Cocker Spaniels

[Krazeekkc]

I really want a puppy and my mom does too but my dad doesn't so I'm not sure if we'd be getting one very soon. But anyway my mom and I saw some really cute cocker spaniel puppies. So I looked at them in my dog book and like I like the characteristics about them. But I did some more research on the internet about them and found out that they can have a lot of health problems. I'd be the one paying for its needs and I'm only 14 and don't have a job yet and don't really want to be paying 100's of dollars in vet bills and surgerys. Also, that you have to groom them every two months then that would be $50 every two moths then. So they sound like really expensive dogs...

So just wondering if anyone else knows about their health and grooming needs/costs.

 

[Sabina41]

At the age of 14 it's great that you want to pay for the dog's care, but legally you would not be considered the dog's actual owner. Make sure your parents are on board with helping to pay for expenses and making crucial decisions because in the end it will be their say that matters more. Technically they will be the legal owners. Yes, cocker spaniels are prone to health problems - ear infections, eye problems, etc. Google "cocker spaniel" and "health problems" and you will be sure to get a lot of hits. But all purebred animals are prone to particular genetic faults- that's simply the result of breeding. If you do eventually settle on a particular breed PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE ADOPT!!! There are tons and tons of worthy purebred and mixed breed dogs available for adoption at shelters. Please do your searching first and your research. If a dog enters a well-prepared home it is much more likely to stay in that home for life. Impulsive decisions just because "we saw some really cure puppies" lead to abandoned one year old dogs.

 

[Sabina41]

Also, if you are looking to spend less money getting a puppy is the exact opposite of what you want to do. The first year of life is extremely expensive, besides the purchase cost of a purebred animal. You'd have to make at least 3 vet visits in the first year, and that's just for vaccines, that doesn't include any illnesses he/she may contract. Then there's the cost of food- puppies eat an amazing amount. Plus the spay/neuter surgery (PLEASE SPAY OR NEUTER WHATEVER ANIMAL YOU GET!). You'd save a lot of money by adopting an adult dog- adoption fees are much less than the cost of a purebred animal, most are already spayed/neutered and up to date on shots. Just some more thoughts...

 

[alwayz_remember_Calvery]

My experience with Cocker Spaniels hasn't been good. Dogs with floppy ears tend to have a lot more ear problems then dogs with up right ears. This is because if you get water in their ear (like when you're giving them a bath) the water can't really dry. This leads to many ear infections and other problems. Then, like you said, their is the grooming. I've never had a dog that needed regular grooming so i'm not sure what that all involves. As for their temperments, i've met more mean, bad tempered cockers then nice ones.

If you really want a dog, look at rescues and shelters. If you decide you want a purebred dog, look at purebred rescues.

Lastly, if you're paying for all of it, i really recommend an adult. With an adult you don't have as many vet visits (most puppies have at least 3 before they're a year old), many adults are already spayed/neutered, you know what sort of temperment they have, etc.

Good luck in your dog search!

 

[Lake]

I grew up with a brittany spaniel. Great family dog(ours was) a bit of a runner so we ended up building a run. The only problem with him was some joint problems in later years,and of course cleaning those eyes was a daily task. He lived 12 years. I hope you find the pet you desire and that will be right for you. I now own and raise Great Danes.

 

[JohnTheLutheran]

I have a Cocker and Hes been fine. As long as you keep his ears clean they should be fine. The only major problem we had was when he ate a full chocolate Santa and had to get surgery!! But he's a really good dog!

 

[Krazeekkc]

At the age of 14 it's great that you want to pay for the dog's care, but legally you would not be considered the dog's actual owner.

So how old do you have to be to legally own one? I never thought about it before...

Make sure your parents are on board with helping to pay for expenses and making crucial decisions because in the end it will be their say that matters more. Technically they will be the legal owners.

Yes, but I want to be the one responsible for it.

If you do eventually settle on a particular breed PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE ADOPT!!! There are tons and tons of worthy purebred and mixed breed dogs available for adoption at shelters.

