Cockers and apartment living

[Lily Freya]

Sounds to me like you'll be the perfect companion for a cocker.

You have bothered to research, ask questions and to consider the pros and cons. 

Living near to where you work is an absolute bonus, because as you say, you can pop back for walks and a bit of socialising.

Good luck.  Look forward to hearing more. 

[elaine.e]

Just a word of caution about exercise. If you have a puppy it won't be able to keep up with your exercise schedule for several months and shouldn't go running with you until it's at least a year old.

The general rule of thumb for walking is 5 minutes per month of age when they're puppies. So if your puppy has been vaccinated by 12 weeks it could have a few walks every day, but only about 15 minutes each time. It applies more to pavement and road walking than on grass, so if you had a 5 minute pavement/road walk to the park and the same back, the puppy could be in the park for longer than 5 minutes. You could do a mix of walking, training, playing and just letting the puppy socialise and sniff.

Too much exercise when young can damage growth plates and joints and cause problems throughout the dog's life.

[Sinsir]

Thank you all again for your informative and supportive comments. I'm so glad I joined this forum! 

This is very interesting, because I would by no means restrict my own personal remit to a puppy. Given what BobnDot and lescef say, I would be bypassing some of the awkward toilet stages, so speak, by getting either a rescue dog or slightly older puppy. I've often been told that one should set aside even more time and energy to a rescue dog, given that some may come from more difficult backgrounds. But, I guess, much like the exercise issue, that is dependant on individual dogs. I would happily consider these two new avenues. I owned whether anyone could point me in the direction of possibly a pre-existing thread on locating rescue Cockers, or if anyone could go into more detail about finding a breeder who keeps hold of a couple of pups for longer?

I'm glad that, as long as I am considerate, the apartment shouldn't be such a problem. 

[lescef]

Hi again! If you go back to the main forum board and scroll down, there is a rescue cocker page, keep scrolling and there is lots of info on 'looking for a puppy'. The Kennel Club also has a list of accredited breeders which might help to start your search. Good luck!

[BobnDot]

I think a rescue or older puppy would be ideal. You may find that you have to invest more time in training or correcting mistakes made by previous owners but you'd have a cocker that you'd be able to work with straight away rather than go through the whole puppy thing.

We were very fortunate with Milly, at 7 months old she'd come from a home where she was more misunderstood than actually abused. Her previous owner, a rather elderly lady, had thought to buy a cocker puppy in the hope of adding a bit of life to her two rather elderly labradors  .
Five months later her owner decided that a cocker puppy was too much for her and put her up for adoption through a local rescue organisation  .

When Milly came to us she was very cowed and nervous so we went back to square one with the training, socialisation, cuddles, playing etc., but we didn't have to cope with "oops" moments around the house and she would happily sleep right through the night as well as walking perfectly on a lead.

We noticed a huge improvement with her in a matter of weeks and within six months she was behaving just as you'd expect from a perfectly normal year old cocker 

Bob.

[amichell]

Hi and welcome.

Just though I'd add that I'm a single Mum to my cocker Lucie and she is perfectly happy. Secretly I think she likes the fact that she doesn't have to share me! We don't have a garden, (we do have a terrace but she is not allowed to toilet out there) and we manage just fine. As long as she gets her walks and playtime, she's a happy girl.

Good luck!

[PennyB]

I think the only problem when you're single is that you sometimes have to work harder to prevent overattachment - as there's only you to focus on - which could then result in a noisy cocker who doesn't like being left. Best way is prevention and work hard on making sure you dog is happy away from you as much as they are with you.

[Sinsir]

Hello,

Apologies for reviving this topic, but I thought it was the best thing to do in order to provide some context. However, please do say if I should start a new topic. I had to put off the idea of a dog for while, for various reasons. However, in the last couple of weeks, a colleague has told me of a friend whose circumstances are changing, and who is subsequently looking for a new home for their 1 year old male working cocker. This seems a fateful coincidence! However, I haven't pursued the idea very far yet, as I note this particular dog is a working cocker.

Realistically, with my one bed apartment, living alone, but with plenty of love and dedication, would a working cocker be too much to manage, as opposed to a show type?

Hope you can help!

[MIN]

No. I bet there are more people who own workers and do not work them than us who do. Saying that we only work Gemma for 4 months of the year.
 She is a pet first and formost and is treated exactly the same as our staffie as regards to exercise etc. She no more hyper than our rainbow border terrier was and can be just as lazy as the staffs.
Seems to me it is meant to be. If you have time to play and can handle constant cuddles and love ( and sharing your bed and sofa) go for it. We are here to get you through the puppy stages and laugh and cry with you while your little new mate blossoms into your best friend ever. 

