CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Specific Discussion => General Cocker Spaniel Discussion => Topic started by: Sinsir on May 27, 2014, 10:07:57 AM
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Hello,
I am currently considering the possibility of a canine companion, specifically a Cocker Spaniel (Show Type), following a lot of research on their temperament etc.
I shan't be rushing in to making a decision, and I want to ensure that I have fully thought things through. I'm hoping that this forum community will be able to help me with a couple of questions!
My biggest concern is that I currently live in a one bedroom apartment, and although some books, articles etc., say that this isn't a problem if the dog receives enough physical and mental stimulation, elsewhere I have read that it isn't a good idea.
I live alone, but live on the doorstep of my place of work, and would therefore have the flexibility to be able to come home over lunch for socialisation, walking etc.
I'm sure that exercise requirements can vary from dog to dog, but I am confident I could do c. 30 minutes before work, c. 30 minutes over lunch and at least 1 hour in the evenings. I am an avid walker, and so probably do this much now.
Any thoughts?
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Can't see any problem with it :D. My two cockers lived in an apartment in Berlin for 7 months and were fine. So long as you commit to the exercise/ stimulation as you have already suggested, there is really no difference between living in a house with garden and apartment (aside from the convenience factor for things like housetaining puppies and quick wees in morning and before bed). Cockers, particularly, are people dogs and just want to be with their people. So long as you are with them, they're happy. All the best with your search!
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I can't see a problem either - as Emilyoliver says, cockers like to be with their people. Nerys would be happy living anywhere as long as I was there too. It will just take a bit more commitment regards going out for wees etc.
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you will be alright, dogs don't need a bedroom to themselves they will happily shares yours :005:
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We spend a fair amount of time in an apartment, toilet training with Molly was hard, trying to get a puppy to hold her wee in whilst we go down stairs, cross the communal areas, over the road and onto the grass was difficult.
(I don't think it's fair on others in the apartments to have a dog toilet in communal areas, we always take the dogs off the premises to toilet)
The main thing for us is the first and last wee. Particularly when the weathers rubbish is an absolute pain, not so much the first wee but the last one when you're all snugly and warm but got to take the dogs out
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We spend a fair amount of time in an apartment, toilet training with Molly was hard, trying to get a puppy to hold her wee in whilst we go down stairs, cross the communal areas, over the road and onto the grass was difficult.
(I don't think it's fair on others in the apartments to have a dog toilet in communal areas, we always take the dogs off the premises to toilet)
The main thing for us is the first and last wee. Particularly when the weathers rubbish is an absolute pain, not so much the first wee but the last one when you're all snugly and warm but got to take the dogs out
This was the point I was going to make................If you feel you can commit to this it should be fine. My grandson had to take his mum's dog on when she passed away, he lives in an upstairs (3 floors) flat; he was only 19 & the "cavi" was 8 so toilet trained. The dog is now 10 & sleeps a lot, so different senario, but it has all worked out fine. I worry he dog is on his own too much, but "needs must" & all seems fine, even when Ben (grandson) has a lie in. :shades:
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This is really interesting and helpful-thank you all! :blink:
I think I do need to consider toilet needs a little more carefully. There's a little green just around the corner, and I am only on the first floor, but I suppose one needs to just be very careful about letting one's heart rule one's head!
A few people I've spoken to about Cockers have been critical about the amount of exercise time I have 'scheduled'-what do you lot think of this? I go running early in the morning and figured that this would make a good start to the day (am fully aware that this will require a bit of training). I've also been told that, as a single person, it's not the right environment for a dog that thrives in a family environment...personally I think this is a bit silly. I have the time, energy and love to devote so surely it makes no difference whether or not I have 3 children!! However, if this is something people feel strongly about then, do say.
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Exercise needs for a cocker will be suitably fulfilled on the schedule you have proposed. Mine have similar and are perfectly happy. They get more over weekends and also do training. As for the comment about a single person household not being suitable for a cocker... Well that just makes me angry >:(. I am single and my dogs are perfectly happy and content (and don't have to live in a household where they may be teased, sat on, or yelled at by children). I am also able to dedicate most of my spare time to them ( something not always possible when there are children to be ferried to school and back, to activities, etc). In fact I have a friend with a cocker who is actually quite an unhappy nervous dog in her own home because she's very sensitive and doesn't cope well with excitable children in close proximity. Family environments, single person environments, adult only households - cockers adapt and so long as they are loved they can suit a variety of households. Don't let ignorant folk put you off.
