CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Specific Discussion => Puppies => Topic started by: Max10 on March 19, 2010, 05:16:47 PM
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HI I am looking for advice, i just picked a gorgeous golden cocker spaniel puppy :luv: he is 5 weeks old. While i was picking I met the father and the mother, the mother was a lovely dog really friendly and had no problem with us being around her pups, however the dad was a bit of concern. He was quite aggressive in my opinion, in the sense he barked alot when we approached (which would have been normal) but when we came back into the kicthen he started to growl and got quite nervous :-\ this is kinda concerning me as now i am worried that my male puppy with have his traits, i did ask the owners what the dad was like as a pup and they said that he was lovely had his own personality, and just tried to assert himself over the female that apart from that he is lovely just protective...so i am just wondering what your advise is regarding this? The puppy is vac'd , papers & chip'd :blink:
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Personally, I would walk away, and choose a puppy from parents with outstanding temperaments ;)
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Hello, welcome to the forum :D
I think that if you are unhappy with the temperament of either of the parents then I wouldn't have a pup from the litter :-\
Also have you asked the breeder if both the mum and dad of the pups have been dna tested for PRA (a genetic disease that causes early blindness) and FN (a fatal kidney disease that causes a very painful end at an early age). Reputable breeders at the bare minimum should be using these dna tests to ensure that any pups they breed will not be affected by these awful diseases.
If the breeder does do the dna testing then you should ask to see the certificates to show that both parents do not have/carry these diseases :blink:
It simply isn't worth the risk having a pup from parents who haven't been tested because the financial and emotional cost of getting a pup with these diseases is just massive :'(
Hope this info helps you decide what to do :blink:
Best wishes,
Mary xxx
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I'd walk away too I'm afraid :-\. Temperament is so important and I would only ever get a pup from a breeder who breeds from sound dogs. It's nothing to do with colour though ;). As has been said, check any breeder has had the appropriate tests done on the parents - here is a thread about finding a reputable breeder: http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php?topic=48072.0
ETA welcome to the forum :D
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I'm afraid it is very difficult, but with the signs that the sire is somewhat aggressive I would also walk away. I wouldn't even be sure that they had done all the proper health tests as they don't seem to have been mentioned. On the note of Golds having a worse temp. They do get a bad rep, but it simply isn't true. I have 2 golds and 1 red and have no problems with them what so ever. I think as long as you buy from a reputable breeder who has done all the relevant health tests and breed for temperament then you should be ok. You obviously have to bring them up right as well, but that's the same whatever breed or colour you choose. ;) I think it's very irresponsible of this breeder to breed from this dog to be honest. :-\
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Hi, and welcome to the forum :D, I know these replies are probably not want you want to hear, getting a new puppy is such an exciting time, but it's very important you pick a sound and healthy dog or you could end up regretting your choice. I also think it is irresponsible of this breeder to use a stud dog that is aggressive >:( I'm afraid I would also walk away.
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I'd walk away - there is no excuse for breeding from a dog with a questionable temperament and if she's prepared to do that it's most likely she's being complacent about other important factors too. Did she say why she'd bred this litter? It sounds like purely for cash to me.
What health tests have the parents had?
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I also agree to visit another breeder even if you have to wait for the puppies...
I waited for about one year the breeder I trusted to have puppies! ;)
Dogs with agressive & dominant personalities should not be used for breeding...
I am sure you will make the right decision! :D
Whatever you decide the COLs will support & help you on this! ;)
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Dogs of unsound temperament should never be bred from and it is most definitely not advisable to buy a poorly bred puppy from non health-tested and/or aggressive parents. Apart from anything else this kind of irresponsible breeding should not be encouraged. Sometimes people can be lucky and the pup is ok but equally sometimes they are not and the dog can end up with all manner of health and behavioural issues, those are the ones you don't usually hear about though. There are plenty of good breeders out there who put health, temperament and type first, if you need some advice on finding one have a look at the thread JennyBee linked to in her post.
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Very often you wouldn't get to meet the sire of a litter, and you have to go by the temprement of the mother and if a well know show/hobby breeder was used at stud their reputation for breeding only from happy, sound, healthy dogs.
