I've never had a dog but starting to consider it... I have some idiotic questions I'm afraid.

[m0therofdragons]

Firstly, dh and I are thinking about getting something along the lines of a cocker spaniel. For the next 2 years I will be largely working at home so now may be a good time to get a puppy. (By now I actually mean around March time as we want to save and fully research).
First question. I looked at cockerpoos which I like particularly as there is a chance of non shedding but how come they are double the price of a pure cocker spaniel?
Second question. Do rescue centres allow any dogs to go to homes with young dc? All the ones I've looked at say no dc or maybe teens. My dc are 3.5 and 6.5. All will be at school from Sept next year.
slightly concerned re rescue about not knowing history as it will be around young dc anyway.
Anything else I should consider?
Many thanks

We're in the South west, but thank you.

I was thinking I'd walk him early (6.15 am ish) then be back for breakfast at 7.15, play in the garden in the day then another walk after dh is home so I don't have to drag dc on a long walk until they're older.this is the routine my neighbour has for her two labs... No dc in her house.

A show type cocker would fit well with your suggested routine. Docking is illegal now unless for proven working dogs so this shouldn't be an issue for you. A good breeder wouldn't sell a docked and dew clawed to a pet home. If they do then walk away.

And my show type laughs in my face if I try to walk her before breakfast! Or when it's wet. Or too cold. Or too hot. Or too windy. Or there are puddles.

Haha, I'm assuming high energy but would happily have a lazy one that doesn't like rain. I have a house rabbit that doesn't like grass but loves laying on carpet so odd pets seem to end up with me.
I've seen a few advertised as legally docked. I'll avoid working ones anyway.
I have a large bedroom so planned to let him sleep in my room - not my bed. It didn't occur to me not to (having had cats that always went in bedrooms) but that seems unusual? Guess I should chat to dh, he may have an opinion.

My working cocker is docked. The breeder is a game keeper. Most of the litter were pre booked to working homes (bitch had two extra pups than anticipated), but you have to dock very early (after just a few days), so ours is docked, as he didn't know which pups would go to which home. We don't work him but do take the training seriously.

To be honest, there's hardly any length off his tail, hardly a third, and the damn thing never stops wagging.

He's a joy, and not at all mad or busy, just very gentle, timid and loving. Loves to please so easy to train. Currently not being walked at all as he's got a broken leg but he's coping well with extra training and cuddles.

I have a Springer too, he isn't mad either, but definitely bolder. Both will take as much exercise as you can give them but are very chilled in the house. They will follow you everywhere though, even to the toilet and the bin.

If I had to chose again, I would have another working cocker, DH would say the Springer.

ps - these are our first dogs, one is 2, the cocker 10 months. Everyone thought we were mad getting spaniels from working stock, but calm, consistent, gentle training with lots of cheese seems to have worked

I know nada about dogs and have ever owned one but I have a friend who bought a Labradoodle and it's been one serious heath issue after another. Be v wary of 'designer dogs'

I know nothing about dogs (though have always wanted one) but I am guessing many dogs would not be ideal housemates for a rabbit...

I'm assuming it's best to keep them separate lol.

I think a puppy that's grown up with a rabbit would be fine. I know my cocker would be fine with any small pets and she hasn't grown up with them. You you just have to be careful and manage the puppy very closely around the rabbit.

With regards to sleep. Personally my dog has her own room downstairs but sleeps in bed with the dog sitter! It's entirely up to you really!

I expected the cat to go after the rabbit but actually the rabbit chases the cat. We wouldn't leave them alone together. He's in a hutch at night and when I'm out and in the garden run on nice days.

Springer addict here although I don't have a dog at the moment.
My best advice would be firstly look into training classes, they educate you as an owner and training is best sorted out early as practicable so bad habits don't form.

Secondly I would look at a rescue dog before breeders, again because they will be fully assessed, as will you and you should all work together for a best fit relationship.

Lots of sites to look through Here

You can find good rescue dogs, I have one! From Balkan Underdogs, he is the most friendly, happy, easygoing dog (approx 2 yrs old) that you could ever hope to find.

Smaller rescues are usually more flexible regarding children, they often have dogs in foster homes, so often living with other dogs, kids, cats etc. to me, temperament is so much more important than anything else.

