The Cocker Spaniel was first bred for hunting, searching, and flushing game animals. This beautiful dog weighs between 20-28 lb. and measures about 15 inches in height.
The AKC allows Cocker Spaniels in colors like black, red, golden, liver (chocolate), black and tan, and liver and tan. They are generally non-aggressive family-friendly dogs that get along well with kids. They need plenty of socialization and training from a young age otherwise they could develop behavioral problems,
In addition to considering a Cocker Spaniel puppy price, dog owners must also consider the ongoing expenses of raising a Cocker Spaniel. This guide covers all those expenses in detail.
The First-Year Cost of Cocker Spaniel
The first-year cost of your dog’s life will be the most expensive. This is because you will be buying/adopting your dog and also spending on its neutering/spaying.
Most vets charge between $100-$600 for a de-sexing surgery. Spaying is usually more expensive than neutering. Some vet clinics do the surgery for less than $100.
The first-year expense also includes the cost of flea-tick prevention, deworming, and vaccinations. Your vet will also perform a general health check to ensure your pet is healthy. Most vets charge a fee of $120-$450 for the initial check-up with vaccinations, etc.
While you’re at the vet’s clinic, get your dog microchipped. This is a small procedure that costs around $45. In total, medical costs in the first year could come to $600-$800.
If this is your first dog, you’d need some basic supplies like a crate, bed, shampoo, brush, nail clippers, collar, leash, and food and water bowls. Expect to spend between $200-$450 on these expenses.
You’d also need to train your Cocker to prevent behavioral issues. Professional dog training can cost $200-$500 depending on the type you select. If you decide to add special training like agility, then prepare to spend even more.
For most dog owners, the first-year cost of owning a Cocker Spaniel can come to $2500 (not including emergency vet costs, travel, boarding, etc.).
Annual Costs of Owning a Cocker Spaniel
Dog food expenditure is one of the major expenses. If you opt to feed premium food to your Cocker, then expect to pay nearly $300-$500 a year on food alone. Cockers are often prone to allergies and many need special diets with hypoallergenic dog food or even vet-prescribed food. This can cost almost $1000 a year.
Annual medical expenses for most Cockers come to $400-$600 for basic checkups, vaccinations, and parasite prevention. As your dog ages, you’d spend even more on medical costs due to issues like skin and ear infections, eye issues, arthritis, etc.
Because Cockers are prone to health issues, you must invest in medical insurance. Pet insurance with good coverage typically costs between $200-$500 depending on the plan you buy.
If you hire a dog walker to walk your pet, then expect the cost per walk to be between $10-$30. This can bring your monthly cost to $300-$900 and annual costs to almost $3600!
Grooming a Cocker is another major expense. Cocker Spaniels need plenty of brushing to prevent their fur from getting matted. You also need to bathe your dog and clean its ears monthly and also trim its nails once every couple of months. If you buy a dog grooming kit, you can do all the basic grooming at home. Professional grooming could cost you $400-$600 a year!
Overall, the annual cost of owning a Cocker Spaniel typically comes to $1700-$2000 (average $1850). This includes the cost of food, medical expenses, pet health insurance, and grooming but does not account for emergency vet care, pet boarding, travel, etc.
The Average Lifetime Cost of Owning a Cocker Spaniel
Most Cockers live for an average of 10-15 years. This brings the cost of raising a Cocker over its lifetime to between $18,500 and $27,750.
The Cost of Cocker Spaniel Puppy
The Cocker Spaniel is a popular dog breed in the USA. Because of this popularity, prospective owners need to only buy their puppy from a reputed breeder. There are many backyard breeders, pet shops, and puppy mills selling Cocker Spaniel puppies under $500.
Reputed breeders focus on the dog’s health and perform a variety of health tests to ensure that their dogs are not predisposed to any genetic health problems.
The price of a Cocker Spaniel would start from around $1,000 and could run up to $3000 if you choose to buy your dog from a reputed breeder. This price can depend on several factors like the dog’s pedigree, coat color, age, and training, etc. It also depends on the breeder’s reputation.
The price of adopting a Cocker Spaniel from a shelter will typically be $250-$500 depending on the shelter and the dog’s age.
