Because of its majestic and gorgeous appearance, many assume that the Cocker Spaniel is an expensive dog to own. But is this assumption true? How much would it cost you to own and maintain a Cocker Spaniel?
If you plan to take home a Cocker Spaniel puppy, this is the right place to start. This detailed guide covers the Cocker Spaniel cost and the expenses associated with owning and maintaining one.
You’ll also get advice and tips on how to save a few bucks in owning a Cocker Spaniel and where you can easily find Cocker Spaniel puppies for sale. Let’s start!
The Average Cost of a Cocker Spaniel Puppy
The cost of a purebred Cocker Spaniel puppy from a reputable breeder ranges between $800 and $2,000. The price range could even go higher for Cocker Spaniel puppies that come from champion bloodlines.
Many breeders advertise and sell their puppies with champion lineages above $2,000. These puppies are more expensive than the average Cocker Spaniel pups because they inherit the good traits of their champion parent dogs.
The Cocker Spaniel price may also vary from breeder to breeder as various factors are considered, such as the breeder’s reputation, location, age of the Cocker Spaniel puppy, gender, color, and health guarantees included.
The price of the American Cocker Spaniel hunting dog is almost at par with the average price of other famous purebred dogs bred for this purpose, such as English Cocker Spaniels and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.
Yes, you read it right. The American Cocker Spaniel or more commonly known as Cocker Spaniel is a different breed from the English Cocker Spaniel.
If you are not convinced that Cocker Spaniel pups are worth buying, watch this informative video:
Cocker Spaniel - Dog Breed Information<a href="https://youtu.be/b_un030JwKA" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.bubblypet.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-youtube-lyte/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fb_un030JwKA%2F0.jpg" alt="Cocker Spaniel - Dog Breed Information" width="1280" height="700" /><br />Watch this video on YouTube</a>
Factors Affecting the Cost of a Cocker Spaniel Puppy
In pricing American Cocker Spaniel puppies, there are a lot of factors that reputable breeders consider.
The factors that influence the Cocker Spaniel price include age, coat color, bloodline, location, and breeder’s reputation.
Here’s a detailed explanation for each factor that affects the Cocker Spaniel puppy prices:
Dog’s Age: Cocker Spaniel puppies are more expensive than adult and senior dogs. Albeit the high price, many dog lovers still opt to purchase Cocker Spaniel puppies rather than adult dogs because they would like to witness their pup grow from puppyhood to adulthood.
Coat Color: A dog’s coat color can also influence its price. The Cocker Spaniel breed has many coat colorations and patterns. Some of the Cocker Spaniel’s colors are considered rarer than others and, therefore, more expensive. White Cocker Spaniels are more expensive than other variations such as black Cocker Spaniels and tan and black Cockers because of the rarity of their coloration.
Bloodline: You should expect an American Cocker Spaniel puppy from a champion lineage to be more pricey than a purebred dog from a normal bloodline. This is mainly because it is assumed that the pups that have champion bloodlines inherit the good dispositions and traits of their parent dogs.
Location: If you want your pup delivered to your home, then the distance between your home and the breeder’s location will matter greatly. Oftentimes, the pet shipping fee is paid by the buyer and not the breeder but in some cases, this is added to the final price of the puppy.
Breeder’s Reputation: Breeders who have more experience and have long been in the business of breeding Cocker Spaniels may charge a little higher than other breeders. Nonetheless, you have the assurance that the pup you will be adopting is raised and bred by professional breeders.
Health Guarantee: Purebred Cocker Spaniel puppies with health guarantees are often expensive. A health guarantee serves as a protection for the buyer and breeder. This document guarantees that a puppy is free from genetic disorders or health problems. Health guarantees often also include agreements for warranty, reimbursement, and replacement.
Puppy Registration: Breeders also include the cost of kennel club registration in pricing their puppies. You should expect Cocker Spaniel puppies with registration documents from the American Kennel Club (AKC), United Kennel Club (UKC), and Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) to be a bit more expensive.
