CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Specific Discussion => General Cocker Spaniel Discussion => Topic started by: lilliegez on October 06, 2012, 10:23:03 AM
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hello to you all. this year has been a difficult one for me i have lost both my beautiful border collies, one aged 13 and one aged 14. i am gradually recovering and am looking forward. i have decided that as much as i love border collies maybe i should look into getting a different breed of dog but know little of cockers. my collies were hard work when i first got them, car chasing etc but overtime it all improved and they were great dogs. could anyone advise me what are there cockers like as adult dogs. i know they are an intelligent breed, most cockers i see out are great dogs but seem to run like around sniffing and there isnt a connection with the owner. are any of your cockers say happy to play with tennis ball while out, i would love a cocker but its weighing up is the breed right for me. i dont mind a dog that has a good run about but can you get the cockers attention when you call. any advice on just what your dogs are like especially when off lead out and about, many thanks.
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I'm so sorry to read about your two collies,, what an awful time for you xx
I'm Lucy and I have 3 show strain female cocker spaniels. The first thing I thought when I read your comments was that if you're looking for a dog that will have a bond/connection to you then a cocker would be marvellous, my girls follow me everywhere. :005:
I do competative obedience classes with all three of them even the pup who's only 5 months, they are focused, eager to learn and wanting to please. They also love treats which helps ;)
I also compete at agility with my two older girls who are aged 3 and 18months and they are great, fast learners and so quick and agile.
All my cockers love to play ball, tuggy and general games either in the garden or at the park. It's true that they are quite scent led but I have managed to teach all of mine a great first call recall no matter what the distractions are so it can be done, just takes alittle work.
Be careful though as cockers have a way of impacting upon your life like you'd never imagined and you'll find that you can't live without them and that one is never enough!!!
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thankyou for your reply, thats great advice. i am wanting a connection to the dog and be able to do some obedience, so it is possible are thats great. i think its its great when you have that connection to a dog, theres nothing like a dog walking at you side out of choice and their lovely eyes looking up at you. cockers are a better size for me also when my border collie got old and needed help to get about it got hard work and took its toll on my back. its hard to change to another breed of dog then you have always had the same. i know all breeds have pros and cons, but im hoping a cocker will be a bit more chilled temperament wise. i live in bedfordshire so will have to look out for good breeders. also do you think getting a puppy during the winter is a bad idea, should i wait till spring for socialising issues.
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I may be able to give some pointers as I have just lost my cocker spaniel to cancer and used to have (30 years ago!) a rough collie. The collie was easy to train and had a very close bond with me - when I was upset I could cuddle her and sit with her and she would just quietly comfort me with her presence. She seemed to know what I was thinking - even closely following me the day I went in to early labour - she knew something was happening but I didn't!
My cocker spaniel was very different - we had a very close bond again but she was more like a child than an adult if I can put it that way. If I needed a quiet cuddle she would often get excited and decide we needed a throw and fetch game instead. She didn't seem sensitive to my moods in the same way but she was a very excitable dog. I needed to be sensitive to her moods more and we did have a very loving relationship.
I loved them both but will be sticking with a cocker spaniel for my next dog as there is a close bond it is just different. They love being with you and are always ready to play. She wasn't good off lead - conveniently seeming deaf to calls but heard a movement of the dinner bowl at once. I was also worried because other dogs would chase her if she was off lead (owners who insist dog is just being friendly as it chases yours and distresses it). My other reason is that I have back trouble and I just can't lift a large dog when it is unwell and they all seem to come to that in the end. Also my cocker could get lots of exercise with games in the garden but the rough (Lassie type) collie needed longer walks.
I hope this helps - please feel free to ask anymore questions of me. Just reading your last post - I wouldn't consider a cocker to have a chilled temperament - that is the rough collie not a cocker - but then I have only had the one.
