cocker spaniel are they child friendly

furball

After posting previously about greyhounds i have taken all the advice on board and looked into other breeds. I have been recommended a cocker spaniel and as luck would have it have been offered a puppy from a reputable breeder. She is used to young children and cats. Am obviously expecting a mad house at first:rotfl: but any advice would be welcome as to do's and dont's from cocker spaniel owners. I will be taking her to dog training classes and keeping her vet checked and having her spayed. Any advice of which food you recommend would be helpful. Thankyou

Chesnut1

I have known quite a few coockers in my time and I think they are wonderful dogs apart from their health problems that most seem to get. I personaly would not be too keen to have them around youngish children as most of the one's I know/known have been very crabby about certain things and would bite very quickly if they percieved they were annoyed ( I have the scar to prove it LOL). Like any breed/dog there will be exceptions to the rule but I have found the Golden ones are the worst for this grumpyness. I would say cockers appear to get bossier the older they get.

pboae

Hmm I'm inclined to agree with Chesnut1, cockers can make lovely family pets, but they can also be a stubborn and determined breed. It's not so much that they are prone to bad temper, more that they know what they like and want their own way, and get frustrated if they don't get it. So it's not unheard of them to, for example, snap at a child over a toy.

As always it depends far more on the individual dog than on breed generalisations though.

For food, be guided by the breeder, at least initially, you don't want to be changing a new pup's food straight away unless you have to.

(The above is in relation to show strain cockers. I personally don't think working cockers (wockers) make good family pets in most homes. They are working animals, and a very different type of dog).

foreign_correspondent

if you have got small kids why get a puppy? they often do not mix well. Personally I would get an adult dog so you cansee how it interacts with your kids beforehand.

furball

I am getting a puppy so that it hasn't had time to pick up any bad habits, you never know what background an adult has had so i am more wary of getting an adult dog than a puppy, as they can come with even more problems. It is easier to train a puppy into good behaviour than untrain bad behaviour in an adult dog. This puppy is used to young children and cats but like all dogs and young children they will be supervised at all times when together.

prison_break_fan

Hi

I have two golden cocker spaniels (9 months and 6 months) my children are 12 and 2 and I'm SOOOOO happy with them.

We have quite an active life and the spanies fit in perfectly, they are tireless and obviously having 2 means they always have company if they are left alone.(which isn't often )
They both have fantastic tempraments and I've had no problems with my little one around them - but I would say that they do need supervising around toys as anything is fair game for chewing.
I used to have Irish Wolfhounds and downsized reluctantly to this pair of hooligans, but I can honestly say that I don't regret it for a moment. They are much more energetic and that's really important to consider in terms of your lifestyle - They are also very affectionate wanting to be lapdogs whilst indoors. They get on with my cats and I've had no problems meeting other dogs and socialising. I took both of them to puppy classes (separately) which is a definate must to give them a few manners. But I adore them.

Good luck with your decision.

PS. If you do go down the Cocker route I would very much recomend insurance as we've had grass seed problems already!

bagpuss_fan

I have a 3 1/2 year old working cocker (aka field spaniel). I didn't realise there was a difference but my friend has a cocker and they're completely different.

There's not an ounce of nastiness in him, he's a big dope where children are concerned. My kids are 12 and 13 now, but we have a friend who comes for weekend visits with a 2 year old and he's great with her. Can be quite licky licky, but that's all.

My one regret: having lived on a farm with him for the first year, the only doggy socialising he got was from my 9 year old patterdale terrier and the farm dogs (2 labs and a collie). The result is that he's scared of every other dog he meets on the beach, not really a problem as he just runs away from them but I wish i'd socialised him better.

Best buy: A puppy cage, I thought my terrier caused damage but the spaniel reached a whole new level!! When he was 1, we got a puppy cage, and covered the top with an old curtain. We leave it open all day and he goes off to sleep in it. It's important that if they're in the cage, everyone leaves them alone (especially children!). He now firmly regards it as his bed, and I can go to the shops and not worry about the destruction that awaits me when I get home!

I hope this helps.

1gaz1

I've got a working cocker and he really is a fantastic pet. He's very licky, licky and likes to get his own way but he's loves kids and he's brilliant with my brothers one year old son. As one or two people have mentioned on here they do seem to chew stuff - any toys are usually chewed up within days, poppers at the bottom of the bed will do well to last the first night out of the packaging! Cracking dogs though and wouldn't swap him for the world. He's had one or two ear problems (nothing major, just infections) but this isn't too uncommon with this typ of dog.

bella123

have a read here
http://www.thecockerspanielclub.co.uk/

Retired_I.F.A.

furball wrote: »

.... Any advice of which food you recommend would be helpful. Thankyou

Take a trip to the supermarket, they sell lots of food there aimed at kids and far more tastier than a cocker spaniel.

elop_htuos

A dogs behaviour all depends on how you treat it. Make sure that the dog knows the relationship and where it stands within the household. Spaniels are excellent because they have lots of energy so that when the children want to play they have enough energy and don't get bothered!