Cocker spaniel young dog

niamh.brady

Hi guys,

I am looking at getting a female red (probably wrong term) cocker spaniel who is about 18-20 months old from an owner who can no longer keep her - she's moved to an apartment.

We have bought a new house with a well enclosed back garden which I hope will be more than enough space for her and we are looking forward to some long walks. She is house-trained, chipped, vaccinated and neutered. I have a few questions that I would be grateful if people could help me with.

• Where should she sleep - I know she sleeps in a kennel outdoors at the moment, would that be ok?
• We work most weeks Mon-Fri and would be away from 8.10 until 5.15 - if we walk her every morning and evening and have a good play would she be ok on her own for the rest of the day (sometimes this would only be for 3 days per week).
• What all do we need to buy before getting her?
• Any other advice?

Thanks

mymo

If leaving dog for any length of time I'd recommend Kong's. Rubber toys that are hollow in the centre. Stuff them with food and freeze for longer lasting, they're washable and very tough.
My older pup was left 4 days a week for 3 1/2 hour and I usually found him curled up asleep with empty kong when i got home.
Cockers are very lively and would need a lot of stimulation if left that long so I'd look into other food puzzles and a dog walker.
They are also very puppy like for long time, as kids we had one who was about 3 or 4 before he calmed down. Great dogs best of luck.

Lemlin

Hi Niamh,

Have a look at this thread on Cockers - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055608243

I have a Cocker who is just gone nine months. Pics of her are on that thread. As regards your questions:

1. My Cocker sleeps at night in our shed. We kept her inside in a back room at the start but she actually seems to prefer the shed. If your Cocker is sleeping outside, I'd suggest you leave her there. Just make sure she's warm in the Winter if its very cold.
2. My Cocker is left every day during the week too. In my house we work from 8 until half 4. Every day I let her out at half 6 and give her a quick 20 minute run. Then she gets a good half hour to hour run that evening and we let her into the house for 4 to 5 hours too. Swimming is great too but not everyone is lucky enough to have a lake beside them like I do. She also has a large garden to run around in all day.
3. Buy her a bed. We have one for her in the shed and then have a basket for her to sit in in the house. A few toys are great as well because Cockers love playing with them.

My dog is nine months now and I can notice her claming down. That said, she still has her moments! I'm not sure about the Kongs tbh. I bought a kong ball and classic kong for my dog and she's never been very interested in either.

I often buy her postman's legs (bones that are about €3) and she loves those and it takes her a good while to get through them. I also got an old 2litre plastic coke bottle, put some dog nuts in it and put the top back on and she loves playing with that because the nuts rattle in the bottle.

There's an old football in the backyard as well and she loves playing with that.

The key to keeping them entertained is a good walk (off the lead if possible). I bring my dog for at least a half hour walk most days and you can really see the difference in calmess between the days she is walked and days she isn't. As I said above, I'm lucky to have the lake beside the house too and get her swimming regularly and that really seems to tire her out. I've often brought her swimming on a Saturday morning and she'll go home and sleep for three to four hours.

They are great little dogs but they are known as cheeky with good reason. For example, my partner's mother started locking their gate one day as she had my cocker and her two dogs playing in their yard. My cocker waited until she had the gate shut and then pittered on over, before promptly jumping through a small gap in the steel gate and then stood there looking at her as if to say "ha-ha"! I could tell you endless other stories.

Best of luck with it though, they are lovely and a great pet. And I've always found ours great around kids and other people too.

niamh.brady

Lemlin wrote: »

Hi Niamh,

Have a look at this thread on Cockers - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055608243

I have a Cocker who is just gone nine months. Pics of her are on that thread. As regards your questions:

1. My Cocker sleeps at night in our shed. We kept her inside in a back room at the start but she actually seems to prefer the shed. If your Cocker is sleeping outside, I'd suggest you leave her there. Just make sure she's warm in the Winter if its very cold.
2. My Cocker is left every day during the week too. In my house we work from 8 until half 4. Every day I let her out at half 6 and give her a quick 20 minute run. Then she gets a good half hour to hour run that evening and we let her into the house for 4 to 5 hours too. Swimming is great too but not everyone is lucky enough to have a lake beside them like I do. She also has a large garden to run around in all day.
3. Buy her a bed. We have one for her in the shed and then have a basket for her to sit in in the house. A few toys are great as well because Cockers love playing with them.

My dog is nine months now and I can notice her claming down. That said, she still has her moments! I'm not sure about the Kongs tbh. I bought a kong ball and classic kong for my dog and she's never been very interested in either.

