Spaniels

[RedZine]

Hopefully next year when ds is 7 we will be in a position to give a loving home to a dog. I have always loved spaniels, my best friend when growing up had a show type and my cousin had a springer spaniel.

Can you tell me about your spaniel? What is he / she like, how are they with your children and as a member of your family? I'm not so much after practical advice but would rather love to hear about your spaniel.

Here's my crazy cocker Stanley.
He's now 19mths old and still a pain in the neck!! Spends his time winding up our cats, stealing and ragging the cushions off the settees, destroying his toys, chewing up anything left even slightly nearby, pulls like a reindeer on his lead only a halti slows him but hes chewed and broken it! I could go on. He's only calm and sleeps when either in the car or in his crate. He goes to work with hubby a couple of days a week and has walks daily. Exhausting, but we love him I guess, hoping he calms down soon tho. Good luck!

I have a four month old working cocker spaniel. Looks very like a labrador puppy .Mt previous spaniel was a show cocker and very different. I am having problems with toilet training which I have never experienced with other dogs I have had. She appears to know that she needs to go outside as she follows my four year old border collie everywhere, watches him wee and poo in the same place in the garden and then comes in to do it in the house! Have tried lots of things but nothing working so far.

[santa] for the lovely stories and pictures, it has mad my week. I am reading them and getting definitely excited. Love it.

Hi op. This is my show cocker he is nearly 3.

Pros - he is very soft and cuddly (my dc are 5 and 8) with me and the kids.
He is really quite lazy. He needs a good walk every day but an hour kills him and that's enough. He gets so tired.
If it's pouring with rain he will hold a wee for hours rather than go outside. I realise this may be limited to my boy!
When he poos he will bark until I pick it up. I never find surprises in the yard!
He is super loyal and is very rewarding and loving. He never leaves my side when I'm at home.
He is an extremely good guard dog - no one can get near our house he can your thoughts I tell you! One toe in the gravel and he barks like a loon. I live in a really safe area but as a single parent he makes me feel very safe.
He learns fast if the command is simple.
He's very sociable with other dogs and I trust him not to get aggressive.
He copes quite well with being left at home as long as he is contained (shut out of bedrooms and living room) and is actually more sensitive to routine change than isolation. He might glance up from his kong when we leave if I'm lucky then he just naps.
He wears an equafleece without making a fuss - godsend of a product!

Cons - he chases sheep. I am v careful not to allow this though.
He is a terrible good stealer.
Teaching him to fetch took 2 years until we bought a squeaky ball!
He needs to see the groomer about every 3 months or he gets dreads!!
He barks a lot out of joy.
He pulls on the lead but only start and end of walks he's really very good when you get going.
He needs a gluten free diet as he has quite a sensitive tummy but a good change sorted that. I have to be quite careful what scraps I give him though.

He is a lovely dog I don't regret him!

Oh Queenofthedrivensnow he sounds and looks like a prince. I am not prone to gushing but your ddog is adorable. Thank you all for sharing your Cocker tales here.
Merry Christmas.

Ah thanks Redzine the puppy stage was no picnic but now he's all grown up he is a very sweet little dog who is very easily pleased

Two workings springers here. Just the best family dogs ever, full of energy & great fun, but so gentle, loving & cuddly. They are brilliant with children. They are highly intelligent and easy to train, but walking them on a lead is a bit difficult as they constantly want to follow their noses. I'd never have another breed.

This is such a lovely thread & I'm loving reading about everyone else's spaniels.

My boy is 5 and he is the soppiest little dog I've ever met, always wants a cuddle! He's lively and bouncy out on walks but is quite chilled in the house through the day, with the odd mad sprint around the house playing with toys

He's super gentle with my nephew too (nephew is 18 months old). He's also very quick to pick up new training commands. All in all, he's the best ever

We are from the States so have what are known over there as English Cocker Spaniels, both from show breeders but didn't show themselves. The older is bonded to DH and the puppy to me. Super food oriented, enthusiastic, barky, pull on lead. If the puppy doesn't get a good romp each day I live to regret it. But then he rolls over for tummy rubs and all must be forgiven.

They love all people and adore children, but are not good for anyone who is uncertain around dogs as they are very full on. I have to make sure any babysitters, cleaners etc are ok with dogs because otherwise it would be unfair all around. And as with any dog it does make travel and vacations more complicated, and limits how long you can be away from home. But they're family and unconditional love and I couldn't imagine life without them. Enjoy!

We have a working cocker spaniel who’s just turned 4. He is one the funniest dogs and most gentle dogs that we have. You can take a bone out of his mouth without him getting angry, or show any aggression. He is obsessed with birds and will spend over 3 hours in the garden trying to get them. One of our cats once brought a live mouse into the house a few months back and he found it hiding, since then he thinks there’s a mouse absolutely everywhere, and will tear the house upside down if he gets a scent of where the live mouse had been (mouse was safely removed from the house).

My spaniel loves cuddles, although he is very jealous if myself or dm is cuddling the sausage dog and will come over and try to sit on us and push the other dog out the way. One strange thing he has an obsession with is pastry based products. So if we ever eat croissants or have Yorkshire puddings, we give him one and he will carry it around for 3 days after and perhaps hiding them in the garden.

It's true about them being socially full on. I have to shut ddog in the kitchen if we have visitors that arnt here often he can't leave them alone! Unfortunately this behaviour is encouraged by dm and exh who love him and make a huge fuss of him! I can't win.

Lastly they can jump huge distances - we needed an extra tall stair gate and he can clear that too if he wants to!

And he's shit scared of cats at close quarters I tried him out with a friends cats. I'm
Getting a Siamese next year with no worries it will mostly likely bully him!

I have a 5 month old black cocker spaniel and he is lovely but hard work. Very affectionate and playful. I haven't dared to properly let him off the lead yet as I'm worried about him running off. he spends a lot of time in the garden getting muddy and ferreting around in the bushes. he is a working cocker spaniel , his mum is a working dog who goes out on the moors picking up pheasants.

I have a cavalier King Charles (the chunky type not toy variety) and cannot fault him as a family dog. As said earlier they are friendly, placid, enthusiastic but without the bounce. He is gentle and calm around the children and patiently puts up with being adorned in tinsel. He loves the long walks in woods and on the beach but is happy to potter too. He is one of the few dogs I have met that pays no attention to fireworks. Cannot recommend highly enough. What an exciting time you will have finding the right dog for you.