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Welcome to COL!
Some great advice here. One thing that comes across in your posts is that you are clearly thinking things through and want the best for your dog. I agree with the others - your timings look ok to me as far as exercise goes.
However, What you will need to think about is your routine in the first few months. We found it very physically and mentally demanding and Fudge kept us very busy until he was about 6 months old - he has turned into a lovely dog and companion but the first few months were hard work in both his day to day training and toiletting. You may have to pop back a bit more than once a day during the early months.
Whatever you decide, this is a great site for sounding out people for advice and help and no matter what you encounter when you get a pup, one of the members will have been there!!
Best of luck.
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Poppy would be devastated if I showed her your walking schedule! You mean she would have to get up in the morning? It will really depend on the type of personality of your cocker. Poppy is the laziest dog I know.
We had her in a flat for the first 3 years and, as has already been said, the only 'problem' was morning and evening wee. Our neighbours got used to seeing us in our PJ's!
I would say you will need someone else popping in whilst the puppy is little. Or at least a long stretch off work to make sure they don't get separation anxiety.
Poppy would be happy as a one person dog. Very happy.
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Hi Sinsir, welcome to COL.
Given the amount of time you're spending researching the subject I think you'll make an ideal cocker owner :clapping:, I just wish more people would act so responsibly.
As has been said, the amount of exercise is perfect but please bear in mind that a puppy will need much less to start with, gradually building up during their first year.
Cockers are very people orientated and can become hugely attached to their owners providing an enormous amount of quality companionship. I don't see any problem with your being in a one bedroom apartment but, in the early days of puppyhood, you may wish to make arrangements for toileting within the property as puppies sometimes have to "go" very quickly and without much warning.
As with all dogs their formative months are very important as is their breeding. I'd certainly recommend getting a puppy from a reputable Kennel Club registered breeder to make sure as far as possible that they come from healthy stock and have been raised correctly in their early weeks with all the health checks being carried out.
If you'd rather bypass the puppy phase there are lots of reputable rescue organisations with young cockers for rehoming. We have a rehomed cocker, Milly, who came to us at 7 months old and has proved to be absolutely fantastic, best thing we ever did :luv:. Milly is my OH's dog while I have Chaz, a male working strain cocker that we've had from a 10 week old puppy. Very much a case of His'nHer dogs but one happy family when all said and done :lol2:. Two people in the house with two cockers....perfection.
Whatever you decide COL is certainly the right place for help and advice. Please ask LOTS of questions and look back on the various topics that have already been discussed.
The very best of luck with your research and, hopefully, we'll be able to welcome a new cocker owner in the near future ;).
Bob.
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Just another thought, I haven't done this but some of you may have,
Would a playpen with a bed in one end & puppy pads in the other end work for whilst he pup is alone :huh: obviously with toys etc.
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Hi Julie and welcome!
When my little chap was young(he was 5mths old when we got him) we loaned from a friend a large dog cage about 3ft x 4ft this was his place and used to happily go into it, although did like the door left open, we only closed it if we went out. He used the cage till he was about one then we got him into his basket gradually.
Another friend suggested a toy that you stuff food in....hope another COL will give the name, it was like a rubber cone the tighter you packed it the longer it kept him amused, when he was older he still would occasionally turn up with it and give that cocker look which meant go on fill it for me to play with.
I think you are asking all the right questions regarding getting a cocker,
Best of luck another Julie!
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Welcome to COL
You could always try one of these especially good if you have a balcony http://www.amazon.co.uk/Indoor-House-Puppy-Toilet-Training/dp/B00BJ4KPCE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1401221604&sr=8-1&keywords=indoor+dog+toilet
Better I say to have an owner who is single, working close by, very committed than an owner living in a large house with an acre of land who is rarely home
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I don't think there is any problem living in an apartment as long as the dog gets plenty of sniffing type exercise too, as that's what spaniels do best!
Toliet training could be hard work for you. You might be lucky and get one that trains quickly and has a big bladder!
Does it have to be a puppy? Breeders sometimes keep two or more puppies until they decide which has the best show qualities, then sell them at about six months. That way they would be house trained already.
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Sounds to me like you'll be the perfect companion for a cocker.
You have bothered to research, ask questions and to consider the pros and cons.
Living near to where you work is an absolute bonus, because as you say, you can pop back for walks and a bit of socialising.