Both parents temperaments could affect that of their offspring, personally I wouldn't want the father of a dog of mine to be anything other than placid and laid back. As you have had the opportunity to meet the sire of this litter and he seems aggressive I personally wouldn't take the chance!
As others have said health testing is also very important and so is the relationship you build/are building with the breeder and that the puppies are being raised in a happy, clean enviornment with all usual household noises and experiences.
Good luck whatever you decide..... :003:
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Another one that would walk away too.... sorry. :-\ To me temperament is the most important thing along with health testing. Have both parents been DNA tested for PRA and fn tested? Even if they have if it were me personally, I would not want a puppy from unsound parents. There is so much that can go wrong in bringing up a pup, so they certainly need the best start in life. ;)
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Dogs of unsound temperament should never be bred from and it is most definitely not advisable to buy a poorly bred puppy from non health-tested and/or aggressive parents. Apart from anything else this kind of irresponsible breeding should not be encouraged.
Believe me that is the truth, sadly.
Walk away while you can, there are other litters out there from tested and temperamentally sound parents. Don't take the risk or you will likely be posting on the behaviour board within months. :shades:
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Speaking from experience, albeit with a different breed, I too would walk away. I have a 2 year old lab who is a very nervous dog. When choosing her as a pup we saw the mother who was delightful and so friendly, but did not meet the sire. We got her from a gamekeeper, recommended to us, but not a reputable breeder as such.
Her nervousness resulted in fear agression and we have had to work very very hard to overcome this with her. She is now so much better and continually improving but it has taken 18 months of upset, hard work and not to mention the expense of behaviourists etc.
Lesson learnt for us, always use a reputable breeder and don't be worried to ask lots of questions, and walk away if your instincts tell you to.
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Please walk away! We went through the heartache of having our golden cocker put to sleep because of issues with aggression. As hard as it is, please don't let your heart rule your head. By the way, you can read about our experiences with Millie in the looking for a puppy section.
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I would walk away too. Many years ago when we didn't know any better we got a little blue roan pup who's mother was very nervous. Our pup was the same and although he was lovely and wouldn't have changed him for the world it made life very hard having such a nervous dog. Before we got Charlie (and before we joined COL ;))we went to look at a litter at someone's house who had both parents. Something just didn't seem right with the older dogs and the whole set-up so we just walked away.
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Don't want to highjack your thread max10 but could I just ask.......................... is there ever a time when a bitch or dog can be growly or apprehensive (don't want to use the words 'aggressive or nervous' because they speaks for themselves!) with humans around their young pups & it be acceptable? I've no personal experience (Purdey was a lovely mum & would let anyone & all have her pupsin exchange for a custard cream no doubt :005: ) but just wondered. When watching animal programmes, quite often the parents are very protective of their young & I know I would be if anyone came near my girls in a way that I felt inappropriate.
But back to the original post ..... have to agree with everything already said & to be honest if you have doubts yourself, then something can't be right for you to feel that way....trust your instincts - if it doesn't feel right, then don't do it ;) You'll know instantly when you find the pup that is right for you :luv:
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I don't have loads of experience about breeding, but I know that when Morgana had her pups she was a little concerned when people came to see them, but she never showed any aggression and soon settled and let people handle them. On the other hand when I worked in rescue my Nimue was born there and her mum was very nervous and aggressive and actual only me and the assistant manager at the centre where able to get close to her and her puppies. In my eyes she should never have been bred from even though my Nim is a very loving girl and of course I love her to bits. She can be funny around strangers and there has been probs with all the litter unlike Morganas litter who are no problem. I think it is natural for them to be a little protective around there pups, but if there general temp is sound it will not become a problem. I do hope that makes sense. :shades:
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In my limited experience, Jo Jo was an extremely proud mum & would love to show the puppies off to all visitors. :luv: :luv:
Tbh everyone used to fall in love with her because she does have a lovely temperament. :luv:
I have heard that the dam can be protective when feeding the pups, but once the puppies are being weaned at 3 weeks approx, this instinct starts to wane. :shades: Personally i would walk away as temperament & health tests have to be priority. The heartache & stress can be awful if you end up with an aggressive dog. :'(
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I can understand mum being a bit worried (rather than agressive) about people coming to see her pups but would it be normal for the father to be protective? Then again, most of us probably didn't have a pup where mum and dad were in the same home so I guess we wouldn't of seen them in the position :-\
If you are worried about the fathers nature, IMHO, I don't think you are going to enjoy your pup in the same way. I suspect every nuance of normal puppy behaviour is going to make you think there could be an issue brewing even if there is not, and there will be plenty who will add fuel to the fire when it's a gold cocker and tell you its "rage" even when that is very rare. Each comment and incident will make you question whether you're doing the right thing having seen dad act this way.