[Cockertime Blues]

Hi there.  My opinion, for what it's worth:  apartment - no problem, amount of exercise - no problem, amount of time dog left alone - problem.  It's not what a dog signs up for when born - they evolved to be our constant and loving companions.  If he was an older dog - maybe, if he was with another canine companion - fine, if you could put him to a responsible doggie daycare - fine, but otherwise no.  Just my personal opinion and I'm probably in a minority - sorry.  Good luck with whatever you decide anyway.   

[BobnDot]

You've obviously researched the breed and know the differing requirements of a working cocker. Workers have become very successful home cockers without being worked but the secret of success here rests very much with the particular dog, it's upbringing to date and the owner's knowledge of their requirements.

I don't see any problems with you taking on a worker, especially given that he's over most of the "interesting" bit of his puppyhood. A lot will depend on his upbringing to date and any problems that may have contributed to his needing a new home so meeting the dog in his present home environment would be the obvious first step in making a decision. A worker may not take as well to being left alone as a show cocker so it would be interesting to see if he's left by himself in his present home and how well he's coping with this. Chaz is quite happy to be by himself for three or four hours but we've gradually built up to this and he's got Milly as a companion.

A worker could be the ideal dog for you as they're capable of forming a very close relationship with their chosen person. I'm fortunate in being Chaz's chosen one and can honestly say that it's much more of a partnership than simply a dog and owner, very rewarding 

If you took on this young worker you'd probably have to put in quite a bit of time in getting to know each other but, if it all works out, you'll have a companion and relationship second to none.
I agree that it's a fateful coincidence but my Celtic blood is telling me that this sort of thing shouldn't be ignored  .

Bob.

[rubybella]

Ok, others may not agree, but I honestly don't think that apartment living is the best life for a dog which has been bred for working. I appreciate that what you can offer a pet dog seems good and you are clearly concerned in ensuring that you have thought things through rather than ploughing straight in and thinking afterwards. I think you can offer a dog a good home, but just not a working cocker spaniel.

I have a 3.5year old working cocker. She doesn't work but she needs a good hour of off-lead running daily and addition to this we have done basic gun dog classes and we do agility too. As wcs go Bella is pretty calm and she is content to sleep once she has had a chance to burn off her energy. We are lucky enough to have a big garden and enclosed paddock which I am out in everyday and she is out with me, she never gets tired of following me around outside and always has her nose in the hedges and log piles.

The number and length of walks you can offer would be fine, but for a wcs these need to be the opportunity to free run in safe places to give them the opportunity to do what comes naturally to them. I hate to see breeds that need the chance to free run, pounding the streets on leads!

Before you make a decision I would recommend that you find out more about this dog to see if it is well suited to your lifestyle, it may not cope with being left whilst you are at work, and your living arrangements, it may be a high energy dog that needs access to a garden.

Hope this helps.

[Sinsir]

Thank you for your insight.  After reading your comments, it occurred to me that a good first step would be to meet this dog, as a lot of my concerns would be personality-related, or something dependant on his current routine. I therefore spontaneously went to meet him. He is lovely! He is actually fairly placid, which I found surprising. However, the current owner, who is moving and not able to rake the dog with her, does live slap bang in the middle of the countryside and is able to start each day with a lengthy period of off-lead exercise, which I gather tires the dog out. The dog is then happy to have a significant rest when she gets on with her work. Due to my own location and morning routine, it would be impractical for me to, for example, drive to a secure open space to exercise him, then drive home and then go to work. It makes me sound a bit lazy, I fear! and it does make me feel a bit bad, but it would be selfish of me and unfair on him to take him on and then only be able to take him for a 30 minute walk before I start work. He is absolutely lovely though!! Head should rule heart here.

I do think that an older puppy/young dog who has already been through potty training etc. would suit me better. Perhaps I'll keep an eye on the rescue dog section of this forum.

[rubybella]

I am glad you have had a chance to meet the dog and learn more about him. Sorry to hear that he wouldn't be suitable for your lifestyle but I am sure there is a dog somewhere that would fit in with what you can offer.

I agree that an older puppy/young dog would be better and if you can be flexible with breeds you may find the perfect match.

Good luck in your search.

[Cockertime Blues]

It makes me sound a bit lazy, I fear! and it does make me feel a bit bad, but it would be selfish of me and unfair on him to take him on and then only be able to take him for a 30 minute walk before I start work. He is absolutely lovely though!! Head should rule heart here.

I do think that an older puppy/young dog who has already been through potty training etc. would suit me better. Perhaps I'll keep an eye on the rescue dog section of this forum.

Hi Sinsir, I need to applaud your sensible decision and your reasons.  You're not lazy at all - just realistic.  Good look with your search.