Need to find out more

[wrenside]

Hi Potter, sounds like you've got the perfect set up to offer a little show cocker pup a fantastic home. If you like your friends show cocker, maybe you should ask to have a look at her pedigree and see what lines she's carrying. It may be possible to get a pup from the breeder who has bred your friends cocker, or from someone who has one of the kennel name affixes in the pedigree. If you post some of the pedigree names on here then I'm sure many people will be able to help you with what temperament the dogs from different etablished lines typically have and also contact details.

Good luck, and welcome 

Best wishes

Mary

 

[Nicola]

Good luck with your search. I'm really sorry you lost your springer boy so young    but it sounds like you'll be able to offer a wonderful home to a show cocker 

[PennyB]

PS: I have a working cocker bitch, so I'm obviously going to be biased! but I personally do think they make great family pets as long as their minds are stimulated with some type of activity, such as basic obedience training, agility and gun dog training, like most other breeds of dog infact!  A trained working cocker makes a very calm and steady dog. So I dissagree with the common misconception that they're more difficult to own than a show cocker (although again individual dogs are different  ) 

I think thats the point really some of those who do find them difficult are those who never considered doing more with a dog other than just a stroll round the block --- the 8 y old working cocker we have in rescue is a case in point. Even a showtype cocker can be diffcult if someone got one thinking they were just lapdogs.

[Potter]

What wonderful feedback - thank you.  Lots of discussions today about cockers and a pup in general, and visits to the website and the Kennel Club site, which was really helpful and easy to surf.  The forum here is incredibly helpful.  I'm still a real spaniel fan and keep returning to a cocker for my next "new friend".  Really helpful to hear from owners of working cockers and show cockers - definitely going for a show cocker.

Through the KC site I have found several breeders with litters and going to start emailing them with all my information and asking for theirs.  Hope this is the right thing to do?  Not sure of protocol here, but I guess I'll just be polite and wing it!

Potter

[Nicola]

Sounds like a good way to start    Good luck!

[wrenside]

Hi Potter, sounds great, I'd definitely go through the Kennel club pup register.  Good luck, and let us know what happens!!

Best wishes
Mary

[Potter]

Has anyone any views on the following:
Regarding a show cocker, girl:
Is it correct that if you have an 8 week old puppy, it should stay away from other dogs until 12 weeks, when it has final inoculations? 
Should it be confined to just the home for the first 4 weeks? 
When is it safe/appropriate to take it for it's first walk?
At what age should it start "Puppy School" for socialisation, etc.? 
How does one go about finding a Puppy School?  Bearing in mind I live in a very rural area.

Sorry to ask so many questions.

Potter

[Joelf]

It's a good idea to socialise your 8 week old puppy with other dogs providing they've had their jabs; you shouldn't put your uninoculated puppy down in places where other dogs go i.e. the local park until about 10 days after the second jab; however you can carry her around to get her used to lots of people & situations until she is able to go for walks at about 12-13 weeks depending when your vet does the last inoculation.

I would try & take her around & about as much as possible as socialisation for a young pup is very important; I certainly wouldn't keep her at home until she was 12 weeks.

The puppy classes can start after 10 days or so as soon as she's completed her jabs; Domino, our cocker, went to classes under the 'Puppy School' franchise which we found though being advertised at our vets; you may find classes talking to other owners or even advertised in the local paper; in that case I would 'sit-in' on a couple of classes to make sure you are happy with the methods that the trainers use; they do vary an awful lot - for instance where we live there is a trainer of gundogs whom I personally would not let within 100 yards of my sensitive dogs ( he still uses choke chains, & the 'obey me or else' philosophy!!) - so it is quite important to find a class you feel happy with.

A good book for a new puppy owner is 'The Perfect Puppy' by Gwen Bailey & also  'The Culture Clash' by Jean Donaldson.

Good Luck!

[wrenside]

Hi Potter, your local vet will probably have details of a puppy class or may even run one themselves, puppy classes can start after the second vaccination has been completed. If you have friends who have vaccinated dogs then you could ask them to come over, so your pup can make friends with older dogs too (with your friend's show cocker for instance)
I would say that 12 weeks old is the earliest time that the pup could be taken on a walk where non vaccinated dogs may have been, basically once all the vaccinations are complete.
Letting the pup run around on ground where no unvaccinated dogs have been is fine, for instance your garden or own land. This is an important time to get the pup used to things and to be human orientated, so some car trips, a meet with a cat, chickens, sheep etc... and lots of positive play and interaction with you should lay the foundations for a happy outgoing, loyal pup.