If you're having second thoughts, walk away. Gut feelings are often right.
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Id walk awa as well. I know someone who brought a pup from a house where there were 2 resident dogs. The femal had given birth to golden reteriver pups (pedigree) and it was the male collie that showed signs of agression. After the got the pup home the soon realised the collies aggression had impacted on the pups behaviour despite it not being related. It cost them hundreds in dog behaviourists and plenty of heart ache to get the dogs aggression to a managable level.
Those early weeks are vitally important in developing the dogs personality and its important the're in thr right enviroment during that time.
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If you are worried about the fathers nature, IMHO, I don't think you are going to enjoy your pup in the same way.
I agree too. ;) Even though i consider myself to be an experienced dog owner i am quite worried of buying another puppy because it really seems to be a total minefield. :-\ For example, after months of research & questioning it transpired that the grandsire of Jo Jo's 1st litter has behaviour problems ::) this only came to light after 2 pups from our litter of 9 (one is our Nina & luckily a close friend has the other) has behaviour probs & on delving deeper found this info. >:( I do feel absolutely sick that the owner of the sire is 'pimping' him out in full knowledge that his dad has these probs >:D This dog has sired countless litters....when i have asked it always seems to be 'oh he's had 6/7 litters already this year' :o I despair. :'( I am being brutally frank here but this person is a member of the Cocker Spaniel Club with numerous years of breeding & showing. ph34r :embarassed:
My personal hopes & dreams (originally) was to start my own lines with Nina but of course that is impossible to do now. :'( It is totally unfair to pass on nervous, grumpy behaviour to any other puppies. :'(
Sorry i am going slightly off topic here but just trying to show examples of how 'scary' it is trying to choose the right pup. Behavioural problems can skip a generation & most people don't have the benefit of knowing previous generations in the line. :huh:
Naive of me, i know, but really wish that all breeders were totally honest & straightforward. ::)
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When we brought Molly she was 11 weeks old when we first saw her, we met both mum and dad and they were adorable. We also met Poppy's parents and Poppy was just 3 weeks old, Poppy's mum was so soft and affectionate and didn't mind us being there at all and they brought dad into the room for us to see, he came for a quick fuss but was more interested in trying to see the puppies so they took him out but mum was such a sweetie the whole time, I could fault our breeder on a few other things but thats another story, but the temperament of her dogs wouldn't be one of them.
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WOW ok alot of strong opinions thanks to everyone, well i am now in a terrible situation i thought it was the way your rare your pup setting boundaries, training etc the pup i picked was so placid so i am hoping he got his mother's temperment, I have committed myself now so no going back..... he was just growly i suppose ...well wish me luck i have, as one person say not many get to see both parents etc the mother was gorgeous lovely temperment....i have had all sorts of breeds in past and I dont tolerate aggressive behaviour even as a pup so I do plan on training him and making sure i give him best possible start....i am from Ireland and there is no DNA testing here - now i could be wrong.... but the family love their dogs etc
thanks again for all your replies!! :blink:
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Hi max, just read this so commenting after your last post. I wish you luck if you have made your final decision, if there is any doubt in your mind it isnt too late to think again, it would be heart breaking for you to have him with you and then realise he has some aggressive traits. If your heart is set on having this little boy then I look forward to pics of him on the site when he is home with you. :blink:
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thank you ginnygirl, i just couldnt go back on it now, the family that own the father love him to bits i did question saying he had a "strong personailty" and he was protective over everyone the mum came up soo soo friendly even around the pups, there was one puppy that was hyper so i thought no i will pick the quiet one and just loved to be held, quite alert too held himself well, the other was tugging and biting my husbands jeans etc :005:
But i LOVE dogs and i do feel he is lucky as i will take so much care of him, im just soo excited as its been about 12 years since I have been in a situation to be able to have a dog again!
