Why did you chose a cocker?

[Ninasmum]

When I was a young child, our parents would not let us have a dog, although we had cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, goldfish etc.. but i always remember when mum got out the 'old photographs' seeing a black cocker spaniel that my gran had many years previously.  I think this picture must have stayed in my subconscious mind for many, many years and still remember it so clearly now 40 years later

When i met OH he had a Golden Retriever Puppy and after moving in and getting married, we decided shortly afterwards to get another dog.  Well the only dog i would consider was a Cocker Spaniel.  We found a lovely Blue Roan Puppy, that an elderly lady had been 'let down' by the purchaser (they never went back for him), so we just had to have him.. Times have moved on since 20 years ago, but at that time it seemed the 'norm' to go and see a pup and bring them straight home and this is what we did then.  He was absolutely adorable, we loved him and our GR to bits and they got on brilliantly, well after the initial very small puppy, biting stage   After we sadly lost both of them within six months of each other, then after another six months we decided to get another boy.  He is Alfie, our choc roan, then we got Jo Jo and now we also have Nina (Jo Jo's daughter).  I would still like to add to our 3 and hopefully next year have another puppy.

My ultimate dream is to have a 'rainbow family' of Cocker Spaniels   Mind you i think OH would be long gone by then

[JackieD]

As a child we had a blue mearl sheltie, he was lovely but I sooo hated all that coat 
As an adult we had big dogs in the past Rocky GSD and Choccy chocolate lab, when I lost Choccy 5 years ago, I did say No More it hurts too much, but I missed the company, having moved into a smaller place another big dog wasn't vialble, there is a guy walks round here with an orange roan called William, he is quite old about 11 now I think, I loved having a little cuddle with him, the dog not the owner  so I found out as much as I could and decided a cocker was "just right" for us a decisision we will never regret  Still ended up with "lots of coat" 

[ggilly]

I have no idea why I always wanted a Golden Cocker Spaniel, I had just always known that if and when I had a dog that's what it would be. Then in 1995 we were able to get our dog and yes it was a Golden Cocker Spaniel. 

We knew nothing about cockers and made so many mistakes with her but Tilly was a wonderful soft, gentle, well manered dog, who I adored and we had just over 13 years with before we finally had to have her pts last September.
We were both heartbroken when she finally went and I thought that it would take a few years before we would be able to have another dog.

However, after 5 weeks with no dog I realised that I hated the empty house, nobody following me everywhere I went, no wiggly bummed greeting when I came home etc. so I mentioned that I thought maybe we should look sooner rather than later.
We had a bit of a debate about what type of dog to get as hubby would really have liked a GSD but he was happy to have another cocker if that was what I really wanted.

We made some enquiries through the breed club and were given details of a couple of litters that were available immediately. There were only a couple of things that we were certain about, the first was that the parents had to have all the available health tests and the second was that we would have any colour but golden as we didn't want to keep comparing to Tilly.
The second litter we went to see ticked all the right boxes and we got on really well with the breeder so 7 weeks after loosing Tilly we became the proud owners of our second cocker an 8 week old blue roan girl called Lizzy.

She is the total opposite of Tilly in so many ways, a total nutcase, but wonderful in so many of her own ways. We are both so glad that we made the decision not to wait any longer to get another dog, she has quite simply brought the joy back into our lives.

[sox]

My family in Norfolk run farms, so all the dogs that they had were cockers, my uncle Fred had 15 of them and I was always around them every time I visited, I have always loved the affection that I got from them, I always swore that I would have a cocker when I got older I was only 10 at the time, I live and breathed spaniels. 

It was not till I moved to Scotland, as I lived in a house in the country, that I thought the time was right to get a dog, I had not predicted that I would get one just to give a dog a home was all that I wanted.  I was looking for ages and never seemed to be around at the right time to get the right dog that I wanted, plus all the spaniels that I wanted were out of my price range.

I was on gumtree.com looking for work and just happened to see an ad on there from a couple who just said that they needed to rehome the dog that they had, so I called them and arranged to meet them, the decription of the dog that they gave me was he is black and small and a terrier!!! When I met them they opened the boot and out popped this wee black head and I instantly knew that this was a cocker spaniel, and not a terrier as they said, the couple were polish and did not speak much english!!!! they were moving as they both had found jobs in a hotel, and were unable to take Sox with them.