Aside from the factors mentioned above, there are also other things that may affect the American Cocker Spaniel price, such as the Cocker Spaniel’s appearance, the pup’s gender, size, and the training it receives.
How Much Does It Cost to Adopt a Cocker Spaniel From a Rescue?
Adopting a Cocker Spaniel from an animal shelter is not only noble but also practical.
The American Cocker Spaniel cost in rescue centers is considerably cheaper than the price of a Cocker Spaniel from breeders. Typically, the adoption fee for rescued Cocker Spaniels ranges between $100 and $500.
You also don’t need to worry about vaccination and neutering/spaying, as most rescue dogs receive these medical treatments and procedures right after they are rescued and rehabilitated.
Rescue centers also make sure that the dogs they clear for adoption are behaviorally fit for new owners.
However, you should know that rescues rarely have puppies. If you don’t have a problem adopting an adult Cocker Spaniel, you should try and check out the local shelter in your area.
Initial Cost of Cocker Spaniel Ownership
Aside from the Cocker Spaniel price, you should also be mindful of the initial cost of owning a Cocker if you are determined to take one home. The initial expenses include essential items needed to keep your pup healthy and happy.
For your convenience, I have listed all of the items essential in making your puppy’s transition to its new home comfortable and safe:
Food and Treats: Of course, one of the first things that you should secure before welcoming your Cocker Spaniel puppy is a good supply of high-quality dog food for medium-sized dogs. You can easily purchase dry dog food at your local pet store. Puppy food and a bag of treats may set you back around $80 to $100.
Food and Water Bowls: Feeding dishes are essential in keeping your pup’s food clean and making its mealtime less messy. In buying food and water bowls, the important thing that you should consider is the size of the dish as well as the materials used. These will likely run you around $10 to $30, depending on the size and type.
Bed: High-quality dog beds will help in preventing your dog from developing abnormal physical conditions, especially joint-related health problems such as hip dysplasia. Dog beds with the right kind of cushioning usually cost around $40 to $180.
Crate: A dog crate is essential in keeping your Cocker Spaniel puppy safe and secured. It also serves as a comfortable sanctuary for a dog when no one is around. Depending on its size, a crate may set you back from $50 to $370.
Leash and Collars: You should invest in a good leash and collar. These items are important, especially when training your dogs and walking them in the park. You can purchase these items in your local pet store. Expect to pay around $15 to $50 for a quality and durable leash and collar.
Toys: Dog toys will not only keep your dog entertained but also save your furniture from getting nipped and chewed. Teething Cocker Spaniels will need chew toys to relieve the pressure on their gums. Chew toys also aid in keeping a dog’s teeth clean. Prepare around $30 to $40 for these items.
Grooming Essentials: Cocker Spaniels are high-maintenance dogs that require frequent grooming. Cocker Spaniels are also considered moderate shedders. For starters, you need to purchase a good-quality comb, dog shampoo, soap, and a nail trimmer. These items will cost you around $40 to $160.
Deworming, Flea, and Tick Medications: Cocker Spaniels have long coats which could be susceptible to parasitic creatures such as ticks and fleas. This is why preventive medications should be given to them. They also need to receive roundworm and heartworm prevention. These medications will cost you around $50 to $200.
Initial Vet Visits: You will need to take your Cocker Spaniel puppy to the vet within its first few weeks. A vet visit may include examinations for common canine health issues and genetic health problems such as ear infections and hip and elbow dysplasia. Depending on the health examinations administered, a vet visit may set you back $100 to $300.
Initial Vaccine Shots: Typically, Cocker Spaniel puppies from reputable breeders are already vaccinated with core canine shots. However, if your pup hasn’t received vaccination yet, you need to cash out around $75 to $200 for this.
Neutering or Spaying: Neutering and spaying offer a lot of benefits to the health of a dog. If your Cocker Spaniel is still intact, you will need to pay around $50 to $500 for these procedures.
Dog License: A dog license serves as an identification of your dog in case it gets lost. An identifying number is typically issued upon acquiring a dog license, together with a tag that bears the contact information of the licensing organization. You only need to spend $10 to $20 on this expense.
