CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Specific Discussion => General Cocker Spaniel Discussion => Topic started by: lilgingemama on August 09, 2017, 07:44:51 PM
-
Hello everyone,
I would love some advice from first-hand English Cocker owners (pleeeeease!).
DH and I are considering bringing an English Cocker Spaniel into our family. We have two children - DS is 3 and DD is 5 (almost 6).
1) If we go for it - we would be looking at next April-ish time as we know that's a much better time for us to take on 'the puppy phase' and DS will almost be 4 and heading to school in Sept.
2) We would be hoping for a girl (sorry, can't bring myself to use the correct term yet!) and a golden cocker or orange patchy one (I know this isn't correct!) from a good breeder. We would be making sure that it's Mum and Dad are SHOW cockers and try to see both and check their temperaments etc.
3) After mind-boggling research for a first timer, I think that we would crate-train the pup (to let it have a tranquil place to rest and take itself!)
4) We would be teaching our children to love and respect their dog. It wouldn't be a play-thing! My kids do however, like to pretend to be mermaids, batman - or dinosaurs around the house so though they would be respectful (I HOPE!) they are indeed, children.
5) We would be enrolling on a puppy training class as a family for 6 weeks (or however long it runs) and would take time to focus on socialising and training the pup.
I am a SAHM. DH (on the most part) works from home. He does travel about for work sometimes but the majority of the time - he is home.
This would be my first dog. DH grew up with a Westie and loved having a dog throughout his childhood.
Our questions:
? --> Though websites recommend them as a great family pet - I have also read forums which describe their pup as a 'cockerdile' or 'going for/taking on the kids' Are they really much nippier than other breeds? Are they more sensitive around kids and noise? Or with good training - would they soak in the family they have and love that environment?
? --> I've read that show cockers need around 1 hr exercise every day. Does this need to be one solid walk every day or could this be broken up? E.g. a long walk and a short walk or two half hour walks? Or in your experience, does a show need more?
? --> With socialisation, can ECS's do well with visitors? My husband is in Christian Ministry. Our home isn't quite a Vicarage (and I can't bake for toffee - so phew!) but we do have lots of people visiting, having tea etc. We also have playdates with DC's friends. Would this be a real strain for an ECS? I would want to give her a loving home where she feels happy and comfortable! It would also be difficult if we had a dog that was unhappy with visitors and newbies -
or was protective of us in a ''I am going to growl to get you out of my house!' kind of way!
? --> I hear they are 'mad as a box of frogs!' If so, they would probably fit right in with us! :lol2: Do they ever have a calm side though? Are they hyper in the house all day? Or do they have their calm, chilled moments?
? --> Dog stat websites say they would be great for a first time dog owner! I've read though that you need to have a certain way with spaniels - firm but warm... that they can be sensitive to being spoken to, petted etc a certain way. As a newbie to dogs (I grew up with fish... they were very obedient!) I don't want to royally mess this up! I am quite looking forward to training etc and learning - but should I go for an 'easier breed?!'
? --> WHen my DH is away for a few days or a week - I would be the sole dog-walker and around the kids. Would it cope with slightly less (still a good walk but not a full on hours hike) for a few days or would a show cocker be like "WHAT DO YOU CALL THIS?! This is a travesty!"
Thank you so much if you've lasted this long.
Apologies for the lengthly post!
We genuinely want to be as informed as we can be so that we could enjoy and love an ECS. If we are the wrong family for this breed - we would love to know. If another breed sticks out - please do say.
-
*growl not grow!
Eek...!
-
Hi and first of all, welcome!!
Lots of questions and you'll probably get a variety of answers although, as you might have guesses, we're all pretty ECS dotty here! ;), so we're maybe going to be a tiny bit biased!! :lol2:
Its always very hard to generalize, dogs, like us, are individuals and perform and react to upbringing, although there are ofcourse traits which are peculiar to certain breeds.
I'd wanted a ECS all my life so decided upon retirement, its now or never and we haven't regretted a moment! They are lively and "cheeky" and need a "consistant" hand ;) but they're eager to learn and eager to please and just want to be included in everything you do! Re exercise, they're pretty undemanding and provided youncan offer them some sort of mental stimulation, they don't need hours of physical exercise, - Humphrey gets about an hour in the morning and about half an hour in the afternoon on average.
The do have a bit of a reputation for being "nippy" although we've not experienced that at all, after the initial puppy phase we've never had any problems, but, like everyting else, a lot depends on training any upbringing, - they're sensitive little souls and react much better to positive training, any form of heavy handiness can result in fear and I think that's where a lot of the problems start.
Our kids have left the nest now but when they were little, we had a GSD, I took the same view as you, the dog wasn't a toy and they were taught how to take care and respect the dog, if you lay down rules for everyone and ensure that the dog has an opportunity to withdraw and have peace and quiet, I don't see a problem.
On the whole, they're amazingly friendly and sociable dogs, just dying to be where the action is - they do have a tendency to want to greet all visitors with enthusiasm but that, like everything else, is a case of training.
If you do decide to go ahead, there'll always be loads of great help and advice and support from the best people around, on here!! Hope that's helped a bit, keep us updated!!
-
Id say go for it. Marley is a working cocker spaniel so he needs a bit more exercise than a show cocker would need. He needs at least 2 hours exercise a day I take him out in the morning and again in the afternoon for around an hour or more each time. I live on my own. He does get excited when visitors come over but it's not very often. I crated him from day one because he wasn't house trained and I wanted him to have his own space to relax. It took two or three days for him to settle down he cried a couple of nights but you just have to deal with it. He now loves his crate. I no longer shut him in it its in the kitchen I now leave the door open because he doesn't chew things in the house. He's fine with children however I would advise that if he's asleep or in his crate then the children should leave the dog alone as they can get grumpy. My dog has never bit me just nipped me when we are playing but he knows when to stop. Marley is 19 months old now. I got him when he was 7 months old so I've had him for a year now. I don't regret it. It's been hard at times but I couldn't live without him now
(https://image.ibb.co/haKwQQ/image.jpg)r
.
-
This is the most recent photo of Marley. He's a golden working cocker spaniel.
(https://image.ibb.co/mqm6fQ/image.jpg)
-
Thank you both for your replies, I really appreciate it - especially after a stupidly long post!
Humphrey and Marley look gorgeous! It's amazing how different they look from each other. They sound like lovely, cheeky dogs.
Gazrob - It's great he gets excited rather than miffed when visitors come round. Aww. Also - he must be giving you a serious work out!
bizzylizzy - Do you give Humphrey a good hour and then a half hour walk because it suits you and Humphrey and he loves it... or because you think he needs it. I think we would hope to give an hours worth each day (probably split though) with some days a bonus ball of a longer walk (across the downs/in the woods) or a swim in the sea (we live 5 mins from the sea!) But we probably couldn't regularly give ours as much as you. Do you think this could be a problem?
