CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Specific Discussion => Puppies => Topic started by: Penelope on March 04, 2007, 09:52:53 PM
-
We have been lurking on here for ages, soaking up advice and information. We have recently decided to go ahead and start looking in earnest for a pup.
I had a number of contact phone numbers, and as explained in a previous post have looked at some litters. Trev is due to have surgery on a problem on his hand on April 2nd, and will be at home for 6 weeks afterwards. We discussed the possibiilty of getting a pup at about that time (during the Easter break). We phoned a lady today, and went to view her pups. She had a litter that is currently 3 weeks old. I was a bit anxious because she had 4 bitches available and was worried about whether we would be able to choose just the one! Trev and Dominic came too, and we got hopelessly lost so arrived much later than planned.
The breeder was fabulous and talked us through the last twists and turns of the countryside and even stood outside with a torch to light our way to her gate!
She was encouragingly paranoid about us washing our hands before being allowed to meet mum and pups and all of a sudden, there we were. Confronted by the most beautiful mum and her equally beautiful pups.
We had not discussed how to choose a puppy - we just said we would know when we found the right one. And we did!
We all fell for the same little girl - who had the same facial markings as her mum.
The breeder "ticked all the boxes" as far as I was concerned, and certainly asked us all the right questions! She was lovely and her husband and son were too. (Her house was also out of this world, but that's another story)
Anyway, we have tentatively booked the little girl we chose. We have left a deposit and arranged to go back in 2 weeks (we are at Crufts this weekend) By then she will be 5 weeks old, so running around a lot more and we can see them all during the day instead of when they were out for the count after their dinner!
Unless we change our minds, we are going to call her BUFFY and will be collecting her in early April when she will be 8 weeks old!
-
aaaawww that's great news, really pleased for you :D :D
You know whats's coming next don't you??.....did you take any picies ?? ;)
-
Awww Penny! I'm so please you have found your girl :luv: I hope all goes well and that we can see pics of Buffy soon!
-
Great news, Penny, congratulations. :D We expect piccies at the next visit! What colour is she? (Not important, I know, but had to ask :lol:).
-
Aww that's great news Penny. :D
Now you begin that verrrrrrrry long wait! :005:
Please tell me you took some pics!
-
Congratulations, Its quite an ordeal trying to find the right pup.....but trust us when we say that it is certainly worth the effort.
We chose a girl and called her Skye although Buffy is a very nice name too :D
We wish the very best of luck with your new edition into your home.
PS........Girls rule :lol:
-
Hope this works and is the right size. We took loads of pix, but they are not that great.
Next time she will be running around so should be better then.
(http://)http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i260/pennyharrison/BUFFY.jpg
What does everyone think?
I am hooked and the more I look at the photos the happier I feel.
How can we wait 5 long weeks?
However, we have given the breeder our email address and she has promised pix until we go back in 2 weeks, so will keep you up to date.
-
What do I think ...................... I think :luv: sums it up! Who could resist :shades:
-
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww :luv: :luv: :luv: :luv: :luv: :luv: :luv: :luv: :luv: :luv: :luv:
-
Aww gorgeous :luv: the breeder sounds great.
-
Oooohhh how exciting Penny :D ..she looks gorgeous :luv: so pleased for you ;)
-
That's great news. Glad to hear you've found the one :luv:
-
congratulations penny, she is a little beauty (and sounds like fab breeder too!) :luv: :luv: :luv:
-
Awww she's lovely Penny :luv: I'm so pleased for you ;) :D
-
congratulations on your new puppy she is gorgeous and what a fantastic name too :luv: :luv: :luv: :luv:
-
;) Congratulations Penny, she's gorgeous :luv: I can see why you fell in love with her ! I love the name Buffy by the way, I bet you can't wait to get her home now. I know she will give you many years of pleasure [img width= height= alt=Good Luck]http://www.justforfunboard.com/gfx/smileys/goodluck.gif[/img] Jann and Flo :-* :-*
-
So pleased for you Penny. After the last couple of months you deserve to have something nice happen. :D
Buffy looks adorable :luv: :luv:
Five weeks will fly by - after all there is a lot of puppy shopping and preparation to be done! :005:
-
Glad you have found the pup for you. :D I love the name Buffy and she is very cute. :luv:
-
Aw well done on finding your puppy! She looks gorgeous and I love the name! :luv:
-
She's gorgeous Penny :luv: So pleased you found your perfect puppy :-* :D
-
What a little cutey, bet you can't wait! The time will soon go by and you'll soon have your flopsy mopsy girl waggling around the place. :luv:
-
Isn't it lucky that we are at Crufts this weekend? I bet there will be a few items we can't let Buffy live without :005:
We were just going to browse, now it would be sinful not to buy stuff for her! :005:
Can't wait! (Even though it means we can't go back and visit her until the following weekend)
She will be 5 weeks by the time we see her again, so I am betting there wll be a huge difference between the little squeaky pup we met yesterday and the one we will see next time.
