English Cocker Spaniel Vs American Cocker Spaniel

There is a lot of confusion among dog lovers about the two breeds that we are going to be comparing in this article. People just want to what are the major similarities and differences between the English Cocker Spaniels and the American Cocker Spaniels so that they can make a well-informed decision when they want to bring a canine home and their only two options are these amazing Cocker Spaniels. So to make their lives easier and to eliminate any kind of confusion, we are going to be comparing these two dogs on several different levels and in the end, we’ll try to answer what most people really want to know and i.e. which dog is better? Or which breed is more suitable for them? Is it the English Cocker Spaniel or American Cocker Spaniel?

History and Origin:

Although Spaniels are believed to have existed as far back in time as the 1300s, the English and American Cocker Spaniels (officially) came to fruition around the 1800s. Earlier Spaniels were divided into two groups: Land Spaniels and Water Spaniels. And the Land Spaniels further got divided into various types which were Field Spaniels, Springer Spaniels, Toy Spaniels, and Cocker Spaniels and the main criteria for this division was "weight". Cocker Spaniels were smaller than the Field and Springer Spaniels. And they received this unique name because they were great at hunting down small-sized birds in the past, primarily the Woodcock.

Around the 1800s or so, some of the Cocker Spaniels were starting to get imported to North America. Here the American breeders opted to mate these canines with smaller Field spaniels so as to get a breed that was fairly compact and elegant. And the result of this breeding produced the American Cocker Spaniels that we know today.

Around the same time (the mid-1800s), the English breeders also started to breed the cocker spaniel canines. But unlike their American brothers, they decided to go for a more sturdy, heavy and robust breed and that’s why they began breeding the Cocker Spaniels with the Springer Spaniels. And this led to the creation of English Cocker Spaniels.

AKC, the American Kennel Club, initially considered both these kinds of Cocker Spaniels the same breed. But that changed in 1936 when they recognized the English Cockers as a separate breed. AKC registered the American Cocker Spaniel in the year 1878 and the English Cocker Spaniels in 1946.

Appearance:

Appearance wise, both these dogs have quite a few similarities and differences between one another. They both are well-built canines who have a similar body proportion and facial features. But if someone looks closely, then they can find a lot of dissimilarities between the English Cocker Spaniels and the American Cocker Spaniels.

First of all, English Cockers are slightly heavier and taller than their American cousins. The average weight and height of the ECSs are around 12-16 Kg and 15-17 inch, respectively while the ACSs mostly weigh somewhere in between 09-14 Kg and stand tall at a height of 13.5-15.5 inches.

But, while English Cockers are more sturdy than the American Cockers, the ACSs have a fairly heavier coat than the ECSs. The American Cocker Spaniels were specifically bred so as to have a heavier coat and their legs are also a bit more furry as compared to the English Cockers. Talking about coats, both these dogs are found in a lot of different coat colors. The most popular colors for English Cockers are Black, Blue Roan, Golden, Orange Roan, Lemon Roan, Liver, Black & Tan, Liver & Tan et cetera and for the American Cocker Spaniels are Black, Brown, White & Buff, Silver, Red, Black-Tan, Brown Roan, Black & White, Brown & Tan et cetera.

Finally, while both these breeds have a lot of similar facial features as well, there are some differences that are very easy to notice. The American Cockers have a shorter, smaller and rounder head as compared to the English Cockers. Also, the muzzle on the ACSs is a bit shorter when we compare it to the ECSs.

Maintenance Needs:

Maintenance needs for both these breeds are very similar. These dogs almost require the same amount of attention from their owners and they both don’t like to be alone or away from their loved ones for a long period of time. Also, the feeding needs of both American and English Cocker Spaniels are very similar to one another. Both should be given 1/1.5 to 2/2.5 cup of high-quality feeding material on a daily basis which should be divided into 2 meals. Treats can be given as rewards or during the training sessions but in a limited manner. 

Coming to the exercise needs of both these dogs, then again they are fairly similar to one another. Both are a sporting breed, both require regular exercise and work so as to remain physically and mentally fit and both can become a bit irritated if their exercise needs are not being properly fulfilled. Daily walks, running or jogging sessions, regular playtime involving both physically and mentally stimulating games et cetera are all highly necessary for both of these dogs. 