Beware of breeders, make sure all necessary health checks are done, good breeders should grill you before agreeing that you can have a puppy. Make sure pups are well socialised. Pups are also really hard work!!!

I have a house rabbit, two cats, 3 guineas, chicken, a large border collie x and a cockerpoo puppy.
All co-exist, with a strict hierarchy ... I'd say that the rabbit is at the top.
Cockerpoo puppy is noticeably calmer than working cocker puppy of the same age owned by a friend, which jumps and barks the whole time. She seems intelligent and easy to train, although assertive. She growls if children won't leave her alone/stop picking her up. I don't know if that is a good thing or not ... she loves playing with them and lying on the sofa watching dvd's with them, just makes it very clear when she has had enough.
Lookswise, I would have preferred a cocker, but I didn't think I had the time and energy to keep it fully occupied. Our puppy gets one walk a day and a lot of training/playing, but we do have a big garden and other animals for company. She is remarkably calm ... although I did forget to shut her up this morning when I did the school run and came back to find her chewing the hairdryer.
Eternal vigilance is necessary through the puppy years months. BigDog ate most of the bathroom floor when unsupervised at the same age....

I don't know that a cockerpoo would automatically be calmer than a cocker...for starters they might inherit completely one lot of breed traits, but also poodles aren't exactly couch potatoes.

There isn't something wrong with all rescue dogs, you get plenty of dogs that are given up for reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with the dog, you also get loads of young adult/older puppies that people can't cope with because they haven't done basic training with...it's exactly what you'd need to do with a puppy anyway, only it's easier because they're not trying to shred your clothes while you do it, lol.

Yes, you do get some dogs with issues in rescues, but decent rescue would not be rehoming those dogs to first time owners with young children.

Many Tears Rescue will re-home to families with young children. We adopted a puppy who was in a foster home when our dd was nearly 4yo

Certainly not saying that a cockerpoo is automatically calmer than a cocker ... mine is. All dogs are individuals. I have the gentlest border collie x ... a friend had one that was so aggressive it had to be put down. Both brought up from puppies. (And not from rescues, so buying a dog from a breeder does not avoid all behaviour problems.)

Oh I didn't think you were actually saying they all would be, just pointing out that it's just down to the luck of the draw really.

Hi Mother, just read through the thread and see you are based in the South West. I have always had dogs but mainly Labradors and Border
Collies. We lost our last labrador last year and decided to wait until this year to replace her. I always assumed we would have another lab but my Dd who is 7 wanted something a little smaller and had fallen in love with our hairdressers Cockerpoo. Having done some research and found the Cockerpoo GB website I found a breeder near Tiverton ' Polycinders Cockerpoo's' . We are now the proud owner of a 14week old Cockerpoo bitch ( got her at 8 weeks) . Both parents are KC registered all relevant tests have been done ie: hip scoring, PRA clear etc. having had many dogs including rescue I would never get anything but a puppy with children. They are a massive commitment and hard work but it pays off. I would highly recommend both the breeder and the 'breed' albeit a cross breed. They are intelligent hardy little dogs and remarkably trainable. At 14 weeks already she has good recall, will not touch her food until told and if I shout wait when she is running across a field with my daughter she will sit immediately and wait until I command her to come.

I would have no qualms about buying a ' designer dog' they has been so much in breeding in most pedigrees but particularly Cocker spaniels and as long as you go to a reputable breeder you should be fine. I have happily looked at two or three litters of puppies when choosing in the past and have said no thank you if for any reason I wasn't 100% sure about the dog /breeder etc. You have a dog for a very long time and it has to tick all the boxes for you and your family

Hope this is useful .

I see lots of good advice here but just wanted to pick up on a point that expedit made re- docking.

Docking is illegal in puppies where there is no evidence of a working background. The breeder would need to show the vet proof that the puppies were at least intended for the working field but that can be as little as showing a shotgun licence, a letter from a gamekeeper or shoot captain or an ad ready placed where the puppies are sold as working stock.

It is wrong to say that you should walk away from a breeder offering docked and dew clawed puppies to a pet home. The breeder simply takes the whole litter to be done and from then on it is upto the new owners whether they actually do work the dog or not. There is no onus on the breeder to refuse to sell you a docked puppy because you have no intention of working it.