Best place to look for a Cocker Spaniel puppy?

[eandh]

After 4 years of discussing, debating and finally settling that this is the right time to add to our family and we would like to get a cocker spaniel puppy after Christmas/New year (dd2 birthday 5th January and she has been the one who has been the instigator so will be part of he birthday present)

We have spoken to local vets to register interest in puppy parties, puppy club and having him (must be a boy) registered with them and they have been so helpful with us choosing the right breed for our family (DH and DD2 huge runners so once he is old enough he'll be going on long walk/runs every day) The vets have given us a list of things to check when we go to looks for him (such as must be with mum, age, if tails been docked make sure they have the official paperwork and checks etc) however I am now stuck where to start looking as I do not want to get sucked into a puppy farm ?

Yep, he's got a bad back too.

His other elbow was bound to go at some point, but as there was no sign of it happening when they MRId them both at 6 months we'd hoped it would be 5 or 6 years later...he got 2 out of it.

The Pet Gundog book is great. Well worth reading before your pup arrives.

Tab hope your dog starts to feel better soon, all our friends with dogs (and dh rent gets when they had family dog) say they hate seeing their poorly or in pain and I have a feeling our dog will be my 3rd child (which I can't wait to do!)

The vets nurse has so many contacts within the cocker world and has been beyond helpful with assisting us, we are off to a rehoming today that she rang us about (dd's at school and it's a fairly long round trip) as there is a potential match. The rehoming centre are happy for the vets nurse and an associated rehoming centre to do the home checks snd province vide letter of recommendation (it would be 2.5 hour round trip for one of their staff to come here) !

Excuse typos it is 6am and my glasses are downstairs!

Hi OP, just wanted to come on and say good luck. We haven't got a cocker, but I came on here last year for advice about a getting pup and everyone here helped me narrowly avoid a puppy farm (I had given a deposit and everything!). Sometimes here though, it seems whatever decision you make/want is wrong in someway. Don't be put off.

We have a border terrier pup now who's 6 months old. My dc are the same age as yours. We've met loads of cockers out on our walks and they've all been gorgeous and playful.

The contact you've made via the vet nurse sounds good to me. You sound like lovely, responsible owners to be. We got ours via a breed club in the end and had to wait a looooong time.

We're really enjoying our pup. House trained really quickly. He takes up a lot of my time but I'm loving it. Hope you have a great new year with yours

Thank you Harry I know we are have researched seriously for the last 6 months and taken on board lots of advice from lots of sources, I am positive we can provide a lovely home for the right dog (and we are prepared to wait to find the right dog for us and to make sure we are the right family for him) x

We were in a similar position last year and got a working cocker. I just wanted to add to the other positive comments. Ours has reasonably strong working lines but he's been absolutely brilliant. I don't think we could wish for a better family pet. People are often surprised actually that he isn't more crazy. My children think of him as their little furry brother.

I think the key has been making sure he gets enough exercise (not a stupid amount, but he does get a good off lead walk every day). When he was little, we did two short walks a day to fit in with the maximum recommended walking time guidelines, and that really helped to keep him calm. Now he just gets one long one.

We have a young rehomed Cocker and he is absolutely ace! He's energetic but not horribly so and he's been relatively easy to train (although 'Down' is proving to be a challenge for him), he is probably one of the happiest dogs I have ever met and spends most of his life in a soggy wet condition as he attracts water like a sponge.