Before I even spoke about Sox they had put his bed in my car and his bits and pieces and he jumped in too.  I could not believe that I had the dog that I longed for and too top it all was a freebie and he had all his pedigree papers too.  I know this is not the way to go to get a dog but im glad that I found Sox as he has been my lifeline and also a good luck charm as I was offered a job that afternoon too!

[LurcherGirl]

I was never a gundog person at all, in fact, it was the least likely group (together with the terrier group) of breed that I would ever have a dog from... 

But when I met an American Cocker Spaniel, I totally fell in love - and ended up getting my own! I have never regretted it, Jesse is amazing and ACS will always be part of my life now. Of course, now I also have a soft spot for all kinds of spaniels... 

Vera

[Lilly's Mum]

We had our first dog Benson (father pedegree golden retriever - mother alsation/bordercollie) for fifteen years before we sadly lost him. That was about six years ago now but I am filling up just typing this and I still miss him every day.

We couldn't bring ourselves to even consider risking this loss again and vowed not to have another. Our boys were desperate for a dog, they would often be seen taking the neighbourhood dogs out for walks. Hubby and I also walk as a form of de-stressing and keeping fit. You can see the sea from our house and a walk along the beach is our thing. The boys are active and we have fairly high energy levels as a family unit.

Whilst our walking one night another couple commented on what a waste it was to have to regular walkers without a dog! We looked at one another and the decision was made! (I guess the time was just right) When we got home we talked through the type of dog that would suit our lifestyle. Our boys could not believe their luck!!! After some time we found Harvey our black lab. We enrolled him in a local puppy class and all four of us fight for the right to train him. He is the most gentle kind hearted big old bear there is.


Any by the time Harvey was about six months old we had decided that we would never be wothout a dog again, yes the heartache is there when you loose them but the joy of having them outweighs this tenfold.

So Why a cocker spaniel...It was on the shortilist, had to be able to keep up, but small enough to fit into our quickly shrinking ship! Once we looked at a few and particularly the blue roans, we were hooked! we sourced a breeder and went to visit.

The first time my oldest son Ethan picked Lilly up (whose name we had chosen long before we visited) she looked up into his eyes then planted a massive cocker kiss right on his nose. She then preceeded to snuggle up under his chin. She chose us!!!

June and Les her breeders, showed us the rest of the family and pics of the ones that had passed. (they had 11 generations worth of photos) They were sooo lovely and we still keep in touch. We picked her up at nine weeks old and she has ruled the roost ever since. I have had other dogs before, but was not prepared for the character of a cocker. I can't expalin it but its just more human than dog!

Sorry its a loooooong post, but you did ask

Angela xxx

[Roslyn McConnell]

Lady and the tramp!!!! I loved lady!!! and it was my fav film ever, I used to watch the bit when she is a puppy and trying to climb the stairs over and over!!! I think she is supposed to be an American cocker but I didn't know that at the time.

Then when I was finally allowed my own wee doggie at the grand old age of ten, it HAD to be a cocker which is just as well cause they are the perfect dogs for a ten year old girl to grow up with! 

[JackieD]

It's lovely to hear all these stories, you can say though without exception we are all Cocker Crackers 

[Harveypops]

My dad grew up with a blue roan cocker and my neighbour had a golden show called Bumble. I think it was their happy go lucky nature, they're fab family pets and those EARS!! I actually originally wanted a golden show, but have ended up with a golden worker and wouldn't have it any other way now. ..... although may get my little golden show girl one day...

[Jassy Pants]

What a great thread!!

I have never grown up with a dog so was a little apprehensive when hubby suggested that we get a dog.  We had 7 wonderful years with our beloved English Springer Spaniel, Benson.  Unfortunately he developed prostrate cancer and we had to make the hardest decision we have ever had to make and end his suffering in November of last year.  Never again I told my hubby, I am not going through this again it's too painful but had no idea how lost I would feel, so we decided to jump right back into it and get another dog straight away.  We decided that with two small children we just couldn't manage another Springer and also we would always be reminded of Benson.  My husband had always loved the Cocker Spaniel so we read up on the breed and loved their temperament, their eagerness to learn and most importantly their love of children.  We went on the Kennel Club website and found a list of breeders, one of which lived in the same village as us with pups ready a couple of weeks before Christmas!!!  I always remember saying to my hubby on the way 'I am only looking, it is not definite that we are getting another one', well as soon as I saw them, that was it I was in lurve  .  Jasper (aka Jassy Pants) was the only boy in the litter and it took me all of ten seconds after seeing him to know that he is the dog for us.  We picked him up two weeks before Christmas and never looked back.  He was house trained in the day after 24 hours of getting him home and fingers crossed he has been fairly quick to learn the art of doggie ettiquette.  We will never ever forget Benson (we can't his ashes are on the top of our bookcase in the lounge  ) but Jasper has definitely filled that void.  My eldest daughter was sitting on the sofa last night and Jasper was curled up on her lap.  She kissed his head and said 'I love you so much Jassy, you are my best friend'.  Well after hearing that we certainly have made the right decision.  It's cockers all the way for us now, we are even considering getting a playmate for Jasper in a year or so.