Microchip: A microchip is another safety and security feature for dog owners. This is a small and harmless device implanted underneath the skin of a dog that contains information about the dog and the owner. For around $40 to $60, you can get your dog microchipped by a licensed veterinarian.
Miscellaneous Supplies: Of course, the supplies for maintenance such as poop scooper, urine cleaner, poop bags, and other cleaning items should also be purchased beforehand. These items will cost you around $15 to $30.
Here is a quick summary of the initial expenses of owning a Cocker Spaniel:
As you can see, welcoming your new Cocker Spaniel puppy to its new home could be costly. You need to prepare around $605 to $2,240 for the starter supplies you need to purchase before taking home your pup.
If you are a beginner dog owner, you will need to avail and purchase all of these expenses. But if you already have some of the items listed above, you are lucky because you can save a few bucks.
Nonetheless, I have listed a few money-saving tips in the succeeding section of this guide which you could follow to ease up your financial obligations in owning a Cocker Spaniel puppy.
Annual Cost of Owning a Cocker Spaniel
Owning a Cocker Spaniel is a lifetime commitment that also translates to a lifetime financial responsibility. Once you take home a Cocker Spaniel puppy, you will need to provide for its needs throughout the dog’s life.
Hence, you should first make sure that you can afford the monthly and yearly expenses of owning a Cocker Spaniel before owning one.
Here is a quick summary of the annual expenses of owning a Cocker Spaniel:
If you look at the summary above, you will notice that a huge sum of the total cost comes from recurring expenses.
A huge chunk of the annual expenses also goes to the medical needs and vet expenses of your Cocker Spaniel. Routine veterinary care costs between $200 and $400.
Although you might be tempted to skip the vet care and preventive medications, these are very important in keeping your dog healthy and happy.
It is highly recommended for pet owners to invest in pet insurance. It might seem that you are paying for nothing initially, but pet insurance will surely save your bank account in case of emergencies.
Depending on the type of plan you avail of, pet insurance may cost you around $500 to $900 annually.
Other Potential Expenses
Aside from the primary expenses listed above, there will also come the point where you will encounter unexpected costs while tending to your dog’s needs.
Here are some of the other potential expenses in owning a Cocker Spaniel:
Dog Boarding Service: You might find yourself availing of dog boarding services, especially if you are constantly not at home. Typically, dog boarding facilities charge around $20 to $30 per day. The staff in dog boarding facilities are expert dog handlers. Hence, you won’t have to worry about your Cocker Spaniel while you’re away.
Grooming Service: As mentioned previously, Cocker Spaniels are high-maintenance dogs that require frequent grooming. However, not everyone is knowledgeable about pet grooming and bathing. Hence, if you are one of these people, you might regularly pay a visit to a professional groomer. Professional grooming costs around $30 to $60.
Dog Walking Service: Dog walkers, commonly known as dog sitters, temporarily take care of other people’s pets. Usually, a dog walker or dog sitter takes the dogs on a walk or plays with them within a given time frame. This service is perfect for people who do not have much time to exercise their dogs. A dog walking service may cost you $10 to $30 per hour.
Pet Accessories: Sometimes, as pet lovers, we can’t help but spoil our adorable pets and buy them pet accessories. These items include dog carriers, designer collars, and pet clothes which will likely set you back around $30 to $100.
Emergency Medical Procedures: You will never know when emergencies will happen. Medical procedures for injuries and other serious health problems that require immediate medical attention might cost you $1,000 to $5,000, depending on the treatment needed.
All of the expenses listed above are optional except for medical emergency treatment, which is non-negotiable.
This being said, it is really wise to invest in pet insurance to save yourself from the stress of looking for funds during emergencies.
Places to Find Cocker Spaniel Puppies for Sale and Adoption
Now, we are down to the next step of acquiring your Cocker Spaniel puppy! Finding a Cocker Spaniel puppy for sale is quite easy because this breed is popular nowadays.
However, the challenge is finding a responsible breeder selling puppies in good health conditions. Puppy mills and backyard breeders have increased in the past years, so you should be cautious when dealing with breeders.
