English Cocker Spaniel vs Field Spaniel

An English Cocker Spaniel
Photo: Jean-Pol GRANDMONT
A Field Spaniel
Photo: Peter

Side by side

English Cocker Spaniel
Field Spaniel
Adult weight
13–14.5 kg (29–32 lb)1
18–25 kg (40–55 lb)2
Height
No sourced figure
Males 43.2–48.3 cm; females 40.6–45.7 cm3
Lifespan
Median 13.3 years4
Median 13.1 years4
Fully grown
10 months, both sexes5
11 months, both sexes5
Group
Retrievers & water dogs6
Retrievers & water dogs2
Coat
Coat with feathering6
Long coat2
Shedding
Sheds through the year
Grooming
Brushing a few times a week
Daily brushing
Exercise
Plenty
Health
Dry eye (far more likely); Ear discharge (far more likely)7,8
No sourced figure
Class
Family
Companion

Which suits you

Size
The Field Spaniel is larger: about 22 kg (47 lb) as an adult, against 14 kg (30 lb) for the English Cocker Spaniel.
Grooming
The Field Spaniel needs more grooming, daily brushing, where the English Cocker Spaniel needs brushing a few times a week.
Temperament
They differ most on independence (English Cocker Spaniel: keen to work with you; Field Spaniel: cooperative, with its own ideas) and on voice (English Cocker Spaniel: barks to alert, then settles; Field Spaniel: quiet).
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.

Field Spaniel
Retrievers & water dogs · Medium

The Field Spaniel is affectionate, docile and sensitive, and does not respond well to harsh handling.

The English Cocker Spaniel page →The Field Spaniel page →

Breed traits

Day to day
English Cocker Spaniel
Field Spaniel
Activity
Differs
A good daily walk and play
Needs lots of exercise
Intelligence
Learns readily, likes games
Learns readily, likes games
Handler demand
Needs steady training
Needs steady training
With people
English Cocker Spaniel
Field Spaniel
Affection
A lap or leaning dog
A lap or leaning dog
Loyalty
Bonded to its family
Bonded to its family
Independence
Differs
Keen to work with you
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Around the home
English Cocker Spaniel
Field Spaniel
Sensitivity
Needs a calm, predictable home
Needs a calm, predictable home
Voice
Differs
Barks to alert, then settles
Quiet
Prey drive
Chases; needs managing
Chases; needs managing
Breed explains only about 9% of how individual dogs differ in behaviour9. Meet the dog. A good breeder breeds for temperament as well as health, and matches each puppy's personality to the right home10,11.

Puppy growth

Reference curves · both sexes
The Field Spaniel grows to the heavier adult, about 22 kg against the English Cocker Spaniel's 14 kg.
English Cocker Spaniel
Field Spaniel
01020302m4m6m9m12m18m
01020302m3m4m6m9m12m18m

More comparisons

Compare the English Cocker 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 Welsh Springer SpanielEnglish Springer Spaniel vs Field SpanielAll breed comparisons →

Sources

Parts of this page were written by AI ·