Cocker Spaniel: size, sleep, exercise and care

At a glance

Size

Medium

Adult weight

12–15.5 kg

Height at the shoulder

38–43 cm

Life expectancy

12–14 years

Exercise needs

Moderate · 60 min per day

Sleep needs

Typical total sleep per 24 hours, including naps.

Puppy18–20 h

Adult12–14 h

Senior12–15 h

06121824 h

These are general life-stage ranges for dogs from the AKC and Hill's; no study gives a separate figure for the Cocker Spaniel. Individual dogs vary, and a sudden change in how much your dog sleeps is worth mentioning to your vet.

Puppy sleep calculator →

Exercise needs

PDSA recommends at least an hour a day and The Royal Kennel Club lists up to an hour. Working-line cockers often need noticeably more. Hunting games, retrieving and sniffing walks suit the breed, and a long line helps until recall is solid around birds.

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Potty training

Cocker puppies are eager and food-motivated, which makes reward-based house training straightforward. Go out after sleep, food and play, and keep the first few months on a tight schedule.

Some cockers wee when excited or when greeting people. Keep greetings calm and low-key, greet outside if you can, and most grow out of it.

Puppy potty schedule calculator →

Feeding

Feed three to four meals a day to young puppies and two to adults, using a complete food for medium-sized active dogs. Cockers are known for loving food, so weigh portions and count training treats.

Their long ears trail in food and water; a narrow, deep bowl keeps them cleaner. Check ears after meals and walks, as damp, dirty ears are prone to problems.

Puppy feeding schedule calculator →