Cocker snappy?

[Dan]

Seen and spoke to a few people today about brodie and how happy I am with her etc and everyone I spoke to( at different times) said don't they snap at people/kids alot! I just said no I've never known a cocker to snap at anyone unless they are threatened etc! And told them all te cockers I now are good with kids! Have you ever been asked the same question?

[Countrygirl]

When I was searching for a cocker puppy I spoke to one breeder who said she would never let a cocker puppy go to a home with children as cockers cannot be trusted with children.  And that was a breeder who was recommended by another breeder!

[Dan]

I have a lil boy and he grown up around my dads cockers and now I have one and I haven't witnessed a cocker snap at him at all! This concerns me a but now! But would this depend on how the pup was bought up etc?

[Pearly]

hmmm, I think all dogs might be snappy if allowed to be, irrespective of breed! Most of it is down to how the owner reacts and the trianing  

Pearl once pinched a biscuit from my neighbours sons hand - to be fair he was waving it around a lot and it must have been really tempting.  After being told off and "excluded" for a while she's never tried again!   His Mum makes him keep his biscuits out of sight now as she blamed him....he's only 3.5 bless! [these are my fab neighbours who let Pearl out 2-3 times a day, for me and take her for walks  ]

[JennyBee]

Think a lot of it is due (as with any breed) to socialisation and how they are brought up, my own Brodie LOVES and adores children and always has from an early age - there were no young children in the immediate family at that time so I made sure she met plenty. My aunt has a son under ten and in his life there has been three puppies brought up in his house, all fine with kids.

[maddy74]

We don't have children ourselves but we do in the family and have lots of friends with small children. We have put a lot of training in with Willow in general and as a small pup we often had her on a house line when people visited so we could remove her from any unwanted behaviours.

Willow sometimes gets over excited when young children come but never snaps. She struggles to under stand my cousins son that is almost a year old and crawl around him at speed.

[Dan]

Ye I agree with the above post it's how they are brought up and if there's kids in the family but it got my thinking when more than one person says it to you in one day! I thought cockers were one of the best dogs around children due to personal experiences!

[LilahLoo]

I think alot has to do with temperment of the individual dog, regardless of breed, and what they've grown used to.  If a dog has never met a young child and isn't used to being grabbed at unexpectedly they won't be happy - who would be.

I've got an ex breeding bitch -I can't imagine she's had much experience of children (of the human variety) and yet she didn't bat an eyelid the first time she met my friend's toddler.

I'm sure your pup and son are going to be the best of friends growing up together - they just have to learn to respect each others boundaries.

[Bluebell]

I got my first dog when my kids were 6 and 8, so he was bought up with them, as well as having lots of their friends visiting, he also came from a breeder with young kids. He is still not a natural lover of young children, though obviously is used them and is gentle. I do sometimes shut him away for peace and quiet if we have young kids visiting 
Lillie is fine with little kids (as above, though my kids were 2 years older when she arrived) she mostly ignores, or tolerates them though.
Teva, my youngest dog has been bought up with my, now, teenage kids. We do still have visiting little children, and she absolutely adores them. She would if she was allowed to, make a beeline for any little people we see out and about. She is incredibly gentle with them and obviously loves being aroung them!
 Imho as well as carefully socialising your dog around kids, it is equally important not to let kids annoy/space invade the dog 

[jessandme]

Interesting.

I've never had any problems with my cockers and small children.  Jess (almost 2 years old now) encounters little children quite frequently when we are out, she always wants to make a beeline straight for them although I don't let her.  She's had babies 18 months old throwing their arms around her neck, pulling her ears, and trying to put their hands in her mouth - she just lets them, and responds by licking.  Pretty much bombproof, I think.  I have no concerns at all about her behaviour with children.

We don't have any small children in the family ourselves, it is just OH and me plus Jess in the household, but Jess is very well socialised.  Her breeder had told us that she made a particular point of breeding for temperament, as well.

[max15]

I agree with Bluebell and others who say you must carefully socialise your dog around children, but it is equally important not to let the children annoy or invade the dogs space.  If your dog has gone in to the crate to have a bit of peace and quiet the children should leave them alone.     

[coopersmum]

Like others have said, I really believe that its based on individual dog's temperaments as well as their upbringing and socialisation.

Cooper is very bad with small children, but I got him from the SPCA at about 6 months old so his history is unknown. I have a sneaky suspicion that he's been abused badly by kids as he has a pellet in him that we found when he had radiographs, so someone's shot him with a pellet gun!!

There is a culture in this country of giving young boys pellet guns and letting them loose so I wonder if that and worse has happened to him.

He flips out when he sees young kids, screaming and barking and hiding behind my legs. It's very distressing for him and if they come too close to him I believe he would bite:( From early teens onwards he's fine, so its a certain age group he has an issue with.

I am trying to get him used to kids but I don't have a lot of exposure to them with my studies so its a slow process but we will get there and there's a definite improvement since he first came to me. I really don't think its a cocker specific thing though, my moms cocker,Taggert, is great with kids:)

[revis]

We got Maggie ex breeding girl when she was 7 and she obviously had never been near children. She was very wary of the 1 and 2 year old grand children to start with but now loves them and is very happy when they hug her when they come. Maggie though has a wonderful temperament and is very special .

[Robbie34]

When I was searching for a cocker puppy I spoke to one breeder who said she would never let a cocker puppy go to a home with children as cockers cannot be trusted with children.  And that was a breeder who was recommended by another breeder!

What a load of tosh.  I would happily leave both of my Cockers with a child - as long as I knew the child would not snap at my Cockers - because they both have lovely temperaments.

Henry's breeder kept one of his sisters (Stourie) - another Orange Roan - and she posts videos of her on Facebook.  A recent video showed Stourie with Anne's grandson - a toddler - having a lovely time together. She is so like Henry and can be trusted with children.  So much depends upon early upbringing and socialisation.

[Holly2009]

I think all dogs can snap at children when pushed!

We got Holly when our boys were 8months & 3 yrs, best thing we ever did, they have grown up together & have the most fantastic bond. I love watching them all curled up on the sofa together watching tv, Holly sprawled over the top of them, my eldest twirling Holly's furr 
Admittedly we kept them separate for the first 10 months other than walks and supervised play/ training (never left them alone together) as children are ideal puppy toys, squealing running things with legs!

In 2 years we have never heard Holly growl not even a muzzle twitch, she is the most loving gentle girl we could of wished for