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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

Very small cocker spaniel

19 replies

allwalkedout · 26/01/2019 14:54

Hi all.
Before Christmas we got a little cocker spaniel bitch. Having never owned a dog before we were quite naive and thought we’d done all the research and asked the right questions when we visited the breeder. However on her first visit to the vet, the day after we brought her home, the vet said she was very unlikely to be 8 weeks old. She also had other issues. Fast forward to now and she’s recovered well and is a happy, healthy, lively little puppy who is full of mischief. However, even for her adjusted age she is very, very small. We had her at a training class with other cocker spaniels her age and they were SO much bigger and way more sturdy. Our girl looked so tiny. Can cockers be really small or should I now begin to question whether she is actually a pure cocker spaniel? Whatever she is and however old she is - we love her so it doesn’t matter. Would just like to know if anyone else has a really tiny one.

OP posts:

GCAcademic · 26/01/2019 15:04

Is she a working cocker? If so, they can vary enormously in size. My boy is almost springer spaniel sized, but I’ve known others more like a cavalier in size.

newyear2019newusername · 26/01/2019 15:09

I had a tiny weeny cocker spaniel.

She was pure show strain, from champion parents, and had been bred and bought for a show career.

But she never grew up! So she was rehomed to us as a pet.

She was a good 3 inches smaller and several kg lighter than our older (same bloodline) dog. She looked like a puppy, right up to old age.

As long as your vet says she's fit and healthy - enjoy!

TweedAddict · 26/01/2019 15:25

I’ve also got a very small cocker spaniel, however she has a liver shunt, which stopped her growth. My first 2 vets didn’t flag it up at all and was only when I knew something wasn’t right and got a 3rd opinion that she was sent for tests. Cockers are very prone

Luckingfovely · 26/01/2019 15:28

Yes, they can vary enormously - is she from show or working lines?

Pic?

Original poster

allwalkedout · 26/01/2019 16:02

She’s from working lines. I’m glad there’s a big variation. @Tweed, what we’re the signs of the liver problem other than being small? Just so I know to keep an eye on her. I’m not concerned at the minute but being new to owning a dog it’s good to know what sorts of things to look out for.

OP posts:

Original poster

allwalkedout · 26/01/2019 16:02

I can’t get a pic to load ...

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nmg85 · 26/01/2019 16:06

I have 2 working cockers and they are both smaller then most. In fact many people who see them think they are young puppies but they are 2 and 4. My boy is also taller and leaner then my girl.

Original poster

allwalkedout · 26/01/2019 16:10

Another question:
Other cockers seem to have lovely shiny coats. Hers is thick and almost cotton wool like and not glossy at all (apart from her head and ears). I brush her regularly, have bathed her and have her in a good quality diet recommended by my vet. Is there anything else I can do to help sort her coat?

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TweedAddict · 26/01/2019 16:53

One of the first signs I found was she was always picking up infections, not putting on weight, not growing. Her coat was/is awful it’s so rough, a cockers should be silky her is like cotton wool, mines black and when it gets to about a 1cm all the colour goes out of it so it’s a reddy brown. Other signs are being quite, I’ve been told that if a cocker pup isn’t driving you mad something is amiss.

As she got older- 6months, she started head pressing, and having runny stools. That was when she was diagnosed. As she’s got older still although on a lot of medication, specialist diet, she gets confused, gets a glazed look over her and isn’t in the room. Vet has said we will have her till about five, but each time she drips she isn’t bouncing back as quickly and each time she hits a new low.

Original poster

allwalkedout · 26/01/2019 17:33

@tweed that’s so sad. I hope she is comfortable. My puppy’s coat is like cotton wool as I said above but she is extremely lively, very clever and alert, her weight has trebled since we got her and she definitely drives us mad. Think I’ve just got a little one.

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han01uk · 26/01/2019 17:46

Is she brown colour? We have a solid brown and her fur is very much as you describe...not sure why,but the brown patches on springers are also sometimes like this...over clipping can sometimes also cause that texture I believe.

Original poster

allwalkedout · 26/01/2019 20:11

She’s golden but quite light. She hasn’t been clipped yet, she’s still only 12 weeks old. A groomer I spoke to said to hold off for as long as possible?

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Celebelly · 26/01/2019 20:15

Ah, working cockers are the best dogs (as long as you have a sense of humour!)

I'd recommend finding a good groomer who strips and doesn't clip. Clipping can change the coat and make them more woolly. The beautiful feathering they get serves a purpose too, so I prefer not to clip it all off. Our girl goes every two or three months to get neatened up.

What food is she on? Vets can sometimes not be quite as up to date on nutrition as you would expect. www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk is a good resource for finding quality dog food that isn't full of filler. The right food makes a huge difference to coat shine and condition, as well as general well-being and smell etc.

Celebelly · 26/01/2019 20:21

Is she KC registered? Do you have a copy of her pedigree and lineage? Did you see mum?

If she doesn't have proper documentation, there's a chance she could be a cross. It's quite popular to cross cockers with other breeds, which might give her a different coat or make her smaller than a pure cocker would be. Her KC registration should show her date of birth too.

Original poster

allwalkedout · 26/01/2019 21:28

@celebelly I met the mum and the dad. Dad was KC registered, Mum wasn’t. My pup isn’t.
Thank you for the advice on grooming. I’ll look for someone who hand strips.
She’s on Simpsons chicken puppy food and then we give her fresh meat or fish and a few veggies too.

Definitely need a sense of humour. Discovered a self made ‘den’ earlier where she’s taken and stashed all her stolen goods

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Celebelly · 26/01/2019 21:30

Yes, they are inveterate thieves! We do weekly shakedowns of our girl's bed to retrieve the socks, tea towels and bras that she's stashed there. Cockers love to have things in their mouths; ours always has to greet you with something, be it a toy, an item of clothing she's found, a shoe...

Enjoy her!

Original poster

allwalkedout · 26/01/2019 21:30

I think I’ve learnt a lesson about dog breeders (some) and will be much more wise next time...but I think this pup was meant to be mine. The good old ‘everything happens for a reason’

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TeacupRex · 30/01/2019 22:50

I have an unusually small pedigree show-type cocker girl, parents were both normal sized but she's just teeny! Weighs about 9kg, the average size for a cocker bitch is 12-15kg. If she's healthy and happy, and her body condition is good, that's the most important thing.

That said, you seem unsure of your breeder - without proper documentation and knowing the dog's lineage she could very well have another breed mixed in along the line.

crispysausagerolls · 31/01/2019 09:06

Our working cocker is KC reg and also very small

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