How much do Cocker Spaniels cost?

Cocker Spaniel breeders set their own prices, so the cost of a puppy depends on the breeder, and the clearest comparison between two listings is what each one includes and what the parents have been checked for. Cocker Spaniel puppies listed on Puppy Connection right now are priced at $1,250.

Is a Cocker Spaniel the same as an English Cocker?

No, and it matters when you compare prices. AKC recognizes the Cocker Spaniel and the English Cocker Spaniel as two separate breeds. AKC lists the Cocker Spaniel at 13.5 to 15.5 inches and 20 to 30 pounds, and the English Cocker at 15 to 17 inches and 26 to 34 pounds. Make sure two listings are the same breed before you weigh one price against the other.

Do color and pattern change the price?

The AKC Cocker Spaniel standard divides the breed into three color varieties. The black variety is solid black, including black with tan points. The variety called ASCOB, short for any solid color other than black, runs from the lightest cream to the darkest red and includes brown and brown with tan points. The parti-color variety has two or more solid, well broken colors, one of which must be white, and includes roans.

Each of the three is a correct Cocker Spaniel under the standard, and the standard does not rank one variety above another. A breeder may price a color higher, but that reflects the breeder's choice. The standard does set limits within each variety, such as tan points that cover no more than ten percent of the dog and white limited to a small amount on the chest or throat of a solid-colored dog, so a puppy with markings outside those limits is outside the standard.

What health records should a Cocker breeder have?

AKC says the breed's national parent club, the American Spaniel Club, has a health committee that recommends health testing to breeders, and that a conscientious breeder can furnish records of the sire's and dam's testing for areas such as hips, patellas and eyes. On AKC's page, the club's recommended tests for Cockers are a hip evaluation and an ophthalmologist's eye exam, so ask to see both parents' records.

AKC also points to care that continues once the puppy is home, because the ear canals need regular cleaning to avoid infections, and thorough grooming helps prevent mats, which can lead to skin problems underneath.

What does registration add?

A litter can be AKC registered only if its sire and dam are both registered with AKC as the same breed, which is one more reason to confirm a listing is a Cocker Spaniel and not an English Cocker. Limited registration is the other thing to ask about, since a dog registered that way cannot have its own puppies registered unless the breeder changes it to full.

What comes home with the puppy?

All 3 listings here come with a vet exam, a health record, AKC registration and a written health guarantee. Each listing says what that puppy goes home with.

Compare what each listing includes along with its price, and ask what any written guarantee covers.

How do deposits work?

Breeders who take a deposit ask $500 to hold a puppy. Any deposit terms are set by the breeder, so confirm with them in writing whether the deposit is refundable and what it holds.

The FTC advises against paying a pet seller by gift card, payment app, cryptocurrency or wire transfer, and recommends a credit card where you have one because of the protection it offers.

What should you ask a Cocker Spaniel breeder?

Ask whether the puppy is a Cocker Spaniel or an English Cocker Spaniel. Ask to see the hip and eye records for both parents. Ask what color variety the parents are, what the puppy goes home with, and what care the breeder recommends for the ears and coat.

See Cocker Spaniel puppies

Cocker Spaniel puppies on Puppy Connection are listed by the breeders who raised them, each with that breeder's price. Open a listing to see the puppy and contact the breeder.