I often buy her postman's legs (bones that are about €3) and she loves those and it takes her a good while to get through them. I also got an old 2litre plastic coke bottle, put some dog nuts in it and put the top back on and she loves playing with that because the nuts rattle in the bottle.

There's an old football in the backyard as well and she loves playing with that.

The key to keeping them entertained is a good walk (off the lead if possible). I bring my dog for at least a half hour walk most days and you can really see the difference in calmess between the days she is walked and days she isn't. As I said above, I'm lucky to have the lake beside the house too and get her swimming regularly and that really seems to tire her out. I've often brought her swimming on a Saturday morning and she'll go home and sleep for three to four hours.

They are great little dogs but they are known as cheeky with good reason. For example, my partner's mother started locking their gate one day as she had my cocker and her two dogs playing in their yard. My cocker waited until she had the gate shut and then pittered on over, before promptly jumping through a small gap in the steel gate and then stood there looking at her as if to say "ha-ha"! I could tell you endless other stories.

Best of luck with it though, they are lovely and a great pet. And I've always found ours great around kids and other people too.

Thanks Lemlin - I read the other thread and it is very informative. I am very excited at the moment about getting a cocker so hopefully once we meet her I can convince the boyfriend to take her.

I better get my builders to confirm how good our new side gate is going to be! We are getting a garden shed from B&Q (Kellybarna or something), should we get a little dog flap put in do you think?

Is your puppy on dry food or a mix?

We really want to be sure that we can give the dog a good home as she was a stray and now that her current owner can't keep her, I want to make sure that we can give her the proper attention.

We don't know her exact age but her current keeper thinks she's only about 15-16 months, so still enough of a puppy for us!!

Lemlin

niamh.brady wrote: »

Thanks Lemlin - I read the other thread and it is very informative. I am very excited at the moment about getting a cocker so hopefully once we meet her I can convince the boyfriend to take her.

I better get my builders to confirm how good our new side gate is going to be! We are getting a garden shed from B&Q (Kellybarna or something), should we get a little dog flap put in do you think?

Is your puppy on dry food or a mix?

We really want to be sure that we can give the dog a good home as she was a stray and now that her current owner can't keep her, I want to make sure that we can give her the proper attention.

We don't know her exact age but her current keeper thinks she's only about 15-16 months, so still enough of a puppy for us!!

Our dog got out the second day we got her. I didn't think she could squeeze under the fence but she did. I blocked it off then but one day I left the gate open and, when she got out, she just sat out the front barking because I think she was afraid to be out on her own more than anything. Another evening I closed the front door for a sec when I had her out the front and she started scratching the front door and whingeing because she was alone out the front again.

I feed my puppy dry food. I buy Orijen. Its the best food and she seems to like it the best but its €60 for a 15kg bag. That said, a 15kg bag should do a Cocker about three months. My cocker isn't a massive eater and I throw her the odd but of meat too. I ocasionally mix an egg in with her dry food or a bit of sunflower oil or tuna in sunflower oil as its good for their coat. She will just eat it on its own though. I don't wet it with water (as some people do) as the dry kibble is good for their teeth if its crunchy.

The best way to give a cocker a good home is mainly through regular walking and plenty of playing. You could buy her all the expensive toys in the world but she won't care if she's not getting a good walk and a bit of play each evening.

niamh.brady

Lemlin wrote: »

Our dog got out the second day we got her. I didn't think she could squeeze under the fence but she did. I blocked it off then but one day I left the gate open and, when she got out, she just sat out the front barking because I think she was afraid to be out on her own more than anything. Another evening I closed the front door for a sec when I had her out the front and she started scratching the front door and whingeing because she was alone out the front again.

I feed my puppy dry food. I buy Orijen. Its the best food and she seems to like it the best but its €60 for a 15kg bag. That said, a 15kg bag should do a Cocker about three months. My cocker isn't a massive eater and I throw her the odd but of meat too. I ocasionally mix an egg in with her dry food or a bit of sunflower oil or tuna in sunflower oil as its good for their coat. She will just eat it on its own though. I don't wet it with water (as some people do) as the dry kibble is good for their teeth if its crunchy.

The best way to give a cocker a good home is mainly through regular walking and plenty of playing. You could buy her all the expensive toys in the world but she won't care if she's not getting a good walk and a bit of play each evening.