-
Aww congratulations Penny, Buffy is beautiful :luv:
-
Marvellous news,Penny - congrats.on your puppy!
She looks gorgeous & I love the name Buffy! :luv:
-
She's adorable! :luv:
Back in the "dark ages" on North American television there was a series called Family Affair which I just loved. The kids were called Buffy and Jody...
Enjoy your pup! (Ours is coming home tomorrow!) :D
-
Spoke to Buffy's breeder tonight, and we are going to visit her again tomorrow :lol: :lol:
She is now 4 weeks old and her breeder said that she is getting very fiesty! She is the one who managed to break out of the puppy pen and go exploring, looking for her mum and trying to steal her food. Looks like we are going to have fun with her. Can't wait to see her tomorrow. Will post some pix.
-
Can't wait to see pics! :D Good luck!!! :D :D :luv:
-
Hope you have a good visit. Get lots of photos to show us. :D
We pick up Tyke today :luv: :luv: :luv:
-
Buffy sounds like quite a character penny, Have fun today :D
-
Sounds like she will be quite a handful Penny :005:
Enoy your time with her today :D
-
Take loads of pics, and give Buffy a cuddle from me, I love little squidgy pups, even naughty ones :lol:
Have fun.
-
Have fun with Buffy today,Penny! ;)
-
Ooh, she sounds lovely! Have fun and lots of cuddles.
-
Penny, can't wait to see some pics
Have a great day ;)
-
We have just got home from visiting Buffy. I can't believe how much she has changed in one short week! :luv:
She is so confident and outgoing, trotting out to see us with no fear at all (mind you she is only 4 weeks old, so I guess she is a bit young to be scared!) We are very glad that now the pups' personalities are starting to show, we are still happy with our choice. It is a bit scary at 3 weeks as apart from markings, there is not much to go on. Now they are up and about and we are really pleased we chose her (or she chose us!)
Her mum is as adorable as before, and was really pleased to see us. There was one pup who Dominic liked today but that was because it stayed in the bed for the longest time and was last one out to come and see us - its markings were cute, but we are still pleased with our selection of Buffy!
She was happy to be cuddled and Dominic was over the moon when he called her and she came to him (You and I both know she only went to him because he was on the floor patting the ground, but will let him think she is starting to learn her name :005:) She was climbing all over Trev and Dominic and I was taking photos. Then I suddenly realised it was almost time to go, so I gave up clicking and got down to the serious business of cuddling her! She is soooooo cute. Kept nibbling my ear and licking. Her tail never stopped wagging the whole time.
We are going back to see her next Sunday, which is lovely because it is mother's day and not going to be an easy day for me, but luckily her breeder is happy for us to visit whenever we want. (She is very lucky that she lives an hour and a half away, or I would be there every night!)
Anyway, I know you wanted pictures, so hope these work.
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i260/pennyharrison/P3110148.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i260/pennyharrison/P3110146.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i260/pennyharrison/P3110145.jpg
-
She's just darling! What a beautiful little face! :luv: :luv:
Sounds like she's going to keep you on your toes if she's escaping and stealing food at 4 weeks! :005:
-
Wow - she's a real cutie :luv: Even with Ellie at nearly 6 months just looking at Buffy makes me want another one - now!
Hope the days don't go too slowly 'til she arrives.
-
How gorgeous she is,Penny.....awwwww!! :luv:
She looks very like Domino did at that age. ;)
-
She's beautifull, i think I can see a mischivious glint in her eyes. :005:
-
She's beautiful :luv: and I'm far too puppy-broody at the moment :005:
-
Penny, she is beautiful :luv: The time will fly until you bring her home
-
Bet she will get away with absolute murder :luv: :luv: :luv:
-
Naturally when I was at Crufts yesterday I told anyone who might be interested (and a few who might not!) that we would be collecting our Cocker in just over 3 weeks. One lady who had cockers was very interested and asked about her colouring, breeding etc. When I said she was black and white, she asked if her facial markings were symmetrical. I said they are not quite, and she said she would not do well in the show ring.
