Your cocker v other type of dog in multi-dog households :)

[Hurtwood Dogs]

I need to ask the multi-dog households a question.

I've made a decision that I want two dogs and maybe I'm thinking about this too much but please bear with me! After an attempted brake-in recently whilst I was here, I decided to get a bigger dog as a second dog just so I feel a bit safer (not as a 'guard dog' but just as a dog with a bigger presence than a cocker) and I have started down the re-homing route and will be getting a home check soon and going onto a waiting list for a suitable lab sized dog. I LOVE cocker's... they have boundless energy, gentle mouths, they are stunningly beautiful, they are interested in everything, question everything we ask of them to keep us on our toes, but work perfectly with us when they choose to and we (in their opinion) get it right . They are the perfect cuddle size, so inquisitive and read our minds but most of all they are SO funny.

Now Dave is very different to my last Cocker and in a lot of respects a lot easier. Trev totally adored me and was very needy and full on.. but again SO funny.. if I wouldn't play with him, he'd go and throw himself balls and roll them down the bank in the garden, fetch them, carry them back up to the top and keep this up watching me the whole time to see if I'd got the message. Dave couldn't give two hoots about 'needing' me, but likes doing stuff with me and hangs around with me, goes everywhere I go (which wasn't possible with Trev as he was so wired all the time), we had a great time at puppy classes tonight he does everything perfectly, learns so quickly, concentrates and has been star pup pretty much every week, then occasionally sits and looks at me and totally takes the piss and wont budge but............ I like that. I like that he challenges me and I guess long and short of it is.. are other breeds as captivating as cocker's? Do those of you who own a cocker and a lab or a cocker and a weim or larger cross breed find that you connect better with your cocker? This is an awful question to ask but do you sometimes wish you had two cocker's instead of a cocker and something else???

Sorry for all the brain spaghetti.. I'm still at very early stages of 'project 2nd dog', I just feel the need to know more before making a final decision on all this..

Hannah x

[Coco]

We only have Wherry now and after considering a JRT and Beagle I'm going for another Cocker, so I'd be interested in the answer also. Newfies and Spanish water dogs were discounted quickly for being too large but would love one.
How about a setter? They are kinda like bigger Cockers temperament wise.

[mentalcat]

Hiya,

I also have 2 working Labs with my cocker. I have to admit to having the Labs first and the cocker afterwards, but they're all lovely.  They are all such different characters - its amazing to see them all interact.

I find that my labs are much more concerned about what i'm doing when we're all out walking, whereas Tizzy the working cocker is much more independant and does her own thing.  I find that the labs are far easier in the long run, to train and to live with, as they're less 'flighty'.  My cocker is very stubborn but pretty sensitive, which makes for some 'interesting' training sessions. She's much more a 'whats in it for me?' kinda gal when she's out and about and a 'let me get on your lap' dog when she's at home.

They're all great in their own way, but i feel i can read the labs more easily than Tizzy.

As i have kids, i like the fact that gundogs in general seem to make very good family dogs (not that others don't!) and tend to get on well together.

Ali

[Tasha]

well I have a bit of a hodge podge of dogs and to be honest out of all of them Ayla gets away with the most   I think because she's smaller and puppy size compared to the rest of my mob.  I love the weim and cocker mix thats worked well for me but I took Daniel and Ayla out today on their own and I have to say its easier handling a springer spaniel and a cocker spaniel together on one side than it is a weimaraner and a cocker spaniel. 

Daniel at the moment is teaching Ayla to hunt spaniel style as she seems to have taken to pointing rather more than I want her to following bonnie around.

I'm not a fan of labs although they have been a family pet in the past i find them boring and a bit thick in comparison to the weimaraner or the cocker for that matter bit too happy to please as well, I like a dog with a bit of a challenge in them (sorry if you own a lab).  I also find that an awful lot of pet owners allow them to get far too heavy and overweight and its horrible to see them waddling around when they should be spritely in full of the joys of spring.

