Loss of my dog - waiting list for a new dog!

[Rzim]

Had to put down my lovely cocker spaniel 10 days ago - very sad but was his time.
The irrational me wanted to get a new puppy the next day (knew my groomer had a Labrador puppy going due to a death) but the "grown up" 'plans' to wait till September when I will hand the time to devote to a puppy!

Think I would like to get another spaniel - cocker or springer (different colour to our lovely old dog obviously) or possibly a Drake's Head type of Labrador.

Question please - how far in advance so I need to contact breeders etc? My old dog we got through a family friend and we knew the mum!! Xx

Sprockers IME are nice dogs. But only you know if you're ready for another dog. We avoid the issue by having two, so we're never dogless.

If you're used to a dog and know what you're in for, then it is entirely your decision whether to have another. Personally, I would give it a bit longer, but that's just me.

Try and find a breeder that will keep the pup with its litter mates until 12 weeks old. There is a lot of emerging evidence to suggest that this is beneficial from a behaviour perspective.

Also, if you can see it and leave a blanket with it to bring home with pup, it will help it settle in to your house.

Good luck.

P.S.
Losing a dog socks. Worst part of having one.

When we lost our first dog unexpectedly, we decided pretty quickly we wanted another and DH started calling breeders - the wait was around 6 months minimum. But then we got lucky and found one who had a 10 month old who'd been kept for show/stud but not made the grade. So we got him less than a month after the first one had died. He had a lovely temperament and already well socialised and house trained, he was perfect for us.

So I don't think it's necessarily 'too soon to get a new dog'. But getting a puppy without planning the timing may be a different matter - you probably need to think carefully about you said in your OP: the "grown up" 'plans' to wait till September when I will hand the time to devote to a puppy

Due sprocker spaniels not being a breed many people aren’t keen on them like doodles , pomskys and other variations of mutts. Sprockers are better tho due to being bred for something. However (to my understanding) you have no realistic idea on what you’re going to get like other mutts. Ethical breeders don’t sell their dogs to people they know are going to cross breed them. I might be wrong due to Sprockers actually being bred for purpose like I said before. However this is to my understanding as someone who’s being educating themselves on dogs for 3-4 years now. This is how it is with most mutts. May be wrong please correct me! Sprockers or spaniels aren’t my best knowledge.

Edit: I would get the dog when you both feel ready. And perhaps a bit more time to have a think on what would be best!

Get the Sprocker!

I have one and she is AMAZING. If you have any questions ask away 🥰

Sprockers are quite often bred by gamekeepers and similar - people who are breeding for longevity (because it takes a while to really get a working dog up to speed) and specific working traits. There is quite a lot of cross-breeding in parts of the working dog world - I once asked a bloke with a working lurcher what combo his dog was and he went back three generations on both sides.

Personally I think cross-breeding, properly done with an eye to health and temperament, is a really good idea. Closed gene pools are a dreadful idea, and I say that as the owner of pedigree dogs - I'd love to see a bit of outcrossing.