Now I am only planning to do companion and fun shows, but had thought I might take her along to a couple of "real" shows as she will be my only pedigree dog (nothing against companion and fun shows, cos we love them and they are our hobby, but just thought I might do the "real" type occasionally with Buffy! :005:)
Is this lady right? Will she never get anywhere if her markings are not symmetrical?
I have yet to watch the video of Crufts with Cockers so am a complete novice because the only cockers we have ever watched at "real" shows have been blue roans, so black and white is new to us.
Any advice from anyone who knows!
Having said that, I honestly don't mind if it means we can't go into breed shows - as I said we love our companion and fun shows - just wondering aloud really!
-
Naturally when I was at Crufts yesterday I told anyone who might be interested (and a few who might not!) that we would be collecting our Cocker in just over 3 weeks. One lady who had cockers was very interested and asked about her colouring, breeding etc. When I said she was black and white, she asked if her facial markings were symmetrical. I said they are not quite, and she said she would not do well in the show ring.
I don't think that's right but someone on COL will know for sure :D
Was it the lady on the discover dog stand with the two cockers by any chance ??
-
Re the markings, this thread may help... HERE (http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php?topic=12398.msg146917#msg146917)
-
She's a wee cutie :luv:
-
She's very sweet & there's absolutely nothing wrong with her face markings from a showing point of view ;)
-
Penny - she is lovely! I love the way she is turning out according to the breeder's reports :005: I had similar reports about Ben being the first to do this or that. He has certainly made his presence felt and is the most wonderful (if challanging) dog ever. Can't wait to see her when you get her home - and tales of life with Buffy :luv:
-
;) Penny, she is beautiful you must be so excited. Jann :luv:
-
Awww how cute is she, bet you can't wait to bring her home, she is beautiful :luv:
-
Jan - the lady at Crufts was on the Discover Dogs stand, but she had 4 cockers with her (who were all gorgeous, and all different colours) She gave me a leaflet about Cockers too!
The book I bought at Crufts says that you should clean a Cocker's ears every day with cotton wool soaked in oil! Has anyone else heard of this?
I had also seen a cocker at a recent show wearing a "snood" type thing to stop its ears dropping into its dinner dish.
I found a stall that sold them at Crufts, but unfortunately the staff on the stall were not very helpful and I could not work out what size would be correct for a cocker. They were priced at about 8-9 pounds each. Does that sound right to everyone, and what size should we get? Or should I wait until Buffy grows before I worry about such things - I just thought something like that (if we need to use one!) should be introduced whilst she is young.
I haven't even got her yet and I am full of questions already!
-
We got a spot the dog from equafleece which is for when Dyllan is out and about in the dark however it would work to keep his ears out the way too if you left them tucked in.
We have a spaniel bowl but Dyllan needed to be a bit older before he could reach the bottom of it.
-
I was told by a fellow cocker owner about cleaning their ears. Ive been doing Toby's everyday (when he manages to sit still long enough :005:) with cotton wool and warm water. Obviously I don't go deep into the ear , as you wouldn't with your own ears, because of potentially causing damage.
-
Daily cleaning with oil sounds a bit excessive unless the ear is very gunky or smelly in which case I would go to the vet - if you are going to do them every day, I would only use water. ;) I wipe Coco's ears about once a week with a wipe and put Thornits powder in about once a month! I have also just made up some oil to give them a proper clean out when necessary - I used almond oil with a few drops of tea tree and lavender oil in it. Haven't had any problems with her ears since I got her. ;)
Re: the snoods - don't bother with one of those for eating. Would be such a faff putting one of those on at mealtimes. ::) You just need one of Clairep4's spaniel bowls ;) Coco has one of these and no matter what she has to eat - tripe, offal, sardines, raw egg etc - she doesn't get it on her ears. :blink: I have heard of people using the snood for a short time in late summer when grass seeds are a problem so if you are taking your dog out in long grass where there are lots of loose seeds around, that would be the only time to use one IMO. £8-9 sounds pretty expensive though :o - I know some people just use an old pop sock with the toe cut out!! :005: Doesn't look very glam but does the same job. :D
-
What a sweetie :luv:
-
Shes just tooo cute! :luv: :luv:
-
She sounds fantastic :luv: I love Cockers with alot of caracter.
I wish you best of luck.
