Author Topic: Looking to rescue an ex-breeding male - advice  (Read 3067 times)

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Offline Aisling

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Looking to rescue an ex-breeding male - advice
« on: July 27, 2018, 10:08:36 AM »
Hi Guys,

I'm a newbie here but have had cockers all my life, my grandmother had them, my parents, myself and my sister so have a good bit of experience with the breed as pets. My own male cocker recently had to be pts because of spine and hip issues  :'( and his female littermate is still a much loved member of our family. She's going on 9 years old this year and is very laid back and affectionate ... great in social situations, fab with kids, we can bring her anywhere and she's a dote. Sometimes I can't believe my luck! We also have 3 cats and 8 hens but we live in the country so everyone has a little bit of room to themselves. I also work from home ... there may be times that I have to be away for a half day or full day with work. Also, when I go on holidays there is a great boarding kennels near me that take the dogs in their own home which is perfect for our dog as she's used to snuggling on the sofa with us.

I'm writing because I was thinking of rescuing an ex breeding male. I have googled and read lots of threads on here about the issues that may come along with them i.e. toilet training, fear, bolting, lack of socialisation etc. What I was hoping you guys might be able to help with is your own experience and advice. Could you tell me your own rescue stories and how you worked through it? Can they get on with cats? Will the hens be an issue? Can they be aggressive? Would the boarding kennels mentioned above be suitable for them? Are they okay with kids? (we don't have kids but my family comes here at Christmas and the house can be boisterous for a few days) How long did it take in your own situation to get them to a place where they were comfortable going for a walk? Any advice or experience stories would be so welcome to help me make the right decision for our home and the rescue dog. Thanks!

Offline Jaysmumagain

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Re: Looking to rescue an ex-breeding male - advice
« Reply #1 on: July 27, 2018, 09:05:49 PM »
Well Ollie was a rescue and he is 11 in November, and I love him to bits, he still has problems with certain things which are very much around socializing, but he is a very loving dog, we have taken him all over the country staying in hotels and cottages, always be fine no probs, but we know how to handle him.

Ollie was in a kennel after being taken in by a rescue who rented space in the kennel and he was 7 mths old, very scared and timid, soon found his head of the house stature :005: He had lived in a home where the lady had died and he would be scared if he saw you sleeping at first, he had and still has a fear of men (except hubby) never makes friends with them, he is better with ladies and will let the lady vet and our groomer do anything with him, but the groomers hubby always leaves them alone as he once went in and Ollie went mad, he is possessive of me and over protective.  It is a problem that we have never managed to ease, we just learn to work around these long standing issues , recognise that the situation may difficult etc.  For example if 6 guest are walking into the hotel we wait till they have moved till we go in.

I would suggest that maybe you also look to a rescue that uses foster carers - many rescues have the dogs in foster homes up and down the country, these are home situations with other dogs and a resident family, so there could be cats children etc, the foster person gets to see a address or monitor the dog so there is so much feed back, and a general knowledge of the type of home that would suit the cocker spaniel.  Only thing is they are not ex breeding dogs.

You mention an ex breeding male, I am sure you will get some more response but I think Many Tears in South Wales might be a place to look, what I would say is the some of these ex breeding dogs have no social skills and some sadly have not lived in a home or have used a lead etc. so your research is right, sadly some are so timid that there is a very real struggle to train. Some have been in barns etc all there life. The other route is a ex show dog that a breeder might have, this way it would have more social skills etc.  Or the option of a rescue from somewhere like Spaniel Aid or Caessr www.caessr.org.uk who use fosters

Hope this helps and more info comes along
Cocker kisses and cuddles just make my day!


You are always with me darlings Jaypup and my precious Oliver you are so missed

Offline Aisling

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Re: Looking to rescue an ex-breeding male - advice
« Reply #2 on: July 28, 2018, 07:42:17 AM »
Hi Jaysmumagain,

Thanks for the reply. Ollie sounds wonderful! I’m based in Ireland and have found a rescue here that rehomes ex-breeders.

When you say that Ollie doesn’t do well with men, is he timid around them or is it aggression? When you got him first, how did you work through his fear issues? Especially with things like walks etc.

I think I’m a little worried that whilst our home is very quiet, rural, no kids etc. Will the cats and hens be too overwhelming? I have to be fair to them too before introducing a new member of the family!

Again, thanks so much for your perspective!!

Offline Jaysmumagain

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Re: Looking to rescue an ex-breeding male - advice
« Reply #3 on: July 28, 2018, 07:19:33 PM »
Well Ollie's best friend and partner in crime is my hubby....but the men thing, if we are out on a walk he just walks past folk (mens) and sometimes he reacts to dogs other times he doesn't, he is protective of me on walks, but when hubby is along he is perfect and I would say there are few fear issues on walks it is possibly the opposite if we are out and another dog seem to bound over he will want to be picked up thankfully he is small. When he was young 7ths when we got him he had no recall, so we worked on that in the garden and in quiet areas when out, it is good now...but you can have a wobble when he picks up a sent and is off.  I also moved to buying a harness as he pulls and the harness was a far better solution, but that is for the future.