I think I am nervous about the unknown. I love spaniels and when looking at temperaments and ease for me being a total first-timer on the canine front, I thought a Cavalier KC would have done nicely.
DH has a touch of the manpride going on and prefers a slightly bigger dog however!
He's always loved ECS and since doing research - I see what means. They are gorgeous. Their personalities sound fab and good fun for kids to grow up with (especially as they get bigger!)
-
I think if you are getting a show cocker then two 45 minute walks a day should be sufficient as long as you play with the dog in the house and garden and maybe take him out for longer and more walks when you have the time. I've lost a lot of weight taking him out everyday. Unfortunately I have to take him out everyday he loves the rain and the snow. I'm sure your children will play with the dog a lot that should help. They are extremely clever you can train them to do all sorts of things that will also tire them out. Im off work at the moment so we are out a bit more than normal. Marley is my first dog. It's been tough at times but if you just stick it out and be consistent things should be fine. If I ever get another dog it will be a spaniel probably a show cocker next time as Marley is a maniac but he's very affectionate. I've fallen in love with spaniels I wouldnt have any other breed.
-
Thank you both for your replies, I really appreciate it - especially after a stupidly long post!
Humphrey and Marley look gorgeous! It's amazing how different they look from each other. They sound like lovely, cheeky dogs.
Gazrob - It's great he gets excited rather than miffed when visitors come round. Aww. Also - he must be giving you a serious work out!
bizzylizzy - Do you give Humphrey a good hour and then a half hour walk because it suits you and Humphrey and he loves it... or because you think he needs it. I think we would hope to give an hours worth each day (probably split though) with some days a bonus ball of a longer walk (across the downs/in the woods) or a swim in the sea (we live 5 mins from the sea!) But we probably couldn't regularly give ours as much as you. Do you think this could be a problem?
I think I am nervous about the unknown. I love spaniels and when looking at temperaments and ease for me being a total first-timer on the canine front, I thought a Cavalier KC would have done nicely.
DH has a touch of the manpride going on and prefers a slightly bigger dog however!
He's always loved ECS and since doing research - I see what means. They are gorgeous. Their personalities sound fab and good fun for kids to grow up with (especially as they get bigger!)
your DH's manpride might fall by the way side if your pup turns out to be a pocket rocket. Our Gem only weighs 9kg and stands 11 inches at the shoulder. But boy oh boy she is still a full on cocker spaniel. just remember " life is like a box of chocolates" ;)
-
Thank you both for your replies, I really appreciate it - especially after a stupidly long post!
Humphrey and Marley look gorgeous! It's amazing how different they look from each other. They sound like lovely, cheeky dogs.
Gazrob - It's great he gets excited rather than miffed when visitors come round. Aww. Also - he must be giving you a serious work out!
bizzylizzy - Do you give Humphrey a good hour and then a half hour walk because it suits you and Humphrey and he loves it... or because you think he needs it. I think we would hope to give an hours worth each day (probably split though) with some days a bonus ball of a longer walk (across the downs/in the woods) or a swim in the sea (we live 5 mins from the sea!) But we probably couldn't regularly give ours as much as you. Do you think this could be a problem?
I think I am nervous about the unknown. I love spaniels and when looking at temperaments and ease for me being a total first-timer on the canine front, I thought a Cavalier KC would have done nicely.
DH has a touch of the manpride going on and prefers a slightly bigger dog however!
He's always loved ECS and since doing research - I see what means. They are gorgeous. Their personalities sound fab and good fun for kids to grow up with (especially as they get bigger!)
The length of walk just suits us I think, we have a couple of set routes where we've always walked our dogs and they just happen to take that long - if I'm in a hurry, then we can throw balls or play and he can tear around for 15 minutes or he can potter along for an hour, its all the same at the end ofmthe day. On a foul cold winters day, or even a very hot humid summers day (yes we get those sometimes! :005:) he's been known to get 15 min. total but then I'll have him searching for hidden toys in the house and after 15 minutes of that he's shattered. I honestly wouldn't worry about that too much, they like to be out and about but don't NEED to be exercised over great distances, if you have a garden and time to spend with him, that'll be fine. Its like MIN says, its like a box of chocolates, but on the whole,,they're good allrounders, good size, friendly, intelligent and bidding plus they're loads of fun, Humphrey has us laughing every day!
-
It's great to read your post and to see someone taking so much time, research and having lots or questions to ensure you get the right puppy for your family. :D
I think if you read old posts you will see cocker puppies can be a handful but then most breeds of puppies are! I had other breeds before I got Reese and will admit he was a little more or a handful than other's I had, however I had very laid back Bassett's and Clumbers before. Most puppies are nippy they explore the world with their mouth but they grow out of it, Reese hasn't done this since he was about 6months old and even then it was normally only if he was over tired. I just read a lovely post on here about a cocker called Jett, his owner pretty much sums up all you want to know! :005:
I don't have children so can't help you there but can tell you what a great dog he is with other people's children, I often feel sad for him as he is always latching on to kids in the park or on the beach he loves to play with them ( they are more energetic and fun than me! ). I dont know if you have seen it but there is a program about puppies on BBC at the moment, one of the families have a working cocker puppy, it wasn't working very well to start with and there were a few nips but that was really down to the children. Last they showed the trainer has set some rules for the children and ensured the puppy had his own space to get away and it looked to be working well now.
Reese does have different excersise patterns, I can take him out for hours when I am not at work mainly along the wolds or on the beach. I take him out for about half hour in the morning and again in the evening (longer when it's light at night) when I am at work, he does go to my mum's when I am at work and plays with her dog. I will also spend time with training and mental stimulation such a scent finding games this can wear him out more than a walk! ;)
I will admit the first few weeks I thought what the hell have I done, but that soon passes I have a happy, fun and sociable boy who loves life and it seems everyone and everything (apart from the birds and hedgehog in his garden!)
It sounds to me that you could have a lovely life with a cocker, you are researching, understand that it will need time out and the need to teach the children to respect the puppy, socialization and training but carry on with the research and I would suggest you go and meet some breeders and their dogs to get a better understanding and choosing a puppy from the right place is also very important.
Good luck and keep us posted. :D
-
Min - haha! Pocket rocket! Brilliant. If we ended up with a Cocker on the small side - actually that would suit us fine (if not better probably!) It's KCS he has issue with. I think they're cute - but he is adamant they 'have no profile'! I mean, how could you say such a thing!?
bizzylizzy - that's really helpful. I know we would have days where a longer walk or playtime off lead would work great... but other days where we just wouldn't have hours to *avoid work* by enjoying lengthly galavants with our dog! (Tempting as it may be!)
We do have a garden but it's small! We are in a Victorian Terraced House by the Sea. Though our garden does have some grass and has a garden feel rather than a 'yard' feel. The kids would certainly be encouraging games in the garden out there!