But I read on this one website that is all about Cockers says that it's better to buy a dog that you can see the parents and see if they've been tested for health problems. And I think that if I were to buy a dog prone to health problems that I would take their advice.

If a dog enters a well-prepared home it is much more likely to stay in that home for life. Impulsive decisions just because "we saw some really cure puppies" lead to abandoned one year old dogs.

Yes, well we'd never do that.

 

[Krazeekkc]

Also, if you are looking to spend less money getting a puppy is the exact opposite of what you want to do.

Well, yes, I'd rather spend less money on buying a dog instead of buying a rarer, more expensive dog like a Rhodesian Ridgeback.

.......... You'd save a lot of money by adopting an adult dog- adoption fees are much less than the cost of a purebred animal, most are already spayed/neutered and up to date on shots. Just some more thoughts...

Except you miss out on the special bonding time, don't know if they've been abused, and missed out on precious training time. That's especially important to me since I have two unruly Scotties and I'd like to get into agility trials, and it would be cool to use it as a therapy dog. Which I am for adopting but it just doesn't really work for me right now.

 

[Sabina41]

So how old do you have to be to legally own one? I never thought about it before...

Typically, 18. At least here in the states.

Yes, but I want to be the one responsible for it.

Again, you could be responsible for day to day care, etc. but legally you would not be. I'm not saying this to deter you from getting a dog but you should be sure that your parents are aware of this and completely on board with you getting a dog.

But I read on this one website that is all about Cockers says that it's better to buy a dog that you can see the parents and see if they've been tested for health problems. And I think that if I were to buy a dog prone to health problems that I would take their advice.

seeing the parents does not guarantee a healthy pet. Many breeders will also deny or simply not tell the whole truth about their animals anyway. You have to remember that while a good percentage of them are in it to promote the breed, you are paying them...so they get a benefit by convincing you to take their dog home and not someone else's...

Yes, well we'd never do that.

That's exactly what everyone says or thinks. I'm not saying that you would definitely abandon your dog, but you are only 14. A dog is a tremendous amount of responsibility, especially a puppy. Who is going to care for it when you are at school? The puppies I have raised have had to go to the bathroom about every 30 minutes during the day. Will somone be home with it during the day? Are you prepared for 6-12 months of pooping, peeing, chewing, barking, etc?

Well, yes, I'd rather spend less money on buying a dog instead of buying a rarer, more expensive dog like a Rhodesian Ridgeback.

Just because cockers aren't rare doesn't mean they're cheaper. Besides, you would spend hundreds of dollars either way to get a puppy that is largely unvaccinated, untrained, not housetrained, not spayed/neutered. Adopting a dog is cheaper upfront, come vaccinnated and spayed/neutered. Most of them are already trained and/or housetrained as well because, honestly, the horror animals that people seem to always associated with shelters don't survive. 25% of all animals in shelters are abandoned and 95% have lived in homes before. People give up animals for a myriad of ridiculous reasons including vacations. Remember, though, you are 14....to buy a purebred puppy and care for it the first year will easily be $1000. And that's if there are no health problems at all during that time. Do you honestly have that kind of money?

Except you miss out on the special bonding time, don't know if they've been abused, and missed out on precious training time. That's especially important to me since I have two unruly Scotties and I'd like to get into agility trials, and it would be cool to use it as a therapy dog. Which I am for adopting but it just doesn't really work for me right now.

Why is it impossible to bond with a shelter animal? I adopted my dog from a shelter 2 months ago and he is attached to my hip wherever I go. He's 6 years old, housetrained, obediance trained and I love him to death. I have had absolutely no problems with him. Shelters are filled with worthy animals like this. Also, many therapy dogs come from shelters. You should be very realistic about this. Just because you purchase a purebred dog doesn't mean that they are going to grow into the most wonderfully trained, well-behaved perfect dog. Purebred does not equal well bred. There will be years and years of hard work to achieve what you want to do. If you really are all for adoption, you will adopt a cocker spaniel, not purchase. Every dog you buy or breed takes a home away from a shelter dog.