Hi Lemlin,

Missy (the little Cocker) is so cute. We've had her since Friday now and not too much trouble (yet). She scratches and whines a bit at night when we put her to bed (in kitchen - that's where she's been staying with her previous owner). She's good with other dogs but gave a little snarl to a Pom who tried it on with her!!! She loves her walks - she's pulling a little but improving at heeling already and I am trying to get us enroled in obedience classes.

Can you advise me on where I can get Orijen - a friend who has an Akita had him on it too but neither of us can find it and I only have a few more days food left and would prefer to get her on it.

Thanks

Toulouse

https://www.brendaspets.ie/
http://www.zooplus.ie/

niamh.brady

Toulouse wrote: »

https://www.brendaspets.ie/
http://www.zooplus.ie/

Thanks Toulouse!!

nc6000

niamh.brady wrote: »

Thanks Toulouse!!

If using Zooplus it's cheaper to buy from zooplus.co.uk than zooplus.ie. Everything gets shipped from the same place in Germany it's just they charge more on the .ie site. :rolleyes:

nautical star

Orijen is excellent ive been using it for 3 months now and cannot reccomend it enuf, there are a few Irish suppliers of Orijen, so please try and buy Irish and dont be afraid to ask if they can match prices from the web!!!

I found a list of Irish Stockists here:

http://www.orijenpetfoods.co.uk/acatalog/stockists.html#eire

niamh.brady

nautical star wrote: »

Orijen is excellent ive been using it for 3 months now and cannot reccomend it enuf, there are a few Irish suppliers of Orijen, so please try and buy Irish and dont be afraid to ask if they can match prices from the web!!!

I found a list of Irish Stockists here:

http://www.orijenpetfoods.co.uk/acatalog/stockists.html#eire

Thanks Nautical Star - I'm in Clare so none near me yet unfortunately. Zooplus are out of stock until the weekend on the 15kg bags (which I am going to order) so I've bought 2kg of Burns from my local chemist as I saw some good reviews for it and the ingredients are actual foods plus it only requires small portions which I've heard is good.

Anybody here any experience with it? I bought the chicken and rice and have a couple of samples of the lamb and fish to try also.

P.S. Missy loves her Kong toy (the strangely shaped ball) - when she's in a playful mood, and we give her a Dentastik in it in the mornings when we are leaving.

I really want to get started on obedience classes but can't get through to anyone so far.

nautical star

The shop I buy it from is miles away but they'll deliver 2 sacks of it anywhere for €12.50,
their ph number is 0402-41325, they were more expensive than zooplus but when i asked them they matched the price!!!
ill see if i can find you a trainers number in clare but your better off getting a good book and doing it yourself...much cheaper too

nautical star

just a secondary though, remember the zooplus.ie is a german site,
try and buy Irish where you can, support you Econmy!!!!

Lemlin

niamh.brady wrote: »

Thanks Nautical Star - I'm in Clare so none near me yet unfortunately. Zooplus are out of stock until the weekend on the 15kg bags (which I am going to order) so I've bought 2kg of Burns from my local chemist as I saw some good reviews for it and the ingredients are actual foods plus it only requires small portions which I've heard is good.

Anybody here any experience with it? I bought the chicken and rice and have a couple of samples of the lamb and fish to try also.

P.S. Missy loves her Kong toy (the strangely shaped ball) - when she's in a playful mood, and we give her a Dentastik in it in the mornings when we are leaving.

I really want to get started on obedience classes but can't get through to anyone so far.

Burns is very like James Wellbeloved which I had my dog on before. It's a good food and is more than adequate until you can get the Orijen. Try adding a small bit of sunflower or cod liver oil. My cocker loves that. Or try some tuna in sunflower oil.

As for the Kong, as I said, my dog isn't that fond of it but try freezing food in it for her. It takes them ages to get it out!

niamh.brady

Lemlin wrote: »

Burns is very like James Wellbeloved which I had my dog on before. It's a good food and is more than adequate until you can get the Orijen. Try adding a small bit of sunflower or cod liver oil. My cocker loves that. Or try some tuna in sunflower oil.

As for the Kong, as I said, my dog isn't that fond of it but try freezing food in it for her. It takes them ages to get it out!

Do you freeze treats in it Lemlin or what type of food?

niamh.brady

nautical star wrote: »

just a secondary though, remember the zooplus.ie is a german site,
try and buy Irish where you can, support you Econmy!!!!

Thanks Nautical Star - will do my best and will call that number and see if they can do me a deal for 1 * 13.5kg bag - I couldn't justify 2 bags as a bag should last 3 months for my dog's weight.

nautical star

i'm sure he'll take care of you, hope all goes well with the new dog,