Your Cockers Characters.

[Mel]

What are your cockers characters like?

Niki was a dog who would have happily been human. He ate everything we did, went everywhere we went and tried to get involved in conversations by gently mouthing us when we laughed. He was just happy to have a lovely home. Very, very affectionate.

Keli was the centre of attention but he was a one person dog really. He trusted me implicitly for everything, but he was like a cat; only showed affection when HE decided, but he was a poser for the camera. He was a grumpy ole fart most of his life though and very much a homebody and a second dog would have been a no-no for him. When I told him off about stuff he had a very indignant look, very human, as though he were saying, "How dare you speak to me like that!"

Tali is very similar to Niki in many ways. But he is an attention whore! However, he is so very affectionate, which I missed with Keli. He gets upset if he thinks he's done wrong and comes to tell me, like when he has an accident in the home, which is terribly sweet He tries to camera pose but he doesn't like the flash so every 20th pic or so is a good full face, open eyed one. He's learning to trust me but he's a bit slow off the mark, probably due to the eye issue.

[Danni and Freya]

Freya is a remarkable little dog, more intelligent than I would like to think about. She listens to every word I say (not necessarily understanding them  ) but she stares at me and cocks her head from one side to the other as if shes trying to understand. Shes my shadow, she follows me everywhere. She seems to know when we are laughing at her and gives us a very unimpressed glare before eventually launching herself at us to smother us in kisses. She amazing, the first dog i've ever owned and I know i'd be hard pushed to find another like her 

Enter Harvey  Couldn't be more different if he tried. I say he's "thick as two short planks"  He has a real dopey manner and just doesn't eminate intelligence as Freya always has. If you talk to Freya she listens, if you talk to Harvey you're hard pushed to get him to look at you, and even then its a very blank expression  He's super cuddly and lovable and full of fun, just seems to be a sandwich short of a picnic!

[Crazy Cocker Gang]

mine tend to have the characters of errm, dogs  

I dont think they would like to be human because then they couldnt be the self obssessed, free loaders they are  

I dont tell them off because if there doing something I dont want them to do i dont hold them responsible for their actions.

And as dogs have no concept of right or wrong Seth really doesnt care if he has an accident. The others are only housetrained because there is more in it for them if they go outside (as i said self obssessed)

[bluegirl]

Penny is a real gentle lady, she lives for food as anyone on a COL meet up will notice. She's very much my dog and hates being told she's been bad in any way.

Bronte is a bowl of fruit, she's also completely mine and will clash with Penny when it comes to having my time (grumbles only). She just loves life, food, walks, in fact she just personifies happiness at its fullest.

Phoebe is just out for what she can get and if there is no reward its basically not worth the effort. She has a regal look about her but she's definitely a chav. She's bold and shy all rolled into one. She is the most willfull and aloof but there's no denying the tie she has to me. She's loves a good bark, but only when she's out, shes as quiet as a mouse at home.

Logan is a creep, he just loves being seen as the good boy. he always seems willing to do anything just to show his loyalty. But he is most definitely right hand man to Phoebe and would follow her to the ends of the world but his motives are never the same as Phoebe's. He tries to be protector of his harem when he's out but anyone who knows him well knows he's really more of a wimp than a warrior and is much more at home curled up next to you having a tickle.

[Black Red + Yellow]

Finn - a complex fellow.....spent the first 10 months of life living in kennels and then was thrown into living as a working pet.....cuddles on the sofa?  what are they?  Didn't take him long though. ....he is still aloof with some people, prefers the ones he really knows!  Easily motivated, lovely zest for getting stuck in and has a special little crabby shape when he is extremely chuffed with himself, he sort of curves himself round and wiggles his little tail furiously.....lovely

Alfie- in one word...soppy but very very clever...completely uses his body language with humans and dogs to get what he wants, crawling on his belly over to them for a play and affection, he knows how to work it.     Alfie is very easy to 'read' - lots of facial expressions and his whole body will change when he faces a challenge he is not sure of - hard to motivate, loses cofidence easily so a very gentle approach works well with him....the look on his face now when he retrieves game or a dummy is priceless - he must read the pride in our face because his chest postively fluffs up

[Sarah1985]

Dexter is high energy and can only be descriped at manic. I always think if hes human he'd be socially backwards as he cant read situation very well. If i snap and shout (at him or my OH) he seems to think that the way to stop me is to attempt to climb up me.  

