Cocker Spaniel vs Irish Water Spaniel
Compare Cocker Spaniel and Irish Water Spaniel: size, life expectancy, temperament and care side by side.
Cocker Spaniel
VS
Irish Water Spaniel
Comparison table
Show differences only
Characteristic
Cocker Spaniel
Irish Water Spaniel
Breed type
Purebred
Purebred
Height
38 – 41 cm
51 – 61 cm
Weight
13 – 15 kg
25 – 34 kg
Life expectancy
11 – 15 years
12 – 14 years
Child friendly
4/5
5/5
Energy level
3/5
4/5
Intelligence
4/5
4/5
Trainability
4/5
4/5
Health
3/5
3/5
Grooming needs
4/5
3/5
Shedding
3/5
2/5
Barking level
4/5
Not available
Aggressiveness
2/5
Not available
The 1–5 scale shows the level of each trait. A higher value means more of that trait. Individual animals may vary.
Characteristics
Cocker Spaniel
Great with kids
Super smart
Easy to train
Medium
Irish Water Spaniel
Great with kids
High energy
Super smart
Quiet
Easy to train
Large
Summary
About Cocker Spaniel
Cheerful, medium‑sized gundog with a sturdy build, soft expression, and long silky ears. Bred to hunt woodcock, it loves sniffing, searching, and joining family activities. Sensitive and people‑oriented, it needs daily exercise, mental stimulation, and regular grooming to stay healthy and content.
About Irish Water Spaniel
Medium–large, athletic gundog with a distinctive curly liver coat, smooth face and tapering “rat tail.” Clever, water‑loving retriever that forms close bonds, often to one person. Needs substantial daily exercise, mental work, regular grooming and kind, consistent training.
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