[LizzieD]

What a brilliant thread. 
Neither OH or I grew up with any dogs around so getting a dog was never on our agenda.  However at the age of about 3 DS started asking for a dog and just kept on asking. The answer was always no no no!!!  however by the time he was nine he had obviously worn us down a bit, and privately we agreed that when the time was right for us we would consider adding a dog to the family.

We were in the process of moving to a bigger house, I had just been made redundant, brilliant timing  , but ended up getting a job with less hours so logistically it was begining to be more likely, so when Rob asked 'can we have a dog when we move to the new house?' we replied 'maybe'. Rob then started to dance round the house singing 'Maybe's better than no, maybe's better than no.    So once we had moved house, had a load of building work done the time was finally right and the search began.

We liked the idea of a rescue but soon realised that as inexperienced owners and both working (me -only 4hrs per day) we wouldn't be classed as suitable. so had to decide what sort of pup to go for.  We liked springers & Collies but thought they would be too much for completely novice owners.  OH wouldn't consider anything that he considered to be 'a rat on a string'   his words not mine  so after lots of research we decided the cocker was a 'proper' dog, the right size (but not too big for me the kids to walk) and their temperment seemed perfect. We even discovered the difference between working and show and opted for a worker. (perhaps we should have done more research  ) So Millie entered our lives as an 8 week old bundle of mischief, has changed our lives forever and made DS's childhood complete.  While I was confident I would enjoy having a dog I have been totally surprised at just how much fun, love and laughter a dog brings. I love her to bits  and I can't imagine a life without a cocker in it.   

[winewood]

I was the dog nut of the family, from a very young age, when I was seven Dad brought home my first dog a corgi (Taffy) she was a great dog we used to do garden agility with the broom across a couple of buckets She had eczema really bad can't really remember what happened but will just say she got old. Then Dad said it was his turn he always wanted a Bull Terrier so along came Sally, this was long before they were popular with lets just say the wrong type of person,. Our Sally was a very loving, warped sense of humour, great dog. Then my turn again I wanted a big bear, got myself a Rottie (Jess) she was the best, lived till she was ten, got her before I was married, so she met my now husband, then accepted two children. I have many photos of my daughter asleep on her, the neighbours were frightened of her till they found out that the 6 week old kitten from next door scratched her face and had beaten her up, she was then laughing stock of the street what a woose. Then after much research, wanting to go smaller, the Rotti by now getting a bad reputation, got my Airedale (Grace), ended up also getting a rescue boy (Fraser)  to me they are very similar personality to the cocker's, silly, another warped sense of humour and very intelligent, both lived to old age it took me more than a year to get over loosing them. I could still cry at the drop of a hat over losing Grace but could not face getting another there would never be another Grace or Fraser. It was the longest period of my life without a dog, but researched for a long time before getting my Cocker's wanted to go smaller again but one that woofed not yapped and this is as small as I go. It was a great decision between the Cocker, Field or springer.What I love about my two is the love they give, as much as I would get another Airedale tomorrow if OH agreed, they don't give the love that the cocker's do, as my children have grown up one left home another about to, and my OH travels a lot with his job, they are my best friends, always follow me from room to room OH calls them my Velcro dogs or my shadows, would also love to get a fieldie. My OH surprises me though by saying why would you want another Airedale, these two are much better companions, you can see that they love you, Indi especially is all over him when he returns from O/S and wont leave him alone. They seem to understand that when he is away they get to sleep on my bed with me and don't have a problem when he returns they just go back to their own beds. Don't know what I'd do without them.