Cocker Spaniel Size Chart – Growth & Weight Chart

As a food-motivated breed, adding a Cocker Spaniel puppy to your family will bring up a lot of questions regarding their growth and weight.

While consulting a Cocker Spaniel size chart is one way to help ensure that your puppy stays on-track growth-wise, it is still important to know how to read it and what steps you should be taking to keep your puppy at a healthy weight.

We have broken down everything that you will need to know about a Cocker Spaniel’s growth and weight, starting with birth and going all the way to adulthood.

When Do Cocker Spaniels Stop Growing?

To begin with, a common question that we have seen is when do Cocker Spaniels stop growing? The answer depends on the type of Cocker Spaniel that you own, but in general, a Cocker Spaniel should stop growing between 14 and 16 months.

Cocker Spaniel puppies will reach their full height before their first birthday, but will continue to gain muscle and weight past 12 months.

Keep in mind that as they are food-loving dogs, you will need to make sure that the weight that they are gaining is not excessive. A Cocker Spaniel weight chart can help you keep an eye on that.

Cocker Spaniel Weight Chart

Using a weight chart with your puppy can help you a couple of different ways. The first way that you can use a weight chart is to get an idea of how large your puppy will be when he finishes growing.

For example, if your Cocker Spaniel puppy is an average size, you can follow the averages to see where he will eventually be size-wise.

For example, if you know that your Cocker Spaniel is 6 pounds when he is 2 months old, you can expect him to weigh around 30 pounds by 11 months.

You can also use a Cocker Spaniel weight chart to ensure that your puppy is staying on his growth curve. A growth curve is the average speed of weight gain and growth in dogs (and children as well).

So even if your puppy is on the smaller size, as long has he is growing consistently along his predicted growth curve, it does not matter that he is smaller than average.

It becomes concerning if a dog falls off his growth curve. For example, if your puppy is 6 pounds at 2 months old, but is only 20 pounds by 11 months, he has fallen off his growth curve. A weight chart can help you with those predictions.

Cocker Spaniel Size Chart

Cocker Spaniel Puppy Development Stages

Birth – 2 Weeks

When your Cocker Spaniel puppy is born, you can expect him to weigh about 8 ounces. For the first two weeks of life, a Cocker Spaniel puppy will be with his mother. She will provide all of the food that he needs with her milk.

The puppy will not be active at this point either, so he will spend his day nursing and sleeping. You should not attempt to separate the puppy from his mother or offer him puppy food.

3 Weeks – 12 Weeks

A lot of growth happens between 3 weeks and 12 weeks. Puppies can be introduced to puppy food as soon as 4 weeks and should be fully weaned by 8 weeks.

At 8 weeks, puppies can be rehomed away from their mother as the dependency on milk is no longer.

Puppies become a lot more active and curious during this period as well, so you can still expect your puppy to take frequent naps and cause some mayhem with his energy.

4 Months – 9 Months

Your puppy’s growth should still be continuing between 4 and 9 months. He will not need as frequent of meals at this point, so you should be able to just feed him twice a day.

He still will be growing steadily at this point and will not have reached his adult size. Make sure that you are only feeding your puppy the puppy food that he needs and not feeding him table scraps or human foods.

10 Months – 18 Months

It will be important that you continue to feed your Cocker Spaniel puppy food up to his first birthday, but you will want to stop feeding him puppy food around his first birthday.

Cocker Spaniels like to eat and are prone to obesity, so even if he is not done growing at 12 months, he will not need the added calories. Your Cocker Spaniel should be done growing around 14 months old.

Adult

As we mentioned above, you should transition your Cocker Spaniel from puppy food to adult food around his first birthday.

Developmentally, your Cocker Spaniel may still have a lot of that puppy energy for a while after he is done growing, but he should be calming down the more he ages.

As the breed is prone to obesity, make sure to keep your Cocker Spaniel on a regular and healthy diet.

How Big Do Cocker Spaniels Get?

If you are looking at your Cocker Spaniel puppy and wondering how big he will get, there are a few things that you can look at in order to get a good idea.

Following a Cocker Spaniel weight chart would be one method, allowing you to match up your pup’s current weight with how big he should be in the future.

Looking at the puppy’s parents is another great way to get an idea of how big your pup will be. A dog will usually reflect his parents’ size, meaning smaller Cocker Spaniels will breed smaller puppies.

Another trick that you can use is to look at your pup’s paws. If the paws look out of proportion with the rest of the puppy’s body, you can be assured that he has a lot of growing left to do before he is finished growing.

