Which is Better between the English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese? A Very Detailed Review.

English Cocker Spaniel versus Pekingese

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English Cocker Spaniel Versus Pekingese: Introduction

Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese? Well, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will provide you a detailed comparison of these two dog breeds to help you decide which of the English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese better suits you.

We will provide you a detailed discussion and comparison of dog attributes such as intelligence, price, general health, friendliness, etc, for both the English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese.

Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese is better suited for new dog owners, for owners with kids, for owners that live in apartments, for owners with dog allergies, etc.

Importantly, we did some analysis and calculation and we obtained a number that we call the Better-Pet Score™ for both the English Cocker Spaniel and for the Pekingese. The dog breed with the higher Better-Pet score is the `better` pet. We hope that these Better-Pet Scores will provide you more insight into deciding which pet to get between the English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese.

Our only goal here is to help you make a well-thought-out decision on your next long-term companion, be it the English Cocker Spaniel or the Pekingese

English Cocker Spaniel versus Pekingese

English Cocker Spaniel versus Pekingese: Overview

A very important difference between the English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese is the size difference between the two dog breeds. The English Cocker Spaniel is a small-sized dog while the Pekingese is a tiny-sized dog.

Furthermore, the English Cocker Spaniel belongs to the Sporting Dogs group. Sporting Dogs were bred to help hunters catch and retrieve feathered game. Some sporting dog breeds such as Retrievers, which were built for swimming, were bred to hunt waterfowl in water. Whereas sporting dog breeds like setters, spaniels, and pointing breeds were bred to hunt quail, pheasant, and other game birds nest on grasslands. Many Sporting Group breeds have thick, water-repellent coats that protect them from harsh hunting conditions.

On the other hand, the Pekingese belongs to the Companion Dogs group. Companion Dogs were bred to be companions for humans. Their main goal in life is to be with people, and they will be very sad if left to themselves for long hours day after day.

English Cocker Spaniel versus Pekingese: Comparison Table

The table below compares the English Cocker Spaniel to the Pekingese based on different important factors such as Price, Health, Kid-friendliness, etc.

When a dog breed scores higher for a factor than the other dog breed, the box of the breed that scores higher is shaded green and the box of the breed that scores lower is shaded red. When there is no difference between the breeds for a particular factor then the box is shaded gray for both pets. Also, when the factor is not important in picking a pet, or when the factor cannot be compared between two pets, the box for the factor is shaded gray for both pets

Most of the factors in the table for each dog breed are ranked on a scale of 1 to 5. “1” means “worst”, and “5” means “best”.

However, some factors such as “Price”, “Average Lifespan”, etc. cannot be on a scale of 1 to 5, so they are not on a scale of 1 to 5 in the comparison table.

Factor English Cocker Spaniel Pekingese
Tolerates Being Alone 1/5 3/5
Does NOT Drool 5/5 5/5
Height 1 foot, 3 inches to 1 foot, 5 inches tall at the s 6 to 9 inches tall at the shoulder
Life Span 12 to 14 years 12 to 15 years
Weight 26 to 34 pounds 7 to 14 pounds
Tolerates Hot Weather 3/5 1/5
Does NOT Shed 3/5 2/5
Easy To Groom 3/5 1/5
Does NOT chew on things 3/5 3/5
Calmness/ Low Vigor 3/5 5/5
Good For Novice Owners 4/5 4/5
Tolerates Cold Weather 4/5 4/5
General Health 4/5 2/5
Easy To Train 4/5 3/5
Does NOT Bark or Howl 2/5 2/5
Tendency NOT to Wander 2/5 3/5
Minimal Exercise Needs 2/5 4/5
Adapts Well To Apartment Living 5/5 5/5
Easygoing 1/5 4/5
Affectionate With Family 5/5 5/5
Kid-Friendly 5/5 2/5
Dog Friendly 5/5 2/5
Friendly Toward Strangers 5/5 2/5
Potential NOT to Gain Weight 1/5 3/5
Intelligence 5/5 4/5
Low Prey Drive 1/5 1/5
NOT Rambunctious 1/5 4/5
Potential For Playfulness 5/5 3/5
Average Lifespan 13.0 years 13.5 years
Average Price $1500 $1930
Price Range $1200 – $1800 $1288 – $2500
Temperament Score 93.3 percent 93.3 percent
Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests
  • BAER Test
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • OFA/U of MO Adult Onset Neuropathy
  • Patellar Luxation
  • Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) DNA Test
  • No Data
    Popularity out of 200 Dog Breeds 55 86
    Intelligence Rank (out of 130 Dog Breeds) 18 73