-
Just had an email from Buffy's breeder. Apparently today she managed to escape from her puppy pen - she is the only pup in the litter who managed to do so - and her breeder says she is obviously clever and unfazed by anything! :luv:I am so delighted we seem to have picked the right pup for our household. She needs to be brave to come to our lunatic asylum!
I showed her photo to my friends today and they can't wait to meet her too.
I had a little cry on Saturday after Crufts, cos my mum would have been so pleased to hear all about it and it hit hard that she is no longer here to listen to me waffling on about things. She always wanted a cocker but never quite got round to having one, so I know she would approve of us getting Buffy.
We are counting the days - although feel a bit guilty cos poor old Trev is having an operation on his hand a few days before we go and collect her, so counting down to the day we collect her reminds him of how soon his operation is going to be.
At least he will have cocker cuddles to look forward to when he comes home from hospital!
-
At least he will have cocker cuddles to look forward to when he comes home from hospital!
i can't think of a better recipe for an enjoyably recovery! though, granted, it may mean that he doesn't manage an awful lot of rest and relaxation! :luv:
i can only imagine how it must feel to start to experience things without a parent around to share them with you. i'm sure that buffy will bring a lot of joy to your lives though. :)
my mum's called buffy and she's a character too- must be something about the name! :005:
-
Buffy sounds a real live-wire,Penny. :D
I expect she'll take your OH's mind off his hand once you get her home!! ;)
-
Had an email from Buffy's lovely breeder last night. She had taken the pups outside in the garden as it was so warm and she said Buffy is coming along really well. She cant wait to show her off to us on Sunday when we go back to visit. She said Buffy's coat is really starting to grow as well, and her ears are getting longer too!
Will obviously update with pix after Sunday's visit, but I am just sooooooo excited.
I still feel a bit guilty cos we are counting the days on family calendar until we collect her - but poor old Trev is having surgery on his hand a few days before we go and get Buffy, so it is a constant reminder of how long till his op - but he is very good about it. (Hoping the op will cure severe pain he has had for a very long time now)
-
That is so exciting! :) ..Can't wait to see pics of the visit on Sunday!
Sorry about Trev's surgery..but its a good thing it should help with the pain hes been dealing with..
-
I remember when we visited Skye at the weekends before we brought her home. You must be very excited and proud.
-
We left a little later than last week and got stuck in horrendous traffic - but it was well worth it.
She has grown so much in the past week and is really confident. Our oldest son (aged 19) dragged himself out of his bed and came along too - and thinks she is "pretty sweet" - which is huge praise from him! :005:
We took her a rag tuggy toy for her and her siblings to play with, and when we collect her (in 2 1/2 weeks time!) the breeder will give us a blanket as well so she has familiar smells to bring home with her.
She was so proud of her new toy, and trotted round with it for ages - her tail was wagging so fast, she looked ready for take off! Dominic (age 11) was on the floor again, and all the puppies were climbing over him so he had a great time.
I know 1 1/2 hours drive each way for a 30 minute cuddle takes up a lot of our day, but we will visit one more time next Sunday when and then it will be a long 10 days until we go and collect her on Wednesday 4th April, so need to store up lots of hugs next weekend.
Took loads of pix, and here are 4 of the best....
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i260/pennyharrison/P3180205.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i260/pennyharrison/P3180207.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i260/pennyharrison/P3180211.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i260/pennyharrison/P3180213.jpg
The sister she is playing with her new tug is called Treacle, and also really sweet (of course they are all gorgeous!)
She was the first one to be picked from the litter, and the breeder was tempted to keep her but decided not to!
-
Buffy is gorgeous. :luv: Bet you can't wait.
-
A lil beauty :luv: :luv: :luv:
Im sure she will bring you so much joy. :D
-
aaaawww she's gorgeous :luv:
-
Penny she is beautiful :luv: :luv:
-
She's very cute :luv:
-
Hi, both Buffy and treacle are just so cute! :luv: OH just came in to be nosy and I showed him the pictures as when I first went to see Gracie I had to go on my own and she was the same age/size as Buffy is now. He smiled - which means he thinks Buffy is gorgeous too!
I'm so excited for you and can't wait for the updates when she becomes part of your family :D
-
Penny, she is a little stunner :luv:
-
aww Penny she is bootiful :luv: bet you are counting the days ;)
-
awww... :luv:
-
:luv: She looks adorable Penny, not long now :-* :-*
-
How sweet she is,Penny! :luv:
She looks very like Domino did at that age. ;)
-
That was nice getting to see her again, especially today.
