Cocker Specific Discussion > General Cocker Spaniel Discussion
Bailey The Rescued Cocker
AndyB:
:luv: :luv:
Lucky Bailey to have you. I too have recently taken on a rescue Cocker, Maisie. (Always had puppies before but decided as I am getting older a rescue made sense and my journey to get Maisie was difficult too). She is blue roan and 18 months old. Maisie has been with me now two and a half weeks and we are making good progress. When we are one to one she is almost fine now. Still won't pass me in a doorway. When I let her in from the garden I open the back door and I have to come back into the kitchen out of her sight before she will enter the house. Maisie didn't like the TV either at first and barked at it the first time it was turned on. She has wonderful cuddles in the evening now. She obviously hadn't been used to going on the sofa but now when I settle to watch TV in the evening and get her fleece blanket she is there, paws up, waiting to be lifted onto the sofa. She has never made any attempt to jump on the sofa, although I am sure she is quite capable. She is fine on walks but not great when other dogs approach. We have not walked where there is more heavy traffic and I'll probably avoid that for a long time. For the first four nights I had great difficulty in getting Maisie to come back into the house when I had let her into the garden for her late night wee. I do have quite a large garden so this was difficult. I realise now we just had to build up the trust and now she comes back to the door when she is ready, admittedly sometimes in her own time. >:D
When friends or family have come to visit and to see Maisie she is like a different dog. She retreats to the bottom of the garden, initially barking at whoever is visiting. She will not come anywhere near them, even people who she has now met 3 times. When the visitors have gone home she seems to regress back to the more nervous dog she was, reluctant to approach me and it often takes quite a lot of coaxing before she is her normal self again. It is going to be a long journey but she is soo worth it. Maisie is developing into a complete cuddle monster and I can often see her gratitude to me for giving her her forever home. I am Maisie's fourth owner and I don't know what went on in her past but she is developing into a beautiful, loving dog, which was absolutely what I wanted.
theshrew:
That’s good to hear.
Bailey wouldn’t come back into the house at first but he’s fine now. Like you say we just have to back away from the door.
Yesterday he’s had a roll about a couple of times in the living room which was nice to see. He really wants to get on the sofa with Missy but hasn't got the confidence just yet.
Apart from coming to us for a treat he won’t approach us. But he’s very inquisitive to see what your doing will follow you from room to room but then back off if you turn around. That’s he’s biggest problem once we’ve cracked that I’m sure he will make huge steps. I think it might be a while before we get to that stage though
theshrew:
I thought id give an update on Bailey i had planned to be more regular but unfortunately its been manic at work so i've not had the chance.
He's making progress slowly but surely but were heading in the right direction.
After about 2 weeks he would jump on the sofa to be next to Missy he just follows her everywhere. The last few days he's happy enough to hop on and sit next to us to although not that confident with that yet.
He played with a toy all by himself last night which put a huge smile on my face. Missy doesn't play at all these days so that's something he cant pick up on from her.
Walks - He absolutely loves them. He found his voice about a week ago and goes mad when he knows he's going out, He gets so excited but he wont come to use to let us put his lead on just yet but he is getting better with that. While out walking its a little mixed tbh with Missy hes pretty good but pulls like a train when he see's grass. I got him on a long line last weekend and he loved a run about although it was more like having a very young pup did it for a very short space of time then gave up. The best bit was he came to us when he saw Missy did and was happy to be rewarded and stroked a couple of times.
Missy had an issue with her paw last week so we didn't take her out for a few days, he wasn't to keen on that. On the long line he'd try and run off when i turned my back. On the plus side on the way back he walked really nice and kept looking for me for reassurance he'd normally be looking for Missy all the time.
His biggest issue is people approaching him. He will come for treats no problem now he will even climb up and take off my shoulder if im on the sofa. If you try to touch him he will back off very rapidly. Yet he will come and sit next to me and let me stroke him. Thats worse first thing in the morning he kinda takes a step back as hes been alone over night its 1 step forward 1 back at the moment then we will gain 0.1 of a step the next day.
Its going to be a long and at times very frustrating road but a very rewarding one.
bizzylizzy:
:luv: that sounds very positive, I‘m so glad he‘s making such good progress, he‘s obviously thawing out and feeling secure. As for pulling on the line - well that just proves he‘s a proper cocker ;) , very frustrating but better than him lagging behind and being disinterested (there‘s always a positive side to everything!! :lol2:).
Thanks for the update, looking forward to the next episode! :D
Mudmagnets:
Aww! That sounds like he is making really good progress, bless him :luv: :clapping: :clapping:
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