Would you recommend spaniels as first dogs?

[spockerlife]

Family with children (will probably be ages about 8/9 and 5/6.) Sprocker specifically?

If not, are there any other recommended breeds? I do love Labradors but they are quite big.

ugh no - they are needy and highly strung.

It really depends on how much time you have/want to train it and exercise it (physically and mentally). We have had cockers before and love their personalities. We currently have a 13 week old puppy and a 22 month old daughter! We are managing to train the dog and starting to increase his exercise levels. He is fully crate trained (I really really recommend this) as it helps him to understand it's time to chill.

If you're looking for a dog that will curl up on your lap and snooze, a cocker isn't for you - it takes training to get them to learn how to switch off.

Absolutely not! In fact probably not even as a second or third dog tbh.

Frankly: no.

Yes! But go into it with your eyes open. They’re highly intelligent, high energy dogs so you need to be prepared to do lots of training and give them loads of exercise. They’re also mud magnets! But they are the most loving dogs and are so much fun. I had a springer for my first dog and I adored him.

Spaniels need a lot of exercise, training and brain work. If you have the time, commitment and energy then yes.

Id say the same about labs tbh.

Absolutely not.

Why not get a proper spaniel? Friends we have definitely would recommend a cocker spaniel. Intelligent dogs and trainable. Look for an established breeder and check the parentage. Other dogs: border terrier, Lhasa apso, Tibetan terrier or whippet. All good family dogs but see the parents regarding temperament.

Absolutely. Our WCS is ten, we had him as a puppy when our youngest was five.
The first two years were hard work and the brain training is equally important as exercise. But put the time in, and the reward you get is tenfold. My boy is the most chilled out, immaculately behaved dog you could possibly wish for and bloody gorgeous too!

Honestly, don’t do it. There’s a reason spaniels are usually working dogs on farms, they need so much physical but also mental stimulation which can be very hard to achieve in a family home. Speaking from experience here and ended up rehoming my very loved but very batty sprocker to a farm for that very reason. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve met a couple of spaniels who are very docile but also lots that aren’t and you can’t guarantee which temperament you’ll get. I’ve heard border terriers are meant to be amazing family dogs, not too big but have a bit of personality and great with children.

I know a few people who have had one as a first dog. They’ve all turned out really well
I love a lab personally but they can be hard work.

No, not as first dogs, and especially not with young children.

I’ll let someone else explain why!

Yes, if you want a wound up coil spring of a sock and shoe thief that cannot get close enough to you!
In all seriousness they are wonderful dogs but do need training. They are ultimately working dogs so need to be worked and thrive not just from long walks (ours could go for hours) but using their natural instinct in scent work. Our cocker used to bugger off after pheasants and had zero recall so we spent a long time on the longline recall training including scent work. He’s great with my 8 year old and is incredibly nice natured but we did put the hours in with training. If you’re prepared for their working instinct and happy with long walks then yes get a spaniel 😀
ps. He is our first dog but we knew what to expect as my husband went beating at the shoot he was bred at. We also had help from a gun dog trainer with the training.

Cavalier definitely. Springer or cocker no as they are very high energy. We’ve got an awesome Cavapoo.

We did and I would . She has been the most wonderful family dog - springer

Yes, they are great - ours have been brilliant with kids, eager to please, friendly and not too prone to ill health. They do want to be involved in everything (ours jump in the car at any opportunity) and have no sense of personal space, but they are loving and so much fun. Yes, they need decent daily off-lead walks, but I’d say most dogs do.

Yes, best of both worlds (cocker and springer)! On our second sprocker now. He chills at home and work, likes to be busy when out, most tolerant with small children and very affectionate.

I think the key is not to get an omits that’s bred from working stock. What the parents have done really matters. Family pets don’t need to be working spaniels and not all will need intensive training.

Thanks all - mixed responses. We live rurally and a friend breeds them. So it’s a nice ‘go to’ for a definitely non puppy farmed puppy. I also know a lot of people with spaniels and children! We’re quite an active family but the craziness at home does worry me … are girls calmer? (I don’t want to type bitch!)

The description of Babi by no concept of personal space nails it! I love it when my spaniel rests his head on my lap. But within two minutes he has his face in mine!

Totally depends on your lifestyle. City dwelling worker? No way. Countryside where you can do two hour long walks plus off lead time - possibly.

Im a farmer and my spaniel can go for hours and hours and hours by my Gator. He’s not a working dog but has a human companion for most of the day. I’d be very nervous of any less than 3 hours exercise a day.

My first and only dog is a sprocker - my children were 3&5 when we got her. She was being trained to be a sniffer dog but didn't make the final grade! No major issues other than slightly dodgy recall. She's crate trained.
She can go absolutely nutty but other times you forget you have a dog as she's tucked some out of the way. She'll go all day out and about or be happy pottering around the garden or going on a short walk.
Like the fact you know the family it would be coming from.
And go with your heart! You're likely to have a dog for a number of years!

We have two WCS, one is 5 the other is 3. The 5 year old spaniel is so chilled now, calmed down a lot around age 4. The 3 year old is absolutely wired, he is full pedigree working cocker and is NUTS. Nothing tires him, he needs a lot of mental and physical stimulation. However, they are sooooo loving and we had Springers & Cockers growing up too! They are amazing with our children and have a lot of love for anyone who visits 🥰

Nope. Mental. High maintenance. Neurotic.

Nope. Mine is 5 years old and just about calming down. He’s our 3rd dog and
probably our last as he’s tipped me
over the edge.

‘Spaniels’ is way too broad to answer. Which breed specifically . Show or working. Parents temperament and work/prey drive. Your home set up and desire for a pet v a project.

without this info it’s impossible to comment