She looks absolutely gorgeous - I bet you can't wait to get her home. Hope the next few weeks pass quickly for you!
-
Oh she is sooo lovely. :luv: I am getting very broody these days :005: Aye, for a cocker, not a two legged version!
-
We are very lucky that the breeder is happy for us to go round whenever we like - however, it is a 3 hour round trip, so Sundays are the best days.
Trev says it is lucky they don't live closer or I would be round every evening :005:
One more Sunday visit, then a 10 day wait with no visit, and then we collect her :luv:
Will update with more pix next weekend, and then behave myself getting everything in order for her to come home with us. Have got crate on order, also soft crate for travelling when she is older. Her toy box is almost as full as Josie and Suki's toy boxes - it is strange getting little tiny things again after getting great big toys and chews for the other 2.
Have got collar, lead, bed, blankets, hot water bottle with soft cover, clock (for first night), numerous bowls, getting food next weekend (breeder told us tonight what she will be eating when she comes home) and I THINK that is everything.
If I have missed anything off the list, I am sure one of you will let me know :005:
I am relying on you guys to make sure everything is perfect for this little girl - she has bought happiness into our lives already and she is not even here yet!
-
..its so lovely to hear you talk about your little girl with so much luv ...she is a lucky baby :luv:
-
She is gorgeous and coming on so well. :luv:
Not too long now. :D
-
awww :luv: she's just lovely :luv:
Not so long to go now, I think she'll love her new home as much as you'll love her ;)
-
aww penny, Buffy is getting even more gorgeous every time i see her!! We just had word from our breeder that our pups KC name is 'Miss Honey Bunch' - so we're going to call her Honey!!
-
She is looking more and more beautiful. Hope the time flies by. Tyke has been with us a week now
-
She is just gorgeous :luv:
-
I rang Buffy's breeder tonight to check that it was OK to take MIL when we go and visit again on Sunday. She is delighted and said it won't be a problem. In the background I could hear a pup whimpering and the breeder said it was Buffy :005:
She said she had just caught sight of her and wanted some attention!
She said she is still a little Houdini and manages to sit down and think hard before planning her escapes :005:
Very relieved that I have just had an email confirming receipt of payment for crate which I know she will be unable to escape from!
I am sooooooo excited as it is only 13 days to go now.
We will see her on Sunday, and then it will be a very long week and a half till we collect her on Wednesday 4th April.
I have blown up my favourite picture and put it on mantlepiece (how sad am I?) and it makes me smile every time I look at her.
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i260/pennyharrison/P3180207.jpg
-
Penny - can you keep all your updates to this one thread please. I've merged all 6 threads together for you.
-
Sorry :'(
-
It's lovely to share in your excitement Penny ;)
I hope the next week or so goes really quick for you :D
-
Great updates on your baby girl, hopefully lots more to come when she comes home. She sounds like a right little character. :D :luv:
-
Awww. She has a real wicked mischievious look in her eye already ;) . I think you are going to have much fun with that little one :luv:
:shades: Tut tut Penny SIX threads? :005:
-
:shades: Tut tut Penny SIX threads? :005:
:005: :005:
I think she's a bit excited! :lol:
-
:shades: Tut tut Penny SIX threads? :005:
:005: :005:
I think she's a bit excited! :lol:
what with a gorgeous girl like that who can blame her ;) :luv: :luv:
-
That was the picture I'd have chosen for the mantelpiece. Be ready for your life to change very much for the better from the moment your babe comes home.I never thought that mine would and I have become something of a Cocker bore as a result. All the waiting is worth it.
Tonio
-
We went to see Buffy again today! (Supposed to be last visit before we collect her a week on Wednesday, but MAY sneak in one more :005:)
We took MIL who fell in love too. The pups were all outside in a great big puppy pen enjoying the sunshine. I know she doesn't really know who we are, but she was really happy to be picked up and taken inside for a play with us. We took one of her brothers indoors after about 10 minutes so she had someone familiar with her too. They had a fine old time with a tennis ball, managing to pick it up by the felt material and proudly running around with it!
When we first arrived, her breeder said she had been in the wars and my heart sank - it turned out the pups have all discovered each others ears and keep chewing on them! Poor little girl has some scabs caused by sharp teeth - the breeder is bathing them in salt water and they seem clean, just a bit scabby! The rest of the pups have the same so its not as if she is being picked on, and when we put her back in the pen for a last gaze at her before we went home, one of her brothers grabbed her by the ear and she stuck up for herself immediately!
