!! New PUPPY!!

[gavmojo]

Hello All
We are very close to getting a little bundle of golden joy, an 8wk old puppy cocker!! - we previously purchased from a family an 11mth old cocker who had bundles of energy to the point he would seem to burst with enthusiasm at any time when he saw any adults. he suffered from separation anxeity when we left him and for the first week we could not leave him alone to sleep or leave the house as he would become destructive, bark and howl. The previous owners let him sleep on their bed at nights. This experience really put us off owning a dog for a while, but now we are thinking of trying again with a younger dog to train from scratch? We need encouragement that all cockers are not the same?
Thanks Gav&Jo

[HeatherandBenjy]

Hello there

I'm sorry to hear that you had a difficult time with the 11 month cocker. You didn't say what happened to him?

I'm not trying to put you off having a cocker, but I would suggest that ALL cockers have 'bundles of energy to the point where they seem to burst' (even my 8 year old)! They are high energy dogs that need to be kept busy both with exercise and mental stimulation.

Like I say, I'm not trying to put you off, but please browse this forum, ask lots of questions and make sure that the cocker is the right breed for you before taking on a puppy. 

Heather
x

[SkyeSue]

What happened to your last cocker? 
 
I'm new to dog ownership and have a 6 month old working type that I got as an 8 week old pup.  I adore her but nothing could have prepared me for how much energy she has. From what I've read on here, ALL cockers have bundles of energy and they need loads of exercise and stimulation. I am fortunate that I don't go out to work and have no OH or children and can pretty much dedicate as much time as is necessary. Not trying to put you off but do be prepared for a lot of hard work and take as much advice as you can get from experienced owners on here.

Good luck

Sue

[Mrs K]

We too are getting a puppy and have taken lots of time to make sure we get the right one.
You don't say whether the last dog was a show or working cocker. Working cockers tend to need much more walking and stimulation so something to think about. Also, a puppy is a lot of work and the training isn't easy. You will see within working cocker sections that owners discuss frequently the drive and stamina of their dogs. I believe (but more from reading what others have written on the site!!) that show cockers have a lower drive and energy levels.

I'm preparing myself for an arrival similar to a new baby!!! I've cleared my diary and I expect sleepless nights for a while, not to mention mess and destruction to a certain degree   But I am sure it will be worth it   I am lucky to be at home full time for just now so I will be able to dedicate all my days to the pupster and all the family are prepared to muck in (we did a trial by borrowing other peoples dogs  ) Very importantly given what you have said you need to be prepared that dogs pass through the puppy stage, give you a short time for heavenly ownership and then pass straight into their 'teenage years' where like their human counterparts they have personality changes, behaviour issues etc etc. It is probaby more trying than the newborn months. This could account for some of the issues you had with your previous cocker?
I have found this forum such a wealth of knowledge and experience and have trawled all the boards relating to health and puppies to give myself and idea of what to expect (although I did help housetrain etc a working cocker a couple of years ago) so it is a great place for you to start. You are def asking in the right place 
I wish you lots of luck with your research and ultimately your puppy if/when you decide to get it.
Welcome to the forum, I hope to hear lots more about your decision and see any pics of a puppy if you go ahead.

xxxx

[Mudmagnets]

My 2 year  and 6 month cockers are both full of energy too, comes with the territory, as others have said they really do need mental & physical exercise (including training) to keep them happy, mine seem to have two speeds full belt and zzzzzzzzzzzzzz, they are also good fun, loyal and loving. They like nothing better than a good ole run out, but will quite happily snuggle down either side of me on the sofa

[bibathediva]

i would say most of them are the same...they are busy dogs and like to have something to occupy them and if they don't they will become bored and destructive 

i think the week of unsettled behaviour you had with you other pup was really really good as most re-homed dogs take a lot lot longer to settle down....new house..new owners..new rules all take time for the dog to adjust to 

You will have sleepless nights,devastation  and no time for yourselves with a new pup....who will also need time to settle in 
good luck

[Jan/Billy]

i would say most of them are the same...they are busy dogs and like to have something to occupy them and if they don't they will become bored and destructive 

i think the week of unsettled behaviour you had with you other pup was really really good as most re-homed dogs take a lot lot longer to settle down....new house..new owners..new rules all take time for the dog to adjust to 

You will have sleepless nights,devastation  and no time for yourselves with a new pup....who will also need time to settle in 
good luck

I agree. Although I got the impression that you only had your 11mth old for a week? Is that correct? Sorry if I have miss understood.

To be honest once you are sure a cocker is for you,  if you source a good reputable breeder ( and therefore have a pup who is true to breed) and put the time and effort that is required into training the pup then I don't see you having any major problems. Yes they are energetic but it's not unmanageable and the rewards you get back for having a cocker are well worth it!!

 It depends what you mean though when you say " burst with enthusiasm" I'd say this is typical of the cocker breed, they are very very loving dogs, they are full of energy and get up and go and are sooo full of life. They are dramatic about a lot of things but I find that an endearing quality  Personally that's why I LOVE them, their joie de vivre is what makes them cockers and I wouldn't have my cocker any other way. They just can't help but make you smile.