Theo961 - Thank you. I was worried I was going to bore the pants off of people! It is for the reasons you have said - because it's a huge decision for both us and dog and we want to be ready and get it right. Slightly daunted by your cocker puppy experience being more than you had known before - well nothing like jumping in at the deep end(!) Atleast we would be well ready for any more dogs in the future! So lovely to hear how Reese is with children. This makes me go all fuzzy on the inside! What a joy a dog like Reese would be!
I DID SEE THE SHOW! AGHHHHHH! I saw the episode where the trainer came in and helped them to understand the dog needs time to chill and not to play. My 3 year old DS is an energetic, cheeky chap - but he doesn't have quite the same temperament as the little girl in that show. ph34r There would not be repeated stealing of puppy from puppy's crate - or he would be the one in time out! If anything, it made me realise how patient a cocker could be!
Thank you all. We will start looking at breeders and keep you updated.
-
I am on my 5th and 6th Cockers at the moment(sisters) and have had them for 40 years now, I have never found the need to crate train, I hate the things and feel so many dogs are abused with them. Nor have I found the need to empty my pockets enrolling in obedience or puppy classes which seem fashionable at the moment. Just brought them up to live alongside us in our lifestyle , basic 'training' you can do yourself, if nes with a little advice ,they are great dogs, lovely characters, love walks, love attention...and I always say when people ask if they are good with children.....are your children good with dogs, because ironically it is usually the children that require the training NOT the dogs.....lol .
-
I am on my 5th and 6th Cockers at the moment(sisters) and have had them for 40 years now, I have never found the need to crate train, I hate the things and feel so many dogs are abused with them. Nor have I found the need to empty my pockets enrolling in obedience or puppy classes which seem fashionable at the moment. Just brought them up to live alongside us in our lifestyle , basic 'training' you can do yourself, if nes with a little advice ,they are great dogs, lovely characters, love walks, love attention...and I always say when people ask if they are good with children.....are your children good with dogs, because ironically it is usually the children that require the training NOT the dogs.....lol .
Certainly agree with that last bit!!
As for crates, there's crate training and crate training - I read an old Barbara Woodhouse book last week (her name came up in conversation on here), she advocated putting male dogs into a crate so low that they couldn't cock their legs in order to stop marking!!! , >:D I don't think anyone would do that these days, neither do people tend to leave puppies in crates all day here, as seems to be widely practised in the U.S. I'd never used one before until I had Humphrey but I found it extremely useful (we have a large transport box rather than a metal crate), it offers security, it kept him (and my furnishings!) safe if I needed to leave him for a short time in the day when he was little and it comes with us now when we take him anywhere, its his little home on wheels and helps him settle in the car or in hotels etc. We took the door off altogether as soon as was out of the young puppy stage. He was never in there for long periods except at night but I think, especially in busy households where they sometimes just need a safe haven, they're wonderful. Its like everything, its how you use them that counts.
-
As for crates, there's crate training and crate training - I read an old Barbara Woodhouse book last week (her name came up in conversation on here), she advocated putting male dogs into a crate so low that they couldn't cock their legs in order to stop marking!!! , :fear2:
crikey that sounds a bit OTT >:( if they were that worried about doggy habits perhaps the owners should have kept golfish where all the mess they made was kept within the confines of a goldfish bowl/fishtank.
-
I am on my 5th and 6th Cockers at the moment(sisters) and have had them for 40 years now, I have never found the need to crate train, I hate the things and feel so many dogs are abused with them. Nor have I found the need to empty my pockets enrolling in obedience or puppy classes which seem fashionable at the moment. Just brought them up to live alongside us in our lifestyle , basic 'training' you can do yourself, if nes with a little advice ,they are great dogs, lovely characters, love walks, love attention...and I always say when people ask if they are good with children.....are your children good with dogs, because ironically it is usually the children that require the training NOT the dogs.....lol .
Certainly agree with that last bit!!
As for crates, there's crate training and crate training - I read an old Barbara Woodhouse book last week (her name came up in conversation on here), she advocated putting male dogs into a crate so low that they couldn't cock their legs in order to stop marking!!! , >:D I don't think anyone would do that these days, neither do people tend to leave puppies in crates all day here, as seems to be widely practised in the U.S. I'd never used one before until I had Humphrey but I found it extremely useful (we have a large transport box rather than a metal crate), it offers security, it kept him (and my furnishings!) safe if I needed to leave him for a short time in the day when he was little and it comes with us now when we take him anywhere, its his little home on wheels and helps him settle in the car or in hotels etc. We took the door off altogether as soon as was out of the young puppy stage. He was never in there for long periods except at night but I think, especially in busy households where they sometimes just need a safe haven, they're wonderful. Its like everything, its how you use them that counts.
I would agree on it being how you use them. I have only had my last 2 dogs ( Reese and my Clumber Loxley) use a crate. When Loxley was a puppy i didn't really have anywhere to separate him from my older dog ( and he would irritate her) Someone suggested a crate so I had a crate and pen to keep him safe if I wasn't there and then the crate with door always open as he got older (and respectfull of Jasmine) With Loxley I tried to take it away a few times and he just wouldn't settle without it. That's why I got one for Reese when he was a pup, gave me peace of mind when i went to sleep as he would chew/eat anything given the chance, the door is always open now and he has beds all over the house as well as the sofa! but he does take himself off to his crate if he wants to snooze.
-
I am on my 5th and 6th Cockers at the moment(sisters) and have had them for 40 years now, I have never found the need to crate train, I hate the things and feel so many dogs are abused with them. Nor have I found the need to empty my pockets enrolling in obedience or puppy classes which seem fashionable at the moment. Just brought them up to live alongside us in our lifestyle , basic 'training' you can do yourself, if nes with a little advice ,they are great dogs, lovely characters, love walks, love attention...and I always say when people ask if they are good with children.....are your children good with dogs, because ironically it is usually the children that require the training NOT the dogs.....lol .
Certainly agree with that last bit!!
As for crates, there's crate training and crate training - I read an old Barbara Woodhouse book last week (her name came up in conversation on here), she advocated putting male dogs into a crate so low that they couldn't cock their legs in order to stop marking!!! , >:D I don't think anyone would do that these days, neither do people tend to leave puppies in crates all day here, as seems to be widely practised in the U.S. I'd never used one before until I had Humphrey but I found it extremely useful (we have a large transport box rather than a metal crate), it offers security, it kept him (and my furnishings!) safe if I needed to leave him for a short time in the day when he was little and it comes with us now when we take him anywhere, its his little home on wheels and helps him settle in the car or in hotels etc. We took the door off altogether as soon as was out of the young puppy stage. He was never in there for long periods except at night but I think, especially in busy households where they sometimes just need a safe haven, they're wonderful. Its like everything, its how you use them that counts.