Finally, the grooming requirements of the American Cocker Spaniels are a bit more when compared to the English Cockers, but that is understandable considering the American Cockers have a heavier and a bit longer coat than the English Cocker Spaniels. The ACSs require a daily brushing of their coat so as to avoid any tangling or matting issues, but that’s not the case with the ECSs whose coat is required to be brushed 2-3 times every week. But the shedding potential of both these dogs is again very much alike as both of them are moderate shedders.

Temperament:

It is very hard to compare these two breeds on the basis of temperament and behavioral characteristics. Both of them are extremely sweet, kind and friendly in nature and are considered to be excellent family dogs. Both the American and English Cocker Spaniels are great with other people including their owners, family members, and even strangers. These dogs are always happy to meet and greet new people. Also, they are very kind and careful with kids and are always ready to play loads of games with them. And lastly, the behavior of both these dogs is extremely nice with other animals as well and they are known to get along just fine with other household pets such as dogs and cats. Although, the American Cockers may require a bit more socialization and training than the English Cockers so as to get along really well with the felines. Speaking about training, the intelligence of a canine plays a very important role while you are training a dog and it no secret that both the English and American Cocker Spaniels are tremendously intelligent and smart dogs. The slight differences that one may be able to find in these two pooches on a temperament level are given below:

Barking potential

While both these breeds do like to vocalize a fair amount, it is the American Cocker Spaniels that are noisier of the bunch. The ACSs are known to be fairly boisterous in nature and they like to show or express their feelings through their voice/bark more than their actions. The English Cockers are a bit calmer than the American Cockers but that doesn’t mean that the ECS is a quiet or noiseless breed.

Watchdog Ability

While, due to their extremely friendly and soft nature, both these breeds are not known to make great guard dogs. But they do redeem themselves to some extent in this department by being a fairly decent watchdog. But if we have to pick between these two to be a better watchdog, then our vote goes to the English Cocker Spaniel. ECSs are great at alerting their owners whenever they detect the presence of someone suspicious near their home. ACSs are also fairly decent watchdogs but the English Cockers are a bit more attentive and alert when it comes to notifying their owners about the presence of an intruder, burglar or trespasser.

Trainability:

Here, both these dogs do not disappoint. It is extremely easy to train these canines as they remain highly responsive, attentive and excited whenever they are getting trained by their owners. These dogs are always eager to please their owners by learning all the new things as quickly as possible. They can learn a lot of new tricks, hard commands et cetera and they have very impressive retention power as well. Because they are so intelligent and trainable (and kind), both these dogs are used for very important jobs such as being a therapy dog for the people in need.

Health Issues:

The English Cockers, as mentioned before, are a bit sturdier and robust as compared to American Cocker Spaniels which means that they are also a bit healthier than their American cousins. The American Cockers because of their average general health do need to be taken to a vet’s clinic on a regular basis so that they remain fully healthy and away from any kind of diseases. On the other hand, frequent visits to the veterinarian are not required in case of English Cocker Spaniels.

Now, regardless of which one is healthier, both these dogs can get affected by various kinds of health issues during the lifetime if they are not given proper care, nutrition, and exercise. Some of the health problems are commonly seen in both these breeds like Cataract and Hip Dysplasia, but there are a lot of other diseases which are more common to one of these breeds than the other. English Cockers are more prone to health problems like Ear Infections, Familiar Nephropathy, and Elbow Dysplasia while issues like Hypothyroidism, Glaucoma, Epilepsy and Patellar Luxation are more common to American Cocker Spaniels than the ECSs.

Good for Indians:

Now we come to the end of this American Cocker Spaniel Vs English Cocker Spaniel breed comparison article and here we will try to answer which breed is more suitable for you or which one to buy between the two. Well, as it is clear by all the above comparisons, both these dogs are tremendously similar to one another. Not only they have a similar appearance and size, but they are also very much alike when it comes to judging them on a temperament level. Moreover, both these dogs have a decent availability in India and thus shouldn’t be that hard to find. And, as they are highly adaptable in nature, they can comfortably thrive in Indian climatic conditions if they are given proper care and protection. Finally, both are wonderful apartment dogs as well and are fairly priced too, thus all these reasons make both the American and English Cocker Spaniels a great fit for the Indian households. People can choose any of these two breeds and they definitely will not be disappointed. But if you are still confused about this, you should remember the old saying “the more the merrier” and just bring home both of these amazing canines. The happiness and joy in your life will instantly get doubled.