    *Data from dogtime.com, OFA.org (The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals), petcalculator.com, wikipedia.org, ATTS.org (the American Temperament Test Society)

    Next, we added the scores of the factors that can be added together for the English Cocker Spaniel in the table (that is, `Ease of Grooming` score + `General Health` score + `Calmness` score + …etc) and we compared it to the corresponding total score for the Pekingese. We call these total scores the Better-Pet Scores, as we mentioned earlier. We called this score the Better-Pet score because the better dog breed will have a higher score. This is because the pet will the higher score will have minimal needs and be easier to have as a pet.

    The Better-Pet score for a English Cocker Spaniel is 82 out of 125 while the Better-Pet score for a Pekingese is 77 out of 125.

    Based on their Better-Pet scores, the English Cocker Spaniel is a better pet than the Pekingese. So, you should get the English Cocker Spaniel!

    Although we have done our best to analyze these two dog breeds in a very unbiased way, however, we will like to let you know that there are some dog attributes that cannot be assigned a number for comparison. We cannot put a number on how cute a dog breed is, for example. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

    Also, the dog breed that best suits you will depend on your peculiar lifestyle, your taste, and your priorities, which we do not know. So, for you to decide on which breed is right for you, read through the rest of the article to further understand both the English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese so that you can make your own well-informed decision on which pet to get.

    English Cocker Spaniel versus Pekingese

    The Most Remarkable Differences Between the English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese

    Below is a list of where the English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese are most different:

  • English Cocker Spaniels are easily disturbed by noise in their environments. They are sensitive to human tone. They will understand the tone of your voice when you try to correct their behaviors with a firm tone. However, Pekingeses are not very sensitive to their enviroment. They can tolerate noisy environments. They are also not very sensitive to the tone of your voice, firm or gentle.
  • English Cocker Spaniels get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly. However, Pekingeses do not get along well with kids. They are not kid-friendly.
  • English Cocker Spaniels get along well with other dogs. However, Pekingeses do not get along well with other dogs.
  • English Cocker Spaniels are very friendly towards strangers. However, Pekingeses are not very friendly towards strangers.
  • English Cocker Spaniels have very high energy levels. They need a lot of exercise time to release their high energy. However, Pekingeses have low energy levels. They do not require a lot exercise time.
  • The Similarities Between the English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese

    The English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese are very similar in certain aspects. Below is the list of where the English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese are most similar:

  • Both the English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese do not have the tendency to drool.
  • Both the English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese are good for new dog owners.
  • Both the English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese can tolerate cold weather.
  • Both the English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese are very easy to train.
  • Both the English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.
  • Both the English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese have a high tendency to wander. They are easily distracted by other animals or objects.
  • Both the English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese adapt well to apartment living.
  • Both the English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
  • Both the English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese are highly intelligent.
  • Both the English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese have a high prey drive. They do not get along well with other pets.
  • Size (Weight and Height) of English Cocker Spaniel versus Pekingese

    Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese.

    English Cocker Spaniels weigh 26 to 34 pounds when fully grown. English Cocker Spaniels are 1 foot, 3 inches to 1 foot, 5 inches tall at the s when fully grown.

    On the other hand, Pekingeses weigh 7 to 14 pounds when fully grown. Pekingeses are 6 to 9 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    Temperament of the English Cocker Spaniel Versus the Pekingese

    The English Cocker Spaniel has the same temperament score as the Pekingese.

    This is because the temperament score for the English Cocker Spaniel is 93.3 percent while the temperament score for the Pekingese is 93.3 percent, according to the American Temperament Test Society (ATTS).

    The American Temperament Test Society (ATTS) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide fair and objective evaluations of the temperaments of dog breeds.

    Dog breeds with low temperament scores tend to show unprovoked aggression, they easily panic without quickly recovering from the panic, and they tend to avoid people. However, dog breeds with high temperament scores are not aggressive and are not shy. Also, these dogs are generally friendly and they are protective of their owners.

    The average temperament score across all dog breeds (over 250 breeds) is 83.7 percent.

