# Cocker spaniels - tell me all



## CazD (21 September 2012)

What are the good and bad points about cocker spaniels?  There is one in rescue near me that I'm considering going to meet as a possible companion for my little dog.


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## Slinkyunicorn (21 September 2012)

They rock - simples

Friendly good natured dogs, love being with people, love walking or sleeping - food is also a big favourite as is water, mud and all things disgusting

Bad points - they smell really bad when spending to much time in mud, water, muck heaps......... O and if you are Spudlet you can't go near picnics......

Gratuitous spangle piccy.........St Sweep 14 years old.......







and at 8 weeks old when I got him.....


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## Echo24 (21 September 2012)

Don't know too much about them except that you need to be careful of cocker rage which some cocker spaniels have. A friend's cocker had to be put down for it as he was so unpredictable, it was like a switch went and he would lash out.


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## Slinkyunicorn (21 September 2012)

Cocker rage is not that common - search on here as there have been several posts on it.

Most are dopey muppets - Sweep has never been in a fight or growled at anything in his life - even when a dog has gone for him he has never retaliated.


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## Elsiecat (21 September 2012)

I have been given two.. both seeming to have 'cocker rage.' Both were far too unpredictable. One respected my grandad and never played up to him and so my grandad took him on. The other, I was very young and I recall he 'went to live on a farm' - never got to the bottom of whether it actually was a farm or the farm in the sky. Both I was devastated about as when they wern't in this 'rage' they were so sweet and I had such strong bonds with them both. Especially the 'farm' one, good old Sam  I miss that dog..

However I know of at least 3 or 4 that are fantastic family dogs and are always well behaved. So don't be put off, just check their lines etc.

As you've guessed Cockers are a breed I seemingly am not meant to own


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## romulus (21 September 2012)

I have 3, all fantastic working dogs aged 9years, 3years and 11 months great temperaments and mix well with our other dogs (retriever and terrier) an all other dogs but they are allowed to run around our land, and do some training every day.   They love doing something constructive and are very good at supervising builders but not so good at gardening !  We have been careful not to choosedogsthat have interbreeding. In their pedigree quite a few are closely related as their are a number of prolific stud dogs and I am a greatbelieverthe too many related relations cause behaviour problems.  I have never experienced cocker rage - my older ones just sulk when the shooting season is over!


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## Suzie86 (21 September 2012)

I have a 9 month cocker, he's the friendliest dog loves all people and dogs, really trainable, doing well in gundog training, just generally lovely and so fun to have around


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## Achinghips (21 September 2012)

2 types:

1. worker (stockier with shorter ears)
2. show (more of a domed head and in my opinion, prettier)

I have both types  They are the most loving dogs I have ever known.

I have had a golden red with rage syndrome, but managed it with muzzles and a child free, only dog household.  It is resticted to the red gene and is now being successfully bred out (unfortunately mine came from a disreputable breeder I found on preloved).  

Make sure you go to a reputable KC registered breeder recommended by the Kennel Club, who will breed for health, temperament and safety, like my beautiful show type.

My worker is a rescue who came from a disreputable puppy farm who use dogs as machines and breed with no morals, consequently he has hip dysplasia.

They require trips to the grooming parlour.  I clip mine myself - quick and easy.  Though show ones tend to have their coats "pulled" for showing.


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## noodle_ (21 September 2012)

I have a (beautiful)! chocolate cocker spaniel.... working type 



He's very clever, and a farrrr better recall than my older dog (he's 6 months old...)!



pros are he is small... (well smaller than other spaniel thing..  )

clever
sooooooooooooo cute 


bad points;

he's a thief.... as per all spaniels....socks etc
he will eat anything....literally anything.




im a convert.....i want another in a few years when this little monkey has grown up


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## noodle_ (21 September 2012)

forgot the important bit!...


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## rara007 (21 September 2012)

Apparently the is mainly in solid coloureds? My blue roan has never snapped in all is nearly 11 years including much being pulled around by kids/babies and a new puppy when he was 10  Love him 
Mine has also never chewed or stolen anything, and isn't a pig. Does bark a bit as his only issue  He's entire FWIW.


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## Star_Chaser (22 September 2012)

Fabulous little dogs well worth giving a second chance to I'd certainly make room for another  Take a look on the breed club website and if you want to know a good ins and outs try the cockersonline forum the health section will give you some of the things to watch out for.

This is the info on cocker rage http://www.thecockerspanielclub.co.uk/rage_syndrome.htm personally I am not a big believer I still feel an awful lot is down to badly trained dogs just the same as any other breed but its easy to give a dog a title when things go wrong.


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## Spudlet (22 September 2012)

Brilliant dogs - mine's a rescue too







They need their brains occupying - proper walks and training, or they get bored and naughty, but no worse than any other dog (I think).  The exception was when I was poorly earlier this year - despite only getting a walk in the evening when the bloke got home, mine spent his days like this and hardly made a peep:







They can be stubborn at times - like mares, you generally have to ask not tell, or they fall out with you! And when something is really amazing, they can switch off their ears. However they are funny, loyal, kind little dogs - mine adores people, and always makes new friends at the pub as people want to fuss him and he plays up to that something rotten! 

