English Cocker Spaniel vs Irish Setter

Photo: Jean-Pol GRANDMONT

Photo: Luis Miguel Bugallo Sánchez (Lmbuga Commons)(Lmbuga Galipedia)

Side by side

English Cocker Spaniel

Irish Setter

Adult weight

13–14.5 kg (29–32 lb)1

Males 29–35 kg (63–77 lb); females 25–30 kg (54–66 lb) (estimated: ±10% around the AKC/ISCA standard's show weights of about 70 lb for dogs and 60 lb for bitches)

Lifespan

Median 13.3 years2

Median 12.9 years2

Fully grown

10 months, both sexes3

12 months, both sexes3

Group

Retrievers & water dogs4

Pointing dogs5

Coat

Coat with feathering4

Coat with feathering5

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)6,7

Mouth melanoma (much more likely); Inward-rolling eyelid (much more likely)8,9

Class

Family

Which suits you

Size

The Irish Setter is much larger: about 29 kg (65 lb) as an adult, against 14 kg (30 lb) for the English Cocker Spaniel.

Temperament

They differ most on independence (English Cocker Spaniel: keen to work with you; Irish Setter: cooperative, with its own ideas) and on sensitivity (English Cocker Spaniel: needs a calm, predictable home; Irish Setter: 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.

Irish Setter

Pointing dogs · Large

The Irish Setter's temperament is outgoing, sweet and affectionate. It has plenty of energy and is known for staying playful and slow to settle long after puppyhood.

The English Cocker Spaniel page →The Irish Setter page →

Breed traits

Day to day

English Cocker Spaniel

Irish Setter

Activity

Differs

A good daily walk and play

Needs lots of exercise

Intelligence

Learns readily, likes games

Handler demand

Needs steady training

With people

English Cocker Spaniel

Irish Setter

Affection

A lap or leaning dog

Loyalty

Bonded to its family

Independence

Differs

Keen to work with you

Cooperative, with its own ideas

Around the home

English Cocker Spaniel

Irish Setter

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 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

Summary

Detail

The Irish Setter grows to the heavier adult, about 30 kg against the English Cocker Spaniel's 14 kg. The Irish Setter's weight is not a published figure.

English Cocker Spaniel

Irish Setter

More comparisons

Compare the English Cocker Spaniel with

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Sources

1
The Kennel Club. English Cocker Spaniel breed standard. ↑
2
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
3
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
4
FCI. Breed standard no. 5. Fédération Cynologique Internationale. © FCI. ↑
www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/005g08-en.pdf
5
FCI. Breed standard no. 120. Fédération Cynologique Internationale. © FCI. ↑
www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/120g07-en.pdf
6
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
7
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
8
Rodríguez et al., 2026. Epidemiology of Four Major Canine Tumours in the UK: Insights From a National Pathology Registry With Comparative Oncology Perspectives. CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1111/vco.70056
9
O'Neill et al., 2025. Conformational eyelid disorders in dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK - Epidemiology and clinical management. CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0326526
10
Morrill et al., 2022. Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes. Science 376: eabk0639 (Darwin's Ark). ↑
doi.org/10.1126/science.abk0639
11
Dogs Trust. Finding a good, responsible breeder. ↑
www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/getting-dog/choosing-dog/finding-a-breeder
12
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/
13
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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