I will let you all know hopefully with all respect intended that you are wrong as im sure you all hope too ;)
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there was one puppy that was hyper so i thought no i will pick the quiet one and just loved to be held, quite alert too held himself well, the other was tugging and biting my husbands jeans etc :005:
The quiet one will turn into a hyper biting machine :shades: :005:
Good luck with your little one Im sure he/she is a little treasure!
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there was one puppy that was hyper so i thought no i will pick the quiet one and just loved to be held, quite alert too held himself well, the other was tugging and biting my husbands jeans etc :005:
The quiet one will turn into a hyper biting machine :shades: :005:
Good luck with your little one Im sure he/she is a little treasure!
Lovely thanks Holly2009 thanks for reassuring advice! :'(
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A little off the original topic but we picked the quite laid back lad out of the bunch thinking we could build his confidence....Well erm lets just say we have no confidence issues now :005: :005: I think the wee brat was just lulling us into a false sense of security before then deciding to reveal his true colours and be a bold little explorer who couldn't give a fig where we were :005:
Still I wouldn't have had hom any other way and he is a joy to own ;) :luv:
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Good luck. I picked the quiet one when i picked my last pup and shes stayed so calm and loving. Everyone keep remarking that shes so calm for a spaniel. Nippy, but that was easy sort out my just removing her from the game whenever she nipped.
Everyone has different critera when picking a dog. My first was from what most people consider to be a hobbie breeder but he was socialised to the home enviroment when we brought him home. He was very nearly house trained. MY second dog was from a working farm and had never been in a house when i brought her home and shes not very confident around people as a result but shes from strong working lines. Lots of people would have negative opinions on each of my breeders but we couldnt be happier with our dogs.
My only piece of advise is that if you see any behavioural problems developing please call in a professional dog trainer. If you catch these problems early they are much easier to sort out/manage.
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did the owner say he was aggresive, or was it just your observation? I only ask because when Taz meets strangers he barks (but backs away at the same time). other than that though he is the biggest, soppiest dog you could hope to meet (he even has to stop at the top of the A frame at agility for a cuddle off the trainer :luv: on the first run). it usually takes him about 5 minutes to summon up the courage to go and say hello and then he is fantasic.
however, if you still have concerns, perhaps you could go back for a second visit and see how the dad is then. if you go ahead, i would make sure you read up in advance on dealing with aggresion so that you can nip it in the bud as a puppy if he shows any signs. If you were nervous of the dad, and the pup turns out to be like his dad, think how you will deal with it, because the pup will pick up on any nerves and take advantage.
Good luck whatever you decide.
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thanks Sarah & black Taz, you know BT it was really my observation of the dog he really just growled and barked when we came in and when we came back in actually he didnt, i petted him but have to say looking back when he growled we were standing in a circle and he was in the middle i do remember thinking he probably feeling a bit intimidated as we were in quite a confined space, i quized the owner and another member of the family and they both said he was a lovely dog and they love him to bits, i said straight out is he aggressive and the reply was no, there was young children around too so i am probably just over sensitive as I had heard that golden cockers are more proned to be a little more aggressive, so I will have my research done if needs be, i did own a black cocker and he was adorable such a nice gently dog!!
