Adult cockers really should not be left alone for more than 4 hours and puppies no more than 2 hours. Puppies will need frequent trips outside to the toilet, regular meals, play and attention. Also time will need to be dedicated to take your puppy to training/ socialisation classes.
Cocker Spaniels will need some basic training to be manageable and well adjusted individuals. It is advisable to teach your dog the basics such as sit and stay in case you need to call upon these in an emergency situation. It also promotes mutual respect, improves your relationship and bond with your dog.
| Cockers enjoy a challenge, they are intelligent little dogs and training exercises provide good mental stimulation. Training your cocker can be great fun and very rewarding, you will need bags of patience and consistency but this will pay off. Cockers are usually very food orientated and will work very hard for food rewards. Always try to find a reputable trainer that uses positive reward based methods. Going along to training classes is also a great place to socialise your puppy, receive expert help, guidance and also meet and discuss puppy ownership with other owners. Do you have the time, commitment and inclination to train your dog? |
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Are you prepared to walk and exercise your cocker daily in all weathers? Cockers love going outside for walks, they love exploring and will often have their nose to the ground sniffing out all of the interesting scents. Cockers are gundogs their original purpose was to flush out woodcock and work the field all day even if you choose a show type cocker spaniel they will have retained many of these instincts, they do have a lot of energy and a desire to explore.
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Care should be taken with puppies whilst they are growing. Their bones and joints are soft and they shouldn’t have too much forced exercise until they are fully grown. A fully grown adult cocker will typically be happy with at least an hour of exercise a day.
| If you are not able to make your puppy or dog a high priority in your life then perhaps now is not the right time to introduce a puppy or indeed adult dog into your life. |
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It pays to be honest with yourself now as it may only lead to heartache and distress later on. |
Costs
Can you really afford a dog? Owning a dog certainly is an expensive business are you able to pay for all the costs associated with owning a cocker spaniel?
Purchase Price - You should expect to pay between £700 -£900 for a cocker spaniel puppy from a reputable breeder.
Equipment – When you first purchase your puppy you will need to buy some essential equipment such as bowls, collar & lead, bed, toys etc (see more info on Books & Puppy Equipment Link)
Dog Food – Good quality dog food doesn’t come cheap. Supermarket brands etc are not a good option. If you want a healthy dog with limited health problems then a good quality food is advisable. It will cost around £10 a week to feed your dog.
Vet Fees – Vaccinations, worming treatments, flea & tick treatments and unexpected illnesses etc. Could you afford to pay for a large unexpected vet bill?
Insurance – If you are planning on insuring your puppy can you afford the monthly or annual premiums?
Grooming – Cocker spaniels are naturally a medium to long coated breed. If their coats are left unkempt they will grow into woolly bears with mats and tangles. This isn’t good for the dogs health, will become uncomfortable for them and can cause skin and other health problems. Can you afford to have your dog trimmed every 8-10 weeks? Depending on your area grooming can cost around £25-£35 a time.
Training/Socialisation Classes- Socialisation and positive reward based training classes are a must for young puppies to ensure your puppy grows into a well socialised and well mannered dog. Can you commit the time and afford to pay for classes? Depending on your area classes can cost anything from £5.00 - £15 per session.
Boarding Kennels/House Sitters -If you are going to be leaving your dog at a boarding kennels or employing a house sitter when you go on holiday can you afford to do this? Boarding kennels usually charge from £10.00+ per day.
Home & Garden
Other questions you may like to ask yourself is if you live in suitable accommodation to accommodate a cocker? If you live in a flat with no garden then it really isn’t suitable for cocker spaniel. Dogs need to be able to go to the toilet regularly and have some garden space to run around in and explore.
If you live in rented accommodation are you allowed to keep pets? If you have to move you must bear in mind that unfortunately it can be difficult to find rental accommodation that accepts pets.
| Do you have an area in your house that your cocker can retreat too to relax and sleep undisturbed, ideally with a carpet free surface in case of accidents, somewhere they can have their bed, water bowl and toys? Most people often have an area in the kitchen that makes a perfect spot. |
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How house proud are you? Are you prepared for accidents on your carpets whilst your puppy is being house trained? Can you accept that you may have dog hair around the house? In the winter cockers can get quite wet and muddy and will need drying off with a towel before coming back inside and can smell a little doggy when they get wet. If you’re the sort of person who cannot tolerate the slightest bit of mess then perhaps owning a dog isn’t for you.