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Hi, so sorry to hear about the loss of your dogs this year. That must have made you feel really low but it is good that you feel you can look to the future now and another little dog companion. Just wanted to say that I had a cocker before my current one (who is called Clover). The previous one I felt no connection to at all, though I have to say she was more my husband's dog anyway, than mine, but with Cover it is completely different. I think you get out what you put in - and by the way, Clover's most favourite toy of all is a lovely yellow tennis ball - in fact, hubby bought up a good deal of Morrison's packs of three yellow tennis balls when they were on offer there and we have a carrier bag full of them now for when the occasional one goes missing. We have to play in the house and garden with them and we have to play in the fields and woods wth them! She is totally focused on me if I have a tennis ball in my hand but if I don't she is still focused on me and has been easy to train, is very loving, full of fun and mischief and incidentally actually has a sense of humour with which she teases us, believe it or not! It is true they love to sniff but my dog will ignore sniffies and take no notice of other dogs at all if there is a chance of a game of ball! Clover is trained to come to a whistle but she stays so close (apart from when dashing off to jump into a trough to cool down) I rarely have to use it. We have also just started agility class (4th go today!) and she is quick to learn and has earned some praise for being willing to have a go and not show any reluctance on the equipment. I will say she is rather food oriented however, and will do anything fora titbit if there is no tennis ball around! I am totally addicted to the breed, totally connected to my cocker, and can't imagine life without her. On the practical side, she is big enough not to tread on or trip over and small enough to be able to pick up for a cuddle easily, or to put into the back of the car! Can even just about, at a push, bath her in the kitchen sink! (Sorry, not very hygeinic is it!!)
Seriously, I hope coming on here will give you an insight into the breed and help you make a decision as to what dog you choose next! Good luck!
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i know they are an intelligent breed, most cockers i see out are great dogs but seem to run like around sniffing and there isnt a connection with the owner. are any of your cockers say happy to play with tennis ball while out, i would love a cocker but its weighing up is the breed right for me. i dont mind a dog that has a good run about but can you get the cockers attention when you call.
Like a lot of dogs you have to work on recall as none of them will do this without training.
Mine all have a 'connection' with me while I'm out walking - they're busy but I'm as much a part of their walk as them being able to sniff around. Mine adore tennis balls but again its all about how you go about it - again you have to interact with them its not always about them being naturally into them.
Cockers aren't always as easy to train as collies though - in that they're stubborn and interested in lots of other things (can be easily distracted) + you sometimes have to work hard to get them to focus on you
re socialising it doesn't matter what time of the year you get a pup its up to you as to how hard you work at it - ie, being a proactive (going out of your way to socialise a pup) rather than reactive (just letting them come into contact with what might happen to be around you on that day) socialiser
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Can even just about, at a push, bath her in the kitchen sink!
:005: I envy you Sue, wish Toby would fit in mine, it would save my poor back bending over the bath or kneeling on the hard floor. Do you have a Belfast sink by any chance?
(Sorry don't want to go off topic).
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I went to local dog rescue centre a couple of days ago. there was a 12 month old beautiful black and white female working type cocker there. while all the other dogs were jumping up and down barking, she was just sat there shaking. it was awful to see her frightened. she had only been there for 1 night and hasnt been assessed for rehoming yet. all they knew was she wasnt fully house trained and was nervous. makes me so angry for a 12 month old dog to be so frightened what sort of life has she had.
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I went to local dog rescue centre a couple of days ago. there was a 12 month old beautiful black and white female working type cocker there. while all the other dogs were jumping up and down barking, she was just sat there shaking. it was awful to see her frightened. she had only been there for 1 night and hasnt been assessed for rehoming yet. all they knew was she wasnt fully house trained and was nervous. makes me so angry for a 12 month old dog to be so frightened what sort of life has she had.
I'm sorry you lost your other dogs. It is so sad to see them in this state isn't it. :'( Could she be a possibility for you? although workers do have more energy than the show types, most of the time.
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we are going over sunday to see her again and ask if they have any more info on her. it pulls the heart strings big time, but i have to be sensible at the same time. anyone on here rescued before.
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we are going over sunday to see her again and ask if they have any more info on her. it pulls the heart strings big time, but i have to be sensible at the same time. anyone on here rescued before.
Good luck but you will need the outcome of the rescue's assessment before considering rehoming her. Lots of members on here have rescued dogs and will be only too happy to advise you.
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Hopefully Holly will see this as she can give advise comparing the 2 breeds.
We had a BC when I lived at home who was a great dog & I always thought that's what I'd have, but then I was introduced to cockers :luv:
Just my opinion - but I think it's rare to see any other breed quite so ball obsessed as border collies.
