What's the Best Dog Food for Cocker Spaniels?
Looking for the perfect diet for your Cocker Spaniel? The best dog foods for this active sporting breed are well balanced and comprised of only the finest ingredients. Whether you share your home with a puppy, a mature adult, or senior Cocker, our list of the top recommended diets for this breed will help your dog achieve and maintain optimal health and wellness.
AKC Classification: Sporting Group
Exercise Required: Up to 70 minutes/day
Ideal Weight
Healthy Male: 29-35 lbs
Healthy Female: 26-33 lbs
Breed Summary
The charming Cocker Spaniel is the smallest member of the sporting group. This delightful dog type is a working breed known for its skills as a gun dog and a bird flushing retriever. Yet the Cocker Spaniel also makes for an excellent family companion. Loving and affectionate, the Cocker Spaniel is happy in its role as a lap dog, enjoying time spent with its family in active pursuits or simply lounging on the couch together.
One of the Cocker’s most enduring traits is its perennially joy-filled nature. The breed’s silky flowing locks make it the picture of sophistication and grace. A true people lover, the Cocker Spaniel is eager to please its family, making it a pleasure to train.
The Cocker Spaniel has moderate daily activity needs that can easily be accomplished with daily vigorous walks or hikes. The breed is well suited to nearly any living situation including apartment life. Extremely gentle and good natured, the Cocker Spaniel does especially well in families with children and also gets along well with other household pets.
Physical Traits
Stocky, athletic, agile, active, sturdy
Personality Traits
Happy, smart, energetic, friendly, sweet
Health Considerations for Cocker Spaniels
Understanding what genetic conditions can affect the Cocker Spaniel provides a great basis for selecting the right diet for this breed. Since all dog breeds are predisposed to certain inherited disorders, knowledge of these conditions and which diets can help prevent them is crucial to attaining optimal health and wellness.
The most common health problems that can plague the Cocker Spaniel are progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts, patellar luxation, elbow dysplasia, and epilepsy.
Cataracts
Cataracts can be a very common problem in Cocker Spaniels, particularly as they age. A cataract is evidenced by a cloudy spot on the dog’s eye which leads to blurred vision. Though small cataracts do not impact the Cocker in any meaningful way, cataracts can grow both larger and thicker over time, increasing the chance the dog will go blind. There are many different reasons why a dog may end up with cataracts. These include disease, injury, and advanced age. While many of these are hereditary, an excellent diet will help support good eye health in the Cocker Spaniel.
Patellar Luxation
Luxating Patella is a condition that can significantly impact the active and sporty Cocker Spaniel. Patellar luxation occurs when the knee cap of the dog slips out of position. The degree of luxation is rated on a scale of 1 through 4 with 1 being minor and 4 being of far more serious concern and often necessitating surgery for correction. Not all joint issues are preventable, but overall bone and joint health can be improved with proper diet.
Eye Health & PRA
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) is one of several eye conditions that can affect the sweet and sensitive Cocker Spaniel. Progressive retinal atrophy, also commonly known simply as PRA, occurs when the rods and cones that help determine color and the dog’s ability to see well in dim lighting begin to deteriorate, leading eventually to blindness. Though PRA is inherited, a proper diet that supports vision health can help support the Cocker’s eyes. Our nutritionists look for foods that contain:
Elbow and Hip Dysplasia
Elbow or Hip Dysplasia is the result of improper bone growth in the joint. As a dog develops, the incorrect bone alignment becomes more pronounced, and the joint begins to degrade. Over time, dysplasia leads to lameness in the affected limb. Maintaining a healthy body weight in the Cocker can help relieve some of the pain associated with elbow or hip dysplasia. Certain ingredients can also mitigate joint issues, including:
Foods We Recommend: Cocker Spaniel Puppies
How long do Cocker Spaniels need puppy food?
Until they're 12 months old
The happy go lucky Cocker Spaniel puppy requires an exceptional puppy food to support it through each phase of its development. Adult diets lack the correct amounts of protein and fat to fuel a puppy’s nutritional needs and growth trajectory. The right dog food for the Cocker Spaniel puppy is properly balanced and contains slightly higher amounts of protein and fat to support healthy growth. Calorie dense formulations are also highly desirable.
Since a healthy rate of bone growth is vitally important, the best dog foods for Cocker Spaniels contain a proper balance of calcium to phosphorous to assist with this.
Foods We Recommend: Cocker Spaniel Adults
When do Cocker Spaniels become adults?
Around 12 months old
A moderately active sporting breed, the Cocker Spaniel requires a high performance adult food formulation to achieve optimal health and wellness. The ideal diet for this dog type is based on easily digestible, lean, meat-based proteins and is properly balanced to provide well-rounded nutrition.
Foods We Recommend: Cocker Spaniel Seniors
When do Cocker Spaniels become seniors?
Around 14-16 years old
A breed that remains youthful until 14-16 years of age, the elderly Cocker enjoys a slower pace of life. To this end, the food that the Cocker Spaniel eats should be lower in calories yet still rich in high quality nutrients to support optimal health. It is best to select a diet with easily digestible ingredients and probiotics to support healthy gut flora. Supplements that boost joint, heart, and eye health are also an excellent addition to any diet.