    With its temperament score of 93.3 percent, the English Cocker Spaniel has an above-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    With its temperament score of 93.3 percent, the Pekingese has an above-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    The ATTS obtained the temperament scores of the English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese by measuring the temperaments of 75 English Cocker Spaniels and 15 Pekingeses.

    Price of English Cocker Spaniel versus Price of Pekingese

    The average price of the English Cocker Spaniel puppy is $1500. The price of the English Cocker Spaniel typically ranges from $1200 – $1800. However, the price of a English Cocker Spaniel can be as low as $650 and as high as $3000. We obtained this price information by reviewing the prices of 90 English Cocker Spaniel puppies listed for sale from various sources.

    The average price of the Pekingese puppy is $1930. The price of the Pekingese typically ranges from $1288 – $2500. However, the price of a Pekingese can be as low as $700 and as high as $7500. We obtained this price information by collecting and reviewing the prices of 138 Pekingese puppies listed for sale from various sources.

    The Pekingese is more expensive than the English Cocker Spaniel.

    English Cocker Spaniel Pekingese
    Average Price $1500 $1930
    Price Range $1200 to $1800 $1288 to $2500

    The charts below show the price distribution for the English Cocker Spaniel and Pekingese. For different price points, the charts show how many English Cocker Spaniel puppies or how many Pekingese puppies are listed for sale at those price points.

    A breakdown of the prices of English Cocker Spaniels. The typical price range is shaded Green.

    A breakdown of the prices of English Cocker Spaniels. The typical price range is shaded Green.

    A breakdown of the prices of Pekingeses

    A breakdown of the prices of Pekingeses

    Note that a lot of factors determine how much you can expect to pay for the English Cocker Spaniel puppy or the Pekingese puppy. This includes if health screening tests have been performed on the puppy, if the puppy is from a famous pedigree, the US State where the puppy is bred, etc.

    Nevertheless, when looking from a puppy, look at buying a puppy only from well-established breeders that breed puppies primarily for the love of dogs, and secondarily for profit. Do not buy a puppy from one of those puppy mills that mass-produce puppies in bad living conditions for maximum profit.

    You may also consider adopting a dog instead of buying a dog.

    English Cocker Spaniel versus Pekingese

    Adopting the English Cocker Spaniel versus Adopting the Pekingese

    You may consider adopting a dog instead of buying a puppy. Many English Cocker Spaniels and many Pekingeses are currently available for adoption.

    These adorable and cute dogs are waiting in dog shelters hoping that someday someone will rescue them. Furthermore, adoption costs are lesser than the cost of a new puppy. Dog adoption costs are usually around $300. In addition to your local dog shelter, a good place online to see dogs that are available for adoption is petfinder.com.

    Below is an adorable Male English Cocker Spaniel named Rascal that is currently available for adoption on Petfinder.com. You can find other lovely adoptable English Cocker Spaniels like Rascal on pefinder.com.

    Also, like English Cocker Spaniels, Pekingeses are also available for adoption. For example, Maxum is a Male Pekingese that is currently available for adoption on petfinder.com. You can find more Pekingeses like Maxum that are up for adoption on petfinder.com.

    The English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese can both be adopted. Images from petfinder.com

    Also Happy, an adorable Male Pekingese on petfinder.com that you can adopt.

    You can find more English Cocker Spaniels and Pekingeses that are available for adoption on petfinder.

    The Intelligence of the English Cocker Spaniel versus the Intelligence of the Pekingese

    English Cocker Spaniel Pekingese
    Intelligence Rank 18 out of 130 dog breeds 73 out of 130 dog breeds
    Trainability Tend To Learn New Commands After 5 To 15 Repetitions Tend To Learn New Commands After 80 To 100 Repetitions Or More!

    Professor Stanley Coren, the famous psychology/neuropsychological professor and, dog lover/trainer measured and ranked the intelligence of about 130 different dog breeds.

