Solid colours..

[Emma xx]

i have heard quite a lot that solid coloured cockers (mainly goldens?) can be tempermental as adults, is this right? i know a lot of you have solids so i would just like some opinions. meg is a blue roan and we are thinking of getting another in the spring and have been thinking about the colour we would like, i have read around on different information sites and on some it says that solids are known for being snappy etc. etc. especially around children. i am not trying to insult anybody at all, i just wanted some views as they are such gorgeous dogs but its really putting my mum off as we have quite a lot of young children in our family. thanks emma xxxx

[ladylola]

I think any colour can be snappy.

You need to find a good breeder who breeds for good temprements.

fwiw I find my blue roan is the snappy one. But as a rescue and suffering quite considerable pain for a long time.

I can understand why.  I also think the way a dog is brought up has some bearing on this.

I'm sure others will pass on their experiences with solid/party colours.

[bajoleth]

That idea is a remnant of the Cocker rage bad press years and years ago ther are many threads on COL about the myths of Cocker rage IMHO any dog can be snappy as said it depends on its breeders i.e breeding for temprament etc. how the dog is socialised and trained basically 'brought up' by its owners.
We have Belle who is a solid black show type, we had the usual puppy playbiting which you will get with any pup and we have 4 kids they have been taught to 'read' when she wants her own space you have to train the kids as well as the dog and they all get on famously, I will be having another Cocker and it will without a doubt be another solid, just because that is my preference

[Steelygirl]

Colour really does not have anything to do with temperment - health, good breeding, early socialisation and how a dog is trained do!

Exciting times  - have fun looking for a puppy that ticks the boxes and then we expect LOTs of pictures!

The only problem i find with solids as opposed to parti's - taking their picture - all black solid Fred is a nightmare to photograph 

[Emma xx]

yeah its definately is to do with the way they are brought up, they learn to live to your standards and you learn to live to theirs i suppose i really would love a golden i think they're beautiful we also like orange roans so i will start looking properly for some decent breeders who breed for temperment like you said. 'steelygirl'- meg is just as bad for taking pics, she never looks at the camera properly and you cant see her eyes . thanks for the advice everyone xxxx

[SimonandMandy]

Purely temperament and mum and dad can often give some clues - both Harv's parents are incredibly soft and loving and Harvey has been from the day we met him at 4 weeks old and he hasn't changed.  He can be noisy at times when excited but is amazing around children and babies especially as we hadn't socialised in that respect as a pup. 

[*Jay*]

I've had 2 gold boys (both at the Bridge now) and both were temperamental & snappy! However, Brook's dad didn't have the best temperament by all accounts (he was a solid black) so I blame him  and my rescue boy Jackson was a pushy pup who got away with murder in his previous home so I blame them    Their colour had nothing to do with their temperament - it was their breeding / way they were raised so they would have been the same if they were green with purple spots. One of my blacks has a gold mum and she is such a gentle soul - I wouldn't hesitate to get another gold pup in the future. Just do your research, find a good breeder, socialise the pup well and you won't go far wrong 

[Emma xx]

ahh right thanks we will definately look into properly xxxx

[sharonmansfield]

I have a solid black who is the softest friendliest most out going and loving dog ever, she is my world.
Get a dog from a good breeder who states the dogs are bred for temperament and not just looks alone. Any dog can be snappy in a bad situation a lot depends on how you bring them up and their breeding.

[bracken]

My Bailey( golden) has plenty of attitude but then she had a bad start with her first family and she was bred in Wales by commercial breeders 
Rosie (black) is an  so very gentle and relaxed 
Archie(blue roan) is scared of everything, very gentle 

Personnally you need to really do your homework when selecting a breeder no matter what colour the cocker 

[black taz]

Taz is solid black and i don't think he knows how to be snappy - even as a puppy he didnt mouth or play bite much - but he had come from a home with 6 other dogs so probably had already learned the rules.   

[Kevinc]

Danny boy is a solid golden and has a fantastic personality and is soft as putty!  Agree with all comments do your research find the right breeder. 

[Karma]

Agree with everything everyone has said....

A lot of the so-called research which has "shown" solid colours to have more behavioural issues has been incredibly unscientific in method and anecdotal in content.
I recently skimmed through one article on "Cocker Rage" which had a case study of a pup bought from "a well known London department store" who started growling when food was "repossesed" from him (at something like 11 weeks old) - "behaviour modification" was initially successful, and items could be "repossessed" at any time, but then he started biting... Pup was eventually PTS.... aside from the fact that this was resource guarding, not Rage, the fact that he was sold in a pet-shop, and whatever method they used for "behaviour modification" (if it worked initially but then the behaviour escalated, I'd be willing to bet it was at least confrontational, if not out and out aversive) are far more relevant issues than the fact that he was a male solid gold pup!  However stories like this are used to show that solid colours have more behaviour issues....   

As others have said, as long as the pup is raised in a good environment, and both parents have good temperaments, colour really isn't an issue.  What has complicated the issue in the past is that "bad" breeders have bred for specific colours (without consideration of temperament) so these colours became associated with the temperament issues... but that doesn't mean the colour caused the temperament issue, just that both traits (a particular colour and a poor temperament) were passed down through the breeding... 

[september]

My mum has a recuse Cocker, Lucy (blue roan) that was rehomed to her because she snapped at a todler.  She doesn't have rage but she doesn't like being pulled around and gives a warning growl if you do (eg if you pick her up)  In contrast my Roxy (liver roan) is picked up, cuddled, grabbed, squeezed, kissed, you name it! by me and OH and doesn't mind at all, we have had her since 8 weeks and have always 'man handled' her as it were!

I now Gently cuddle Lucy when she is not in her bed and she doesn't mind and we are gradually getting her used to being picked up so you can if you need to but she is never going to be a cocker who likes physical stuff!

they are all different and it depends how you bring them up.

As far as rage goes, I don't know much about it but my very experienced neighbour quite recently had their dog PTS because he was diagnosed with rage.  They spent many months working on his behaviour but were unable to 'fix' it.  They were in contact with the breeder and the whole litter have ended up being pts because of behavioral issues. Very sad.  he wasn't a cocker either!

[Emma xx]

yeah we are definately checking that breeders we are looking at are breeding for temperment as with having about 10 children in our family under the age of 10/11 we have to be really careful! the puppy we get will be extremely well socialised when he comes to us though. he will be going to puppy parties, training classes etc. and getting him out wherever and whenever we can. we feel that meg didnt really get enough socialisation when she was younger, totally our fault, as now she isnt that tolerant with little kids or over playful dogs and will grumble and walk away if they try and maul her- she has NEVER snapped though, or even threatened to. thanks for advice emma xxxx