I heard someone once say if you see someone walking along with a lead & no dog in sight then they have a spaniel :005:
I have to agree, mine are happy to be in & out of bushes, exploring etc, but we also interact on our walks. I don't throw balls/frisbees anymore, but mine would do it for a short while but then get bored.
You do see cockers having a good game of ball etc but I think the going off exploring is part of their nature, whereas BC's I find are more demanding. (maybe demanding isn't the right word, but the BC's I see & know aren't interesting in anything else if their mum has a ball). My cockers aren't interesting in anything else if someone has food :005:
Cockers are working dogs so of course can be trained, obviously you see them doing what they were bred to do, but I believe that is mainly the working rather than the show type, you also see alot now in competitive agility, I think again more the workers than show, but obviously you have to have a level obedience to be able to do either of these disciplines.
Good luck in your choice
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I have a few friends with herding breeds (mainly BCs and Australian Shepherds) and there is a definite difference in the degree of "focus" these breeds have versus spaniels, but that really is down to genetic breed traits. They BCs I know that play with balls act nearly obsessive compulsive in my eyes, but again, that is along the lines of what the breed is about. My spaniels, and even my young show type Cocker are mad about retrieving and both often retrieve nonstop for an hour or two at a time. However, this behavior was nurtured by me and is also very dependent on the fact that the both of them are natural retrievers and are very driven dogs.
You have to understand that Cockers are a breed that are more dictated by their nose than anything else while out and about, but ultimately, off-lead behavior is dictated by the amount of training you put toward the dog. My two spaniels always have their noses to the ground, but they are whistle trained and know when to change directions and recall. Honestly, their eyes are only on me if I use the whistle or a yell, but I get much joy out of watching them trotting around with their noses planted to the ground and crashing through water and brush. That's really what they should be doing while out on a walk. This breed is never going to have the intense focus on the handler while walking off-lead like you see in most BC's. That's not what this breed was bred for so of course they're going to exhibit very different traits. I would never expect a Cocker to be glued by my side and watching me adoringly while there are miles of open land to explore. Just because they're not focused on you like a BC would doesn't mean there isn't a strong connection.
My Cocker was an autumn puppy and we didn't have any problems socializing. We took her everywhere and she got to experience many new things even in the dead of winter. We didn't encourage her to interact with other dogs so no puppy classes or play dates at parks, but we have polite adult dogs at home that she learned proper behavior from.
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So sorry to hear of the awful time you have had of late. I too changed breed as we had always had german shepherds who when out on walks always gave me total focus. I made mistakes with my first cocker Bella training wise and her recall was appalling. Totally my fault as I had never had to teach recall before as my German Shepherd would never go off and leave me. It came as a shock when my cocker preferred to be sniffing in the bushes than walking by my side. However I learned from my errors and we now have 2 cockers. Jasmine will play with and fetch anything you throw for her she adores her toys. Bella is not really a dog that plays but then she is a bit idle to be honest but she will run after a ball but her no 1 preference is to be sniffing. I can get their attention when I call, even Bella now will come back when I shout her. They are such a loving breed I am so glad that I had one and as you can tell I so totally fell in love with the breed we had another. Jasmine can get a bit obsessive about balls on walks so I do leave them at home sometimes. Good luck with your decision its hard finding another breed. I never believed I would fall in love with a smaller breed of dog as I have always been a big dog person but these pair stole my heart and I would have another one tomorrow if I could.
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Charlie is glued to me, so there is definitely a connection.
When out he's not bothered about playing fetch, however give him a ball inside and he loves it.
He's always helping me as well, everything takes longer to do as I'm being helped...however it's lovely he helps :) and I either change it for the world.
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My Lucy was a BC and she is now my shining star in the sky. She was so loyal, loving and very intuitive and even now 8 years later i still miss her. Kol is only 16 weeks and he is my little shadow like Bo my staffie x. I honestly can say they are very different breeds but you get out what you put in. Yes Kol is a stubborn little pup but so was Bo. I chose a cocker spaniel because of their temperaments and the term a merry cocker is very true as my boys tail wags from the moment we get up until the moment he goes to bed and he loves people to make a fuss on him and he is such a big flirt for a little boy
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Sorry to hear of your loss. :'(
Ive no experience of having a BC. Its mine and my OH's first experience of owning a dog together. I had two dogs whilst growing up a CKC spaniel and a lab cross. OH had BC's and a chow chow. For both of us now it would be a working cocker again every time.