I see what you mean rubyduby. We certainly wouldn't be keeping one crated all day. I hadn't heard of it at all until I started looking into dogs etc. I think we would be using it very much like bizzylizzy describes. A comfortable 'den' where she can take herself if she wants. Also a helpful visual for the kids to know 'that's her space, we leave her be.' We would also plan on bringing this when we visit in-laws (or they are dog sitting for us), travel in car, go on holiday etc (something that during those first young years is consistent.)
40 years of cockers! Well if ever there was a testimony for going for an ECS then that would be it!
-
I am glad to see that you are thinking about this before, rather than after you have got the dog. That suggests you will do fine. I have had various kinds of spaniels all my life and can offer the following thoughts on your questions:
Walks - cockers are (within reason) very accommodating. If the weather is foul and you are up to your eyes in work then a short walk to do the necessary will suffice. Provided that the omission is made up for later.
Visitors - this is really a matter of making sure that the pup gets lots of early socialisation - meeting lots of people so that they are not seen as something strange and a threat. All the same you would still want the dog to be 'a good tenter' and bark when someone comes, I would have thought?
Calmness - Cockers can be incredibly chilled and spend hours at your feet whilst you are working. Provided Duke Ellington is on the playlist, Buster is quite happy to have a day with me writing, if that is what we are doing.
Training - even with a show dog they are, at their heart, bred to work. This means that they want to learn, want a job to do and preferably, one that they do with you as a team. If that day's job is washing then that's fine - give them something to carry for you and you have a happy pup.
Different walks - cockers know who does good walks and who does the short boring ones
Man Pride - When your dog is fully grown and fit it is usually the human rather than the spaniel who calls for a rest first. After the initial exuberance cockers tend to settle into what I call the 'cocker trot'. I don't know how far they can keep this up for. I have tried to find out on several occasions without success.
I hope everything works out for you
-
Crates are awesome. I got Marley when he was seven months old unfortunately he wasn't house trained. He lived in kennels in a yard until I got him. I put him in at night as I didn't want him sleeping in my room. He was fine after a couple of restless nights. I also put him in when I wasn't at home as I didn't want him peeing in the house or chewing my furniture. I was only Gone for four hours at the most. They don't pee in the crate that's mainly why I used it. He is 19 months old now. I don't lock him in it anymore. He sleeps in it at night but I dont force him in it he just goes in. He likes it.
-
Sodpot2000 - the thought of writing with a loveable creature warming my feet (terrible circulation) is quite the bonus!
Now on jobs and washing - this sounds interesting! Do you mean I could get my canine companion to bring the peg basket or something? I would love to "give jobs" but prob need to read up how you get this in action! (Sorry - I'll repeat how much of a total newbie I am to dogs in general. My pets have consisted of "Mr T" my telescopic eyed blackmoor and my much loved puffy fish!)
Gazrob - wow. What a life Marley now leads. So glad he's our of a kennel and into a loved home. The crate sounds great.
-
We just used dog beds......and if we were out the dogs had the freedom of the house, and in some cases (we did live remote) they had permanent access through a dog flap, which was perfect, they did dig the graden up, but as yet never had a Spaniel that was either destructive or moulted...so no mess beyond house training as a puppy, and even this was swift and easy
-
I have a female golden cocker(and two labradors). Nerys is part Show/part worker and came to us at 12 months - possibly why she is not very fond of male visitors, possibly someone upset her before we got her. She has many good qualities, and does love my grandchildren. However, we do have to be careful when unknown people visit, while the labradors are brilliant with everyone (despite only coming to us aged 8 and 7).
Her recall is also not brilliant! I don't want to put you off though - just painting a different picture! Our son's CKC spaniel was an ideal dog for a family with young children.
You are obviously doing lots of research - good luck in finding your perfect dog :D
-
I am glad to see that you are thinking about this before, rather than after you have got the dog. That suggests you will do fine. I have had various kinds of spaniels all my life and can offer the following thoughts on your questions:
Walks - cockers are (within reason) very accommodating. If the weather is foul and you are up to your eyes in work then a short walk to do the necessary will suffice. Provided that the omission is made up for later.
Visitors - this is really a matter of making sure that the pup gets lots of early socialisation - meeting lots of people so that they are not seen as something strange and a threat. All the same you would still want the dog to be 'a good tenter' and bark when someone comes, I would have thought?
Calmness - Cockers can be incredibly chilled and spend hours at your feet whilst you are working. Provided Duke Ellington is on the playlist, Buster is quite happy to have a day with me writing, if that is what we are doing.
Training - even with a show dog they are, at their heart, bred to work. This means that they want to learn, want a job to do and preferably, one that they do with you as a team. If that day's job is washing then that's fine - give them something to carry for you and you have a happy pup.
Different walks - cockers know who does good walks and who does the short boring ones
Man Pride - When your dog is fully grown and fit it is usually the human rather than the spaniel who calls for a rest first. After the initial exuberance cockers tend to settle into what I call the 'cocker trot'. I don't know how far they can keep this up for. I have tried to find out on several occasions without success.
I hope everything works out for you
I've found all of this to be true of Henry BUT you may have to wait. He will now sleep under the table while I'm working and not demand any attention, but this is quite a recent phenomenon and he will be two years old later this month. He is becoming a calm and accommodating companion, but it's been a long haul.
He is incredibly forgiving about not getting a huge walk every day. I badly injured my foot nearly a year ago and am still under orders to limit walking so Henry gets no more than 45 minutes with me in the morning and then 20 minutes in the evening, but only if someone else is able to take him out. If it doesn't happen, he's fine. He gets a couple of mammoth walks with my OH at the weekend - when Henry sees him putting his walking shoes on of a Saturday morning, he starts bouncing off the walls with excitement. I regularly meet people who walk their dogs for hours on end to wear them out - I suspect all they are doing is training their dogs to be walking endurance athletes. Although if you have hours to spend walking and enjoy it, that's another matter.
-
I am glad to see that you are thinking about this before, rather than after you have got the dog. That suggests you will do fine. I have had various kinds of spaniels all my life and can offer the following thoughts on your questions:
Walks - cockers are (within reason) very accommodating. If the weather is foul and you are up to your eyes in work then a short walk to do the necessary will suffice. Provided that the omission is made up for later.
Visitors - this is really a matter of making sure that the pup gets lots of early socialisation - meeting lots of people so that they are not seen as something strange and a threat. All the same you would still want the dog to be 'a good tenter' and bark when someone comes, I would have thought?
Calmness - Cockers can be incredibly chilled and spend hours at your feet whilst you are working. Provided Duke Ellington is on the playlist, Buster is quite happy to have a day with me writing, if that is what we are doing.
Training - even with a show dog they are, at their heart, bred to work. This means that they want to learn, want a job to do and preferably, one that they do with you as a team. If that day's job is washing then that's fine - give them something to carry for you and you have a happy pup.