Seperation anxiety isn't really a cocker trait, it can develop in any breed but is usually because the dog hasn't been used to being alone.You can avoid this with the correct time and effort.

You need to decide what exactly you want from your dog. I honestly believe you have to be a true dog lover to really "get" and appreciate the cocker. Write a list of what you want and what you don't and make sure that the cocker is right for you. Maybe post them on here and we can help you 

[JaspersMum]

We homed Jasper when he was 9 months old having gone through two homes that couldn't cope with his high energy and chewing.  I have to say he's the quiet laid back one out of our three.  The other pair that we have had from puppies, have ten fold his energy and potential for boredom.

I hope that the puppy works for you and there may have been an element of what happened to the first cocker in his earlier homes BUT they do have a tendency towards being needy when it comes to attention.  That said, Jasper was our first dog and I work and have a family, but we do have to work at it sometimes   Jasper & Heidi are show types, Louie a mix of worker/show

[Cob-Web]

Hi Gav and Jo 

we previously purchased from a family an 11mth old cocker who had bundles of energy to the point he would seem to burst with enthusiasm at any time when he saw any adults. he suffered from separation anxeity when we left him and for the first week we could not leave him alone to sleep or leave the house as he would become destructive, bark and howl.

This describes my Bonnee to a tee - we rehomed her when she was 15 month old, and she is a permanent bundle of energy    We say that she gets so excited, she looks as if she is going to jump out of her skin - she desperately tries to sit nicely, but trembles with anticipation and makes high pitched whimpering noises she is just so excited to be alive 

To us, it is a very endearing quality that I wouldn't change for the world    We channel her energy through training; at the moment, my daughter is learning freestyle heelwork to music with her and she is a natural 

Like all dogs, she was a bit unsettled when she first arrived; despite being used to being left alone for 5+ hours a day, when she arrived with us, she howled and screamed when I left the room  - it took a couple of weeks for her to get used to living in a new home, with a new family  - but she certainly doesn't suffer from separation anxiety; she was just behaving like a normal young dog 

We had Molo from a puppy; and tbh, Molo was a lot more work - not only did he suffer from the same loneliness and anxiety when he moved to a new home, but the demands of a puppy are incredible and never ending  I lost over a stone in weight in the first few months because I didn't sit down for more than 20 minutes or so at a time; up for wee, in for a play and training, a quick nap and then it starts all over again 

I think you need to prepare yourselves for the reality of dog, particularly puppy, ownership - you lives will never be the same again; and you can expect weeks, if not months, of disruption before you begin to settle into a new, dog-focused, routine 

[gavmojo]

Hello All
We are very close to getting a little bundle of golden joy, an 8wk old puppy cocker!! - we previously purchased from a family an 11mth old cocker who had bundles of energy to the point he would seem to burst with enthusiasm at any time when he saw any adults. he suffered from separation anxeity when we left him and for the first week we could not leave him alone to sleep or leave the house as he would become destructive, bark and howl. The previous owners let him sleep on their bed at nights. This experience really put us off owning a dog for a while, but now we are thinking of trying again with a younger dog to train from scratch? We need encouragement that all cockers are not the same?
Thanks Gav&Jo

To add to my little story, the owners we bought our dog from, called to "check up on him" after a week and we told them of Barney's current behaviour at nightime and how he bahaved when we left the room.They said their children miss him so,and offered to purchase him back, to which we accepted. We now possibly feel this was a bit soon (after a week) but their offer seem to come out of the blue, a lifeline? We miss Barney and thats why we feel getting a puppy earlier, 8wks old approx, with no "bad habbits?" may be better option. Our only worry was the night time howling and crying, destructive behaviour and self harm Barney did in his crate at night, as this got louder and louder during night, we would open the crate and one of us would sleep on the sofa with him walking happily back and forth our living room! I supposed we felt for our neighbours and as we were tired out we gave in so one of us could get some sleep upstairs!
I suppose their are owners with lovely cockers who can leave their dogs alone at night either in a crate or in the kitchen alone with no problems? I work long hours, my kids are older 13+14yrs and arrive home 4pm on school days, my wife works a couple of days a week. We have a lot of love to give our cocker if we eventually become owners again.......Gavin

[Cob-Web]

Our only worry was the night time howling and crying, destructive behaviour and self harm Barney did in his crate at night, as this got louder and louder during night, we would open the crate and one of us would sleep on the sofa with him walking happily back and forth our living room! I supposed we felt for our neighbours and as we were tired out we gave in so one of us could get some sleep upstairs!

It is more than likely that a puppy will be distressed and noisy at night; possibly more so than Barney - but it really isn't "bad habits" - your pup will behave the way you teach him or her; so if you put the effort in, then you will (eventually) share your lives with a well trained companion who is a joy to own 

I suppose their are owners with lovely cockers who can leave their dogs alone at night either in a crate or in the kitchen alone with no problems? I work long hours, my kids are older 13+14yrs and arrive home 4pm on school days, my wife works a couple of days a week. We have a lot of love to give our cocker if we eventually become owners again.