 

[alwayz_remember_Calvery]

I have to agree with Sabina41 on this again.

I'm going to urge you to pick up a dog from a shelter or rescue. If you're dead set on getting a puppy (which i think is silly) you can adopt one from a shelter/pound/rescue. If you get a mixed breed puppy you are much more likely to have a healthier puppy. Not always, but normally. It's called hybrid vigor. Each breed of dog comes from a certain core group of dogs, so all dogs of a certain breed are inbreed to a point. When you cross to breeds, you get different bloodlines in there and different genes, this helps to ward off certain genetic diseases and traits that are common in one breed but unheard of in another.

As Sabina41 said, adopting will be cheaper, adopting an adult will be much much cheaper. Call the vet clinics in your area and ask them how much office calls are, how much the first set of vaccines are, the second set and the third set. Then ask how much it costs to spay a dog and how much to neuter one. Then ask how much wormer costs, how much it costs to come in for an ear cleaning and how much the different medication for ear infections are, with a cocker, you're bound to have one sooner or later. Then add in the grooming cost.
This is what it would look like in my area.
Office call: $25 X 3= $75
puppies shots: 15X2= $30
Adult shot: $15
Rabies: $15
Neuter: $80
Spay: $100
HW prevention for 1 year (generic brand): $50

That's $265 for a male puppy and $285 for a female puppy. That also doesn't include an flea and/or tick prevention, grooming cost, the cost of the dog, the cost of food and supplies (collar, leash, treats, toys).
You can easily tack on another few hundred for the dog. So in a year you can look at spending WELL over $350 for a puppy

Let's look at adopting an adult dog
Office call: $25
Adult Shot: $15
Rabies: $15
HW Prevention for 1 year: $50

That's $105 dollars, not including the same things as above. I paid $20 for my rescue pup, but we got him at a discount because both my mom and i work for a vet. Also, with puppies from a shelter they're normally up to date on their vaccines so you wouldn't have that extra $30-$55 in there.

It's up to you, but if you're 14 and don't have a job, i'd go with the shelter pup.

Last questions. Why in the world do you want to use a cocker for agility?

 

[Krazeekkc]

Ok, I'll try to cover what was said in both of your posts.

A thousand sounds a little exagerated and anyway I have $800 and a babysitting job that pays $15 a week. So I'd certainly hope that'd be enough. And then in about 7 months I'll be 15 and am most definetly am going to get a job.

"A dog is a tremendous amount of responsibility, especially a puppy. Who is going to care for it when you are at school? The puppies I have raised have had to go to the bathroom about every 30 minutes during the day. Will somone be home with it during the day? Are you prepared for 6-12 months of pooping, peeing, chewing, barking, etc?"

Well, since I'm homeschooled, ony have one friend who lives near me, and am only 14 I spend almost all of my time at home.

Another thing I should tell you both is that we have two dogs and I've been around for when they were puppies. I was just younger then. I know what it's like and it seems to me that you're pegging me out to be more naive than what I am.

"If you're dead set on getting a puppy (which i think is silly)"

I don't think it's silly at all. Puppies are really cute. Plus there still is the training thing and I've watched Animal Planet and I've heard to start training the puppy at 6 months.

"Why is it impossible to bond with a shelter animal? I adopted my dog from a shelter 2 months ago and he is attached to my hip wherever I go."

It isn't and I kow that. But does the shelter dog do any unique things that he learned from you. Like we when got my first Scottie Trudy she ended up learning from us to "love bite" (long-ish story) and Abby my second I taught to use a pillow for her head.

"You should be very realistic about this. Just because you purchase a purebred dog doesn't mean that they are going to grow into the most wonderfully trained, well-behaved perfect dog. "

Onc again I know this. But getting a dog known for be obedient is going to be different than one known for being disobedient. And if you know what breed/s the dog is that would help. Another you didn't cover was about the possibility of it being abused in the pass.