Different walks - cockers know who does good walks and who does the short boring ones
Man Pride - When your dog is fully grown and fit it is usually the human rather than the spaniel who calls for a rest first. After the initial exuberance cockers tend to settle into what I call the 'cocker trot'. I don't know how far they can keep this up for. I have tried to find out on several occasions without success.
I hope everything works out for you
I've found all of this to be true of Henry BUT you may have to wait. He will now sleep under the table while I'm working and not demand any attention, but this is quite a recent phenomenon and he will be two years old later this month. He is becoming a calm and accommodating companion, but it's been a long haul.
He is incredibly forgiving about not getting a huge walk every day. I badly injured my foot nearly a year ago and am still under orders to limit walking so Henry gets no more than 45 minutes with me in the morning and then 20 minutes in the evening, but only if someone else is able to take him out. If it doesn't happen, he's fine. He gets a couple of mammoth walks with my OH at the weekend - when Henry sees him putting his walking shoes on of a Saturday morning, he starts bouncing off the walls with excitement. I regularly meet people who walk their dogs for hours on end to wear them out - I suspect all they are doing is training their dogs to be walking endurance athletes. Although if you have hours to spend walking and enjoy it, that's another matter.
I am intrigued by this talk of calm, my one has never shown much level of calmness. Maybe it depends on the working pedigree.
-
I have a female golden cocker(and two labradors). Nerys is part Show/part worker and came to us at 12 months - possibly why she is not very fond of male visitors, possibly someone upset her before we got her. She has many good qualities, and does love my grandchildren. However, we do have to be careful when unknown people visit, while the labradors are brilliant with everyone (despite only coming to us aged 8 and 7).
Her recall is also not brilliant! I don't want to put you off though - just painting a different picture! Our son's CKC spaniel was an ideal dog for a family with young children.
You are obviously doing lots of research - good luck in finding your perfect dog :D
Thank you for your comments. It is helpful to hear a different picture.
Will pass on the CKS comments but my expectations are low. Lol!
-
Its great to read that you are researching the breed and preparing yourself as much as you can.
Firstly you have definately come to the right forum as there are some great people on here who will always offer advice.
I was in the same situation as you i.e first dog and 2 kids (mine slightly older than yours).
Mine cocker Jett is 10 months old now and I got him at 9 weeks old. We went for a cocker because I wanted a gentle family dog that was clever and had enough energy to go running with me.
We definitely got that, he is absolutely nuts :005: but at the same time he is completely harmless. He loves the kids so much and will happily play with them for hours.
I must admit there has been times when its been hard but i'm now at a stage where he is just amazing.
I have crate trained Jett, he goes in his crate at 10pm and will sleep through the night. I know some puppies are fine with this and it will only take a day or so to adapt, this was not the case for Jett. He was a royal pain and at first, he hated it and cried and barked constantly. Obviously with kids trying to sleep it was stressful times.
However with help from this forum I realised what I did wrong. I orignially got him the biggest crate you can buy, my human mind felt that he would like the space. I also put water and food in there. Both these choices were a mistake on my behalf. I got him a small crate so he felt snug and made sure he had water before bed, I also covered the crate with a blanket and put a clock next to the crate. He then loved it and started to relax and he slept well.
Jett then started to grow and a few months later he started barking and crying again. I then made the decision to change his crate back to the big one. He is now happy again and just loves his crate.
Puppy training is definately a good idea as it gives the puppy the basic commands.
Another thing I picked up on is when Jett rests I tell my kids to leave him be and the kids are not allowed to play with him in his crate. The crate is his area and its not play time when he is in there. When Jett is tired he does naughty things so we make sure he gets his rest.
He gets 2 walks a day, normally one in the morning for an hour and another in the evening for 30 minutes. He probably would be fine with 30 minute walks but we are just in a routine and we like to get out.
Sorry one other thing, when we needed to go out and leave Jett we got a puppy play pen which was very good and it kept him safe and at the same time enough space for him to play and run around.
Good luck with it all and keep us updated. :D
-
It's great fun, isn't it, remembering what our cockers were like when we first brought them home. Our Penny is almost five and is the most well organised little thing you could imagine. She has very definite habits and fits into our family beautifully. She's a bit like a very fussy maiden aunt.
But it wasn't always like this. As a puppy she was a dreadful biter. You will really have to supervise the children carefully for about the first year, if our experience is any guide. Once we got past the biting stage she developed a very soft mouth and I'm sure she wouldn't bite anyone now, even in pain.
We haven't given her a lot of exercise, but it is great fun when you do take her for a walk, as she has very definite ideas about which street to walk down and which dogs she will talk to.
As for strangers in the house, she barks like mad at everybody, even family members, but settles down very quickly a few minutes after they arrive. I think her insanebarking means "how wonderful to see you again, where have you been, gee you smell nice today why don't we go on a walk, and by the way, have you brought any food?"
In short she is the most intelligent and human dog I've ever known. She loves to learn new tricks and display them to everyone.
If you do get a cocker you will probably find the cockerdile stage hard, but your main problem might be, like me, that everyone loves her so much they won't stop feeding her, and you will have to be on your guard as she will happily pretend she is starving.
-
Thanks bmthmark and moneypenny for your experience of family life plus a dog.
They both sound fun.
Slightly nervous about the cockerdile stage. Should I expect the worse and thank God if it's less then I was expecting? Bmthmark - was yours nippy?
Amazing advice about the crate and a puppy pen! What crate do you think would be a good idea to start with? I am confused by 24" or 30" advice! I was hoping to get a cover (I know it's a bit of an unnecessary expense, but I figure the crate will look nicer in the kitchen and provide a cosier den feel for pup!)
-
We got a nice blanket to cover Henry's crate, which is permanently in the dining area of our kitchen. The blanket goes with the rest of our colour scheme and looks much nicer than a plain old crate! It's always covering the top (where I also keep wicker baskets to store doggy stuff) and sides and we just neatly fold the front up when he's not in it.
-
Hi lilgingemama and welcome.
I've just picked up on this thread. Good for you to be doing such extensive research so far up front.
A couple of feedbacks for you as the owner of a now 9 month old WCS:
Exercise: Well our boy is pretty good and fits into our ever changing routine very well. On average he gets walked twice every three days I guess and then for an hour to an hour and a half each time. He can manage three days without a walk, but by r=then he's starting to get into mischief around the house. In addition to the walks he has free run of the garden and most of the house when we're home but largely he's happiest wherever we are. He also gets a lunch time constitutional to the local park every day. That's only a short walk and takes around 15 mins max. On the other hand his predecessor was a show/worker mix and she needed walking for an hour every day. By the way, you say you live by the sea; our experience is that Cockers just love the seaside, both beaches and the sea itself.... and tires them out at a great rate of knots.
