Why did you chose a cocker?

[SkyeSue]

Ok, so I'm a sad singleton, alone on a Friday night (apart from Chloe and she doesn't count cos she's asleep, for once!) and the most entertaining thing I can think of right now, is to find out why you all wanted a cocker spaniel!
I'll start....I always wanted a dog, had to wait for the right time, etc. etc. and when the time came, I'd met Tara, a gorgeous black worker that my neighbour got as a six week old pup...I totally fell in love, and no other kind of dog would do for me! I went to great lengths to get one "just like Tara"...and I succeeded! I just love cockers, their devilish personalities, their strength of will and purpose, their agility and their incredible affection and love. No other dog could have done it for me!
How come you've got one? (or 10  )

[waggytails]

My friend bred her dog Lottie and kept one of the litter Millie.  She had her for 3 years but Lottie, her mum was bullying her badly and in the end they could not keep Millie.  When we visited i would always say i would take her home with me, so one day out the blue, she asked would i take her, she will be 14 in April, I love her nature, she is loving, stubburn and strong willed.  I now have Hattie as well, she is 9 months and her strong will and stuburn nature is truly comming through.  I love the way they always seem to keep that puppy look and are always there for a cuddle.

[Cob-Web]

We lost Sheba, our rescue dog (GSDx), not long after we moved here to the IoW 10 years ago 

It took 5 years, and a change of job for me, for us to be ready and in a position, to share our lives with another dog. I started researching breeds, and cocker spaniels came a little way down the shortlist 

For a number of reasons, the breeds above cockers on the list were eliminated and we decided on a show-cocker; I had very little experience of them as a breed, and OH had none......it could have gone horribly wrong, but fortunately, I learnt a little about what makes cockers tick and discovered COL - so much so that I found myself agreeing when I was asked to take on another 

Since discovering spaniels, my favourite breed shortlist has changed completely; it is now mainly gundogs 

[Sarah.H]

When I was about 11 Mum and Dad went to get our new dog as we had lost our Irish Setter Simon the year before. Mum wanted a great dane but came back with a golden cocker  who we called Sandy . They went to a large commercial breeders, we just didn't know any better. Anyway he was the last of a litter, about 12 weeks old and very quiet. Mum just fell in love and felt sad he was all alone. Luckily for us he had a fantastic temperament  . Then when I was 15 I was allowed my own dog (I really wanted a horse  ) but was only allowed to get a cocker! Well I got my lovely boy Pepper who was the most special little character  . We lost them both at 13 years old  . Mum and Dad got Charlie after we lost Pepper and then I was given Millie the October before last. We wouldn't have a different breed of dog now. They are just so full of life, character and affection  .

[*Jay*]

We got Brook, first and foremost as a family pet but also as a companion whilst out shooting.  We had border collies previous and didn't really want a dog any bigger than this so the smaller gundogs were considered. We were told about a cocker breeder who were based not too far away, went to see the litter and there he was.  This was back in 1992 and while he wasn't the best example of a cocker temperament wise, that boy barged into my heart and made himself comfy    It was me & him against the world for almost 12 years and I just can't imagine not having a cocker about now. Oh, and he turned out to be gun shy  

[ladylola]

I had just lost my 18.1/2 year old dog    When a friend of my sons came round with the most gorgeous golden cocker boy I just fell in love with him    It was the lovely ears and wiggly back end. I just had to have one. I saw Sasha advertised and got her, quickly became besotted and now have 3.They are all young,Sasha being the oldest at 3, No regrets whatsoever. They are my life and I love the bones of every one of them.

[johndoran]

Like you i allways wanted a dog but had to wait for the right time my friend has a springer called Wells  who is a big lovely old Hector of a dog and she also has Reg a black working cocker.To me Reg was everything i wanted in a dog the right size,temperament so i started the search. I decided on a bitch because Ive allways had female puddy cats (not logical i know).Any way after much searching we found Bonnie Boo the rest as they say is history.We love her to bits, she is the most loveable dog in the whole world and of course she rules with an iron paw

[SkyeSue]

Awww...these replies are great! Its fantastic to hear how you came to love the cocker spaniel...more stories please 

[cdpops]

I have never wanted a dog   however my OH always has, he was brought up with German Shepherds, although that would have been his dog of choice out little 2 up 2 down wasn't big enough. My friend has the most adorable cocker spaniel Gizzy B whom we both adore. On many walking trips we aways commented on how lovely it would be to have a dog. I was skimming our local paper one day, after a recent walking hol and noticed an add for a 14 month old cocker, mentioned it to my OH, we rang the family and went to see him that night. We knew NOTHING about cockers and hadn't got a clue what we should be asking   as soon as I saw Charlie I fell in love with him. His Birthday is the same as mine and I felt that was a sign, the fact that we got him on April fools day was probably the thing that we should have took notice of  
He has given me so much fun and laughter and I have met so many people through him, I feel he has enriched my life. I have learned so much about dogs and am much more confident than I used to be with bigger breeds.