We do both obedience and agility with Willow and she is quite focused.
Willow follows us everywhere at home, even to the loo :005: When we take to her to visit other people she follows us too. She is great fun and loves the to carry and ball and fetch a ball, when out her recall is good, weve put a lot of training in. She does sniff and sometimes loses focus but thats few and far between these days. We did have the odd blip during her puppyhood. We have whistle trained her. I am paranoid to let her run off too far in front and to be honest when she is off the lead she runs a little and will circle back to us or turn and wait for us to catch up. If she goes a little further than id like her to be then 3 pips of the whistle usually has her running back at speed. I always carry high value treats for recall, several tennis balls and a squeaky toy, all things that are going to get her attention should i need her attention quickly whilst out.
Both myself and my OH have a very strong bond with Willow. Ive no experience of owning a show cocker only Willow (working strain) she is lively and likes physical exercise as well and mental stimulation.However as an adult dog she is a lot calmer than she was. She likes nothing more than to snuggle up close to us on the sofa at night, she is asleep at my feet as I type. I find her very loving. She oozes personality and has us in stitches with her little ways. Her tail never stops wagging, it been known to wag in her sleep too (strange doggy) :005: She has the nick name of 'Waggly Willow' when we are out and about locally. :005: She is everything we had hoped for in a dog and then so much more. :luv:
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I had a border collie for many years, she was a joy to take out ~ didn't bother with other dogs or people, never wandered far from me and was always looking to see where I was ~ I never had a moments worry with her :luv: I now have an elderly staffie, again he never wanders far from my side (inside or out). Two years ago we acquired a cocker spaniel bitch, working/show mix ~ she is gorgeous, loving and gentle ~ but I can't relax while out walking, she is always looking for scent and would be off in a flash if I didn't call her back immediately. She really is a totally different dog to my staffie and particularly to my border collie, far harder work to be honest ~ plus she needs to go to the groomers every couple of months, so you need to factor in the cost ( or learn to do it yourself, I did try but was not very successful!)
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I grew up with border collies and my last collie, Bob, was a lovely dog once we'd got him past the terrible twos :005:. Bob was so good off lead he could be trusted to walk with me as a teenager down the road as he knew to stop and sit at kerbs, he loved his ball and had to carry stuff, I'd pick up our Sunday paper and he would badger me till I'd rolled it up and he'd carry it home :luv:
As an adult I've owned a chow chow, lovely dog but only wanted cuddles on his terms - very often he'd be lying somewhere in the house and I wouldn't see him all evening, which is nothing like my cockers. They have to follow me everywhere, even in my local pub they accompany me to the ladies :005:
After my chow I researched many breeds as I wanted a dog who would like good walks, and would interact more. I had always wanted a spaniel and felt a cocker would be right. I have 2 show type males and oh boy they just steal your heart. From my experience they are the most loving little dogs - you'll often see them referred to on here as Velcro dogs, which is true - mine just have to be on or near me all the time. At home they love playing with their toys, balls, tuggy things and love carrying soft toys around. Charlie used to love chasing his ball when out, but since I got Dexter they just want to run together and chase each other :luv:. They can be stubborn little wotsits and mine do "go deaf" occasionally when they spot a big fat pigeon and there is no way I could walk them offlead on the streets as mine have no road sense whatsoever. I wouldn't be without them, Dexter is on my lap asleep now and Charlie is at my feet. They are funny, happy, busy, cuddly dogs with the most mental waggy tails :luv:
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just to let you know i went back to the rescue center today, the female cocker i saw there last time i went, she been on my mind and i wanted to see if she was ok. well she still hasnt been assessed and the lady there said there are lots of people asking about her. she was no longer shaking, just sitting quietly and was eating a biscuit which was great to see as the last time she was very frightened. she doesnt come right up to you but doesnt shy away either. they said she is a pedigree but seems very dainty is that normal for a 12 month old female, she has lovely straight black silky fur and some white on her chest. i am gonna ring again on tuesday to see if she has been assessed.
