When they get hurt or scared

[Mari]

Warning: Sappy post, but it's true so I'm posting it anyway 

Laurië just yelped like something painful happened, then she walked quietly over to me and sat in my lap pressing her head to my chest. So now I've sat for 15 minutes hugging her and thinking of how precious it is that she comes to me for comfort in situations where she is scared or in pain. What an amazing honor it is to have her trust! I don't know what happened to make her react, she seems fine now. A good cuddle was all she needed I guess.

It just made me melt to think of all the times she has come to me for comfort. Like the time a pine needle got stuck in her paw and she limped over to me so I could fix it. Or the time we were woken up by a very loud thunderclap and she crawled under the duvet with me. Or that time at the vet hospital after she ate chocolate, she was shaking and uncoordinated and the situation stressed her, I hugged her and then she fell asleep in my arms.

How lucky are we to have these lovely little creatures love and trust us? 

[ips]

Not sappy at all.
I like the sound of the relationship you have with her / him

[Emilyoliver]

Aw...  that's lovely.  Shows the bond you have with her, and the trust she has in you.

[bizzylizzy]

That's lovely and the ultimate proof of the trust between you! I'm sure you've also experienced it the other way around too - when you've had a bad day and your heads banging and they just "know" and come and stick to you like glue!
Thats what a human/dog relationship is all about - non dog lovers don't know what they're missing!!!

[Mari]

Thanks    I really do feel we have a special relationship, but I bet that's how every cocker parent feels. It's the spaniel way to make us feel loved...and roll in stinky stuff, but mostly the making us feel loved bit But I think having to work so hard to earn her trust in the beginning makes it extra special to me. Even after so many years I could never take it for granted, I feel so lucky to have her in my life. And yes, she absolutely does comfort me too. It's amazing how well they can read us and just be there when we need it the most! My cat did the same when she was with us, pets are really good that way.

[AlanT]

My wife just had to do the same.
She threw his ball, it hit a window blind and the strip fell off and landed on him.

Immediate squeal of pain/alarm but these weigh nothing and was completely unhurt really.

Rattles and sudden moves from above the normal line of sight often produce this kind of panic.
I'd guess a Spaniel is such a nose-down dog they don't pay much attention to their upper field of view.

[Jaysmumagain]

Ollie does this too its almost like the hug and being extra close will kiss it better.

There is one thing Ollie also does and if he sees me in pain(back problems) he comes and does the cocker kisses to me, they are really so very precious

[Blueberry]

They are our babies, really, aren't they? (Speaking as one not blessed with the human sort, Blue is as close as I'll ever get).

[bizzylizzy]

They are our babies, really, aren't they? (Speaking as one not blessed with the human sort, Blue is as close as I'll ever get).

Absolutely!

[Mari]

Aww such cute stories! I had to laugh at the one getting spooked when something fell on him. It is so typical cockers, they follow their nose and forget to look around them. Like at the dog park, dogs will bounce up to Laurië inviting her to play with barks and happy snorts. But she will be so focused on her sniffing that she jumps in surprise when they poke their nose in her face. 

And yes they really are our babies 

[Neil]

Bobby got a shock from an electric fence whilst out on a group dog walk, off lead, last Saturday. I didn't actually see it happen, the first I new was on hearing a loud yelp, following which he ran berserkly round the field at top speed yelping and screaming his head off. To my surprise, he came immediately to me when I called and I was quickly able to calm him down. He walked with his tail down for about the next five minutes, then got back to normal. No lasting damage.

[Sumava Cockers]

Lovely story Mari :-)

Its true they really do feel our pain too,  even if we think we are hiding it.

Our old cocker,  Betty was very stoic.  She could be in considerable pain,  but not make a sound.  The only clue she's give us was by being much more cuddly with us.  Normally her idea of cuddles was just a few seconds,  but when something was up she'd hang around longer.

The new boy's completely different. He yelps and makes a big drama out of every little thing.  Injections at the vets sounds like he's enduring surgery without anesthetic.   He's also much more cuddly...so far.

[LisaL]

Aww this is a lovely post
After a week of having Diesel he met next doors cat....he skulked up to it to say hi and the cat must have sensed his insecurities and launched at him. Poor Diesel about turned, tail between legs and ran straight to me and cowered by my leg. He yelped so loud but the cat hadn't even touched him. It was a comedy moment where me or the neighbour knew how to react apart from laugh and comfort him. Bad cat..you could almost see it laughing!!