Hi, looking for my First Cocker

[maddy74]

Bailey looks lovely  Think he is going to be a live wire. We have Willow crate in our room for night time and she is 14 months. Like others have said dont worry too much about the toilet training, keep taking him outside and when he does go praise him like mad and put a word to it so later you can use this as a cue word for him to go, there are lots of threads on here about toilet training. Good luck 

[Nicola]

, ive found out  his mum is a working type and Dad a show type so i guess i go from mum and Bailey is a working type ?,

No, in that case he's a half show/half worker and he might take more to either side in terms of personality/drive levels and in looks/coat type but you won't really know until he's grown up a bit. It would probably be sensible to prepare for having a dog with a higher drive and energy level than the show Cocker you were planning to get, but also for him having a longer, heavier coat to deal with too.

[black taz]

Sounds like you have both been lucky finding each other.  He looks adorable.

With regards to him eating quickly, i had a labrador who when i first got her hoovered her food then started on Taz's.  I slowed her down by just giving her a few pieces of kibble at a time (put in her bowl not hand fed), gradually increasing the amount she got at a time over about a month. Now i think i must have the only labrador that chews each kibble several times before swallowing (still doesnt take as long as Taz though but she has learnt she is not allowed his). 

The other thing you may want to consider quickly is insurance - then if anything does turn up it should be covered (my parents got a really good deal with PDSA)

[maddy74]

Willow eats fast and when we first had her her tummy would make awful noises after gulping her food down, might be worth investing in one of these, they are fab and slow them down no end,

http://www.fish4dogs.com/Products/greedy-gulper-bowl.aspx

[JulieM]

To slow Florence down with eating we scatter her breakfast over our garden (dry kibble!). It gets her out in the garden first thing and uses up a bit of mad cocker energy as she frantically sniffs it out. I also find that once she's found it all she'll do a wee/ poo so it might help with the toilet training as it keeps them outside for a bit longer...though with the snow on the ground I obviously haven't been doing this this week, but it might be something to try?

Best of luck with the new pup

[minimoo]

welcome to the forum, you will get lots of help and advice on here, yes you took a chance but sometimes its worth it, as long as you remember any pup is hard work and alot of cleaning up after them my youngest one is just over 8 months old and he is a proper handfull and is just getting properly house trained now with the odd lapse , for what its worth i went to look at a little black girl and came home with a great big orange roan boy from the same litter, and im no novice to cockers, though i knew the breeder health checks her dogs . i have a blue roan girl 6 called Ella, a choc boy 18 months called Bailey and orange boy called Milo , keep taking your Bailey outside regularly and he will get the hang of it , remember everything is new to him and hes only a little baby still and it will help when the nights get lighter too and enjoy him , he looks beautiful 

[annie59]

Thanks everyone for your advise,I will check out Insurance, what a very good idea,i hadnt even thought about it , im very grateful. Bailey has been excellent during the night in his crate, we have not heard a sound until one of us gets up, he goes straight in the garden, does all of his buisness , then back in a for a dart around, my is he fast, we have been watching him like a hawk,we have had a couple of accidents , we  are learning about each other, Bailey has been better than i have expected, its been a while since we had a puppy, but everything is coming back to us now , he has an abundance of toys but always manages to get hold of paper, i think i have got a built in shredder with Bailey.The only problem  with Bailey  is he is quite boisterous with my 8 year old son.I Dont know what Baileys experience was in his last home with childen,when my son isnt paying him  attention Bailey grips his arm and tries to, oooh i dont know how to say this but Bailey is  practicing on his arm, my son has a few scratches on him from Baileys attempts, My son has Autism , he is very gentle with Bailey, he loves dogs,we had to include Bailey in the shopping trip today and  Bailey came in his crate in the Car.They will get used to each other, and my son is so loving Baileys energy, our other dogs are not as playful and are very laid back, so Bailey has brought life and a bit of excitement to our home.