I just cant wait to take him home :D
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WOW ok alot of strong opinions thanks to everyone, well i am now in a terrible situation i thought it was the way your rare your pup setting boundaries, training etc the pup i picked was so placid so i am hoping he got his mother's temperment, I have committed myself now so no going back..... he was just growly i suppose ...well wish me luck i have, as one person say not many get to see both parents etc the mother was gorgeous lovely temperment....i have had all sorts of breeds in past and I dont tolerate aggressive behaviour even as a pup so I do plan on training him and making sure i give him best possible start....i am from Ireland and there is no DNA testing here - now i could be wrong.... but the family love their dogs etc
thanks again for all your replies!! :blink:
I wish you good luck with your puppy. :D
With the health testing for PRA & FN it shouldn't make any difference where the breeder lives though :huh: the bloods/saliva have to be sent to USA & France for testing. :shades:
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Haven't had time to go through all the posts but just to reiterate - there is no evidence that solid pups are prone to being more aggressive than particolours and in my personal experience, my solid gold was the most trustworthy kind dog whereas my blueroan as a pup (the calmest in the litter when I chose him ;)) needed very careful handling as he was prone to guarding and quick to respond with aggression in situations that worried him. He is a very very sweet dog today because he's been handled carefully and positively - I couldn't say 'no' to him as a pup without a full on nasty attack but today aged 3 he's sweet and gentle and I trust him with my two young children.
If you are committed and going ahead then please do lots of reading on how to positively handle any aggressive pup behaviour because mostly it can be managed and trained out of a feisty pup IF they are handled correctly, positively and kindly. Going head to head with an aggressive pup and trying to 'dominate' it won't give you good results. Please don't listen to or believe the 'gold cocker rage' gossip... it's not true and mostly bantered about by people who've never owned a cocker let alone a gold one and you never hear good dog trainers talk about it, as it's a myth. Any puppy that's bullied can become aggressive. Cockers have a lot of spirit and lots of them don't take kindly to being 'dominated' so are prone to fighting back and people that have little knowledge or empathy, label that as rage when it isn't - just an abused dog IMO.
True rage is incredibly rare and often happens in a dog that generally seems fine but periodically will suddenly flip out with no reason and become very distressed and aggressive... Owners of dogs with genuine rage often say that the dog doesn't seem to realise what it's doing and is almost in a world of its own and then afterwards is disorientated and exhausted. Aggressive behaviour is different to this and often caused by poor handling through the puppy years and beyond, although genetic temperament may also aggravate the problem.
Good luck if you decide to go ahead and please post on here if you have any concerns as there is always lots of help available and a great wealth of cocker experience! :D
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....i am from Ireland and there is no DNA testing here - now i could be wrong.... but the family love their dogs etc
That is not the case, I'm from Ireland and there are vets there who carry out BVA eye screening and DNA testing can be done regardless of where you live as you have the samples taken by your own vet and then send them off to America (for PRA) and France (for FN). My male dog had his blood samples taken and sent off for DNA testing and his hips scored when we were in Ireland staying with my parents a couple of years ago.
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thanks hurtwood dog for your advice, I will take it on board...
thanks guys for all your comments I will take all your advice on board...
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I don't have any advice to offer as such, though I do agree with Black Taz with her suggestion you go back and see pup again - it will be good for pupster to get to know you a bit anyway, and it might help allay your fears?
Best of luck with him and please post piccies! :luv:
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I don't have any advice to offer as such, though I do agree with Black Taz with her suggestion you go back and see pup again - it will be good for pupster to get to know you a bit anyway, and it might help allay your fears?
Best of luck with him and please post piccies! :luv:
I will LinzB he will only be 7 weeks so cant wait to see him, think the answers got a bit confused along the way the puupy i chose was really friendly sure it is only 5 weeks now!!
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There are a few warning signs here such as, they own the sire and dam and they don't health test, it also appears that they let you visit at 2 weeks and you are taking him home at 7 weeks :-\.
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There are a few warning signs here such as, they own the sire and dam and they don't health test, it also appears that they let you visit at 2 weeks and you are taking him home at 7 weeks :-\.
I have to agree with this. I certainly wouldn't be happy getting a puppy from this sort of set up..... :-\
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If you dont mind my opinion, I suggest as Max10 has made up her decision, is to wish her the best with the puppy & her life with it! :D
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If you dont mind my opinion, I suggest as Max10 has made up her decision, is to wish her the best with the puppy & her life with it! :D
Yes of course & we wish her well with her new puppy when he comes home :D However this is a public forum and the comments made could be useful to other members in the same situation so there is no reason why further posts can't be made, unless the OP decides she wants the thread closed.
