Advice on Cocker spaniel x puppy.....Please ???

[bee happy go]

Hi I'm pretty new to this site and really need some advice ?
I have fallen in love with cocker spaniels and have done quite a bit of research and would love to get a puppy,my only concern is that I have a 2year old son he is used to dogs (German Shepard) and cats and is good around them.
I feel that I would rather a puppy so that I can bring them up together and hopefully they will form a close friendship, I understand that it is going to be hard work and am prepared for this !
My OH would love a rescue dog but we cant have one because of my sons age however we visited local dogs home yesterday and they have cocker spaniel X puppies they don't know what the dad is and the mum is a cocker spaniel x collie,the pup's are available for viewing next week.I would love to give one of these mites a loving home  but am concerned that they are a x breed with regards to they're health and temperament ??
Do you have any advice for please....I really need some ?
Thanks
Beth

[Aearoniel]

Temprement is a huge consideration especially with a child, I personally would (if going for a rescue) go for an older dog whose temprement is proven, with a pup it could go either way and you can't risk it really. With the dad being an unknown... especially. Also in rescues all the older dogs get overlooked when there are pups about. Health of x-breeds can also be really good but as I say with an unknown background you can't be sure, but an older dog will have shown health problems etc.

If you're set on a pup go to a reputable breeder so you know the background and past temprements and health testing will be done.

[Cayley]

It depends on what you intend to do with a pup of this cross, I personally wouldn't get a collie cross cocker unless I could give it something active to do such as agility or at the least long daily walks, as I have a collie and 3 cockers I know what both are like. You really wouldn't know whether the mum is a working collie cross working cocker or show type collie cross show type cocker, if it's the first then it could be on the go the whole time. As the father is unknown this adds to the unpredictability as the pup could be half a totally different breed  .

[bee happy go]

Thank you both for this advice, I am really apprehensive about getting the puppy now and your advice confirms my reasons.
It is a big responsibility taking on a puppy and an even greater one choosing this puppy with no history.
I think I will talk to OH and continue our search for the perfect Puppy/Dog !!
I just want to say that this site is great the people are so friendly and the advice is great,I am now hooked and I haven't even got a dog yet !!!
Thanks again,
Beth

[bev6951]

Where did you see the pups? I only ask because I recently saw some puppies that were cocker cross (mum cocker/collie cross and the dad unsure although they thought it was some kind of spaniel) they were chocolate with a bit of white. I know they struggled to sell them (they were in the paper for a while) This was in the lincoln area. Although I know for some reason there are alot of collie cross cocker pups born all the time so it probably isnt them.

[bee happy go]

I haven't seen the pups yet they are in Cardiff dogs home,I'm not allowed to view them yet as the haven't had they're jabs ! I was just going to look on the KC website to find some local breeders !!!
I have got my name down with one breeder pups are due in April but just want to keep options open its a big decision and want to know that we are making the right one !
Does any one have a toddler and puppy so that they can let me know what to expect !!!
Speak soon
Beth

[bev6951]

I haven't seen the pups yet they are in Cardiff dogs home,I'm not allowed to view them yet as the haven't had they're jabs ! I was just going to look on the KC website to find some local breeders !!!
I have got my name down with one breeder pups are due in April but just want to keep options open its a big decision and want to know that we are making the right one !
Does any one have a toddler and puppy so that they can let me know what to expect !!!
Speak soon
Beth

Yes, I am a childminder so have a few toddlers around and we have wilson 15mth cocker and mylee 12wk old cocker. They are fab, it is just really important to give both pup and child a time out from eachother regulary. Also I crate train my dogs so it is their own little haven that they can toddle off to when ever they want and I also drape a towel over the crate so everyone knows (kids and pup) that it is to be left in peace. Regards to nipping etc yes obviously all pups do this and cockers are no exception so I just make sure I am always around when the little ones are about and the pups soon learn not to with good training.
Also should add it took a while to find a good breeder and then she wanted to get to know me to ensure that basically I had the pups best interests at heart, yes I am home all day and dont work all the time but because I have small children in my home she needed to see that my house is not a free for all creche and not a mad house!! (sometimes it is tho, but thats since getting the cockers    )

[Helen]

It depends on what you intend to do with a pup of this cross, I personally wouldn't get a collie cross cocker unless I could give it something active to do such as agility or at the least long daily walks, as I have a collie and 3 cockers I know what both are like. You really wouldn't know whether the mum is a working collie cross working cocker or show type collie cross show type cocker, if it's the first then it could be on the go the whole time. As the father is unknown this adds to the unpredictability as the pup could be half a totally different breed  .

agree 100 percent Cayley - was just about to type a post but you have summed it up perfectly

[Cob-Web]