[Bluebell]

I have a Vizsla and a Cocker, they compliment each other beautifully - 'Beauty and Brains'  v  'Mad fluffball'  Both my dogs are very procective of 'their patch' But the vizzie being bigger and lean, with a very deep bark will deter the most persistent Jehova's Witness - litte do they know he would lick them to death!
Regards Caz

[september]

can't really help as only have the one little cocker! but on the subject of setters just wanted to say my grandparents always had setters their whole lives and they were all beautiful dogs, and always had a fantastic temprement and fab with children! - i'm sure there not all fantastic but the ones I have known were lovely!

When we get a bigger house my OH wants an English sheep dog and a lab   , I'd rather have another cocker!

[PennyB]

Can I ask if its because you want to feel safer from other dogs or humans!

[Beth]

My other dog's a cavalier, but she does think she's a guard dog.

[sarah25]

Golden Retrievers & Cocker's are great together    

If we was ever in any trouble we know our Goldens would be there right at the side of us   I always feel safe when i take Cindy out with a Cocker

[Hurtwood Dogs]

Fantastic feedback everyone!

Tasha, you sound like you think like me  Why I like being challenged I really don't know - but what you've said about labs is what's worrying me

, think I need to meet a lot more to work out if I fit with them. There are some lovely labs around here that aren't overweight and others that are - guess that's more down to how you look after them so something that can be controlled, but I'm more worried about if they're sparky enough for me..

Can I ask if its because you want to feel safer from other dogs or humans!

Hi Penny, I'm a single parent and live in a very quiet rural village and have always felt very safe here but had my front door kicked in a few weeks ago on a Saturday night (an attempted smash and grab) and it has left me (on my own with my 5 yr old son) feeling a little vulnerable (from humans!) with only a little cocker for company.

Do keep your thoughts coming, this is all very helpful! Vislas are SO hansom Caz... lucky you!!

Hannah x

[speedyjaney]

We've got a cocker and a westie and the westie is very vocal and barks and barks if if something is going on outside.

Whilst its annoying in itself we don't discourage it as we have had people tell us that she sounds like a big dog and they wouldn't come through til we reassured them she only weighs 7kg lol 

[Becky and Wilson]

We have a Great Dane, guaranteed to put off burglars when he's looking out the window stood on the sofa about 10 feet in the air barking his oh so deep loud bark!  I love him to bits and he wouldn't hurt a fly really, unless he gets carried away and wants to jump up for a big kiss! Or paws at you arm for attention! Ouch!

Good look in your search though!  How about Pointers, setters as others have said (the gordons are gorgeous!), vizsla are lovely too, dalmation, munsterlander(sp?), boxer?  all similar ish size I think!

[Smudgesmum]

Hi

at the moment we have a 9 month old Blue Roan and a 5 year old English Setter. The Setter is the nicest nature dog you could imagine but no good as a guard dog at all! When we had an attempted burglary we had 2 cockers and they saw the lad off!! ( as he admitted in court)

When our last cocker died just b4 Christmas I was very interested in getting a rescue greyhound as I had met a few and they are delightful dogs but seen as quite intimidating! However I decided that i couldn't cope with 2 large dogs in the house so this is why we went for another cocker (and because i just love cockers so much )
just a few thoughts for you.......
 

[Beth]

I'd say a pointer. They've always appealled to me as they have that spaniel-type bounce, but they're a good size too.

[Astridx]

Hi Hannah

I'm sorry that you feel vulnerable in your own home - that must be awful.

I just wanted to let you know that my cocker Lottie adores my mums Golden Retriever, Daisy.  They are inseparable when I visit (which is quite often).  Daisy is the tall glamorous one and I often see Lottie as the younger sister in awe of her  . Daisy, I'm sure would actually invite any burglar in and show them where the valuables are but in reality I think she is quite a good deterrent because of her size.  As for temperaments I agree with the other threads that the gun dogs are a good option.  Someone told me that Goldies are quite different from Cockers in that if you ask them to do something they reply immediately 'yes, sure what do you want me to do!?' where as a Cocker would ask 'OK, but why!?

I dog walk for our local RSPCA and there are often some smashing lab x's.  One day when I get a bigger house/ garden....

Good luck with the decision making
Astrid