Cocker Spaniel Size Guide (Teacup, Toy, Mini & Standard)

The Cocker Spaniel is a purebred dog from the UK that was originally bred to be a hunting dog for Eurasian woodcock. Despite being a pure breed, there are many different sizes of Cocker Spaniel that you can get including Teacup, Toy, Mini and Standard Cocker Spaniels. While it may seem that there are so many sizes of Cocker Spaniel, the reality is that there are really only two distinct sizes as Teacup, Toy and Mini Cocker Spaniels are all the same size.

If you are interested in Teacup, Toy, Mini or Standard Cocker Spaniels, keep reading this article to find out the all the answers to your questions about the different sizes of this breed!

Table of Contents

Teacup Cocker Spaniel

What Is A Teacup Cocker Spaniel?

Teacup Cocker Spaniels are the smallest size of the Cocker Spaniel however they are an unofficial size. They originates from a cross between two Standard Cocker Spaniels that are on the lower end of the normal size range. These are usually the runts of two unrelated Cocker Spaniel litters and breeders mate them to create smaller and smaller sized Cocker Spaniel puppies until they consistently get the teacup size.

As it is an unofficial Cocker Spaniel size, there are many different names breeders give the smallest size of Cocker Spaniel. Some breeders call them “Teacup Cocker Spaniels” while others call them “Toy Cocker Spaniels” or “Miniature Cocker Spaniels”. These are all the same size dog. The American Kennel Club (AKC) and other kennel clubs do not recognize Teacup Cocker Spaniels as there are concerns surroundings the ethics of breeding dogs this small.

Overall, the breeding practice is unnatural and many breeders do it to have a marketing edge. Often, the Cocker Spaniels that are selected for breedings are smaller than normal because of a medical condition or a birth defect, leading to further health risks with each successive generation.

Teacup Cocker Spaniel Size

A Teacup Cocker Spaniel gets to 9 to 12 inches (22.9cm to 30.5cm) tall and weighs between 10 and 20 pounds (4.5kg to 9.1kg). As it is an unofficial size, some Teacup Cocker Spaniels are taller or shorter than this range and/or may be heavier or lighter. Teacup Cocker Spaniels are the same size as Toy and Mini Cocker Spaniels.

Once your puppy is fully grown you’ll need to start investing in dog products that you’ll keep for their whole life such as:

A full size dog crate so they have their own cozy den to sleep in – consider a dog crate pad to make it that much comfier!
An adult sized dog raincoat to keep them dry during wet weather
An adult sized dog life jacket to help with swimming in lakes and oceans
An adult sized dog jacket for cold winter weather
A dog cooling vest if you live in a hot climate
High quality no-pull dog harness to reduce stress on their neck while walking
And other similar products

Teacup Cocker Spaniel Temperament

Teacup Cocker Spaniels are friendly and very playful despite their small size. While they get along very well with people, their sociability rating is low because they can’t socialise with other larger dogs as they are too small. They also can’t socialise with young children as they can be easily injured.

Overall, they have a very similar temperament to Standard Cocker Spaniels however they are sometimes described as being more sensitive, anxious and fearful. This is mainly due to their extremely tiny size that may make them more suspicious of other people and dogs than the typical Cocker Spaniel.

Teacup Cocker Spaniel Lifespan

Teacup Cocker Spaniels have a lifespan of 7 to 10 years. Their lifespan is a lot shorter than Standard Cocker Spaniels as they are often the result of unethical breeding practices and therefore suffer from many more health issues. There are many health issues connected to abnormally small dogs such as poor bone density, heart defects and more.

Teacup Cocker Spaniel Price

Teacup Cocker Spaniels cost between $3000USD and $4500USD. Despite their high risk of suffering from serious health issues due to their small size, they still sell for exorbitant prices as tiny dog breeds are extremely trendy. Their price is also quite high as not many breeders breed Teacup Cocker Spaniels so it can be difficult finding one.

Toy Cocker Spaniel

What Is A Toy Cocker Spaniel?

Toy Cocker Spaniel is another name for the Teacup Cocker Spaniel and the Mini Cocker Spaniel. They are the smallest Cocker Spaniel size. Toy Cocker Spaniels are produced by breeding the runts of two different standard sized Cocker Spaniel litters and they continue this process until they consistently get the Toy Cocker Spaniel size.

The reason why a Cocker Spaniel may be called a “Toy Cocker Spaniel” instead of a “Teacup Cocker Spaniel” is because teacup breeds have a bad reputation for being the result of unethical breeding practices. Some breeders have decided to call them “Toy Cocker Spaniel” to make it sound like they are breeding a different type of Cocker Spaniel. It is mainly a marketing tactic.

Toy Cocker Spaniel Size

A Toy Cocker Spaniel gets to 9 to 12 inches (22.9cm to 30.5cm) tall and weighs between 10 and 20 pounds (4.5kg to 9.1kg). As it is an unofficial size, some Toy Cocker Spaniels are taller or shorter than this range and/or may be heavier or lighter. Toy Cocker Spaniels are the same size as Teacup and Mini Cocker Spaniels.

