Do designer dogs fascinate you? Choosing a designer dog can be challenging, especially when it is your first time dealing with such breeds. Cavapoos and Cocker Spaniels are sweet-natured dogs that can make a good therapy dog and give you fantastic company at home and when exercising.
Although they look similar, various characteristics differentiate a Cavapoo vs Cocker Spaniel. A Cavapoo is a crossbreed between a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Poodle. On the other hand, a Cocker Spaniel is a pure breed of gun dog.
Getting a furry companion can be a great decision. There are various similarities and differences between both Cocker Spaniel and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Find out more and know the one that fits your lifestyle perfectly.
Interesting facts on Cavapoo vs. Cocker Spaniel
Did you know that there are many types of Spaniels including Cocker Spaniels, with the most popular being either an American Cocker Spaniel or an English Cocker Spaniel – both of which are recognised by the American Kennel Club and English Kennel Club.
Originally English Cocker Spaniels were bred for hunting whilst American Cocker Spaniels were created for companionship.
Although English Cocker Spaniels and American Cocker Spaniels look quite similar to the untrained eye – in that they both have wavy fur, long ears and expressive faces – an English Cocker Spaniel tends to be slightly larger and with a bigger head and longer muzzle. This is the only major difference as both have wonderful temperaments and make fantastic family pets.
For the purpose of this blog, we will refer to the English Cocker Spaniel – although the information remains pretty much the same for the American Cocker Spaniel too.
Life span
Cavapoos have a lifespan of between 12 to 15 years, whereas an English Cocker Spaniel has a slightly longer lifespan of between 14 to 16 years. However, the lifespan of both breeds will vary depending on the parents genetics, health problems, feeding, exercise, grooming, and overall care.
Size
A Cavapoo is a small to medium dog whose weight varies depending on the Poodle parents size. On average, a Cavapoo weighs between 9 to 25 pounds with a height of 9 to 14 inches. If you are interested to know how big your Cavapoo will grow – check out our informative blog with growth chart!
Cocker Spaniels weigh between 25 to 28 pounds and average height between 14 to 15 inches.
Price
Cavapoos, like most doodle dogs are pretty expensive, and a puppy sells for $2000 to $ 4000 and up to £3000+ in the UK. Depending on the breeder, a Cocker Spaniel puppy goes for between $1000 to $2000. This is because English Cocker Spaniels tend to be more common than Cavapoos.
That said Cockapoos, which are Cocker Spaniel Poodle crosses are also an incredibly popular and expensive breed of dog. To find out the differences between a Cavapoo and a Cockapoo, see our guide Cavapoo vs Cockapoo.
Here are other interesting facts on Cavapoo v Cocker Spaniel
Appearance
A Cavapoo is an adorable dog with a round face, long floppy ears, and large almond-shaped eyes and can come in a variety of colors.
The Spaniel is also a cute dog with long, lush ears and a wavy coat which is generally white, brown, cream, red, black, and brown or a mixture of many colors. A Spaniel also has lovely almond-shaped eyes and a short muzzle.
Feeding
Both dog breeds require a balanced diet of nutrients, minerals, and vitamins to remain healthy. They also need enough water and plenty of exercise per day.
However, it would be best if you did not overfeed the dog. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is susceptible to obesity, and therefore, a Cavapoo can gain weight quickly if overfed. Since it is more active, an English Spaniel requires more food than a Cavapoo.
If you have any concerns over what food to feed your dog, you can find loads of advice in our dog nutrition guide – Essential dietary tips for dogs.
Exercise
An English Cocker Spaniel is more active compared to a Cavapoo – this is because it was originally bred to hunt and chase for hours.
A Cocker Spaniel requires an average exercise time of one hour daily, while a Cavapoo requires around 30 to 60 minutes per day. Both dogs need mental stimulation to prevent them from getting bored, and they can offer the perfect company if you like running or exercising outdoors in the evenings.
Shedding
Cavapoos are low-shedding dogs, although the degree of shedding varies depending on the traits inherited from their parents. The Poodle is considered hypoallergenic, while the King Charles Spaniel’s Cavalier is not. This means a Cavapoo can either be hypoallergenic or not, depending on its inherited traits.
As Cavapoos inherit the low-shedding element from the Poodle parent, those with allergies tend to favor an F1b Cavapoo puppy, as it is less likely to shed. This is because an F1b is a Cavapoo mixed with a Poodle, so has more of the Poodle DNA than an F1 Cavapoo (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel crossed with a Poodle).
Unlike Cavapoos, the English Spaniel is not hypoallergenic. Spaniels regularly shed, although the shedding varies depending on the dog. Therefore, if you suffers from allergies, then we would recommend a doodle dog breed rather than a purebred Spaniel.
