how much time does your cocker sleep during the day?

[elaine.e]

that is very interesting indeed....so how does that equate with working dogs who are on the go all the time during the shooting season?

Sue I am so surprised at what I learnt today as it really was so very different to everything I've read or heard before & it applies to ALL breeds.....but makes perfect sense! If you could ever get to go to one of her (Winkie Spiers!) seminars or google her work - very interesting reading!!   Controversial maybe as it is quite radical to conventional thinking but I'm going to research it some more - anything that benefits the girls & teaches me in the process is a good thing 

Helen - I think you'd of liked it too - very much 

I was there too and it was a fantastic seminar, focussing on stress in dogs. Louis doesn't relax much, even at home where he's noise reactive to things in the house and outside, so he doesn't get enough downtime, which adds to his stress levels. William is much more relaxed and when he's at home spends a lot of time sleeping.

[Victoria25]

When in the house Poppy is pretty much asleep or laying still resting!

We walk for about 2/3 hours a day and play/train for about an hour in the house, apart from that she sleeps/chills.

Weekends are different as we are out and about and she does what we do but even then she sleeps as soon as we stop for anything!

[Crazy Cocker Gang]

Mine sleep a lot during the day.

I dont tend to do much with them in the house so the majority of the time they are lounging about with the odd play fight.

I make sure seth doesnt get overstimulated and he spends about 4 hrs a day crated, 4x30mins stints and in the afternoon for 2hrs, I think its important he learns to switch off and relax.

I think there is a fine line between over and under stimulating dogs.

Seth is still on 15-20min walks even though he could have longer but i dont think he needs longer at the moment and make sure he has a good balance between training, soicialising and play.

I also think all dogs are different and can handle different things. Brie could probably take anything I threw at her whereas Amber couldnt.

Amber I have to be very careful not to over stimulate her as she really cant handle it. Low key little and often is best for her and it really benifits her to be left completley alone for a few hours during the day.

I do think that too much training and stimulation is just as damaging to dogs as too little and its about finding the balance that works for you and your dog.

Training to me needs to be quality not quantity

[milly]

that is very interesting indeed....so how does that equate with working dogs who are on the go all the time during the shooting season?

The down time adds up Sue, Paddy will snooze in the car on the way to a shoot or training session, it's usually 45 mins to an hour drive. I always crate him at lunchtime or he'll never stop moving. He generally watches me eat my lunch, has a bite himself then rests, even if he's not sleeping at least he's resting and just watching the goings on instead of moving around. Then he'll snooze on the drive home.

I always make a point of crating him at lunchtime on full training days, I used to let him mooch around but he's like a toddler that'll keep moving but by late afternoon he'd lose his sparkle.

If we're home if I relax he will but if I move he follows me during the day, too scared of missing something. He has a bed in the dining room and often on an evening he'll dissapear on his own and we'll find he's gone into that bed for some quiet time, probably because the rooms dark and peaceful with no television on.

[bluegirl]

Mine do a lot of sleeping when they are home. Sometimes I have to nudge them more than once to go out for a wee say just before bed and they must be really asleep because they look so startled when they finally come round that it makes me laugh, especially Penny and Phoebe.

[JeffandAnnie]

Mine have four modes - full-on mode, play mode, chill mode and sleep mode. I reckon they have about 2 hours full-on mode (involving their walks and a bit of running around the house/garden), two hours play mode (playing with us and each other), three-four hours chill mode (lazing around, watching TV, chewing etc) and the rest sleep. Obviously this varies as they tend to get more activity on weekends and holidays.

[Hurtwood Dogs]

Both mine are very chilled lazy wotsits at home - Normy could sleep 23 hours a day given the chance, Dave does the odd security check lap of the house (about once every 2 hours ) But other than that, apart from when we're out in the forest, they're snoozing - they start pacing and hinting at about 5pm which bugs me because that's also manic 2 hours with the kids.... but I know they're just worried I'll forget to give them their dinner in all the chaos

I have to say that Trev was very different, he was only really settled in the evenings, during the day he was constantly on the go watching me all the time to see if I might be moving to another room and he'd jump out of his bed the second I moved just in case he was needed

I would definitely agree that the more rest they get, the calmer they are - when they've had a lot more on in a day they do find it harder to relax. I've mentioned lots that Dave was seriously horrid puppy and consequently, he did end up with quite a lot of time out in his prison enforced rest, but I wonder if this has actually helped him be more of a chilled out chappy long term?

[supergirl]

Mine sleep loads - in fact they're asleep now - 3 on the sofa and 1 on the floor.   They pretty much do this all day while I'm working, usually getting up when I go and make a cup of tea which is when I let them out in the garden for a run about, and at lunch time I'll get plenty of reminders that its time for a walk.

[Ben's mum]

really interesting thread this    I've noticed Ben sleeps a lot more now than he used to and have been concerned as he used to be on the go a lot.  He tends to curl up and sleep a lot of the day, just getting up every now and then to wander round, see whats happening then goes back to sleep.  Harry is pretty much on the go all day on and off, while we move round he follows, and settles down when we do, but he is still young.

Do you think cockers sleep more as they get older (Ben is only 7 and a bit  )

Ben being our first means we have no experience to compare with - my other worry is he is sleeping more becuase he is not being stimulated enough in the day or even worse because its the only peace he gets from mad Harry 

[Rachelb]

My two sleep quite a lot I think. In between walks they are very happy to crash, with some playtime thrown in between. I think they are remarkably chilled considering they are young and workers

Same to be honest 

[miajemima]

My two sleep quite a lot I think. In between walks they are very happy to crash, with some playtime thrown in between. I think they are remarkably chilled considering they are young and workers

Same to be honest 

same here also, as long as mia has regular varied off lead walks and training sessions, she relaxes very well at home, not always sleeping but chilled and happy.