While your puppy is young, he will need regular company for most of the day; if you work long hours, your kids are at work and your wife works, then you will need to carefully consider appropriate care arrangements for your puppy.......and even the most sedate older dog really needs company and access to toileting facilities every four or five hours.......

[Mrs K]

It all sounds a bit scarey doesn't it! But believe me, if you need advice on how to train your pup this is the right place to come! Why make mistakes when you can learn from someone else's 
You will also find lots of recommendations of which books etc to use for your training.
Once again, good luck with it all!

[Nicola]

we feel getting a puppy earlier, 8wks old approx, with no "bad habbits?" may be better option. Our only worry was the night time howling and crying, destructive behaviour and self harm Barney did in his crate at night, as this got louder and louder during night, we would open the crate and one of us would sleep on the sofa with him walking happily back and forth our living room! I supposed we felt for our neighbours and as we were tired out we gave in so one of us could get some sleep upstairs!
I suppose their are owners with lovely cockers who can leave their dogs alone at night either in a crate or in the kitchen alone with no problems? I work long hours, my kids are older 13+14yrs and arrive home 4pm on school days, my wife works a couple of days a week. We have a lot of love to give our cocker if we eventually become owners again.......Gavin

There are definitely lots of people who have great, well adjusted adult dogs which can be left alone at night and for periods during the day, I have 3 of them but barring Tilly who was trained when I got her from rescue at 2 years old none of them came to me like this, it took time and effort to get them to where they are now. One of them absolutely refused to settle in a crate as a puppy and was very destructive, ironically enough he's the only one I've had from 8 weeks old, he's now almost 3 and a lovely dog but he was a real challenge as a pup/adolescent. Puppies are full of 'bad habits' as you put it, it's normal puppy behaviour. Everything you say that Barney did that worried you a new puppy is going to do - I'm not sure what you mean by self harm but most pups howl and cry when left and for at least a couple of nights and some for much longer and pretty much all pups are destructive and chew things they shouldn't, one of mine still destroys beds and blankets at nearly 2 years old. You also have to add messing in the house and biting/nipping to that list with a young puppy.

If you work long hours and your wife is also out at work a couple of days a week you'll need to have puppy care arrangements for these times. Young puppies need to be let out to toilet very often (after sleep, play, eating, drinking and about every half hour in between times) in order to make toilet training as easy as possible for them. No dog no matter what its age should be left alone for more than 4 hours at a time but with young puppies this should really be much less. I'm not trying to put you off, it sounds like you have a lot of love to offer a dog but the reality of puppies can be quite a shock, they really are a lot of work for even very experienced dog owners and cockers can be challenging dogs, they are real characters and can be very stubborn and strong willed. Do also make sure you know if the pup you are getting is a show or working type cocker, they are very different.  

[t1gg3er]

In our experience Cockers are very lively, intelligent, affectionate dogs & if not kept occupied they can be quite naughty.  

We've had moments when we could scream, but for every one of those there have been thousands of happy, funny, cuddly & lovable ones.  

I'd recommend you spend the time you're waiting for your pup reading & learning so you'll be best equiped to handle him/her.  Nothing can quite prepare you for the real thing but it's a very good start!  Also look for good puppy classes in your area & book ahead to avoid having to go on a waiting list after the pup is ready.

Our newest arrival only came home last night & both he & our other pup slept through the night.  In the 1st week with Darby I did have to get up & let her go toilet at around 4am but she quickly developed enough bladder control to sleep through 

It can be very hard work (with 2 pups plus a 3 year old, family & work we're having to work at it really hard at the moment) but if you get it right from the beginning you'll end up with one of the most wonderful dogs on Earth to share many years of love, laughter & happiness with.  

[supergirl]

Whilst I can echo what everyone else says above, no puppy is the same - I've been relatively lucky in that my first two puppies (girls) were angels and settled down within days of arriving home, training was no problem.  However, my third dog (a boy), now 6months old is a completely different case and whilst our problem is quite minimal compared to some I've read on COL we have still to resolve it.  He's a perfect puppy in all respects, doesn't chew anything he shouldn't, is very obedient, has the sweetest nature, housetrainng is fine, does great at his puppy classes and is an all round confident dog.  However he does cry and howl, he settles down to sleep most nights, but can be up at anytime from about 3am.  He also cries and howls if I go out or if I spend too long upstairs taking a shower. 

What you need to bear in mind is that every puppy will be different, but there are things that you can do to help success; good breeder, all the relevant health tests, puppy's mum and dad to have good confident temprements (make sure you see them).  Get a good book on the breed/puppies, read the threads on COL and make sure that you're prepared.  You have to expect that the dogs will cry, pee on your floor/sofa etc (not the end of the world, but when its the 5th time that morning and you've just taken them outside, you can lose your sense of humour)