Border Terrier vs Cocker Spaniel

Compare the Border Terrier to the Cocker Spaniel. Use the tool below to compare temperament, size, personality, maintenance requirements, and everything else between Border Terriers and Cocker Spaniels.

Quick Summary

Below are a few quick comparisons between the two breeds.

Owner Experience - Both the Border Terrier and Cocker Spaniel are good choices for new or inexperienced owners.
Children - Both breeds are child friendly, but the Border Terrier is the most friendly between the breeds.
Grooming - The Border Terrier is very easy to groom. The Cocker Spaniel has high grooming requirements.
Barking - The Cocker Spaniel has an above-average tendency to bark, while the Border Terrier has a low tendency to bark.

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Border Terrier vs Cocker Spaniel

Breed Name	Border Terrier	Cocker Spaniel
General Details
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred
Is Hypoallergenic	No	No
Lifespan	12-15 yrs.	12-15 yrs.
Height	10-16 in.	14-15 in.
Weight	11-16 lb	24-28 lb
Intelligence	High	Average
History
Origin Country	Not Specified	Suriname
Origin Year	1700 AD	1800 AD
Temperament
Overall Friendliness	Very Good	Very Good
Family Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Kid Friendly	Very Good	Good
Pet Friendly	Below Average	Very Good
Stranger Friendly	Very Good	Good
Personality
	Affectionate Jealous Loving Likes To Snuggle Stubborn Willing To Please	Affectionate Enjoys Attention Loving Does Not Like Being Alone Likes To Snuggle Willing To Please
Living Environment
Apartment	Yes	Yes
Indoor	Yes	Yes
Small Yard	Yes	Yes
Medium Yard	Yes	Yes
Large Yard	Yes	No
Temperature Tolerance ¹	50°F to 80°F	55°F to 80°F
Barks/Howls	Rarely	Often
Exercise Needs
Energy Level	High	Medium
Exercise Required	Medium	Low-Medium
Top Running Speed	18 mph	20 mph
Strength	Medium	Medium
Grooming Needs
Coat Maintenance	Low	High
Shedding	Low	Medium
Dander	Low	Medium
Drool Amount	None	None-Low

¹This is estimated min/max temperature range for a healthy adult dog. Dogs that live indoors, puppies, seniors, unwell dogs, and/or dogs with improperly groomed coats may overheat sooner and get cold more quickly.

Instincts & Behavior Comparison
Breed Name	Border Terrier	Cocker Spaniel
Breed Mentality
Dominant/Alpha	No	No
Family/Pack	Yes	Yes
Independent	No	No
Breed Focus
Distracted Easily	No	No
Average	Yes	No
Focused & Patient	No	Yes
Breed Instincts
Aggression	Below Average	Below Average
Burrow/Digging	High	Very Low
Chasing	Average	High
Follow Commands	Below Average	Below Average
Fighting	Below Average	Very Low
Guarding	Below Average	Very Low
Herding	Below Average	Below Average
Hunting	Average	Average
Protection	Below Average	Very Low
Remove Vermin	Below Average	Below Average
Sledding	Below Average	Below Average
Watch	Below Average	Average

Health Comparison
Breed Name	Border Terrier	Cocker Spaniel
Lifespan
Lifespan	12-15 yrs.	12-15 yrs.
Common Health Issues
Allergies	No	Yes
Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia	No	Yes
Cataracts	No	Yes
Cryptorchidism	Yes	No
Glaucoma	No	Yes
Heart Murmurs	Yes	No
Hip Dysplasia	Yes	Yes
Hypothyroidism	Yes	Yes
Idiopathic Epilepsy	No	Yes
Malocclusions	Yes	No
Patellar Luxation	Yes	Yes
Primary Seborrhea	No	Yes
Progressive Retinal Atrophy	No	Yes
Pulmonic Stenosis	Yes	No
Seizures	Yes	No

Appearance Comparison
Breed Name	Border Terrier	Cocker Spaniel
Coat
Fur	Yes	Yes
Coat Type
Double Coat	Yes	Yes
Coat Texture
Rough	Yes	No
Scruffy	Yes	No
Wavy	No	Yes
Coat Length(s)
Short	Yes	No
Medium	No	Yes
Coat Color(s)
Black & Red	Yes	No
Black & Tan	Yes	Yes
Black Grizzle	Yes	No
Blue & Tan	Yes	No
Blue Grizzle	Yes	No
Grizzle	Yes	No
Grizzle & Tan	Yes	No
Red	Yes	Yes
Red Grizzle	Yes	No
Red Grizzle & Tan	Yes	No
Red Wheaten	Yes	No
Wheaten	Yes	No
Black	No	Yes
Black & White	No	Yes
Black, White, & Tan	No	Yes
Blue Roan	No	Yes
Blue Roan & Tan	No	Yes
Brown	No	Yes
Brown & Tan	No	Yes
Brown & White	No	Yes
Brown, White, & Tan	No	Yes
Buff	No	Yes
Buff & White	No	Yes
Cream	No	Yes
Golden	No	Yes
Red & White	No	Yes
Red Roan	No	Yes
Sable	No	Yes
Sable & White	No	Yes
Silver	No	Yes