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If you are a keen gardener are you prepared for some destruction in your garden? Cockers can dig and chew on plants and flowers so do ensure that you remove any poisonous varieties. Urine can stain your lawn and your nice green lawn can soon be reduced to yellow patches. You will also need to be prepared to clean up after your dog. If your garden is your pride and joy a simple solution is to fence a section off as a dog garden. |
Is your garden secure? Cockers can jump and are able to squeeze through small gaps so a thorough investigation of your fences and boundaries should be undertaken before embarking on getting a dog.
Children
Cockers when correctly socialised and introduced can have a fantastic relationship with children, strong bonds and friendships can be formed. Their lovable, fun-loving natures and size make then an ideal and popular family pet. However, a huge amount of thought must be given before introducing a puppy into your family.
If you are an expectant mum or have toddlers perhaps now is not the right time. As previously mentioned cockers can be demanding and almost like having another baby. If you have your hands full with young children there may not be much time to devote to your puppy as well.
Before your puppy comes home it is a good idea to set all the ground rules. Ensure every family member is aware of what is and isn’t allowed so that your puppy receives a consistent message from everyone, mixed messages are a definite way to confuse your puppy! Children should always be supervised and never left alone with the puppy. They should be taught how to behave around the puppy and not to poke, pull, play roughly and pick up the puppy.
Whilst it may be a good idea to allow your children to get involved and help with the puppies care e.g. feeding, walking, grooming and playing with the puppy this should always be supervised by you and appropriate action taken if needed. E.g. children and puppy getting too excited when playing, you must step in, ask the children to stop and calm the situation down.
Looking after animals does teach children responsibility, care and compassion and it teaches your puppy that your children are to be respect members of the household. However young children should not be allowed to interfere with the puppy when eating or sleeping or pull objects from the puppies mouth in jest, this may inadvertently teach the puppy to guard it’s food or toys and could develop into a bite situation.
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Children’s high pitched giggles, laughter and quick movements can excite dogs as they can see it as playful yelping. Over excitement can then lead to nipping and mouthing which later on can lead to biting. It is important that you do teach your children how to behave around your puppy/dog and any interaction is thoroughly monitored. |
All puppies’ mouth and nip it is a way that they play and explore. Their teeth can be needle sharp, and can hurt. Pups start to learn bite inhibition from an early age whilst playing with their littermates and their mother and this education should be continued.
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Encouraging nipping is an absolute no, no and it should be discouraged consistently by all members of the family. Never encourage or allow your puppy to nip or mouth your hands. Teaching your puppy not to nip and mouth is important. A low pitched sharp ‘AH, AH’ ( which mimics their mothers low growl) should suffice, if not ignoring your puppy and turning you back is another solution, if this fails then perhaps some time out will put a stop to the behaviour, either leave the room or pop the puppy in his/her bed, crate or puppy pen for a short period. If your puppy has hold of your clothing, try distracting the puppy away with one of his/hers toys or a tasty treat. Trying to prize your puppies mouth open will only make them hold on harder and probably be more fun for them. Smacking your puppy is a definite no, no. Handling them roughly will only serve to make them distrust you and your hands.
It must always be remembered that your puppy is an animal and if not handled correctly can cause a lot of damage. Bite incidents are rarely the dogs fault and usually because the puppy/dog has been pushed to the limits, has no other option or has been inadvertently encouraged. It is your responsibility to ensure that any interaction between your children and your dog are supervised and any issues and problems that you can see arising should be dealt with by you.
Are you ready for this responsibility? Do you have a good relationship with your children? Do you have, the necessary knowledge, experience or thoroughly researched how to deal with child/dog issues?
Cockers when properly managed and socialised love to be around children and can make great family pets. I certainly have many happy memories of our childhood dogs.
I hope this page has been useful and will help you make an informed decision before embarking on introducing a cocker spaniel into your home.
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