Good luck. Look forward to hearing more. :luv:
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Just a word of caution about exercise. If you have a puppy it won't be able to keep up with your exercise schedule for several months and shouldn't go running with you until it's at least a year old.
The general rule of thumb for walking is 5 minutes per month of age when they're puppies. So if your puppy has been vaccinated by 12 weeks it could have a few walks every day, but only about 15 minutes each time. It applies more to pavement and road walking than on grass, so if you had a 5 minute pavement/road walk to the park and the same back, the puppy could be in the park for longer than 5 minutes. You could do a mix of walking, training, playing and just letting the puppy socialise and sniff.
Too much exercise when young can damage growth plates and joints and cause problems throughout the dog's life.
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Thank you all again for your informative and supportive comments. I'm so glad I joined this forum!
This is very interesting, because I would by no means restrict my own personal remit to a puppy. Given what BobnDot and lescef say, I would be bypassing some of the awkward toilet stages, so speak, by getting either a rescue dog or slightly older puppy. I've often been told that one should set aside even more time and energy to a rescue dog, given that some may come from more difficult backgrounds. But, I guess, much like the exercise issue, that is dependant on individual dogs. I would happily consider these two new avenues. I owned whether anyone could point me in the direction of possibly a pre-existing thread on locating rescue Cockers, or if anyone could go into more detail about finding a breeder who keeps hold of a couple of pups for longer?
I'm glad that, as long as I am considerate, the apartment shouldn't be such a problem. :blink:
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Hi again! If you go back to the main forum board and scroll down, there is a rescue cocker page, keep scrolling and there is lots of info on 'looking for a puppy'. The Kennel Club also has a list of accredited breeders which might help to start your search. Good luck!
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I think a rescue or older puppy would be ideal. You may find that you have to invest more time in training or correcting mistakes made by previous owners but you'd have a cocker that you'd be able to work with straight away rather than go through the whole puppy thing.
We were very fortunate with Milly, at 7 months old she'd come from a home where she was more misunderstood than actually abused. Her previous owner, a rather elderly lady, had thought to buy a cocker puppy in the hope of adding a bit of life to her two rather elderly labradors :doh:.
Five months later her owner decided that a cocker puppy was too much for her and put her up for adoption through a local rescue organisation :clapping:.
When Milly came to us she was very cowed and nervous so we went back to square one with the training, socialisation, cuddles, playing etc., but we didn't have to cope with "oops" moments around the house and she would happily sleep right through the night as well as walking perfectly on a lead.
We noticed a huge improvement with her in a matter of weeks and within six months she was behaving just as you'd expect from a perfectly normal year old cocker :luv:
Bob.
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Hi and welcome.
Just though I'd add that I'm a single Mum to my cocker Lucie and she is perfectly happy. Secretly I think she likes the fact that she doesn't have to share me! We don't have a garden, (we do have a terrace but she is not allowed to toilet out there) and we manage just fine. As long as she gets her walks and playtime, she's a happy girl.
Good luck!
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I think the only problem when you're single is that you sometimes have to work harder to prevent overattachment - as there's only you to focus on - which could then result in a noisy cocker who doesn't like being left. Best way is prevention and work hard on making sure you dog is happy away from you as much as they are with you.
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Hello,
Apologies for reviving this topic, but I thought it was the best thing to do in order to provide some context. However, please do say if I should start a new topic. I had to put off the idea of a dog for while, for various reasons. However, in the last couple of weeks, a colleague has told me of a friend whose circumstances are changing, and who is subsequently looking for a new home for their 1 year old male working cocker. This seems a fateful coincidence! However, I haven't pursued the idea very far yet, as I note this particular dog is a working cocker.
Realistically, with my one bed apartment, living alone, but with plenty of love and dedication, would a working cocker be too much to manage, as opposed to a show type?
Hope you can help!
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No. I bet there are more people who own workers and do not work them than us who do. Saying that we only work Gemma for 4 months of the year.
She is a pet first and formost and is treated exactly the same as our staffie as regards to exercise etc. She no more hyper than our rainbow border terrier was and can be just as lazy as the staffs.
