Vet bed? Whatever size you want, washable and machine-driable. My cocker rips up any cushion or soft bed but cannot destroy vetbed and is perfectly comfy on it. (No, I don't work for them :D )
If he's always been clean, it might be worth getting him checked at the vet's, not only for UTI as suggested but also for back pain.
I recently had a similar thing with my 7-year-old cocker, always very clean in the house. Then suddenly 3 nights running he left a large smelly package in...
We have mostly cocker x poodles crosses living near us. The coats seem to be quite variable. One is a haystack on legs - sweet very poodley face, and luckily an excellent owner who keeps his coat beautifully, but wow! there's a lot of it.
At training where I took my (show-type) cocker pup...
Sorry to hear your Cocker is missing. Have you posted her details on Doglost?
http://www.doglost.co.uk/
As another Cocker owner, I hope you are reunited with her very soon.