"Last questions. Why in the world do you want to use a cocker for agility?"

Well, when I wrote about the agility thing I wasn't thinking about only Cockers. Also, on that one website I believe I've mentioned before said that they are pretty agile.


Well, everything considered I think I'll just go back to wanting a Belgian Tervuren. My mom's had one before and it sounds like a beter dog for me.

 

[Sabina41]

At this point you seem sold on purchasing....oh well. Can't say I didn't try to get you to save a needy animal instead.


BTW I trained my dog to "speak".

 

[country woman]

Cocker Spaniels are great pets. they do have some health problems. My friends dog has epilepsy and has medication.They also have to be groomed often.

 

[Mrs. Luther073082]

But I did some more research on the internet about them and found out that they can have a lot of health problems. I'd be the one paying for its needs and I'm only 14 and don't have a job yet and don't really want to be paying 100's of dollars in vet bills and surgerys. Also, that you have to groom them every two months then that would be $50 every two moths then. So they sound like really expensive dogs...

So just wondering if anyone else knows about their health and grooming needs/costs.

I grew up with Cocker Spaniels. The dog that is in my avatar is called Rascal and he is 11 years old. My parents paid $400 dollars for him. He used to have ear problems, but we clean his ears regularly and he usually doesn't have problems anymore. He has food allergies, and will break out if he eats certain kinds of foods. We only give him all beef hot dogs, milk bones, and lamb and rice dog food. Keeping his diet under control has kept him very healthy and saved us a LOT of money on vet bills. He gets groomed at the vet once or twice a month and I also groom him at home. We have the groomer use a special shampoo on him because other shampoos irritate his skin sometimes.

In spite of all that, it has been well worth it to have him. He is incredibly smart and extremely loving. I don't know if I will ever be as fond of another dog as I am of this one.

A puppy will need to be spayed or neutered, have all its vaccinations. There is also the cost of food, toys, leashes, bowls, beds, crates, grooming supplies, etc.

If you adopt a puppy from an animal shelter, they usually cost around 50-100 dollars and have already had surgery and their shots. Sometimes they offer you discounts on obedience training and other things. There are websites such as petfinder.com where you can search for specific breeds, ages, and locations of pets to adopt.

Mixed breed dogs are less suceptible to inherited health problems like you often find in purebred dogs.

 

[Mrs. Luther073082]

Well, yes, I'd rather spend less money on buying a dog instead of buying a rarer, more expensive dog like a Rhodesian Ridgeback.


Except you miss out on the special bonding time, don't know if they've been abused, and missed out on precious training time. That's especially important to me since I have two unruly Scotties and I'd like to get into agility trials, and it would be cool to use it as a therapy dog. Which I am for adopting but it just doesn't really work for me right now.

Have you heard of Delta Society or Therapy Dogs International?

My dog was recently evaluated to be a therapy dog. I've been taking him to visit people in a nursing home.

 

[Adela]

My husband has a cocker spaniel,supposedly he's a cockapoo but he looks like a cocker spaniel with curly hair. He's had him since he was 11 years old and he's still alive and in pretty good shape. They adopted him from an animal shelter when the dog was a year old and he hasn't had any health problems. He's about 12 or 13 years old.

His behavior is sort of erratic. My husband thinks he may have been abused before they got him because certain things scare him. He growls but never bites, and he's very stubborn but very smart. I've always heard they are neurotic but I guess it depends on the dog and the breeding. My husband loves his dog despite his crazy personality but he wouldn't be a good dog for small children.

It's really important with dogs that are known for having certain personality problems to either buy from a reputable breeder or adopt one where there's information about his/her personality and history. And take your family situation into account, please don't get a dog if you aren't completely ready. Those cute little puppies will soon grow up and get into everything.

I too, second the advice to adopt from an animal shelter and give an adult dog a chance. That's what we plan to do in a few months.