Seems to me it is meant to be. If you have time to play and can handle constant cuddles and love ( and sharing your bed and sofa) go for it. We are here to get you through the puppy stages and laugh and cry with you while your little new mate blossoms into your best friend ever. :D
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Hi there. My opinion, for what it's worth: apartment - no problem, amount of exercise - no problem, amount of time dog left alone - problem. It's not what a dog signs up for when born - they evolved to be our constant and loving companions. If he was an older dog - maybe, if he was with another canine companion - fine, if you could put him to a responsible doggie daycare - fine, but otherwise no. Just my personal opinion and I'm probably in a minority - sorry. Good luck with whatever you decide anyway. :blink:
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You've obviously researched the breed and know the differing requirements of a working cocker. Workers have become very successful home cockers without being worked but the secret of success here rests very much with the particular dog, it's upbringing to date and the owner's knowledge of their requirements.
I don't see any problems with you taking on a worker, especially given that he's over most of the "interesting" bit of his puppyhood. A lot will depend on his upbringing to date and any problems that may have contributed to his needing a new home so meeting the dog in his present home environment would be the obvious first step in making a decision. A worker may not take as well to being left alone as a show cocker so it would be interesting to see if he's left by himself in his present home and how well he's coping with this. Chaz is quite happy to be by himself for three or four hours but we've gradually built up to this and he's got Milly as a companion.
A worker could be the ideal dog for you as they're capable of forming a very close relationship with their chosen person. I'm fortunate in being Chaz's chosen one and can honestly say that it's much more of a partnership than simply a dog and owner, very rewarding :luv:
If you took on this young worker you'd probably have to put in quite a bit of time in getting to know each other but, if it all works out, you'll have a companion and relationship second to none.
I agree that it's a fateful coincidence but my Celtic blood is telling me that this sort of thing shouldn't be ignored ;).
Bob.
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Ok, others may not agree, but I honestly don't think that apartment living is the best life for a dog which has been bred for working. I appreciate that what you can offer a pet dog seems good and you are clearly concerned in ensuring that you have thought things through rather than ploughing straight in and thinking afterwards. I think you can offer a dog a good home, but just not a working cocker spaniel.
I have a 3.5year old working cocker. She doesn't work but she needs a good hour of off-lead running daily and addition to this we have done basic gun dog classes and we do agility too. As wcs go Bella is pretty calm and she is content to sleep once she has had a chance to burn off her energy. We are lucky enough to have a big garden and enclosed paddock which I am out in everyday and she is out with me, she never gets tired of following me around outside and always has her nose in the hedges and log piles.
The number and length of walks you can offer would be fine, but for a wcs these need to be the opportunity to free run in safe places to give them the opportunity to do what comes naturally to them. I hate to see breeds that need the chance to free run, pounding the streets on leads!
Before you make a decision I would recommend that you find out more about this dog to see if it is well suited to your lifestyle, it may not cope with being left whilst you are at work, and your living arrangements, it may be a high energy dog that needs access to a garden.
Hope this helps.
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Thank you for your insight. After reading your comments, it occurred to me that a good first step would be to meet this dog, as a lot of my concerns would be personality-related, or something dependant on his current routine. I therefore spontaneously went to meet him. He is lovely! He is actually fairly placid, which I found surprising. However, the current owner, who is moving and not able to rake the dog with her, does live slap bang in the middle of the countryside and is able to start each day with a lengthy period of off-lead exercise, which I gather tires the dog out. The dog is then happy to have a significant rest when she gets on with her work. Due to my own location and morning routine, it would be impractical for me to, for example, drive to a secure open space to exercise him, then drive home and then go to work. It makes me sound a bit lazy, I fear! and it does make me feel a bit bad, but it would be selfish of me and unfair on him to take him on and then only be able to take him for a 30 minute walk before I start work. He is absolutely lovely though!! Head should rule heart here.
I do think that an older puppy/young dog who has already been through potty training etc. would suit me better. Perhaps I'll keep an eye on the rescue dog section of this forum.
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I am glad you have had a chance to meet the dog and learn more about him. Sorry to hear that he wouldn't be suitable for your lifestyle but I am sure there is a dog somewhere that would fit in with what you can offer.
I agree that an older puppy/young dog would be better and if you can be flexible with breeds you may find the perfect match.
Good luck in your search.
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It makes me sound a bit lazy, I fear! and it does make me feel a bit bad, but it would be selfish of me and unfair on him to take him on and then only be able to take him for a 30 minute walk before I start work. He is absolutely lovely though!! Head should rule heart here.
I do think that an older puppy/young dog who has already been through potty training etc. would suit me better. Perhaps I'll keep an eye on the rescue dog section of this forum.
Hi Sinsir, I need to applaud your sensible decision and your reasons. You're not lazy at all - just realistic. Good look with your search.