Cocker Spaniels are one of the finest, most charming dog breeds in regards to being working dogs and family pets because they are smart, faithful, and lively canines to have around for they’d make wonderful friends for youngsters to play and grow with.
Cocker spaniels, however, are of two different breeds: the English cocker spaniel and the American cocker spaniel. In recent times, English and American Cocker Spaniels were mistaken for one another all the time and were eventually regarded as the same breed who shared a mutual inheritance.
Regarding this issue, the resolution of categorizing them as two different breeds were later formed when it became obvious that American Cocker Spaniels weren’t similar to the Cocker Spaniels in England and had quite a few primary differences in their temperaments.
English Cocker Spaniel vs American Cocker Spaniel
The main difference between the English Cocker Spaniel and the American Cocker Spaniel is that the English Cocker Spaniels is an adorable breed that has a life expectancy of over 15 years, doesn’t need much grooming, needs to be put on a leash when outdoors because it is energetic and has a high hunting drive whereas American Cocker Spaniels are also lovable breeds that have a life expectancy of over 11 years, needs more grooming with recurring baths and everyday brushing of fur, are more of a gentle indoor family companion and do not have a high hunting drive.
Comparison Table Between English Cocker Spaniel and American Cocker Spaniel (in Tabular Form)
| Parameter of comparison | English cocker spaniel | American cocker spaniel |
|---|---|---|
| Height and weight | An English cocker spaniel is around 15-17 inches tall and weighs approximately 26-34 pounds. | An American cocker spaniel is about 13.5-15.5 inches and weighs approximately 20-30 pounds. |
| Shape of the head | An English cocker spaniel has a substantially more flatter skull. | An American cocker spaniel has a dome-shaped skull. |
| Facial features | An English cocker spaniel has wider eyes and they have a longer muzzle and their ears are longer. | An American cocker spaniel has narrowed eyes, a shorter muzzle, and their ears are smaller. |
| Appearance | The coat of an English cocker spaniel is shorter and silkier in texture. | The coat of an American cocker spaniel is longer and the texture is thicker and denser. |
| Activities and exercises | English cocker spaniels are more energetic for hunting. | American cocker spaniels are not as energetic and are good gentle companions. |
What is English Cocker Spaniel?
An English cocker spaniel belongs to the breed of gun dogs. English cocker spaniels are considered determined, faithful, compassionate, athletic, well-balanced, great family pets said to have great intelligence and alertness. The eyes of the English cocker spaniel are dark and they have close-lying and lush ears. The English cocker spaniel can either be field dogs or show dogs.
The tail of the English cocker spaniel can be docked in North America. Field bred English cocker spaniel’s tail is docked to about 4-5 inches and for show dogs, the tail is docked practically closer to the English cocker spaniel’s body. Docking is also made legal in South Africa and Australia. The male English cocker spaniel is about 15.5 to 16 inches and the female English cocker spaniel is about 15 to 15.5 inches. The English cocker spaniel weighs 13-14.5 kgs and is considered to be a dog of balance temperament and movement.
English cocker spaniel can come in numerous hues like brown, black, red-golden, and partly colored like orange with lack pigmentation, brown and white ticked, white with black pigmentation, etc. The English cocker spaniel is said to have a merry and cheerful nature.
English cocker spaniel may face health problems like skin allergies, deafness, heart murmurs, and benign tumors. The English cocker spaniel may also face an issue called rage syndrome which means a canine may attack viciously without any warning. English cocker spaniels have a life expectancy of about 11-12 years.
What is American Cocker Spaniel?
An American cocker spaniel belongs to a breed of sports dogs. This breed is considered to be the smallest of sporting dogs. It is a canine covered with silky fur at the ears, the body and also extends to their legs. The ears of the American cocker spaniel hang down and they have an upturned nose. The male American cocker spaniel is 15.5 inches tall while the female American cocker spaniel is 14.5 inches tall. They weigh over 11 to 14 kgs.
American cocker spaniels come in numerous hues such as black, tan, and also may partial colors. American cocker spaniel can likewise come in a color called the merle (which is a genetic pattern). The first-ever American cocker spaniel was a brown and white dog called Captain in the year 1878. Presently, American cocker spaniels are considered to be the oldest breed of dogs in the USA.
American cocker spaniels are considered to be a gentle friendly natured pet which’s said to get along pretty well with family and kids. It is not viewed as a working dog but is a merry and intelligent breed. These canines were once hunting dogs and now most of them are considered show dogs.
American cocker spaniels also face health issues like deafness, glaucoma, dilated cardiomyopathy, ear infections, and also sometimes infections in their eyes. They are also prone to rage syndrome, cataracts, or canine epilepsy. American cocker spaniels also have a life expectancy of over 10 to 11 years.
Main Differences Between English Cocker Spaniel and American Cocker Spaniel
- An English cocker spaniel is viewed as a larger breed which weighs around 26 to 34 pounds and is about 15 to 17 inches tall. An American cocker spaniel is more petite, weighs 20 to 30 pounds, and is about 13.5 to 15.5 inches tall.
- The shape of the head of an English cocker spaniel is flatter. The shape of the head of an American cocker spaniel is dome-shaped.
- The eyes of an English cocker spaniel are wider, they have a comparatively longer muzzle and their ears are so long that they touch the feet of the English cocker spaniel. The eyes of an American cocker spaniel are narrower and they have a smaller muzzle and their ears are comparatively shorter.
- An English cocker spaniels coat is shorter and silkier in texture. An American cocker spaniels coat is longer and denser in texture.
- English cocker spaniels are more active and energetic and are suitable for camping and hiking. American cocker spaniels are good-companion dogs and they love being indoors more.
Conclusion
The Cocker Spaniel is one of the most adored dog breeds in the world. The term Cocker Spaniel points out to two individually acknowledged breeds of dogs: the English Cocker Spaniel and American Cocker Spaniel. When compared, even though the English and American Cocker Spaniel have slightly different features, it probably isn’t that apparent at first sight.
When you compare the two dog breeds, American Cocker Spaniel is an ideal choice for families who favor spending most of their time indoors rather than outdoors because these dogs do not have a hunting drive like the English Cocker Spaniel and are delightful family pets whereas an English Cocker Spaniel is a perfect choice for families who prefer spending their time outdoors and are always prepared to discover different places and parks because these dogs are very active and energetic since they have a high hunting drive and like being outdoors more than anything.
By efficiently bringing out the dissimilarities between these two major dog breeds and by mentioning the different environments these two dog breeds are most suited for, this article gives the audience a clear understanding and gets rid of any sort of uncertainty they might’ve had between the two breeds.
References
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0168159195010122
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1748-5827.1977.tb05831.x