50.8 cm3

Lifespan

Median 13.3 years4

Median 13.5 years4

Fully grown

10 months, both sexes5

Group

Retrievers & water dogs6

Retrievers & water dogs7

Coat

Coat with feathering6

Coat with feathering7

Shedding

Sheds through the year

Grooming

Brushing a few times a week

Exercise

Plenty

Health

Dry eye (far more likely); Ear discharge (far more likely)8,9

Insulin-secreting pancreatic tumour (more likely); Elbow joint disease (more likely)10,11

Class

Family

Field

Which suits you

Size

The English Springer Spaniel is larger: about 22 kg (48 lb) as an adult, against 14 kg (30 lb) for the English Cocker Spaniel.

Temperament

They differ most on intelligence (English Cocker Spaniel: learns readily, likes games; English Springer Spaniel: needs daily brain work) and on sensitivity (English Cocker Spaniel: needs a calm, predictable home; English Springer Spaniel: average).

Alike

Both are rated the same on affection: a lap or leaning dog.

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

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.

English Springer Spaniel

Retrievers & water dogs · Medium

In temperament it is friendly, eager to please and busy, and it thrives when it has work to do.

The English Cocker Spaniel page →The English Springer Spaniel page →

Breed traits

Day to day

English Cocker Spaniel

English Springer Spaniel

Activity

Differs

A good daily walk and play

Needs lots of exercise

Intelligence

Differs

Learns readily, likes games

Needs daily brain work

Handler demand

Needs steady training

With people

English Cocker Spaniel

English Springer Spaniel

Affection

A lap or leaning dog

Loyalty

Bonded to its family

Independence

Keen to work with you

Around the home

English Cocker Spaniel

English Springer Spaniel

Sensitivity

Differs

Needs a calm, predictable home

Average

Voice

Barks to alert, then settles

Prey drive

Chases; needs managing

Breed explains only about 9% of how individual dogs differ in behaviour12. Meet the dog. A good breeder breeds for temperament as well as health, and matches each puppy's personality to the right home13,14.

Puppy growth

Reference curves · both sexes

Summary

Detail

The English Springer Spaniel grows to the heavier adult, about 22 kg against the English Cocker Spaniel's 14 kg.

English Cocker Spaniel

English Springer Spaniel

More comparisons

Compare the English Cocker Spaniel with

American Cocker Spaniel vs English Cocker Spaniel Cavalier King Charles Spaniel vs English Cocker Spaniel Brittany vs English Springer Spaniel Boykin Spaniel vs English Springer Spaniel English Cocker Spaniel vs Golden Retriever English Setter vs English Springer Spaniel All breed comparisons →

Sources

1
The Kennel Club. English Cocker Spaniel breed standard. ↑
2
American Kennel Club. English Springer Spaniel breed page. ↑
3
American Kennel Club. English Springer Spaniel breed standard. ↑
4
McMillan et al., 2024. Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death. Scientific Reports 14, 531 (VetCompass). CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-50458-w
5
Hawthorne et al., 2004. Body-weight changes during growth in puppies of different breeds. Journal of Nutrition 134(8 Suppl): 2027S–2030S (WALTHAM). ↑
doi.org/10.1093/jn/134.8.2027S
6
FCI. Breed standard no. 5. Fédération Cynologique Internationale. © FCI. ↑
www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/005g08-en.pdf
7
FCI. Breed standard no. 125. Fédération Cynologique Internationale. © FCI. ↑
www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/125g08-en.pdf
8
O'Neill et al., 2021. Keratoconjunctivitis sicca in dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK: an epidemiological study. CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1111/jsap.13382
9
Engdahl et al., 2024. English Cocker Spaniels under primary veterinary care in the UK: disorder predispositions and protections. CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1186/s40575-023-00136-x
10
Kraai et al., 2025. Incidence and risk factors for insulinoma diagnosed in dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK. CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86782-6
11
O'Neill et al., 2020. Epidemiology and clinical management of elbow joint disease in dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK. CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1186/s40575-020-0080-5
12
Morrill et al., 2022. Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes. Science 376: eabk0639 (Darwin's Ark). ↑
doi.org/10.1126/science.abk0639
13
Dogs Trust. Finding a good, responsible breeder. ↑
www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/getting-dog/choosing-dog/finding-a-breeder
14
American Kennel Club. Screening puppy buyers: how top breeders find the best homes. ↑
www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeding/screening-puppy-buyers-how-top-breeders-find-the-best-homes/
15
Salt et al., 2017. Growth standard charts for monitoring bodyweight in dogs of different sizes. PLoS ONE 12(9): e0182064 (WALTHAM). CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0182064

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