Mine is obsessed with socks and shoes but has such a soft mouth that he never damages them He also rolls in smelly things, after which he normally eats whatever it is. And he is an inveterate picnic-raider! But he makes me laugh all the time - here is his reaction to a windfallen apple which I think must have had a wasp inside!








As long as you are willing to put some time into training and like good long muddy walks, you will not go far wrong


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## CazD (22 September 2012)

Damn. someone else got in before me, she's been reserved.  Why is it so hard to find a dog friendly, people friendly, small dog in rescue?  I'm obviously too slow off the mark.  Does anyone know any other rescues close to Herefordshire.  So far I'm looking at Four Paws and HWAR.


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## Spudlet (22 September 2012)

Those sorts of dogs get snapped up, sorry you missed her You could look at breed rescues too maybe?


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## LittleLex (23 September 2012)

I love my spaniel puppy! don't think twice next time 

I have a working cocker and although I love her to bits, she can find all sorts of trouble when i'm not watching!!


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## Slinkyunicorn (23 September 2012)

A spangle getting into/causing trouble?.........

Surely not......


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## Pendlehog (23 September 2012)

The cockers that come into work (rescue) have pretty well ALL come in for being jealous - they are almost exclusively show type too.  Before I worked in rescue I wouldnt have described them as jealous dogs but 20 or so cockers down the line I am starting to see the pattern.  This is usually the "little old lady's dog" syndrome, if you treat them like proper dogs they are no bother, and one of my favourite breeds.

Personally I prefer the working type, but that's just personal taste   With regards to cocker rage, lots of people call "rage" whenever a spaniel does anything wrong.. typically they are snappy, grumpy gits because they've been spoilt for their entire lives, not because of rage syndrome!

Fab, happy, enterprising little dogs, but if you want one from a rescue you'd better be FAST (there's a good reason they're so popular though!) I would definately look at breed rescue.  Good luck


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## Luci07 (24 September 2012)

Or don't focus on a breed. Go to a recommended rescue and see which dog gells with you and pulls at your heart strings. I am a huge staffie fan and have 3 rescues who are brilliant with each other, people and their numerous canine friends at the yard.  I also love the nutty Dalmatian and 2 working cockers at my yard. Would nick one of the workers given half a chance as he is very like middle Stafford in character.!


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## CazD (24 September 2012)

Luci07 said:



			Or don't focus on a breed. Go to a recommended rescue and see which dog gells with you and pulls at your heart strings. I am a huge staffie fan and have 3 rescues who are brilliant with each other, people and their numerous canine friends at the yard.  I also love the nutty Dalmatian and 2 working cockers at my yard. Would nick one of the workers given half a chance as he is very like middle Stafford in character.!
		
Click to expand...

I'm not focused on any particular breed - it just has to be dog and people friendly - and small.  they just seem to be hard to find.


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## Lila (24 September 2012)

We have three. We always had spaniels. Amazing little dogs and i have never come across a bad one. I also work in boading kennels and neve had a bad one in) 
Lucky is 15 molly 13 and honey 7. Had  haddley for when we were tiny but he is sadly over rainbow bridge now. 
Only problem we have really had is our old golden haddley chewed EVERYTHING blinds seatbelts shoes the lot. but the girls have always been very good. Their not too keen on kids but that because other than us when we were younger they have never seen small kids and babys. 
We got told by a vet when we bought haddley, golden cockers were too unpredictable and he should have been put to sleep there and then. As you can imagine we ignored his 'advice' adn changed vet. He was a great dog.

They do need lots of exercise and as alot of others have said, love the water, mud fox poo! But overall great dogs


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## emmah1979 (1 October 2012)

My family have had quite a few cockers (and a springer thrown in for good measure).  I now have a black show cocker (I use 'show' in the loosest sense as I'm not sure she'd be accepted at Crufts!), my brother has a black worker and my mum has a chocolate worker.  All of them were 'secondhand' dogs and all have great temperaments!  
My dog, who is now 7 yrs old, is much more chilled than the working cockers.  I work all day so she stays at home during the week and is walked before work, at lunchtime and then out for a long walk in the evenings.  She's perfect for this lifestyle because she doesn't crave exercise, so during the week she's more than happy spending most of the day sleeping and is content with her 3 walks a day, but then at weekends she will be on the go for 12 hours no problem.  I've taken her beating and she's a real natural at putting up the pheasants.  but try and take her for a walk in the rain when they aren't any pheasants around.....easier to get blood from a stone!  She's mostly fantastic with children considering she hasn't grown up with them.      
I find the working cockers act like they have ants in their pants most of the time, constantly on tentahooks ready to go!  Proper gun dogs - more like springers than show cockers.  I'm pretty sure that my mum's dog's eyes don't close for more than about 5 seconds without him having to open them to check that he's not missing anything!
In summary I love cocker spaniels!!!!


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## Suzie86 (1 October 2012)

Helllllooooo!!






Drowned rat....







Comfy!


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## Vicstress (1 October 2012)

Best dogs ever!! Mine is working xshow and is my best friend....never lets me down and always knows when I need a cuddle!


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