Interaction with strangers: This is a nature and nurture kinda thing. Our boy comes into work with my wife and I every day. He generally curls up on a camping chair behind my desk and dozes the day away. We have a fairly healthy stream of new clients every day, and he ususally ignores those who only popping in for a short visit, coming out to investigate those who stay a little longer. 19 out of every 20 visitors who meet him find him adorable, with the other one being dog shy. He enjoys the fuss from those who like him and quickly retires to his chair from those that don't.
Crockerdile: Yes their teeth( and claws) are sharp as needles and like all puppies they do explore the world by chewing on it for the first 6 months or there about. But cockers are clever little darlings and very quickly catch onto what is acceptable behaviour.
For us we feel the key to our little boy's lovely temperament was in his choosing at the breeders. In stead of going for the most energetic pup, the one that pushed himself upon us, we instead were drawn to his quieter sibling who stayed in the background and appraised us before coming forward. That think-first, and then act behaviour is still very much part of his make-up. It doesn't make him the sharpest of gun-dogs, but he's a delight as a member of the family.
So, in summary, don't be put off Cockers, they are the loveliest, funniest, softest and most kind hearted little beasts. True they do drive us all mad at times mostly because of their joie de vivre. I think that everybody on here would agree that our lives would be all the sadder without them.
Lest us know what you decide although I think you've decided already!
-
Ha ha true to form our lovely little boy had a devilish moment while I was typing the last reply .http://cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/Smileys/classic/diablo.gif (I'm working from home today). I was only alerted by a strange howling and was greeted by a very apologetic Bad-Barnaby-Brown when went to investigate.
If someone can tell me how to post pics on here now that Photobucket's not playing ball, I'll upload a pic of the scene that met me:-)))
J
-
Ha ha true to form our lovely little boy had a devilish moment while I was typing the last reply .http://cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/Smileys/classic/diablo.gif (I'm working from home today). I was only alerted by a strange howling and was greeted by a very apologetic Bad-Barnaby-Brown when went to investigate.
If someone can tell me how to post pics on here now that Photobucket's not playing ball, I'll upload a pic of the scene that met me:-)))
J
Definitely need to elaborate on this :D
Thanks for giving me a glimpse into a life with your cocker. What a laid back dude! I wonder if we include little-cocker into our normal lives and socialise early on then they will be used to people coming and going.
Yes, you've got me. Trouble is holding back and letting a but of time pass before we nose dive into a puppy at a chaotic time rather than a wise time... I think...
-
Ha ha true to form our lovely little boy had a devilish moment while I was typing the last reply .http://cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/Smileys/classic/diablo.gif (I'm working from home today). I was only alerted by a strange howling and was greeted by a very apologetic Bad-Barnaby-Brown when went to investigate.
If someone can tell me how to post pics on here now that Photobucket's not playing ball, I'll upload a pic of the scene that met me:-)))
J
Definitely need to elaborate on this :D
Thanks for giving me a glimpse into a life with your cocker. What a laid back dude! I wonder if we include little-cocker into our normal lives and socialise early on then they will be used to people coming and going.
Yes, you've got me. Trouble is holding back and letting a but of time pass before we nose dive into a puppy at a chaotic time rather than a wise time... I think...
One last tip before you take the plunge - standing in the garden at 3 am in your jimjams waiting for a "wee wee" is best done in the summer months!! ;)
-
Funny Jayne, I was just thinking that the best advice I could give not to bring a puppy home mid-winter.
It set us back many months in the toilet training department and cost us a couple of carpets and two seriously scraped and chewed doors!
-
Duly noted... :doh:
-
Ah! Also, any tips on kids playing with toys?! Is it a "if you want a dog it's play/keep toys in your bedroom time "
-
Our kids flew the nest a long while ago, but there's one real advantage I can see of having a young cocker in the mix with kids..... very quickly the kids will learn to tidy up and keep their stuff tidy, our of sight and reach of the cockerdile :-)
-
Our kids flew the nest a long while ago, but there's one real advantage I can see of having a young cocker in the mix with kids..... very quickly the kids will learn to tidy up and keep their stuff tidy, our of sight and reach of the cockerdile :-)
I see... every cloud!
-
Not sure this will work, but here's a link to a couple of pics of our young offender
https://www.flickr.com/gp/131027281@N08/27U2pM
Hopefully you'll be able to see an ashamed Cocker surrounded by the spoils of his handywork on a once lovely little stuffed-dog doorstop.
It was hard to be cross with him with that look on his face :-)
-
Well... it's hard to tell what it was (note past tense!) from the remains!
He looks a mix of "I'm so guilty" with "it wasn't me"...
-
Thanks bmthmark and moneypenny for your experience of family life plus a dog.
They both sound fun.
Slightly nervous about the cockerdile stage. Should I expect the worse and thank God if it's less then I was expecting? Bmthmark - was yours nippy?
Amazing advice about the crate and a puppy pen! What crate do you think would be a good idea to start with? I am confused by 24" or 30" advice! I was hoping to get a cover (I know it's a bit of an unnecessary expense, but I figure the crate will look nicer in the kitchen and provide a cosier den feel for pup!)
With regards to biting he did it a little bit when he was young but we were keen to encourage him to not do it. When he started we stopped playing with him and gave him something to chew on. We also told him no, he is very good now and he is very gentle.
With regards to the crate, I started off with the small one then replaced it at 6 months with a larger one.
I did use just a blanket but I've just replaced it with an actual cover (from argos).
As someone else said if you live near the beach the pup will love it as they seem to love water.
-
Thank you. That's really helpful.
In fact thank you everybody! What a cocker-mad but cocker-lovely community!
We do live by the seaside! I'm afraid it's pebbles though... is this bad? Do dogs like munching stones and shells!? Also SILLY question but when one let's their doggy go a dip in the sea - do they stay within safe distance and come back well?! This petrifies me! Am I gonna be doing a baywatch move to rescue my dog?!
-
Not sure this will work, but here's a link to a couple of pics of our young offender
https://www.flickr.com/gp/131027281@N08/27U2pM
Hopefully you'll be able to see an ashamed Cocker surrounded by the spoils of his handywork on a once lovely little stuffed-dog doorstop.
It was hard to be cross with him with that look on his face :-)
He's looking appropriately apologetic, I reckon he can be forgiven!! He really is a beautiful boy though, you couldn't be cross with him for long anyway! :luv:
-
Thank you. That's really helpful.
In fact thank you everybody! What a cocker-mad but cocker-lovely community!
We do live by the seaside! I'm afraid it's pebbles though... is this bad? Do dogs like munching stones and shells!? Also SILLY question but when one let's their doggy go a dip in the sea - do they stay within safe distance and come back well?! This petrifies me! Am I gonna be doing a baywatch move to rescue my dog?!