What he doesn't like are men in those high viz yellow jackets...he goes mad barking if he sees someone in one....there is some trigger in his mind regarding this and I think it relates to his time as a puppy, seems the lady owner had probs with her partner and I think the dog might have seen things, plus we are certain he was beaten when small as the way he used to react when we would gentle scold him, it was awful seeing him cower away.

We have never got through the men thing, we have a new neighbour who Ollie will woof at and the man always says hello Oliver etc over the fence, if he was outside his home and we were coming in for a walk he would be fine but on his patch no, could he be aggressive well yes...we have had work men over the years who try to befriend him and he gets aggresive but also timid as he will pee alittle as scared too.  We had a tree taken down last year and the bloke open the kitchen door to call be and Ollie darted at him - the guy threw his gloves at him and Ollie ran off with a dribble along the kitchen floor, I am afraid I can't answer the cat and chicken thing.

One thing I would say is Ollie would have been better socialised had I got sustained a neck and shoulder injury 5 weeks after I got him and could no longer take him to training class, hubby couldn't as works away...I think it would have helped alot, I do walk along sometimes with a neighbour and her scottie and he is fine.

I would say meet the dog at the rescue.  Many Tear here in UK rehomes brreding cocker and most come from Ireland - ask questions etc they must have a knowledge of the dog,  I am sure you have heard the horror stories of some ex breeding dogs that are held in awful conditions in remote farms, you need to have a bit of background on the dog, if it comes to you, if it cowers away, how timid it is and it's health - I would ask if it has any health problems, some can have awful eye problems, if you have a vet you use for you animals might be worth just calling in and speaking to the clinic staff

Wishing you luck

Cocker kisses and cuddles just make my day!


You are always with me darlings Jaypup and my precious Oliver you are so missed

Offline Jaysmumagain

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Re: Looking to rescue an ex-breeding male - advice
« Reply #4 on: July 28, 2018, 08:59:28 PM »
Sorry I forgot to mention that most rescues...certaily with ex breeding dogs suggest( and insist sometimes)that another resident  dog lives in the home, coming into a home with another loved dog and other animals will give a secure and also a guidance to the new dog.  (Ollie had slightly differnt circumstances)

It is wonderful to give any rescue a home and seeing them warm to there new home and owners is the most rewarding thing.

Do let us know how you get along
Cocker kisses and cuddles just make my day!


You are always with me darlings Jaypup and my precious Oliver you are so missed

Offline Aisling

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Re: Looking to rescue an ex-breeding male - advice
« Reply #5 on: July 29, 2018, 04:13:26 PM »
Thank you so much for your advice so far!! I’ll keep you guys posted on our journey ... thanks again!!

Offline PennyB

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Re: Looking to rescue an ex-breeding male - advice
« Reply #6 on: July 31, 2018, 06:00:20 PM »
I have an ex breeding bitch and while she had a better life than if she'd been in a BYB or puppy farm she still spent 6 years in kennels - yes you have to do stuff like socialising, toilet training etc but its nothing compared to what you get back
Friends of Hailey Park
Four Paws Animal Rescue (South Wales)

Cockers are just hooligans in cute clothing!

Offline Aisling

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Re: Looking to rescue an ex-breeding male - advice
« Reply #7 on: August 15, 2018, 08:21:11 PM »
Hi Guys,

Me again! We fostered Charlie about two weeks ago ... ex breeding male, 5 years old. He’s a dote, very timid but coming out of himself more and more with help from our other dog Tilly. I’m wondering if anyone has any advice about male bonding  :luv: I work from home so we got used to each other very quickly, I know he trusts me because he’s rolled over a few times and allowed me to tickle his belly. My husband is a different story though  :huh: When he comes home he gets barked at, Charlie hides behind the sofa or runs away if he tries to get close. If he coughs or sneezes the poor dog looses his life. We’ve tried working on him with tasty treats but it only lasts so long then he reverts to being afraid. Anyone got any tips that worked for them?

Offline Issy

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Re: Looking to rescue an ex-breeding male - advice
« Reply #8 on: August 16, 2018, 01:06:26 PM »
I only have our experience to draw on and hopefully it will help but I am sure others on here will have further ideas.
We had a terrier that came to us as a rescue terrified of men. Hubby won her round eventually but it took time ( we were lucky enough to have her for twelve years ). Luckily she was fine with me and our young son. What worked for us was to let her adjust in her own time. He didn’t force contact with her and he didn’t look at her if she was in a room he was going in.  He would just drop tasty treats near her as he passed and would concentrate on cuddling and interacting with our other dog.  After a while she started to approach him of her own accord and was given more treats and fuss. Even in her old age, I could scream blue murder at her after she had destroyed some random object she had decided she didn’t like  >:D and she would just shrug it off but if he so much as raised his voice her world would collapse  :huh:.
It is early days for your boy and I would just let him come round in his own time. Just make sure that nice things happen when your hubby is around ( ie. Chicken dropped etc).