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There are a few warning signs here such as, they own the sire and dam and they don't health test, it also appears that they let you visit at 2 weeks and you are taking him home at 7 weeks :-\.
Just to clarify Cayley this is not true my puppy was nearly 5 weeks when i seen him and will nearly be 8 when i will take him home..... thank you Scarlett I do appreciate your post & yes I have made my decision... so hope it helps people in the future obviously not to do what i have done.... just puzzling as more I read of this forum it seems that there is a lot temperment issues with dogs e.g. behaviours & training section and I suppose im curious would people not have known this by viewing both parents when choosing their pup and the DNA testing etc (as I have been told I should have done) before they would pick a cs that had temperment issues etc...as apparently it is envitable that my pup will turn out to have temperment issues...just wondering does anyone truly know?? :dunno: :003:
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If you dont mind my opinion, I suggest as Max10 has made up her decision, is to wish her the best with the puppy & her life with it! :D
Yes of course & we wish her well with her new puppy when he comes home :D However this is a public forum and the comments made could be useful to other members in the same situation so there is no reason why further posts can't be made, unless the OP decides she wants the thread closed.
You are absolutely correct! I have read so many usefull posts at COL!!
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There are a few warning signs here such as, they own the sire and dam and they don't health test, it also appears that they let you visit at 2 weeks and you are taking him home at 7 weeks :-\.
Hi everyone sorry i took down my OP and have been notified as you all can see now :embarassed: :embarassed: I didnt realised you could "close" the thread Jane so my apologies for anyone i have confused!
Just to clarify Cayley this is not true my puppy was nearly 5 weeks when i seen him and will nearly be 8 when i will take him home..... thank you Scarlett I do appreciate your post & yes I have made my decision... so hope it helps people in the future obviously not to do what i have done.... just puzzling as more I read of this forum it seems that there is a lot temperment issues with dogs e.g. behaviours & training section and I suppose im curious would people not have known this by viewing both parents when choosing their pup and the DNA testing etc (as I have been told I should have done) before they would pick a cs that had temperment issues etc...as apparently it is envitable that my pup will turn out to have temperment issues...just wondering does anyone truly know?? :dunno: :003:
DNA testing is a separate issue from temperaments - Cockers have several hereditary health conditions such as PRA (eye disease which causes blindness) and FN (kidney disease which affects young Cockers). There are DNA tests available for breeders to use so they can avoid producing these diseases in their dogs as far as it is possible to do so.
Temperament is something that involves lots of different elements which include genetics (what the parents & other relatives were like) as well as how the litter is socialised by the breeder and also how the puppy is raised and trained by the new owner. So with all these different elements to consider, it's never going to be possible to ever guarantee what a particular puppy will turn out like. What people are saying here is that because the sire's temperament is not as outgoing as it should be in a breeding dog, you're starting out with a question mark over one of the different things that contributes to a dog's temperament. Nobody has said it is inevitable your puppy will have temperament issues - just that there's a risk involved.
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It's important to remember also that cockers are a VERY popular breed - they are usually up in the top 3 most produced dogs every year, so whilst there are lots of issues on the behaviour board here, it doesn't reflect that behavioural issues are more common in cockers nor does it suggest that every cocker will have them. It's likely you will have some undesirable behaviour at some point as that's true of nearly all puppies of all breeds, but managing it and working positively to train your dog is what's needed!
It's also important to remember why cockers exist, they were originally bred as working dogs, one of their biggest jobs being to track down and 'flush' birds out of the undergrowth. For this skill, busy, energetic, intelligent dogs were selected that had the stamina to 'work' all day if required and these traits are still very present in todays cockers (including a lot of show types) even though most cockers are now 'just' pets and don't do the work they were bred to do. So this energy, intelligence and drive needs to be channelled otherwise dogs can become bored and frustrated which can lead to behavioral problems. Cockers need mental stimulation (training and games etc) and once they are fully grown, a good level of exercise for them to be content... without this, it's more likely that you will have behavioral issues - but as already said, that's nothing to do with rage.