Basically as many new things that can be introduced in a safe, nice way to the pup the better. But don't worry if all of this isn't possible in your local area, after the vaccinations are complete you can catch up on many socialisation and strange experience exposure activities very quickly and still have a wonderfully well rounded pup. 

Good luck

Best wishes

Mary

[PennyB]

It's a good idea to socialise your 8 week old puppy with other dogs providing they've had their jabs; you shouldn't put your uninoculated puppy down in places where other dogs go i.e. the local park until about 10 days after the second jab; however you can carry her around to get her used to lots of people & situations until she is able to go for walks at about 12-13 weeks depending when your vet does the last inoculation.

I would try & take her around & about as much as possible as socialisation for a young pup is very important; I certainly wouldn't keep her at home until she was 12 weeks.

I agree --- all the pups that come here are carried out and about until they're allowed to be put down outside, to the shops and along busy roads, seeing lots of different types of people and sights and sounds as you go.

[Potter]

Thank you very much - this is far better than I had hoped - "she" can be with me right from day one.  I have found accredited breeders on the Kennel Club website, as directed, and I shall be telephoning them tomorrow.  We are getting very excited now!

Thanks to all the info given here, I feel so much more confident with the knowledge, and feel I can approach a breeder with some good questions and know what I should be looking for - and looking out for!

I'll let you know how it goes.

Potter

[lyn]

i have been watching this thread with interest. good luck for tomorrow

[Joules]

I would certainly not keep the pup at home for the first few weeks - imo it is a crucial time to introduce your pup to the world.  Just make sure you have plenty of time as everyone will want to stop you and talk to your pup!   I took Coco out and about with me from day 1 (well probably day 2 actually  )  She went in the car every day, I carried her around and took her into town to get used to traffic, people, noises, smells etc etc.  I am sure this is the reason she is totally fearless - nothing fazes her (well hot air balloons drive her bonkers but otherwise...)  

There is a list in the back of the Gwen Bailey book The Perfect Puppy of suggested things to introduce your pup to in the early days. I think the first few weeks and months are crucial for this.  The two things I totally failed to do right were getting her used to being left behind - I was so keen to socialise her I never left her at home,  and I didn't groom her enough early on so when I needed to start grooming her later on she was not very keen or cooperative    Oh, well, you live and learn.  Still, I think I would rather have an over socialised pup than a timid one.

I took her to a puppy party at my vets in the first week - they hold one every month for all the new pups and it was run by the same person that did the puppy training classes we went to.  I think a lot of vets do these so you could ask yours about this.  Coco then started puppy class at about 10 weeks after her first vac and before her second one.  At that age, classes are more about socialisation than learning obedience but it was fun and she did learn how to play nicely with other pups and the basics - or more importantly I learned the basics!!  

Your vet will advise you when it is safe to take the pup out for a proper walk - I think it is usually a week after the second vac though.  

Good luck with your search - I am sure you will find your perfect playmate soon  

[chelsea]

Thank you very much - this is far better than I had hoped - "she" can be with me right from day one.  I have found accredited breeders on the Kennel Club website, as directed, and I shall be telephoning them tomorrow.  We are getting very excited now!

Thanks to all the info given here, I feel so much more confident with the knowledge, and feel I can approach a breeder with some good questions and know what I should be looking for - and looking out for!

I'll let you know how it goes.

Potter

Just to add to everything that has been said already. Good luck with your search but do remember that there is no garentee of an accredited breeder being a 'reputable breeder.'
Although it is aproed by the kennel club, it says on the website although health tests are strongly advised 'no automated checks can be made to ensure that Accredited breeders are following reccomendations.
' And also says somewhere else: 'There will be no formal checks on breeder compliance with recommendations although breeders will be
encouraged to follow recommendations for their breed and we will ask them to send copies of screening results that are unavailable
on our registration database.
Both parents should have been DNA tested for PRA and FN. And preferably hip scored.
Hope i've made that clear

To find out your nearest regional show society have a look here: http://www.thecockerspanielclub.co.uk/breedclubs.htm People in the show world often hear about litters due.

Good luck.

[lmk]

It looks like everyone else has given you lots of brilliant advice, but I just wanted to say it sounds like you have a fantastic set up to give a pup a really wondeful home. My 13 year old (show type) Cocker is absolutely at his happiest when he's with his family - he's equally content with a massive hike or a walk round the block just as long as he's got plenty of company and attention. For the last few years he's been taken to work every day by a family member and he seems happier (and younger!) then ever. Good luck with your puppy hunt - sounds like you're going to have a best friend for life as soon as you bring her/him home