It depends on what you intend to do with a pup of this cross, I personally wouldn't get a collie cross cocker unless I could give it something active to do such as agility or at the least long daily walks, as I have a collie and 3 cockers I know what both are like. You really wouldn't know whether the mum is a working collie cross working cocker or show type collie cross show type cocker, if it's the first then it could be on the go the whole time. As the father is unknown this adds to the unpredictability as the pup could be half a totally different breed  .

agree 100 percent Cayley - was just about to type a post but you have summed it up perfectly

Me three - the combination of cocker and collie fills me with dread tbh - if you get the "best bits" of both breed, you could have a cracking little agility or activity dog, but if the more challenging bits of both breeds come out in any of the pups, then I fear they would prove to be incredibly challenging and not for inexperienced or faint hearted 

A pedigree cocker will be a new challenge if you have GSD experience; Molo was an incredibly steep learning curve as all the assumptions I made that were based on GSD experience didn't apply to Molo (and other cockers we know) at all 

[PennyB]

I haven't seen the pups yet they are in Cardiff dogs home,I'm not allowed to view them yet as the haven't had they're jabs ! I was just going to look on the KC website to find some local breeders !!!
I have got my name down with one breeder pups are due in April but just want to keep options open its a big decision and want to know that we are making the right one !
Does any one have a toddler and puppy so that they can let me know what to expect !!!
Speak soon
Beth

I would contact the cocker spaniel club not the kennel club for reputable breeders

We run a small rescue locally to you and agree with others re what they are crossed with but mostly down to whether they would be suitable for you and your family's lifestyle (we recently rehomed a lovely spaniel x to a young family but I was certain they had the expectations and lifestyle to match as well as she's a lively girl). Our pups are usually fostered out to homes so we tend to get a good idea of their temperament that way which you might not get if they're in the Cardiff pound.

[PennyB]

Does any one have a toddler and puppy so that they can let me know what to expect !!!
Speak soon
Beth

I would take a look at the puppies section etc for previous threads on this

[bee happy go]

Thanks for the great response to my ever growing questions !!!
I feel so much better that I'm not the only MAD person out there who wants a puppy and has a toddler,everyone seems so negative about the idea, I know its going to be hard work !
A crate was something I was looking at getting as I thought that my son and puppy would have their own space,My son would then know when the pup needs a rest,also handy for transporting,one other question should I leave crate open at night or should I close it?
 I spoke to Kirsty from four paws on Saturday morning as I was enquiring about rescue puppies but there doesn't seem to be any on your website ??
Does anyone know of reputable breeders in my area (South Wales) ??
I'm not in a rush to get a puppy but I have to start somewhere 

[bev6951]

Thanks for the great response to my ever growing questions !!!
I feel so much better that I'm not the only MAD person out there who wants a puppy and has a toddler,everyone seems so negative about the idea, I know its going to be hard work !
A crate was something I was looking at getting as I thought that my son and puppy would have their own space,My son would then know when the pup needs a rest,also handy for transporting,one other question should I leave crate open at night or should I close it?
 I spoke to Kirsty from four paws on Saturday morning as I was enquiring about rescue puppies but there doesn't seem to be any on your website ??
Does anyone know of reputable breeders in my area (South Wales) ??
I'm not in a rush to get a puppy but I have to start somewhere 

I'm not in your area sorry, but to answer your crate question I close my crate at night and while the pup is still waking in the night get up in the night eg- let pup out at 11-30pm go to bed set alarm for 3-00am let pup out in silence and darkness!! (so it knows its still night time!!) get up at 6-30 7ish.

[Jane S]

Does anyone know of reputable breeders in my area (South Wales) ??
I'm not in a rush to get a puppy but I have to start somewhere 

To be honest, with a 2 year old, you may have to work quite hard to persuade a reputable breeder to let you have a puppy. This is not to put you off but just to prepare you for the fact that some breeders (like some rescues) will not home to a family with such a young child. This isn't because they don't think you'd be a good owner but is probably based on past experiences where families with very young children have found they can't cope with the demands of a puppy at the same time. Not all breeders have hard and fast rules but just wanted to warn you that this could be the case with some breeders (or rescues) you contact. If you want advice on how to locate a good breeder, check out this topic :-

http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php?topic=2019.0

[Ali77]

Hi there,  we have had Lottie for just over 2 weeks now, she is a full english Cocker puppy and I also have 2 small boys aged 2 1/2 and 5. 

Lottie took to her crate straight away which I think is probably due to the fact that she is a little timid and my boys are very boistrous.  However now she is fine with them, they know to ignore her if she is asleep in her bed or her crate.

It is hard hard work, it reminds me of having a new born baby, i'm as tired as when I had the boys, but now she is sleeping from 11 - 6:30 its definitely getting easier. As with babies its so so worth it and i'm sooo pleased we have her.

Go for it, Cockers are lovely

Ali