I train my dogs every day on walks - it's no big deal, but we don't just walk. I keep them busy with obedience training and some gundog type games that keep their brains working and occupied, they love it and are happy, responsive and generally well behaved because of it. ;) My Weimaraner (a rescue) can be aggressive (dog to dog, not human) because she was undersocialised as a pup and this is helped by lots training and building a trusting bond.
You won't get a readymade 'good' dog with any pup, but you will have a busy cocker pup that's full of life and needs to be entertained, stimulated and exercised to be a happy well balanced dog. :D
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Hurtwood Dogs,
Almost all of your posts are a training session for me...I mean it...
just thanks! :D
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thanks Hurtwood you always have great advice, I agree with you entirely!! and your right they're innate nature is to hunt and are working dogs, i am totally confident that my dog will have all the stimulants he needs, we live on a farm and i love walking and there is always activity around the house so he certainly will not get bored & will have plenty of excercise ;), i also hope to get another dog to keep him company along with my an old beautiful sheepdog that lives next door & is always visiting us he's 14 and most gentle dog you'll ever meet...so he will have loads to occupy himself by & all my time & love to train him... :luv: :police:
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Sounds like he'll have a great life :luv: - I got my dogs because I love walking and learnt what I needed to along the way as I
screwed up learnt what they needed to keep them under control and happy :lol: :luv: I also discovered I loved learning the best way to train and work with them and the amazing depth of bond that's possible and goes beyond 'training commands' when you start to read each other - which I hadn't really considered before I got my first cocker nearly 9 years ago. :doh: :lol: When are you looking to collect him?
The only other thing I would recommend is not to get a second pup until your first one has matured (generally that's somewhere between 18 months and 2.5 years for most cockers) and you're really happy with the level of training you have. The reason for this is that generally a second pup/dog will have a detrimental affect on the first dogs training so the better your existing dog is, the easier it will be for all of you - a reasonable age gap also tends to reduce any potential clashes between the dogs also ;)
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Some great advice there. I truly hope it all works out for you as there is nothing better than a gorgeous golden cocker pup in my eyes. :luv: :shades: Good luck with him and I hope to hear how well he's doing in the future. :D
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Thanks guys, I am collecting him in two weeks and counting.... Hurtwood i certainly know what a bond between dogs and owners feels like and how much of a joy they can be in your life - such special animals!! :luv: cant wait!! :dance04:
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Looking forward to hearing about your new pup when he comes home.
My golden girl is very vocal when out ph34r but she's my cuddly one at home. She isn't an instant person lover, as far as she's concerned, most people have to earn her trust. It's such a shame that so many people have an instant distrust because of their colour
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Hi
what I would like to know is why do you have him at 5 weeks? any good breeder will not let their puppies leave after they are 8 weeks.
Your puppie is to young to be leaving it's mother.
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Hi
what I would like to know is why do you have him at 5 weeks? any good breeder will not let their puppies leave after they are 8 weeks.
Your puppie is to young to be leaving it's mother.
The OP doesn't have the puppy, they chose/picked him at 5 weeks.
To the OP, congratulations and wish you all the best with your new puppy. I am still after a golden myself :luv:
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Hi max, just read this so commenting after your last post. I wish you luck if you have made your final decision, if there is any doubt in your mind it isnt too late to think again, it would be heart breaking for you to have him with you and then realise he has some aggressive traits. If your heart is set on having this little boy then I look forward to pics of him on the site when he is home with you. :blink:
Is your Cocker a working Cocker?
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She certainly is and a typical one..a very busy girl !
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Hallo,
I too would walk away, also buying a pup at 5 weeks is early, recommendation is 8 weeks old. Sorry it's not better news!
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..i have had all sorts of breeds in past and I dont tolerate aggressive behaviour even as a pup so I do plan on training him and making sure i give him best possible start
But if your pup inherits a bad temperament no amount of training can change that. You may be able to do some training to ease certain situations but you will never ever erase it completely. Whether you tolerate it or not it will still be there.
I know you've made your decision but for what it's worth I really wish you would walk away. This is a decision where it's consequenses could live with you for the next 16 years.
As the owner of a dog with emperament issues & knowing what I know now , there is absolutely no way on this earth would I ever take this risk :-\
Good luck with whatever you decide :blink:
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Closed at the OP's request.