Am having a problem with downloading pix at the moment, but will keep trying and put update on here in a while! Just wanted to share.
-
Today's pictures - at least 3 of the 32 I took!!!!!
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i260/pennyharrison/P3250223.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i260/pennyharrison/P3250252.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i260/pennyharrison/P3250256.jpg
-
Awww :luv: It must be so exciting knowing it's only a week and a bit until she's home finally ;) Can hardly wait to see more pictures of her - get that camera sorted soon :D
-
She looks lovely :D
-
:luv: She's gorgeous Penny, but then I would say that, she reminds me of a little Flo ::)
Bet you can't wait to get her home now :luv: :-*
-
Oh my :luv: :luv: She is beautiful.
-
Sorry the pix are so big, at least I got them on there in the end!
We took about 30 pix today and were only there for about half an hour!
Dominic didn't want to come with us initially - it is a 100 mile round trip - but was very glad he did! He just loved playing with them, and seeing them outside playing in the pen was just fantastic.
MIL just loved her too - but not tempted (she has a Shitszu (sp)) which was lucky!
Met one of the girls from dog training on our walk with the others this morning, and she was muttering darkly about how we don't know we are born with how good Suki and Josie have been and having a cocker is going to be really hard work, and we are going to hate it! >:D >:D
I don't think we are going into this with our eyes closed, and have thought long and hard before choosing a cocker. As Trev said, I shouldn't listen to this person anyway as she has a habit of taking on a new dog and rehoming one of her others to make way for the newbie >:D He thinks she is a bit jealous that we are in the lucky position of being able to choose our own pup and have been lucky twice already in our choice of Suki and Josie. We know we are making the right decision, but it still not nice to have somone having such a downer on such a lovely breed! (She currently has a rescue springer, rescue golden retriever and rescue blind belgian shepherd, but has recently got rid of her son's border collie cos it was naughty, and before we met her rehomed her GSD because it didn't get on with the springer she rescued >:D)
-
Sorry the pix are so big, at least I got them on there in the end!
If pic's are big - please make them links instead. I've changed them for you this time.
Thanks ;)
-
Pam I am sorry, but I don't know how to make them links! Will have a look and find out for next time.
Sorry again!
:'(
-
awwwww :luv: :luv: :luv:
-
Pam I am sorry, but I don't know how to make them links! Will have a look and find out for next time.
Sorry again!
:'(
you just remiove the [ i m g ] bits from the beginning and end of each photo's link ;)
-
Awww Penny, she just gets cuter each time!! :luv:
-
Pam I am sorry, but I don't know how to make them links! Will have a look and find out for next time.
Sorry again!
:'(
you just remiove the [ i m g ] bits from the beginning and end of each photo's link ;)
Or if you're on photobucket just copy the top link rather than the bottom one and that posts them as links ;)
-
She is so pretty.
Similar markings to my Jazz.
-
i hope you told the trainer on the walk that it was a Working cocker at that...she may have had kittens on the spot :o
penny, you're an experienced dog owner, you know what you're doing and if she's anything like jarvis than you have a fantastic little dog on your hands (as well as beautiful :luv:)
....and in my opinion a cocker can sometimes be a lot easier than a springer!!! (it just depends on the individual dog doesn't it?)
-
Penny, she is fabulous :luv:
-
Although we had our Westie and Yorkie before the dogs we have now, we feel that Suki was our learning curve! She was a rescue pup who was 10 weeks old when we got her with very little information about her, terrified of the whole world, and we had no way of knowing what horrors she had been through before we got her.
She is now a beautiful if a little nervous, dog who adores the whole family and is a joy to own.
Then we got Josie - her mum was an English Springer and her dad a labrador. She was a challenge, but at just one year old, she has suddenly realised that if she does things we ask of her she gets FOOD! She is changing into a really well behaved girl, still exuberant, boisterous, and playful, but the most loving dog and absolutely fearless!
We have no illusions about bringing a new dog of any description into this mixture, but are confident that having lurked on here for almost a year (I just checked on my profile and was shocked to see it has been so long!) we think we are fairly well prepared for Buffy's arrival. No one can predict how the other 2 will react, but they are usually really gentle with puppies we meet on our walks, and although Suki loves to chase, I know that as her and Josie are such good playmates, they are more likely to carry on playing with each other rather than trying to chase a baby! Once she is bigger and more able to join in their rough and tumble games, I am sure a cocker will be tough enough to play with them - under supervision! We never leave the 2 dogs loose and unsupervised because although there is only 3 k between them in weight, Josie is much more solid and Suki is very fragile, so we will just carry on as we do now!