Cocker Spaniel puppies that are sold at a cheap price may come from a backyard breeder or a puppy mill, so you should avoid them as much as possible.
To make it easier for you, I listed some of the reputable Cocker Spaniel breeders and places in this section that advertise Cocker Spaniel puppies for sale:
Max Cockers – This Cocker Spaniel breeder strictly adheres to the American Kennel Club dog breed standard in breeding Cocker Spaniels. They have been producing show-quality purebred Cocker Spaniels for over 25 years already. All of their Cocker Spaniels have limited AKC registrations.
Encore Cockers – If you live in Florida, Encore Cockers is the breeder you should check out. With over 46 years of proud expertise and experience in breeding Cocker Spaniel puppies, you are assured that their pups are healthy and conform to the breed standards.
If you weren’t lucky enough to find a Cocker Spaniel puppy for sale from the listed breeders above, you should check out our list of Cocker Spaniel breeders.
This contains information about the numerous reputable Cocker Spaniel breeders across the country.
Meanwhile, if you don’t mind taking home a senior dog, you might want to consider adopting one from a rescue center.
Here are some of the best animal shelters where you can adopt a Cocker Spaniel:
Camp Cocker Rescue – This non-profit organization focuses on saving and rehabilitating Cocker Spaniel dogs from high-kill shelters. They currently operate in a foster-based scheme. They take in, treat, and rehome abandoned and surrendered Cockers.
Second Chance Cocker Rescue – Based in California, Second Chance Cocker Rescue functions solely through volunteer work. The Cocker Spaniels they take in receive full medical care such as vaccination, neuter/spay, and preventive medications.
Florida Cocker Rescue – Florida Cocker Rescue aims to reduce the number of homeless and abandoned Cockers by rescuing and rehoming them. Their listings include detailed profiles for each dog’s background in their listings.
Some rescue centers are really strict when it comes to screening applicants for adoption. To ace your adoption application, I suggest that you read our ultimate dog adoption guide!
You should also check out our article, which details various ways to find a free puppy in your area. This guide will help you get a Cocker Spaniel without spending a single dollar.
Money-Saving Tips for Cocker Spaniel Owners
Owning a Cocker Spaniel is a lifetime commitment that entails a huge financial obligation. As mentioned previously, you should make sure that you can shoulder the initial and annual expenses of owning a Cocker Spaniel.
To help you with your budgeting, here are some of the money-saving tips you should follow if you plan to own a Cocker Spaniel:
Buy dog supplies in bulk. Some pet stores offer discounts to their customers who buy supplies such as dog food and grooming items in bulk. When you buy in bulk, you also cut a few bucks from your transportation expenses.
Groom your Cocker Spaniel at home. You should learn how to do nail trimming, basic hair cutting, bathing, and dog grooming at home instead of availing the service of a professional groomer. This will save you a lot of money in the long run.
Keep your Cocker Spaniel safe and healthy. A healthy dog means fewer visits to the vet and fewer medical expenses. Make sure that your dog eats healthy and receives ample exercise.
Make food and treats for your Cocker Spaniel. Instead of buying expensive, commercially available adult dog food, learn how to make homemade dog food. You can also opt to provide veggies and fruits as treats instead of processed products.
Aside from these tips, it is highly recommended that pet owners invest in pet insurance. Many don’t see its value until they are in a dire situation where they don’t have funds for medical emergencies.
Final Thoughts
Just like other popular dog breeds, Cocker Spaniels are worth having as pets. However, you should make sure that you are emotionally and financially ready to be a pet owner before taking home one.
The Cocker Spaniel cost is quite higher than the other dog breeds. This is mainly because of high demand and their increasing popularity.
Owning a Cocker Spaniel entails a huge responsibility. You are bound to provide its needs for its lifetime. If you think you are capable of this, nothing should stop you from owning one.
Do you own a Cocker Spaniel or have a similar experience with this breed? Or maybe, you have a money-saving tip for other pet owners? Share it in the comment section below!
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