However he loves any activity that he thinks is naughty. We did alot of obedience with him as a pup and now any activity that involves high speed movements he gets this look of "do you really want me doing that?" He treats agility and flyball like a kid does a play ground and throws himself into finishing in the fastest time posible, its just a huge game to him. He eger to please loves cuddles. He loves being the centre of attention

Meanwhile Clover is incredibly good at reading the situation. She knows when to stop out my way and when I need a cocker kiss.  

Shes got an incredible amount of natural working ability and is incredibly inteligant. However she will only work for treats as shes incredibly food motivated.

At the same time she has the most varied personailty. While Dexter is happy all the time and in any situation Clover can be moody. She has can put on a really disgrunteled look on her face as if to day "oi what about me" whenever I forget to feed her the min we get in from a walk.

[aliceandlouis]

I'm with Crazy Cocker gang here - dogs is dogs, not humans in furry jump-suits BUT I do think they have very different ways of being.  Inevitable though, because they are so much part of our lives and homes, it is hard not to anthropomorphise their 'personalities' and ascribe human attributes to them  .

Our Old boy, Harvey was a gentleman - deferring to the wishes of others and happy to let everyone go through doorways first. 

Alice has definite princessly traits - genteel, well-mannered and unlikely to seek out getting wet. 

Louis is altogether different - my best friend describes him as the canine equivalent of Boris Johnson - very intelligent but looks a shambles other than for the split second after he has been groomed 

[Danni and Freya]

I'm with Crazy Cocker gang here - dogs is dogs, not humans in furry jump-suits BUT I do think they have very different ways of being.  Inevitable though, because they are so much part of our lives and homes, it is hard not to anthropomorphise their 'personalities' and ascribe human attributes to them  .

Our Old boy, Harvey was a gentleman - deferring to the wishes of others and happy to let everyone go through doorways first. 

Alice has definite princessly traits - genteel, well-mannered and unlikely to seek out getting wet. 

Louis is altogether different - my best friend describes him as the canine equivalent of Boris Johnson - very intelligent but looks a shambles other than for the split second after he has been groomed 

Of course the majority of us know about anthropomorphism, but like you say they are all very different and the best way to describe thier traits to others is to humanise them in some way.

[carolinemaltas]

I hope you don't mind me joining in here but we have had 4 Golden retreivers and a cocker so here goes:

Oliver 1982-1993 Dark Liver coloured Goldie- was a real "human" dog he loved life to the full and we were farming at the time so he spent his life riding in tractors and chasing seagulls off ploughing, hiding in fields of wheat and generally having a ball. He went everywhere with us-to his "grannies" ( my Mum and Dads) every Sunday for his lunch and travelled on holiday with us everywhere ( did 2500 miles touring Scotland in a clapped out old Volvo and a tent!!

Toby- 1985-1996 Was a Rescue  Goldie, veru light coloured and fit as anything could run for miles and spent alot of his time exploring the fields around the farm. Always came home eventually and was never a bit of bother. Because he was rescued from the cruel home he was alway grateful to us and spent his life thanking us!! Had him the same time as Oliver and they were the best of mates. When Oliver died Toby pined and stopped eating so we got-

Jake 1994-2008 Bought Jake as a puppy he turned out to be ahuge teddy bear who could be a grumpy old sod when he wanted. He was alway top dog and very dominent espcially when we got-

Oscar-1997-2009 Oscar was Jakes son - the most gentle natured dog he was always very tolerant because he was constantly bullied by Jake so when Jake died we decided to get-

Henry 2008 - our first cocker and what a differnece he has made to our lives a total softie and real comic and we are totally besotted with him. He is the most affectionate dog we have ever own and cuddles for England.

Woody 2010- Just got a our golden retreiver puppy he is a little darling a bit timid but him and Henry are getting on well so I can't wait for all the adventured to come!!