[barb]

There's some lovely stories happening here!
We had always had Border Collies, I still love them! When we lost our last boy 2 years ago I didn't think I could get another border as he was so special. So we decided to think about a smaller dog, we did our homework and drew up a list (not in any order!), not too small, have a decent bark and not yappy, a "soft" dog as in nice nature not aggressive, a female, loyal companion, good looking(!).
We narrowed it down to a cocker or a beagle.
I'd heard that beagles could be escape artists and once they got a scent they wouldn't come back!

So a cocker it was! Then of course we couldn't find one! After much searching we found our girl, she really fills the bill and so much more!
Barb and Pippa

[Mrs K]

I always wanted to get a dog as I love them and I think they are great for kids too. Always thought we would get a Heinz variety from the pound tho'. And then my friend got Breagha and we were in love. She spent 50% of her time with us and we just loved her so much we wanted one 100% of the time! As you all know we were set to get a pupster but the lovely Molly was looking for a home and the rest is history!

[seaangler]

I have always like the golden retriver... Not my choice of dog the cocker....

When the mother in law past away (some three years ago Fran (my wife) said that she said her mother always like Cockers...So she went and brought our cocker and name it after her..(Peggy)..And must admit  that our cocker that we have gives to us the loveing and happyness the mother in law has left behind for us both Chris

[Mrs K]

I have always like the golden retriver... Not my choice of dog the cocker....

When the mother in law past away (some three years ago Fran (my wife) said that she said her mother always like Cockers...So she went and brought our cocker and name it after her..(Peggy)..And must admit  that our cocker that we have gives to us the loveing and happyness the mother in law has left behind for us both Chris

That's lovely!

[marbledmolly]

OH had been brought up with large dogs - Doberman & German Sheppard's and doesn't like small yappy dogs. I've was brought up with a lab and a spaniel x although I've always liked cav's and for a long time wanted one. Cocker's was second on my list. Our first dog together a collie x  sadly didn't live very long he had a auto immune disease    We eventually got a border collie because we wanted to do obedience and agility. Sadly last year we could see she was feeling the affects of old age and the arthritis and we knew we were on borrowed time    We knew how hard it was losing Prince and not having a dog in the house that this time we would get another dog so it didn't feel so empty - if it can ever be made any eaiser      We knew we Would down size and i still wanted a cav - OH wasn't convinced  so we finally settled on my second choice - a Cocker as the transition dog. And the rest is history we are both hooked. OH mentioned the other day you can see why people have several of these dogs at once    does that mean i can have another one 

[Helen]

I'm a gundog girl through and through - childhood dogs were weims, gsp's and labs and I have always wanted another weim or gsp....until....

was sick one day in bed and to cheer me up my OH 'borrowed' Chalky Parsons - at that stage a 6 month old gold working cocker with chalk tipped paws   first I knew was this blur of gold fur rushing towards the bed and being smothered with cocker kisses and the most impressive full body wag in the world, and the most gorgeous face and ears in the world.  I fell in love there and then, researched as much as possible the breed and breeders down and had to wait 18 months till I moved to Wilts to start the nagging process.

Jarv's breeder is a gamekeeper friend of ours, and when we found out Jess was going to be bred from I was on the phone begging for a chance at a pup - he was very staunch and wanted his working pups to go to working homes so I had to do some convincing there... (breeder won out though as Jarvs gundog instincts are too strong for me to deny them so even if we're not beating we're training - in my own limited way - and he is a pheasant boy through and through)

Was called when the litter was born, and we were allowed a peek very early on when they were 2 weeks old....and there they were 6 wiggly squeaky bundles in a whelping pen by the AGA with their very happy but tired mum.

We wanted a bitch, liver and white or solid black (actually I wanted a gold but there were none in the litter   )....but all the bitches were already taken so we had a choice from 2 brown boys - one was a very rich brown and very chunky, and the other was smaller, a bit scrawny in comparison to the first chunky boy and a bit gingery with white toe tips.  Held the smaller one in my hands and he poked his pink tongue out...so that was it, he chose us.  Too early really to see any personality but that was that.

2 weeks later we went to see the litter again, our gingery scrawny boy was still slightly smaller than the rest but was inquisitive and bright but pretty laid back too.  Was funny to see him interact with the others - he has always played on his terms, only when he wants to, and he was like that within the litter.

the white toe tips disappeared pretty quickly  

oh, and one Jarv's best mates is......Chalky Parsons