Grooming
Cavapoos require regular grooming in the form of brushing, bathing, and trimming the dog’s coat to prevent matting and tangling and in order to keep the coat in good health. Although you can do this yourself at home, it is recommended that you use a professional groomer.
The English Spaniel also requires a lot of grooming. Since it has a sensitive personality, it should be introduced to grooming early enough. Some groomers even prefer to hand strip Cocker Spaniel coats as it keeps the coat healthier and tidier and speeds up the natural process of growth and shedding.
Friendliness
Both dogs have a sweet temperament and are generally friendly and affectionate. They blend well with small children and other dogs but the English Cocker Spaniel does have a higher prey drive, as it was originally bred to hunt.
Coat
A Cavapoo has a soft, curly, or wavy coat which comes in a variety of different colors such as chestnut, white, brown, golden, fawn, black, cream and even tri color. A well-groomed English Spaniel has a thick, short, wavy coat, either parti-color or solid color (brown to light cream to red to black).
Trainability and intelligence
Cavapoos are intelligent – they get this from the Poodle side – and are obedient dogs that respond well to positive training techniques. They are a social breed that enjoys human interaction and are easy to train.
Training a Spaniel requires more patience and repetition and should begin when the dog is a very young age. These dogs are however, intelligent and skilled at paying attention and following instructions.
Health issues
Cavapoos are healthy dogs, although they can inherit their parent’s health complications. For instance, Cavapoos are prone to endocrine disorders, Addison’s disease, hip dysplasia, heart mitral vale disease and eye complications. Besides, they are susceptible to entropion, progressive retinal atrophy, epilepsy, cataracts, and patellar luxation. For a full list, see our full guide to Cavapoo health problems.
English Spaniels are purebred dogs so are prone to particular problems such as eye conditions and diseases like hip dysplasia, ear infections, skin infections, and patellar luxation.
Always make sure that you purchase your dog from a reputable breeder so that you can see a full health history for your potential puppy.
Temperament
Both dogs have a sweet temperament and plenty of wanderlust potential. They are friendly, playful, sociable, loyal, and affectionate to their owners and love participating in family activities.
Separation anxiety
Although Cavapoos and Cocker Spaniels are highly social dogs, they are prone to separation anxiety issues, especially when left alone for extended hours. When leaving the house for long hours, you should supply your dog with plenty of toys or keep them occupied with something such as a TV to provide ample stimulation.
FAQs
What is a Cockapoo?
A Cockapoo is a crossbreed between a Cocker Spaniel and a Poodle. It’s a playful, affectionate, friendly, and pleasant dog that blends well with family members and has a low tendency to shed. Cavapoos tend to be slightly smaller than Cockapoos.
Which is best – Cocker Spaniel or Cockapoo?
At times, choosing between a Cockapoo and Cocker Spaniel can be pretty challenging. Both dogs have a sweet temperament and can make fantastic companions. The choice of the dog you want depends on your needs.
Although they are easy to train and well suited with children, a Cocker Spaniel can be calmer and less playful than a bouncy Cockapoo. If you have allergies, then a Cockapoo may be a better choice of dog for your family.
Are Cocker Spaniels the cutest dogs?
Yes! Cocker Spaniels are beautiful dogs with perfect sizes, cute faces and color coats, and adorable almond-shaped eyes. As puppies they are just the cutest dogs ever. That said, Cavapoo puppies look like little teddy bears and give Cocker Spaniel pups a run for their money!
English Cocker Spaniel vs Cavapoo vs Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Although they have many similar characteristics in adaptability, barking, feeding, and social needs, these two purebred Spaniel breeds and designer doodle dog differ in size, exercise, price, grooming, and temperament.
For instance, a Cocker Spaniel is a medium-sized dog with an average height of 14-15 inches and weighs between 25 to 28 pounds. A Cavapoo is a small to a medium dog that weighs between 9 to 15 pounds, while a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a small dog that weighs between 10 to 18kgs.
In terms of coat color, a Cavapoo is either wavy or curly, while the other breeds are feathered. The two pure Spaniels require average grooming, while a Cavapoo involves a lot of grooming. Cavapoos are gentle, loving, intelligent, and friendly in temperament and exercise and need moderate exercise of around one hour. English Spaniel and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel are affectionate, friendly, playful, faithful, easy to train, especially the Cavalier Spaniel.
Conclusion
Either a Cavapoo or Cocker Spaniel dog can be a lovable breed as a family pet in your home. If you want a playful pet that is easy to train and groom, you should get a Cavapoo. If you want a more active dog to keep you company on your evening run and have adequate time to groom it, then you should consider getting a Cocker Spaniel. It’s horses for courses – but we are a firmly in the Cavapoo camp here!