    According to Prof. Stanley Coren, the total intelligence that a dog demonstrates is the addition of three types of intelligence. These intelligence types are:

  • Instinctive Intelligence: This is the natural intelligence a dog has because of what the dog was bred for. This type of intelligence comes from instinct. For example, dog breeds that were bred for guarding will have high `guarding` instinctive intelligence, while dog breeds that were bred for hunting will what high `hunting` instinctive intelligence. However, you cannot compare the intelligence of dog breeds based on instinctive intelligence because such a comparison will not make sense.
  • Adaptive Intelligence (learning and problem-solving ability): This indicates what a dog can learn to do for himself or herself. It includes learning and benefiting from experience with his environment, solving new problems, and so forth. Adaptive intelligence is specific to each dog, and not breed specific. Thus, two dogs can have remarkably different levels of adaptive intelligence even if they are of the same breed.
  • Working/Obedience Intelligence: This intelligence is the closest to what we might call school-learning ability and it is based upon what the dog can learn to do when instructed by humans. Importantly, different dog breeds have different learning abilities. Also, science has shown that some dog breeds can learn faster than some other breeds. This means certain dog breeds tend to have higher working/obedience intelligence than some other breeds. Dogs with high Working/Obedience Intelligence are smart and easy to train.
  • Prof. Coren showed that the Working/Obedience Intelligence of different dog breeds can be measured reliably. Thus, he was able to rank different dog breeds based on their Working/Obedience Intelligence.

    This is important because according to Prof. Coren, 51 percent of a dog`s intelligence comes from its genes while 49 percent of a dog`s intelligence comes from the dog`s environmental circumstances.

    To rank the intelligence of dog breeds, Prof. Coren employed the help of 208 dog obedience judges in North America to fill out a detailed survey on dog obedience. This number represented more than half of all of these judges in North America at the time. He also employed 63 veterinarians and 14 guard dog experts to collect data on the personality of different dog breeds.

    Prof. Coren found that the English Cocker Spaniel has an obedience intelligence rank of 18 out of 130 dog breeds. The English Cocker Spaniel belongs to the `Excellent Working Dogs` category. This means that English Cocker Spaniels tend to learn new commands after 5 to 15 repetitions.

    The Pekingese has an obedience intelligence rank of 73 out of 130 dog breeds. The Pekingese belongs to the `Lowest Degree of Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category. This means that Pekingeses tend to learn new commands after 80 to 100 repetitions or more!.

    The English Cocker Spaniel is more intelligent than the Pekingese.

    However, Prof. Coren noted that a dog should not be judged based on its intelligence alone, that other factors such as sociability, adorability, and compatibility with the owner are other very important factors that new dog owners need to consider when deciding on a new dog.

    English Cocker Spaniel versus Pekingese

    The Popularity of English Cocker Spaniel versus Popularity of Pekingese

    Every year, the American Kennel Club (AKC) publishes information on how popular a dog breed is in that particular year. The AKC gets the popularity information of a breed from how many dogs of that breed the owners register with the AKC every year. The AKC collects this data for about 200 dog breeds. The AKC collects this data for purebred dogs only(no mixed or hybrid dogs).

    The graphs and the table below show the popularity of the English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese over the years.

    Based on the AKC popularity data over the years, the English Cocker Spaniel is more popular with dog owners than the Pekingese. This is because, over the years, the average popularity of the English Cocker Spaniel is 55 out of about 200 dog breeds while the average popularity of the Pekingese is 86 out of about 200 dog breeds.

    Popularity of English Cocker Spaniel

    Popularity of English Cocker Spaniel

    Popularity of Pekingese

    Popularity of Pekingese

    Year English Cocker Spaniel Popularity Rank Pekingese Popularity Rank
    2013 62 77
    2014 62 82
    2015 60 80
    2016 56 93
    2017 52 88
    2018 52 92
    2019 50 83
    2020 47 95

    Tolerates Being Alone: English Cocker Spaniel versus Pekingese

    English Cocker Spaniels do not like to be left alone.

    Pekingeses can be left alone only for a short time.

    Which one drools more, the English Cocker Spaniel or the Pekingese

    English Cocker Spaniels do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Pekingeses do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Can English Cocker Spaniels Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Pekingeses Tolerate Hot Weather?

    English Cocker Spaniels can tolerate hot weather as long as the weather is not too hot.

    Pekingeses cannot tolerate hot weather. They are not suited for hot environments.

    Do English Cocker Spaniels shed more than Pekingeses?

    English Cocker Spaniels shed moderately.

    Pekingeses shed. They are not recommended for people with dog allergies.

    Which is Easier to Groom, the English Cocker Spaniel or the Pekingese?

    English Cocker Spaniels are moderately easy to groom.

    Pekingeses require a lot of grooming and they are not very easy to groom.

    Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the English Cocker Spaniel or the Pekingese?

    English Cocker Spaniels are very good for new dog owners.

    Pekingeses are very good for new dog owners.

    Can English Cocker Spaniels Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Pekingeses Tolerate Cold Weather?

