Are cocker spaniels safe around children?

[StuntNun]

My in-laws are getting a black cocker spaniel puppy and I'm a little concerned about the risk of aggressiveness, particularly rage, in this breed. They are getting the pup from a friend of a friend so I don't know anything about the breeder of the dog or his lines. I am also worried about the puppy in general because my in-laws aren't physically fit enough to take him out for long walks, so he will have to get most of his exercise in their garden.

I realise a lot of people have cockers that are gentle and friendly but at the same time the cocker spaniel is known for the rage issue and I have a 14-month-old baby so I just want to get an idea of whether this is something that has been blown out of proportion.

[Hoppinggreen]

We are considering getting a dog and our vet suggested a Cocker after we told her what we were looking for.
Having said that someone above has suggested that that might be because she could mKe plenty of £ out of us????
She did say to get a working breed rather than a show breed and get a black and white one
I'm getting put off a bit reading this :(

[feetlikeahobbit]

My working cocker is a bit nutty and needs lots of exercise but has never shown any 'rage', considering the circumstances in which we got her she's pretty well adjusted now. Vets bills have been minimal, limber tail and anal glands being the first big trip so far, other than that just normal jabs :)

[StuntNun]

Drat, DS1 must have overheard me talking to DH and now he's worried about the puppy because he's scared of dogs to the point that he wouldn't walk home from school by himself at one point in case a dog attacked him.

[SecretSix]

No rage from my 10 year old working cocker, many of the children on our park come over to fuss him.

Second everyone with the exercise though, the puppy will be bored and frustrated without walking. Mine still has approx 90 mins walking throughout the day.

[Dirtybadger]

I wouldn't trust any of the working cockers (in the wrong homes) with kids. I would trust the ones in the good homes.
The ones in normal pet homes I know are, frankly, nuts. One gets plenty of physical exercise but not enough mental stimulation. He guards, mouths (hard!) and has some compulsive behaviours. The other has a bite history. I don't know if it's a reflection of a breed, though. The first dog would probably be fine with the owners if it wasn't a worker. It went to classes for a bit, is fed good food, runs in the fields plenty, etc, it just needs more and its needs aren't being met.

There is no point saying you should supervise kids and dogs in this case. It wouldn't help. It doesn't sound like your il's would know what they're looking for. If I'm watching kids and my dog I am watching nothing else and I know what behaviour in my dog says she needs space, or they need some time apart. I wouldn't trust a lot of people to do that with their dogs (hence how kids still get bitten even with people around).

If it were me, I'd be finding new babysitters unless you believe they are capable of close supervision and have adequate judgment and skills of observation to do so effectively.

[bakingtins]

The working dockers I know are fabulous but they all work. Clue in the title. They are almost a different breed from the show clockers of my acquaintance but even the show cockerel are high energy and a bit nuts when young and need plenty of exercise and stimulation.
I think if your ILs can't provide lots of exercise they shouldn't be getting a puppy of any breed and should consider rescuing an elderly dog if they must have one. The devil makes work for idle paws!

[ithaka]

Spaniels need a lot of walking or they are crazy in the house. All the spaniels I know get 2 walks a day at least and for a good hour each time.

Unless you get a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, they can be lazy little house pets. Also, rage is a concept alien to a Cav, they just don't do aggression. And their teeny jaws are too feeble to chew your stuff (or inflict much of a bite even if they tried). My 13 year old Cav has seen my children through their childhood. I would heartily recommend a Cav for a retired couple with grandchildren.

[cashewfrenzy]

I really get uncomfortable reading these threads. While it is of course really really important to research your breeds so you know what sort of traits you're likely to get, the question of whether they are good with children is a question you can only ask or answer about individual dogs. It truly is impossible and unwise to generalise.

Over and above that, dogs which are good with children tend to be dogs whose children are good with them, and whose owners do not just supervise but monitor the dog's body language to detect their subtle signs of stress at an early stage. These dogs learn to be trusting and calm because they are not put in uncomfortable situations.

[Booboostoo]

I think the possibility of cocker rage is the least of your problems.

My main concern would be that your ILs have not researched the breed and its needs, have not selected their breeder and the puppy's parents, have not selected the puppy and by the sounds of it are not prepared for training, exercise and socialisation, nor realistic about what is involved in having a dog around children.

Do you rely on your ILs for childcare? If yes I think you are in a bit of trouble here. If not you can impose your own rules about the interaction between your DS and the puppy and stick to them until the situation develops further. Sadly I suspect your ILs will find themselves in over their heads before too long.

[TeaOneSugar]

We have an 18 month old solid golden male show cocker.

He can be snappy but is growing out of it, we're 99.9% sure he would never actually bite, he usually comes over for a cuddle after he's snapped and looks suitably apologetic.

I think if we'd had a small child in the house it might have been a problem, but dd is 10 and has grown up with spaniels so she takes no nonsense.

It's more of an over excited thing, I wouldn't describe it as rage, but he does need a firm hand. He's currently asleep at the side of me on the sofa snoring.

[Kaida]

I had a Cocker when my now 2 year old was born, he's growing up with her, and she's so tolerant of him. I also think Cockers are a healthy breed from a good breeder - if the parents are tested for PRA, glaucoma and FN and have nice low hipscores there's not much more they're prone to, unlike Cavaliers which are a genetic mess, health-wise. Rage is rare, and when it does show up it's generally in solid colours. But a pootle in the garden is no way sufficient, the poor dog! Can you not find some way to talk them out of this OP? Bombing round a big garden playing fetch for half an hour solid twice a day might do it with some additional mental stimulation but doesn't sound like that's what they have in mind.

[Owllady]

I don't see how it is any of your business to dictate what your in laws can and can not do tbqh. It's their home and life. If you are not comfortable your children bring there with the dog, without your presence, then as a parent you work round that.

[catsrus]

I don't think rage is common - but it does exist, it's genetic, it happens in otherwise lovely dogs, it can't be dealt with by training, it is something to be aware of - particularly if the in laws are not being very careful about researching breeders and blood lines.