[JennyBee]

Brodie is extremely people orientated, especially with children - she absolutely adores them to the point that I have to put her on lead if we meet any on walks as she'll stalk them . She is a very loving, gentle girl but prone to bursts of excitement if she meets someone she knows. She is also the laziest dog I have ever known . She was a very timid girl as a pup and it is amazing to see how much she's come on

[laurenollie]

Ollie is a noisy character!! He has a noise for everything!! He;s my first dog so I have nothing to compare to but he's very special, and a mummy's boy!!! My dad often says he tries to be human, he loves to walk round on his hind legs to make him taller, he sticks his nose into everything, can't fall asleep until everyone else has incase he misses something!!!

L&O x

[Hurtwood Dogs]

Dave is a very typical show cocker. He's reasonably bright but not overwhelmingly so. He's happy to chill or up for anything, very enthusiastic and a total chancer. He's a food thief extraordinaire, adores attention and affection (and lady dogs) and hates any sort of confrontation whatsoever. He owns everything in the house and we're all aware of that, but is also happy to trade

He's lots of fun, brave, surprisingly protective of his family in sensible and good around other dogs way, loves learning things but is a little distractable and occasionally extremely inconsistent but he makes us laugh a lot and he's the rock steady eddy in our house and if anyone wants a smelly cuddle, he's your man

Trev was a supersmart, crazy bundle of energy and exuberance. He had amazing hunting skills, endless energy, thrived on human praise and affection and although he loved food was very self restrained around human food, bless him The key to everything he did in life was human contact and using his brain. He loved flushing Fezzies and was ok at retrieving - he'd have never been a good working dog though as he always got a little too excited when he picked a scent up and sounded a like he was being murdered He was a crazy cat, exhausting, needed a lot of exercise and attention, mischievous but unbelievably kind and patient with kids and anyone and an awful lot of fun. I miss him every single day  

Honorary cocker Normy hates silly stuff, is frighteningly intelligent, moody, huffy, stubborn and unimpressed with lots of things... she demands respect and wont do anything unless it's seriously worth her while, then she can do ANYTHING. She is deeply loyal once she's made her mind up about you but doesn't make new acquaintances easily, she's very tricky and teaches me stuff every day and has made me feel like the most special person in the world by agreeing to do what I politely ask.. most of the time She's is a dog in a million

[Mrs B]

Cinders has a very sweet yet quirky personality.  Hubby and I talk to her all the time and she sits there with her gorgeous head cocked to one side as if she understands EVERY word we say.  She loves being the centre of attention and hates to think that she is missing out on ANYTHING!! She will follow me round like my shadow and will sit by the living room door waiting for me to come back downstairs.

She play fights with hubby alot, but I am the one she comes and lies with at night to go to sleep on before going off to her own bed when we do.  Cinders loves affection and being fussed and can not stand it when we are busy doing our everyday chores such as cleaning the house etc.

She is our first ever dog and I know we would find it SO hard to find another pooch as delightful and clever as she is.  Most people who meet her are completely besotted with the big brown eyes and very curly ears.

[Deb H]

Henry Complicated with a hint of schitzophrenia, but gentle and loving and gives amazing cuddles.
Jasper A bark monster who has to be the centre of attention, a snog monster and my hero.
George Grrr too smart for his own bl**dy good, a happy bouncy lad who loves to please.
Sydney Needy very needy, my shadow so loving and squirmy.
Harry Never ever still, he has eyes that look into your soul and snuggles like a good un.

Not forgeting the pointers
Jethro Spineless bless him a total wuss, Loving with the longerst tongue i have ever seen.
Dhali Terratorial and the boss, champion nose nibbler.

[Liz F]

My lovely Diesel   - Lovely nature, bright and quick to learn, obedient, very gentle, loves cuddles, jumps on settee and flips himself over onto you for a tummy tickle.  Wouldn't dream of rolling in mud or poo   A real softie and a well behaved dog although very sensitive.  

Then along came Olli
 
My sometimes not so lovely Olli   - Lovely nature, bright and quick to learn, in your face dog - not sure what language he understands though because sometimes its like im speaking latin to him   Rolls in anything that smells bad    picks up and presents anything thats dead   jumps on settee covered in whatever hes rolled in    Not phased by anything including large dogs growling at him.

As you see two completely different characters, but get on fab together, I love them to bits, and they give back to me 110% of what I give to them.
Im proud to be owned by them