Tips on raising a happy and well adjusted working cocker spaniel

[DotTheCaddy]

Our new pup comes home with us in a few weeks time. It's been a long time coming so DH and I are very excited.

Its just the two of us, I work from home full time and DH usually 50/50 from home and his office although he goes away a fair bit so day to day itll mostly be me.

I've researched my socks off over the last few months and have grown up with springers as pets so I'm feeling confident, but has anyone got any little tips they could share for the above? Anything from training tips to favourite toys would be brilliant.

With my WCS I found that gun dog training really helped me understand the breed and work with his instincts rather than against them.

However, having done gun dog training, agility and scentwork he found the scentwork the most exciting. I could see he was often bored at the others.

I now use a combination of gun dog training and scentwork to keep mine entertained. He would rather use his nose than go for hours and hours of walking.

His favourite toy is a ball which we have to limit as he would chase after it all day.

Thanks @BiteyShark. This is something we are really considering as there are a few places near to us who do gundog training classes and scent sessions. He is coming from a working farm so the instinct is likely to be strong.

Remembered something else. We whistle trained for recall (acme ones are good as you can get the same pitch again if you lose it).

I'd aim for gundog training, intending to come out the other end with a dog with decent recall, reasonable manners on the lead, and an off switch.

Most gundog trainers have a lot of experience with spaniels and will be able to show you how to get the dog to use his nose in a controlled way that will keep him close and fairly well focused on you.

Good luck - cockers are fab but can be a real handful!

Cockers are quick learners but very tricky to unteach a bad habit so I'd say start as you mean to go on.

I would watch for resource guarding and actively prevent that rather than cure relatively.
It's great you can be home a lot but they can be clingy and struggle with separation so I'd also be mindful of that and work in times where you do leave the puppy in a different room to you even when you're home, and also get the puppy gradually used to being home alone for those times you'll need to be out.

Retrospectively* not relatively