From my experience jett was fine with pebbles. He ran perfectly well on them and never ate them. Tissues and rubbish was jetts favourite and when he is tired he is still partial to an old used smelly tissue (yuk)
Jett runs off in to the sea and only swims a little bit then runs back to me then in the sea (this happens probably 100 times :lol2:) he doesn't really go that far
-
Yay! Also on a lazy day (for me!) a walk to the beach followed by dog whipping in and out of the sea sounds like a great plan!
-
We don't have our ECS yet, but we'll bring one home in mid October.
What I want to say is based on my experience with our current dog. Make sure you decide upon some rules and stick with them. For instance, if you find later on that you are not happy with the dog sleeping in your bed, will have a much harder time training him to sleep on his mattress than if you did it from the beginning.
In time I realized that I cannot sleep with our dog in bed (allergy and sleeping issues) and now she seems very depressed just because I put her mattress on the ground. I wish she has never gotten used in our bed and now I would not feel so guilty that she is sad.
Just my experience with our dog.
Good luck!
-
That is good advice. It's harder to unlearn a behaviours than it is to train it .
-
I have never found the need to crate train, I hate the things and feel so many dogs are abused with them.
I think crates are good for dog's safety. When I am not at home (few hours a week) I need to know that my dog does not chew on something that eventually can harm him. Pieces of hard plastic may end up piercing his stomach. I prefer a few hours of crating that thousands of dollars in dog surgery.
-
I agree that it's vital to establish bedtime rules early. It's very cute having a puppy sleep on your bed or a child's bed when she is a puppy, but if you don't want to be at the beck and call of a grown dog all night it is easier to establish a bedtime location and stick to it.
We have never used a crate, but from the time Penny came home we put her in a dog bed in the laundry with the door closed at night. We only had a few nights of complaining and then she settled down. We now have a bedtime routine involving every member of the household kissin g and patting her goodnight at about 930 pm and then she happily goes to bed in the laundry and doesn't reappear till about 7 am the next morning.
Very civilised!
-
I agree that it's vital to establish bedtime rules early. It's very cute having a puppy sleep on your bed or a child's bed when she is a puppy, but if you don't want to be at the beck and call of a grown dog all night it is easier to establish a bedtime location and stick to it.
We have never used a crate, but from the time Penny came home we put her in a dog bed in the laundry with the door closed at night. We only had a few nights of complaining and then she settled down. We now have a bedtime routine involving every member of the household kissin g and patting her goodnight at about 930 pm and then she happily goes to bed in the laundry and doesn't reappear till about 7 am the next morning.
Very civilised!
THANK YOU for sharing your routine. It makes me feel much better. So many people tell me that they let the dogs in bed with them and I was feeling so guilty for moving the Doxie on the ground and also for planning to keep the ECS on the ground. But for me is lesson learned: never let any of my dogs in bed with us.
-
You mentioned eating pebbles from the beach. Barnaby has not done this, but we did go through a stage of him eating stones from the garden.
Our vet reckons it is instinctual for puppies craving calcium to assist their bone growth. They can also develop a taste for walls and mortar at this stage.
I'm not sure the vet is right as Barnaby's stone eating phase was mostly restricted to granite, although he did do an amazingly thorough job of removing all the mortar from the front step and patio walls. End result is that no vet visits were called for, and it doesn't seem to have done him any harm.
From reading this forum, with regards to eating stones, it seems that some puppies do and some don't.
-
For us we feel the key to our little boy's lovely temperament was in his choosing at the breeders. In stead of going for the most energetic pup, the one that pushed himself upon us, we instead were drawn to his quieter sibling who stayed in the background and appraised us before coming forward. That think-first, and then act behaviour is still very much part of his make-up. It doesn't make him the sharpest of gun-dogs, but he's a delight as a member of the family.
I would agree with this when looking for a family dog - watch the pups as a group and don't go for the one throwing their weight around with the other pups - go for the quieter, gentle one. This is what my aunt was advised by the breeder of cockers they went to and it worked very well for their family of young children. We, unfortunately :005: picked the most rambunctious pup and he was a very challenging pup and I believe will continue to have issues that we will need to manage.
Also try to spend time with both parents to assess their temperaments as far as possible, and try to ensure they don't have nervous, skittish behaviour. Guarding behaviour is something that can crop up in cockers and some believe (myself included) can have a genetic component so maybe just check with the breeder that the parents aren't known to have any issues with guarding or body handling.
-
Thanks everyone.
We were thinking as tempting as it is - to keep to a dog sleeping to downstairs. It's helpful to hear about setting routines like this from early on. Well done for doing the tough work of setting a new routine.
Stone eating - ah! Good to know! So we'll have to watch and see. Slightly concerned for my tiny (but beloved) garden (!!!)
Pup choosing - this is REALLY helpful to know. We do want as calm and friendly a dog as possible. Will defo try to implement this when we choose and suss out the pups parents.
Is this a tricky factor when you are looking for certain specs? E.g. wanting a female golden cocker?! Do you commit to a breeder before you choose a pup? Or visit litters hoping to pick? Or if a breeder likes you - can you ask them to reserve a chilled out golden? Sorry! That's a lot of questions!
-
Is this a tricky factor when you are looking for certain specs? E.g. wanting a female golden cocker?! Do you commit to a breeder before you choose a pup? Or visit litters hoping to pick? Or if a breeder likes you - can you ask them to reserve a chilled out golden? Sorry! That's a lot of questions!
In my experience, it is very difficult to find a breeder and a pup. They usually have one 2 litters / year and their waiting list is long. At least in the USA. I doubt that you will have the opportunity to go to 3-4 breeders when you plan to bring the pup home, and choose just the right one.
Yes, you can tell the breeder what you want, and to keep the pup for you, but you have to place a deposit and this is 2-3 days after they were born.
In our case, my breeder will give us the pup she thinks is right for us. I just told her who we are, and what we are looking for. Given that she sees the pups for 10-12 weeks she knows better their temperament. Although the look is important, don't make it your firs criteria of selection. If I were you, I would find 2-3 breeders, tell them precisely how is your family and how do you want the dog to be.
Good luck.
I looked for a pup for a long time.
-
Thanks everyone.
We were thinking as tempting as it is - to keep to a dog sleeping to downstairs. It's helpful to hear about setting routines like this from early on. Well done for doing the tough work of setting a new routine.
Stone eating - ah! Good to know! So we'll have to watch and see. Slightly concerned for my tiny (but beloved) garden (!!!)
Pup choosing - this is REALLY helpful to know. We do want as calm and friendly a dog as possible. Will defo try to implement this when we choose and suss out the pups parents.
Is this a tricky factor when you are looking for certain specs? E.g. wanting a female golden cocker?! Do you commit to a breeder before you choose a pup? Or visit litters hoping to pick? Or if a breeder likes you - can you ask them to reserve a chilled out golden? Sorry! That's a lot of questions!