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I've never owned any other breed of dog....so I am really biased.
Cockers are wonderfully faithful, loving companions. On the obedience side, I think a lot of generalisations are made by those who don't own cockers. You get out of them, behaviourally, what you put in. They can be trained really well, just like any other breed.
I have three......and each one is very different in character. The one thing common to all though....is that cocker 'magic'.
I do hope you rescue the little girl. Sounds like she will have a really loving home with you.
Good luck. Xx
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You have to understand that Cockers are a breed that are more dictated by their nose than anything else while out and about, but ultimately, off-lead behavior is dictated by the amount of training you put toward the dog. My two spaniels always have their noses to the ground, but they are whistle trained and know when to change directions and recall. Honestly, their eyes are only on me if I use the whistle or a yell, but I get much joy out of watching them trotting around with their noses planted to the ground and crashing through water and brush. That's really what they should be doing while out on a walk. This breed is never going to have the intense focus on the handler while walking off-lead like you see in most BC's. That's not what this breed was bred for so of course they're going to exhibit very different traits. I would never expect a Cocker to be glued by my side and watching me adoringly while there are miles of open land to explore. Just because they're not focused on you like a BC would doesn't mean there isn't a strong connection.
I agree.
Cockers are a gundog breed and will use their nose. Mine does check in with me and make eye contact when he's working but I don't expect him to be focused in the same way as a collie focuses. They have entirely different jobs and a trained gundog couldn't differ more than a trained collie. TBH I hate seeing gundog instincts 'trained' out of them so I would always recommend, and I mean this kindly, if you don't want a gundog with it's traits then go back to collies ;) Having said that through Jarv's gundog training he has fantastic recall and other skills associated with this.
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My working cocker Alfie is the first dog iv owned so can't compare with other breeds, however I can't imagine having any other breed of dog, he is such a character and the bond is the strongest so much so sometimes forget he's a dog he's more like a child lol, we do obedience classes and starting to do competing he is a very very willing learner he has a very active mind and loves to learn he is very fast to learn picks things up really fast however the main fight we come across at training can be keeping him focused very easily distracted but bring out a ball and he is oblivious to anything else around him, his recall is good he can be off lead if we have a ball he is constantly running back and forth chasing it with a big grin on his face and if not he loves running around in and out of bushes and dont know how he does it but no matter where he is he seeks out every rabbit in the place lol, he will always come back when called and gets a panicked look on his face when ever he looses sight of us, in house he follows you everywhere and the love and affection is like no other! They are adictive creatures lol.
Good luck with your choices!
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The bond we have with Bingley is on a completely different level to any other dog either of us has had. He is so affectionate, gentle and intelligent. We have loved training with him, and like others have said you really do get out what you put in, same with any other breed I suppose.
I do agree with Helen though, as gundogs they will be different out and about that your previous BC. I just love watching Bingley run about, nose down, tail going at a hundred miles an hour out exploring and having fun. He will check back in with us every now and then, glancing over his shoulder to check we're still following behind.
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So sorry to hear about your loss, i have had three cocker spaniels in the past, the first a show type, he was a delight, the second a working cocker, totally different temperment but still a faithfully friend, now i have a two year old show type cocker, she is definitely the best of the three, i do competitive agility and we have a very close bond, she is a total "bomb proof" & velcro dog. My mum borrows her and takes her into the old peoples home and she just loves all the attention and the older ladies and gentlemen just love to see her sparkling eyes and constantly waggging tail. I can only talk from my own experience and that of my friends, some of whom have working cockers and they are fantastic dogs but completely daft, my dog is a half show half working, thankfully she has the best attributes of both. ;)
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I have an American and an English (half show/half working) cocker. My American is much more attached to me when out and about and doesn't usually go far. My English is your typical sniffing zooming creature, however, get a toy out or do some training with food she is yours and pays full attention! :D She also has good recall, isn't too interested in other dogs and always keeps an eye on you That is something that you can teach a cocker and that is vital to teach a cocker. Though she is an independent character which I like, she thinks for herself and doesn't always take your word for everything; but then I also have salukis which says it all :lol2: :luv: . (In other words, I personally prefer independent dogs to velcro dogs, though still expect good obedience from them).