    English Cocker Spaniels can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Pekingeses can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Is the English Cocker Spaniel Easier to Train than the Pekingese?

    English Cocker Spaniels are very easy to train.

    Pekingeses are fairly easy to train.

    Do English Cocker Spaniels Bark and Howl? What about Pekingeses?

    English Cocker Spaniels are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.

    Pekingeses are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.

    Wanderlust Potential: English Cocker Spaniel vs. Pekingese

    English Cocker Spaniels have a high tendency to wander. They are easily distracted by other animals or objects.

    Pekingeses have a moderate tendency to wander. This means that they sometimes get distracted by other animals or objects.

    Is the English Cocker Spaniel Better for Apartment Owners than the Pekingese?

    English Cocker Spaniels adapt very well to apartment living.

    Pekingeses adapt very well to apartment living.

    Are English Cocker Spaniels good family dogs? What about Pekingeses?

    English Cocker Spaniels are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    Pekingeses are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    How Kid-friendly are English Cocker Spaniels and Pekingeses?

    English Cocker Spaniels get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Pekingeses do not get along well with kids. They are not kid-friendly.

    Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the English Cocker Spaniel or the Pekingese?

    English Cocker Spaniels get along very well with other dogs.

    Pekingeses do not get along well with other dogs.

    Does the English Cocker Spaniel Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Pekingese?

    English Cocker Spaniels have a high prey drive. They have the tendency to chase after smaller animals and pets. They do not get along well with other pets.

    Pekingeses have a high prey drive. They have the tendency to chase after smaller animals and pets. They do not get along well with other pets.

    Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the English Cocker Spaniel

    Furthermore, there are other dog breeds that are very similar to the English Cocker Spaniel that you can consider on your quest to get the best pet.

    We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds have similar personality and temperament as the English Cocker Spaniel:

  • Cavachon (82 percent match with English Cocker Spaniel). Here is our comparison of the Pekingese vs Cavachon.
  • Norwich Terrier (81 percent match with English Cocker Spaniel). Here is our comparison of the Pekingese vs Norwich Terrier.
  • Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Pekingese

    Furthermore, there are other dog breeds that are very similar to the Pekingese that you can consider on your quest to get the best pet.

    We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds have similar personality and temperament as the Pekingese:

  • Dandie Dinmont Terrier (72 percent match with Pekingese). Here is our comparison of the English Cocker Spaniel vs Dandie Dinmont Terrier.
  • Mal Shi (72 percent match with Pekingese). Here is our comparison of the English Cocker Spaniel vs Mal Shi.
  • Pomeranian (72 percent match with Pekingese). Here is our comparison of the English Cocker Spaniel vs Pomeranian.
  • Pomsky (72 percent match with Pekingese). Here is our comparison of the English Cocker Spaniel vs Pomsky.
  • Other Breed Comparisons that Might Interest You

    You may also be interested in how the English Cocker Spaniel and how the Pekingese compares to other breeds. So, see below the comparison of the English Cocker Spaniel and of the Pekingese to other breeds:

    English Cocker Spaniel Versus Other Dog Breeds

    English Cocker Spaniel versus Chinese Shar-Pei     English Cocker Spaniel versus Appenzeller Sennenhunde     English Cocker Spaniel versus Briard     English Cocker Spaniel versus Bulldog     English Cocker Spaniel versus Cockalier     English Cocker Spaniel versus Catahoula Bulldog     English Cocker Spaniel versus Giant Schnauzer     English Cocker Spaniel versus German Wirehaired Pointer     English Cocker Spaniel versus Papillon     English Cocker Spaniel versus Cockapoo     

    Pekingese Versus Other Dog Breeds

    Pekingese versus Akbash     Pekingese versus Shihpoo     Pekingese versus French Bulldog     Pekingese versus Kooikerhondje     Pekingese versus Pharaoh Hound     Pekingese versus Redbone Coonhound     Pekingese versus Miniature Schnauzer     Pekingese versus Affenpinscher     Pekingese versus Golden Cocker Retriever     Pekingese versus Beaglier     

    Conclusion: English Cocker Spaniel versus Pekingese. Which One is a Better Pet?

    In summary, there is nothing like a better dog breed or a worse dog breed. The important question to ask is which dog breed better matches your interests and lifestyle. We hope our discussion above will help you in deciding which dog breed between the English Cocker Spaniel and the Pekingese better suits you and your family.