I don't know that there are any hard and fast rules, I wouldn't commit to anything until you've seen the puppy and are 100% sure he/she is the one you want. When I was looking for Humphrey. I told the breeder before the litter was born what I was looking for and she put me on a list as she's had other enquiries also. The first viewing was after a couple of weeks, after their eyes were open and we chose Humphrey, -( all the others were eating dinner and Humph had to be woken up to make aure he didn't miss his!! :005: - he's always been pretty laid back! ;) ) Once decided, we paid the deposit.
Every situation is different but I would say take your time, phone round a few breeders and ask what their procedures/arrangements are, just don't allow yourself to be pressured and if you've any reservations at all, walk away. Any breeder worth his/her salt will be as anxious as you are to make sure the right owner matches the right puppy and should also be asking questions of you too. Another good idea is to meet the beeeder, have a good chat and get a first impression before actually seeing the pups, - once faced with the litter, all sense goes out od the window!!! ;)
-
Great thoughts and help both of you. Thank you.
I wonder if there are more breeders here Arrielle, DH has a list for the South East of the UK that is huge! It sounds like finding a GOOD breeder is the issue for us brits!
Love that Humphrey was sleeping through dinner. Haha. Brilliant!
-
I wonder if there are more breeders here Arrielle, DH has a list for the South East of the UK that is huge! It sounds like finding a GOOD breeder is the issue for us brits!
Yes that is the issue - there are huge numbers of people breeding dogs in the UK but only a small percentage will be "good" in the sense of doing all the recommended health tests, breeding for the right reasons, knowledge of the breed etc. I haven't read all this thread sorry but if you are looking for a gold bitch from a good breeder, you will inevitably have to be extremely patient as such a puppy will not be easy to find (you will probably find it much easier if you don't limit yourself to a particular colour). Also I see you have mentioned sussing out both parents, you should always see the mother of course but many good breeders will not own the stud dog necessarily - they will use the best dog for their girl but he could live could anywhere in the country. So don't expect always to be able to meet the father :-)
-
I wonder if there are more breeders here Arrielle, DH has a list for the South East of the UK that is huge! It sounds like finding a GOOD breeder is the issue for us brits!
Yes that is the issue - there are huge numbers of people breeding dogs in the UK but only a small percentage will be "good" in the sense of doing all the recommended health tests,
I am in the USA but I experienced the same thing - very few good breeders and those are hard to get in touch with or don't have litters. I found mine at a dog-show and just by chance she was planning a litter this summer. The only dog that I actually saw was a pup from same parents she was planning to reproduce. I never saw the mother or the father in real life. Only some pictures. However I trust her. For one think, she screened me and my husband 10 times more than we screened her dogs :)
In the end you also take a chance. After you made sure the breeder is reputable and her dogs won some prizes, it's like with humans: they have personalities .
-
I wonder if there are more breeders here Arrielle, DH has a list for the South East of the UK that is huge! It sounds like finding a GOOD breeder is the issue for us brits!
Yes that is the issue - there are huge numbers of people breeding dogs in the UK but only a small percentage will be "good" in the sense of doing all the recommended health tests, breeding for the right reasons, knowledge of the breed etc. I haven't read all this thread sorry but if you are looking for a gold bitch from a good breeder, you will inevitably have to be extremely patient as such a puppy will not be easy to find (you will probably find it much easier if you don't limit yourself to a particular colour). Also I see you have mentioned sussing out both parents, you should always see the mother of course but many good breeders will not own the stud dog necessarily - they will use the best dog for their girl but he could live could anywhere in the country. So don't expect always to be able to meet the father :-)
Thank you Jane. This seems like one of the most important yet toughest bits.
I am not joking when I say DH printed out a wadge of breeders numhers and addresses as thick as my thumb.
I'm totally overwhelmed by looking. Because I'm a first timer - I am nervous about getting it wrong or having the wool pulled over my eyes.
DH was a boy when he got his dog and parents were in charge - sounds like little Sammy was kept outdoors etc which now I hear is a no no!
Is there any reputable places to go? Is champdogs good or does that limit you to show cockers that actually "show"?
What would be a good price to pay? I've seen adverts from £400- £1300! We would rather wait for the right dog from the right breeder. We are in Sussex but would be willing to travel if anyone had a good experience (of a sincere breeder who would advise us on a great family dog!)
-
Thank you Jane. This seems like one of the most important yet toughest bits.
Ah, I see about the mother. I'd read that is was best to meet both but that makes sense from a good breeder.
I am not joking when I say DH printed out a list of breeders' numbers and addresses as thick as my thumb! There seem so many to work through and I'm totally overwhelmed by it. I am nervous about getting it wrong or having the wool pulled over my eyes as a first timer!
Is there any reputable places to go to help narrow our search down? Is champdogs good or is that only if you want to get a dog to "show"?
What do you think would be a good price to pay? I've seen adverts from £400- £1300!
We would rather wait for the right dog from the right breeder. We are in Sussex but would be willing to travel if anyone had a good experience of a sincere breeder who would advise us on a great family dog!
-
Thank you Jane. This seems like one of the most important yet toughest bits.
Ah, I see about the mother. I'd read that is was best to meet both but that makes sense from a good breeder.
I am not joking when I say DH printed out a list of breeders' numbers and addresses as thick as my thumb! There seem so many to work through and I'm totally overwhelmed by it. I am nervous about getting it wrong or having the wool pulled over my eyes as a first timer!
Is there any reputable places to go to help narrow our search down? Is champdogs good or is that only if you want to get a dog to "show"?
What do you think would be a good price to pay? I've seen adverts from £400- £1300!
We would rather wait for the right dog from the right breeder. We are in Sussex but would be willing to travel if anyone had a good experience of a sincere breeder who would advise us on a great family dog!
Champdogs is better than most breeder listing sites in that there is some vetting carried out & you can clearly see the KC registered names of parents, health test results etc (and you can filter out Working Cocker litters too if you want a show type puppy) but as in any website, you must still do your own checking & not take anything for granted. Champdogs is definitely not just for show dogs - there are plenty of breeders listed who have never shown in their lives ;)
Prices vary enormously - I have seen ads for Cockers for £1000 and above (and these are "normal" colours not the so-called "rare" colours) from breeders who are not producing top quality dogs and who seem to have no interest in the breed apart from making money from their litters. However it does depend on many factors - a fair price for a KC reg Cocker from health tested parents would for me be around the £800-£850 mark but there are many breeders who will ask whatever they think people will pay and there are obviously puppy buyers willing to pay over £1000 for a puppy :o
I would just advise you take your time, don't rush or be rushed by breeders who want you to pay a deposit immediately you enquire about a litter (so you don't "miss out" ). If you want a show type puppy, try to visit some shows and meet some breeders, meet their dogs too - it will all help in the long run. You have just missed the Hants & Sussex Cocker Club Open show which took place today but depending on how far you can travel, there are other shows in the SE over the next few months you could go to. I'll give you more info if you are interested :blink:
-
Thank you and yes please! :D :D :D