Toy Cocker Spaniel Temperament

Toy Cocker Spaniels are friendly and very playful despite their small size. While they get along very well with people, their sociability rating is low because they can’t socialise with other larger dogs as they are too small. They also can’t socialise with young children as they can be easily injured.

Toy Cocker Spaniel Lifespan

Toy Cocker Spaniels have a lifespan of 7 to 10 years. Their lifespan is a lot shorter than Standard Cocker Spaniels as they are often the result of unethical breeding practices and therefore suffer from many more health issues. There are many health issues connected to abnormally small dogs such as poor bone density, heart defects and more.

Toy Cocker Spaniel Price

Toy Cocker Spaniels cost between $3000USD and $4500USD. Despite their high risk of suffering from serious health issues due to their small size, they still sell for exorbitant prices as tiny dog breeds are extremely trendy. Their price is also quite high as not many breeders breed Toy Cocker Spaniels so it can be difficult finding one.

Mini Cocker Spaniel

What Is A Mini Cocker Spaniel?

Mini Cocker Spaniel is another name for the Teacup Cocker Spaniel and the Toy Cocker Spaniel. They are the smallest Cocker Spaniel size. Mini Cocker Spaniels are produced by breeding the runts of two different standard sized Cocker Spaniel litters and they continue this process until they consistently get the Mini Cocker Spaniel size.

The reason why a Cocker Spaniel may be called a “Mini Cocker Spaniel” instead of a “Teacup Cocker Spaniel” is because teacup breeds have a bad reputation for being the result of unethical breeding practices. Some breeders have decided to call them “Mini Cocker Spaniel” to make it sound like they are breeding a different type of Cocker Spaniel. It is mainly a marketing tactic.

Mini Cocker Spaniel Size

A Mini Cocker Spaniel gets to 9 to 12 inches (22.9cm to 30.5cm) tall and weighs between 10 and 20 pounds (4.5kg to 9.1kg). As it is an unofficial size, some Mini Cocker Spaniels are taller or shorter than this range and/or may be heavier or lighter. Mini Cocker Spaniels are the same size as Teacup and Toy Cocker Spaniels.

Toy Cavapoo Guide: Size, Price, Lifespan, Temperament etc.

Mini Cocker Spaniel Temperament

Mini Cocker Spaniels are friendly and very playful despite their small size. While they get along very well with people, their sociability rating is low because they can’t socialise with other larger dogs as they are too small. They also can’t socialise with young children as they can be easily injured.

Overall, they have a very similar temperament to Mini Cocker Spaniels however they are sometimes described as being more sensitive, anxious and fearful. This is mainly due to their extremely tiny size that may make them more suspicious of other people and dogs than the typical Cocker Spaniel.

Mini Cocker Spaniel Lifespan

Mini Cocker Spaniels have a lifespan of 7 to 10 years. Their lifespan is a lot shorter than Standard Cocker Spaniels as they are often the result of unethical breeding practices and therefore suffer from many more health issues. There are many health issues connected to abnormally small dogs such as poor bone density, heart defects and more.

Mini Cocker Spaniel Price

Min Cocker Spaniels cost between $3000USD and $4500USD. Despite their high risk of suffering from serious health issues due to their small size, they still sell for exorbitant prices as tiny dog breeds are extremely trendy. Their price is also quite high as not many breeders breed Mini Cocker Spaniels so it can be difficult finding one.

Standard Cocker Spaniel

What Is A Standard Cocker Spaniel?

A Standard Cocker Spaniel is the regular Cocker Spaniel size. They are a medium size dog and the smallest sporting spaniel recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC). Standard Cocker Spaniels are a compact dog with a flat and silky coat that feautres feathering on their legs. They can come in many different coat colors such as black, brown, white, orange, roan and other multicolored coats.

Standard Cocker Spaniel Size

A Standard Cocker Spaniel is 14 to 15 inches tall (35.6cm to 38.1cm) and weighs between 26 and 35 pounds (11.8kg to 15.9kg). They are fully grown between 9 months and 12 months of age. Standard Cocker Spaniels are the largest and most common size of Cocker Spaniel.

Standard Cocker Spaniel Temperament

Standard Cocker Spaniels are a companion dog and thrive in other people’s company. They are extremely friendly and affectionate and are hardly ever seen not wagging their tails. They get along very well with children and other household pets. While they have a medium tendency to bark, their suitability as a guard dog is very low as they are just too friendly.

Standard Cocker Spaniels are a medium energy dog and need to be given a reasonable amount of exercise each day. One of their favorite past times is swimming and playing in water so it’s great to take them to lakes, rivers, beaches or other dog-friendly waterways.

Standard Cocker Spaniel Lifespan

Standard Cocker Spaniels live for 12 to 15 years. They have the longest lifespan of all Cocker Spaniel sizes as they are much healthier. You can give a Standard Cocker Spaniel the best chance of living a long life by giving them plenty of exercise each day, by feeding them a healthy diet and by keeping on top of vet appointments.

Standard Cocker Spaniel Price

Standard Cocker Spaniels usually cost between $2500USD and $3750USD. They are slightly cheaper than Teacup Cocker Spaniels however they are still very expensive as they are a very popular dog breed. There are many other factors that influence the price of a Standard Cocker Spaniel including coat color and lineage.