cocker spaniel

[lounear35]

Need advice...we have an 18 month old black working cocker bitch. She's perfect with us and most ppl but when annoyed or someone pokes her or bangs on her caged run she growls and jumps and looks like she would snap. She has never attacked anyone or has bitten. She does stay outside during the day in her run which is quite large. And she sleeps inside in a cage at night she is walked for an hr in the morning and for 3/4 miles each evening.
Has anyone experienced a cocker spaniel being snappy and cross.

Yes to the pp suggesting doggy daycare (if you can afford it, and have it available near you). My friend's rescue greyhound goes to this, as he works full time, and loves it! Apparently there's a wonderful lady who hires a sports hall, or similar, in the days -has tonnes of dogs, they all do activities and games together. Sounds brill. I guess the dogs have to be non-dog-aggressive, but if yours is, OP, this could be a great solution.
Good luck - do hope it all works out for you.

I think it sounds terrible personally.

Lots of extremely excited dogs in a confined space, that's a sure recipe for bullying and over exuberant behaviour.
If the owner isn't very well versed in doggy body language and isn't watching everyone like a hawk the potential for a fight is huge.

I would imagine a lot of dogs would be pretty overwhelmed.
Like the dog parks in New York, it sounds amazing but the reality is very different

Have there been lots of dog injuries/deaths in doggy daycare then, buttholelane? If so, please link to evidence, as I was not aware of that. My experience of dogs (admittedly, while extensive, not exhaustive), is that most work well within a group scenario, and enjoy the opportunity to socialise. Obviously some dogs are dog-aggressive, and would therefore not be suitable for a doggy daycare environment, or some would need special care within one.
Yes, it would need someone skilled to mange a situation with a number of different dogs, of different breeds, backgrounds etc, - while I have experience, since childhood, of working with dogs, I wouldn't sign up for this personally. My experience is quite breed-specific, so perhaps I am being ignorant, purely judging based on what I know.
But I see no reason why it shouldn't work, if the dogs, human intervention and situation are right! And, indeed, it does work. Or so I'm told.

I think that just because the dogs are not dog aggressive does not mean they are not under stress.

If you look at New York dog parks or most puppy parties you will usually see quite a few very stressed, anxious, nervous dogs and quite a lot of over exuberant, bullying behaviour.

I don't think that the majority of these set ups are good for dogs personally

I also have a working cocker and completely agree with what everyone else has said. He behaves just like Adorabelle's lovely boy. He's my shadow, so much that shadow is his nickname. He likes being outside, but he's in and out all the time checking for us. He's ok being left for an hour or two as an exception, but he's friendly and sociable and likes being with us.More than that, in fact, he wants and demands to be with us .

Because he's still a puppy we don't walk him on really long walks, so often he only gets one 45 minute walk a day (this will increase, obviously). But he's happy because we are constantly with him, so he gets tons of mental stimulation. He would be so sad if he was on his own all day, whether it was inside or in a run outside. And in answer to your original question OP, he has never, ever been snappy with anyone. I've got a 10 year old and a 7 year old and he gets lots of attention from them and from their friends and he loves being around them.

Gosh poor op. You guys really seemed to enjoy ridiculing, labelling and aggressively pursuing her. I thought these pages were more factual, measured and helpful than AIBU but I guess I was wrong. A real thread of nastiness here.

OP I have a show cocker (show are actually smaller than workIng and 'slightly' less energetic supposedly!). It does sound like your pup needs a little more socialising. Could it be that to him/her she sees that she is separated from the family when these outsider children come in so resents them and feels threatened by them. My cocker takes all manner of bad behaviour from my toddler who gets in serious trouble for any mistreatment but is still a baby himself so is just learning. But the dog is so far patient and measured in her response to him thankfully. I watch them like a hawk together but the impression I have if cockers is that they are not aggressive in the least. I think you should maybe take some time to teach your charges how to be kind to the dog and gently introduce her back into the home for short periods with the children but highly supervised. Could you make a safe dog area in the house using a gate for her? She needs to learn these kids are not a threat or yo be feared. And I think socialising her in a safe and controlled way back into the house even for short periods is the way to go.

I also have a 7 month old working cocker and she craves attention. She has to follow someone everywhere if she is uncrated. I work from home so she is out and about most of the day, the most she is crated is 3 hours and that is maybe once a week and I make sure she has something to mentally stimulate her while I am away. If I am away for longer I get someone to pop in for 30 min or she goes to daycare. She is unbelievable hard work and always under my feet... however she is loyal and shows nothing but love and has forced me to get out for 2 hours a day when I walk her. Your dog seems to be reacting because she is scared... mine growls at the dustbin van outside or at very loud noises. Can you not help explain to the children that they can't bang / poke the cage etc this seems unacceptable behaviour to allow. Do you just leave the dog to occupy themselves in the 'run'? cockers especially need mental and physical stimulation which I have to work hard to give mine.

You posted for advice, so I find it a little odd that you're getting quite so defensive. If you bought a working dog then she should be worked, she'll go absolutely insane if you don't. A working dog is not generally suited to a 'family pet' situation, because they were bred to work hard. She's probably extremely frustrated and frightened of the kids. Two walks a day is not enough for a working dog, she should be taken out for at least 4 a day in her 'prime' years, with company and general play in between.

I agree with other posters, you should rehome to your with someone who knows what they're doing with a (ruined) working dog.

A bunch of dog ownership martyrs on this thread.

A Labrador is a working breed and generally regarded as the most popular family pet. Depends what you do with it really.

We've got a working cocker. She hates it if we put her in the garden and shut the door.
My husband takes her to work and she doesn't like it if he goes to the loo. She is the most loving and gentle little dog but very very needy and being shut outside away from people for that long would be horrible for her.

Might add that we don't work her- we play with her and walk her and give her a LOT of affection but would argue it isn't absolutely essential to work them.

There is a lot written elsewhere on the pros and cons of working cockers as family pets. Part of it will depend on the pedigree, so whether or not they are from strong working lines. Lots of people have them as pets and don't work them and for most working cockers this is fine, as long as they get sufficient exercise and mental stimulation in other ways - eg agility etc. Both types of cockers are sociable dogs who like to be around people though, they are generally not considered the kind of dog who does well being home alone during the day (although is any dog, to be fair?)

OP, you've had some aggressive comments on here but also some useful advice. I hope you find a way to solve the issue because working cockers are a joy.

As an owner of 2 cockers I would say that your dog does not have enough stimulation and human contact. They are very affectionate dogs and much prefer being with people as much as possible. Other dogs/breeds might be able to cope with your set up but I'd say that for a working cocker this is not ideal at all and will no doubt cause her to develop some serious issues as she is scared/frustrated and lacking various components which would make her happy and settled all of the time. She sounds like a lovely dog as she is good with your family despite being isolated most of the day and being scared when people bang on her run. My two spend an hour alone in their room with beds after a walk but other than that, we're generally all together as a family when we're at home. I'm sorry if you feel people are attacking you and criticising you but they are just concerned for your dog. In my opinion, things need to change or she needs to go somewhere where her all her needs (not just exercise) can be met. It is absolutely true that you have a better set up that some dog owners but given the fact that your dog is showing unhappy behaviour it means something is not working for her.