Can't wait! :luv: :005:
-
The trainer sounds like the person who put 16 months old Deano up for re-homing because they had (quote) " got "bored" with him and decided to replace him with a cocker puppy?" (See Dog Rescue Pages website) What chance the cocker pup if they fancy a different breed in the future?
I would have thought that any trainer worth their salt would have done their utmost to overcome the problems before adding to the already too many dogs up for re-homing.
Buffy is gorgeous and I look forward to more pics as she grows up!
-
idiots >:D
Penny you go with your gut instinct if you have already had two rescues you won't have any problems with a cocker puppy working or not because you are obviously prepared to put the effort in to resolve any problems... and thats the best any dog can ask of their owners.
Some people are just mean and some just well meaning... ::)
-
but then I would say that, she reminds me of a little Flo ::)
Similar markings to my Jazz.
Ditto - I know I've said this before & that she has worker in her breeding but she does remind me of Domino!! ;)
I would take absolutely no notice of the dog walker; some people just love to be Job's comforters & can't resist giving their twopence worth whether you want their opinion or not! ::) >:(
-
This time next week, Buffy will be home with us! (all being well with Trev after his op that is!)
I just can't wait. I haven't been this excited since I was a kid waiting for Christmas or birthdays. I think it is because we chose her when she was just 3 weeks old, and have been lucky enough to visit every week since. It has seemed a long long wait. I keep getting little worries about things, and then tell myself not to be silly. Adding dog number 2 to a household is much more worrying than dog number 3 so I don't know why I am being so daft.
We got her metal crate, and have made a slight boob - it will do when she is a baby, but I am sure she will outgrow it very quickly! It is a 30"crate. We already have a 48" for Josie, and a spare 36" , but thought a 30" would be ideal for Buffy. I think she will feel very secure and snug as a pup, and then we can progress to the 36" one when she outgrows it. We are slowly re-organising the dining room so they fit in :005: :005: Suki doesn't use a crate at all, but her bed is pretty big, so we are now looking for a second hand folding dining room table! :005: (that is what dining rooms are for after all!) Then we will have to re-home our current pine dining table, but who cares? It will be worth it! (Trev and I often eat on trays in front of the t.v. cos we are very naughty, but the kids always sit at the table)
Trying out new arrangements in dining room for the weekend, so everyone (human and canine) is used to it by the time Buffy arrives.
7 more nights!
It is weird, but I am finding it easier to cope with the grief of losing mum by giving myself little (and not so little) goals to work towards. At the moment, it is bringing Buffy home followed by getting to know and training her.
Then we have a holiday booked for the Whitsun school break. After that we will have another holiday in the summer and lots of shows to go to throughout the season.
Then we have Discover Dogs in November, and will be looking for something else to look forward to before Christmas!
-
It is so exciting isn't it! And yes, it will help ease your grieving too.
I think a 30" crate is plenty big enough for sleeping in.
(you're supposed to dine in a dining room? I thought it was for all the stuff you didn't know what else to do with! :005:)
-
We've stored one of our tables away because it was a wicker type and the dogs loved to tease bites out of it. They have the conservatory for the moment but it'll be too hot during the summer so in the kitchen (once the chewables are removed)
-
I have been reliably informed you are supposed to eat in a dining room. :005: :005:
We now have 2 dog crates, a sideboard (surrounded by puppy pen so no dogs can get underneath it), a pine welsh dresser, small pine table (covered in junk!), a tumble drier, one large Suki sized dog bed with blankets spilling out onto the ground cos she is a diva and likes her comfort, 5 dining chairs (why 5 when there are only 4 of us??) one doggy toy box with toys spilling out, one computer desk with computer - oh and the dogs lounging across the floor at any given time! You would never believe our dining room is 12' x 12' would you? It is a bit of an obstacle course because you have to either climb over dogs and toys, or shove toys out of the way and walk round dogs to get to anything!!!!!
This weekend, the tumble drier is moving into the downstairs bathroom and 3 of the 5 chairs are going to visit the spare bedroom for a while. Hopefully this will leave sufficient floor space - very lucky that the kitchen is right off the dining room via an arch - it makes it feel much bigger than it really is :005: Also extremely lucky that my husband is as insane as me, and the kids just go along with it as they have never known anything different!