Finally, a DNA test can also provide some insight to the type of Cocker Spaniel that you have and its average size.

Cocker Spaniel Size Chart 

Using a Cocker Spaniel size chart can help you prepare for how large your pup should be as he grows, but you need to understand how you should use one. A size chart can provide not just weight, but height as well.

In order to weigh your Cocker Spaniel puppy, the easiest method is to use your bathroom scale. First, stand on the scale while holding your puppy.

Then step on the scale and weigh yourself. The difference between the two weights is your pup’s weight. A vet can also weigh your dog for you, but it is not always convenient.

In order to measure your Cocker Spaniel puppy’s height, you will need to have him stand on all four legs. Then, measure from the top of your pup’s shoulder down to the floor.

Measuring your puppy consistently can help you be sure that he is growing steadily and healthily, so try to do it at least every other week.

Will Neutering/Spaying My Cocker Spaniel Affect His Growth?

While the traditional logic had stated that you should spay or neuter your dog around 6 months of age, the information on it has changed over time.

Previously, it was done young to prevent a dog from reaching maturity and causing unwanted litters of puppies, but there are concerns now.

It has been shown that larger breeds who are spayed or neutered too young may wind up with a lack of joint strength and density. It is better to wait and have your dog fixed when he has stopped growing.

Cocker Spaniels are not large breeds, so ask your vet for their recommendation.

King Charles vs Cocker Spaniel Size

On the surface both King Charles and Cocker Spaniels are in the same family and even share similar temperaments.

They are good-natured dogs. They are both types of spaniels, but they do have differences in size. Generally, King Charles Spaniels are smaller than Cocker Spaniels are.

King Charles Spaniels stand between 12 and 13 inches from the shoulders to the ground, while Cocker Spaniels are between 14 and 15.5 inches in height. Weight-wise, King Charles Spaniels weigh between 13 and 18 pounds as adults and Cocker Spaniels weight between 20 to 30 pounds.

Factors That Affect Cocker Spaniel Growth 

Genetics & Gender

There are a few factors that can affect the growth of your Cocker Spaniel, but genetics and gender are definitely the biggest factors.

To begin with, femaleCocker Spaniels are smaller in size than male Cocker Spaniels, so the sex of your dog will affect size.

The biggest factor is that Cocker Spaniels are often similar in size to their parents, so if the parents are smaller Cocker Spaniels, your puppy will likely be small as well.

Nutrition

Another factor that can affect the growth of Cocker Spaniels is nutrition. On a large-scale, nutrition will not have an impact over your dog’s overall size.

But internally, poor nutrition can affect a dog’s skeletal structure. Puppies who do not receive adequate nutritionwill not have strong bones, which can result in a smaller stature.

It can also lead to arthritis as the pup ages, so the final signs of early malnutrition may not appear for years.

Physical Activity & Health

The final factors that we will look at that affect Cocker Spaniel growth are physical activity and health. Keeping your pup trim with good physical activity will ensure that your puppy does not have too much weight on their developing bones.

You also do not want to overdo it and put your pup under strain, because that can also need to stunted growth.

Finally, a pup that is in good health will be able to grow fully, whereas a pup in poor health will not have the strength to grow.

How Much To Feed A Growing Cocker Spaniel Puppy?

If you are looking at how much to feed your growing Cocker Spaniel puppy, there are a few different considerations to make.

The actual amount of food that you should feed a puppy each day depends both on the age of the puppy and the type of food that you are giving your dog.

As your dog grows, he will need more food. You can follow the guide on the back of the dog food bag or ask your vet for recommendations.

A Cocker Spaniel puppy should be trim, but not skinny, so adjust your puppy’s intake as he grows. When he is going through a growth spurt, you will want to feed him more food than you will when he is in between growth spurts.

Adjust the amount of food that your puppy eats based on his needs. His appetite is not a good marker as all Cocker Spaniel puppies think that they are starving all of the time.

How To Tell If Your Cocker Spaniel Is Underweight Or Overweight? 

Just like with human children, the Cocker Spaniel growth charts that you are looking at are based on averages.

Averages will not necessarily indicate how big that your puppy should be, so there is no fast way to read to determine whether your pup is overweight or underweight.

Cocker Spaniels are more likely to be overweight due to their voracious appetites. Smaller puppies should be plump, but by the 4-month mark, the plumpness should have abated and you should be able to visually see how your puppy is doing weight-wise.

A Cocker Spaniel should have a waist, though it might not be able to be seen easily through the puppy’s thick fur. You should not be able to see your puppy’s ribs, but should able to feel them under the fur.

If your dog’s waist is not easy to determine and there is instead a bulge, your puppy might be overweight. If this is the case, you will need to consult with your vet as soon as possible.

Getting an overweight Cocker Spaniel to lose weight is a rough battle. Do not try to get your puppy to lose weight without asking your vet first. You do not want to accidentally deprive a growing dog of essential nutrients.

What Are The Most Common Conditions To Be Aware Of In Growing Cocker Spaniel Puppies?

Many health conditions will not show up for your puppy until he has stopped growing, but there are some conditions that you can be on the lookout for early.

Patellar luxation and elbow dysplasia can be common in Cocker Spaniels. Waiting to have your Cocker Spaniel spayed or neutered can help with some of these common joint conditions, but your vet might also suggest some supplements that have joint health minerals.

The other conditions to be on the lookout for are eye conditions, such as glaucoma, progressive retinal atrophy, and cataracts. Your vet should check for these at your regular visits.

Do Cocker Spaniels Experience Growing Pain?

Panosteitis, also known as Growing pains, is an inflammation along the surface or the shaft of the long leg bones in bones.

The inflammation itself is what causes the pain or discomfort, rather than the pain coming from the bones themselves.

Larger breeds of dogs are more prone to growing pains because of how much their bones grow and stretch in a short period of time.

It is less common for a Cocker Spaniel to experience growth pains, but it is always possible. Keep an eye on your pup for lameness. If he favours one side over another while walking, it might be growing pains.

What To Do If My Cocker Spaniel Is Not The Right Weight?

As we mentioned above, Cocker Spaniels have a great love of food and can easily gain weight, so you will need to be diligent about checking your pup’s weight and feeding him regularly.

With puppies, weight can change at such a fast speed that you do not need to panic if it looks like that your puppy is not the right weight. If he stays off the growth curve on your weight chart, then it might be time to bring that up to your vet.

If your puppy is looking a little bit thin, it might be time to increase his food by a small amount to see if that is what is going on.

Remember that your puppy will need to eat more food as he gets bigger. If that doesn’t help with his weight, it would be best to take him in to your vet to make sure there isn’t anything else going on.

How To Help Your Cocker Spaniel Lose Weight If He Is Overweight?

It can be really distressing if it turns out that your Cocker Spaniel is overweight. This can be discovered if your puppy has gained too much weight along his Cocker Spaniel growth chart, giving you a clue that intervention might be needed.

If it turns out that your puppy is in fact overweight, the first thing that you need to do is take him to the vet to make sure that nothing else is going on that might have caused weight gain.

Your vet may give you a different plan or ask you to change which food you are using or how much you are giving.

Beyond your vet’s treatment, you can also help your dog by taking him on frequent walks, giving him a lot of exercise, and making sure that you are not giving your puppy table scraps or too many treats.

How To Properly Weigh My Cocker Spaniel? 

Weighing your Cocker Spaniel puppy often is really important for you to be sure that he is growing well.

You should consult with a Cocker Spaniel growth chart to see how much your puppy should weigh based on how much he weighed in the past.

As we mentioned before, to weigh your puppy, you should hold the pup and weigh yourself, then weigh yourself without the pup. The difference is his weight.

You should weigh your pup once every two weeks to be sure that he is staying on his growth curve and nip any unhealthy weight gain or weight loss before it becomes harder to manage.

Cocker Spaniel Genetics And Common Health Problems

All purebred dogs have a higher tendency to certain health problems than other dogs. The more that a breed is bred purely, the higher the chance is of the dog developing congenital problems.

Some of the most common issues that a Cocker Spaniel can have includes progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts, patellar luxation, glaucoma, dysplasia, epilepsy, as well as some others.

Keeping up with routine vet visits can help you discover whether your puppy is suffering from any of these conditions and help you get ahead of them. Your vet can check on hip, knee, thyroid, and eye conditions early in the dog’s life.

Of course, getting a mixed Cocker Spaniel may also help you avoid these common conditions.

You can also get a DNA test to help diagnose some of the conditions, including phosphofructokinase, which is a type of anaemia found in some dogs.

Final Words

Whether you have just adopted a Cocker Spaniel puppy or are just in the market for one, knowing how to take care of your puppy is essential for having a long, healthy life with your pup.

Consulting with a Cocker Spaniel growth chart can help guide you to be sure that your puppy is growing as well as he should be.

The best partner that you will have in this situation is with your vet. Your vet will help you keep your puppy on the right growth curve, make sure that he is eating the right diet, and t be sure that there are no health conditions that you should be looking for.