-
Penny your house sounds fabulous! I can just imagine all the noise and goings on - oh to be a fly on the wall :005:
-
Well, we have just returned from the 2nd hand furniture shop. We got a folding dining room table for £20
It is only about 18" wide, but when you fold the flaps out it will comfortably seat all 4 of us. That shoudl give us a bit more room! I have also had to bring down a slightly bigger box for Buffys toys :005: Having read threads on here about jealousy, I have been very careful to buy her new things rather than let her share Josie's or Suki's toys. Trouble is I have got a bit carried away :005: and although she is not even here yet, she already has loads. Trev has banned me from buying her any more for the time being (but he goes into hospital tomorrow, and retail therapy is the ONLY thing in the world that will stop me worrying about him - that's my story and I am sticking to it!) :005:
I had better go and shift those dratted chairs upstairs and get Trev to move the tumble drier - then I will have no choice but to clean the floor (will be a bit of a shock to see what might be behind the tumble drier - there could be a complete family of spiders there for all I know :005: :005:)
Then I will have an afternoon nap - after all, today is the first day of my school holidays too, so I deserve some relaxation (need to get plenty of sleep in just in case Buffy is a howler!) :005:
-
The date's getting nearer, very exciting. It sounds very much like you're ready for her. :D
-
The date's getting nearer, very exciting. It sounds very much like you're ready for her. :D
Penny's more than ready for Buffy to arrive :005: I think she is more excited than her two boys anf Trev :005:
Not long now Penny, get Monday over with and spoil Trev on Tuesday cos you won't have much time for him on Wednesday, you'll be cuddling Buffy instead ;)
-
She is absolutely gorgeous :luv:
-
WE COLLECT HER TOMORROW MORNING AND I JUST CAN'T WAIT. I DON'T THINK I WILL GET ANY SLEEP TONIGHT BECAUSE TREV HAS TO KEEP HIS HAND RAISED ON 3 PILLOWS AND I AM JUST SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED. WILL TAKE SUKI AND JOSIE FOR A REALLY GOOD RUN FIRST THING, AND THEN MAKE OUR WAY ROUND THE M25 TO ESSEX. MIGHT HAVE TO READ A WHOLE BOOK - OR TWO - TO GET ME OFF TO SLEEP, ONCE I HAVE DRUNK COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF HORLICKS TO HELP ME DOZE OFF IN THE FIRST PLACE. :005: :005: :lol: :lol: ;) :D :005: ::)
-
..safe journey Penny ;) .ooohhh a new bundle I am soo jealous :D ...cant wait for some pics of your gorgeous girlie :luv: ENJOY x
-
Penny I'm glad you've changed your signature ;)
I'm excited for you too ;)
Enjoy your long walk with Suki and Josie tomorrow morning ;) hope the M25 is not a carpark for you ;) (you'll know what I mean ;) )
-
I'm really happy for you, Buffy is going to be one spoilt little girl. :luv: :luv:
Lots of sleep, time will fly after a relaxing night. Please sign in tomorrow ASAP. :005: Joking aside, have fun with your new arrival!
-
Hope it all goes well for you today (and that you're not too tired from lack of sleep :shades:) and look forward to hearing lots more about Buffy once she's home :D
-
I am green with envy too. Good luck ;)
-
Good Luck Penny. I hope she doesnt keep you up all night tonight. Looking forward to seeing more pics.
-
Good Luck Penny - can't wait to see some photo's of her at home with the family!!
-
Hooray the day is here. Have a safe journey & we'll all be waiting for an update with pictures. :D
-
Enjoy :D
-
Drive carefully, look forward to hearing all about Buffys first day later.
-
good luck with the trip and drive carefully ;)
Hope the introductions go well with Suki and Josie ;)
-
Good luck Penny, Hope it all goes well x
-
Good Luck today Penny. Not posted on this thread before but have been following and look forward to hearing all about Buffy and teh mischeif she gets up to. :luv:
-
Good luck today! Enjoy having a new bundle of fluff and trouble! :005: She looks gorgeous. Let us know how she's getting on. :blink:
-
Ooooh! I'm so excited for you! Hope she gets home safe and sound with you soon so you can share lots of pics! :005:
-
Well today's the day!! Hope she travels well for you and you all have a lovely first day together.
I remember the first few days with Sapphire so well and am sooooooo jealous!
Post more pics soon!
-
I'll close this thread now and Penny can start a new one when Buffy has arrived home :blink: