Cockers! Why so popular?

GeeGeeboy

GeeGeeboy

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They are everywhere these days!! More popular than labs it seems. I work in a groomers, we get tonnes of them and they are generally the most difficult dogs to deal with. They are mostly hyper, disobedient, overly clingy, neurotic and some are even snappy! Also they seem very hard to keep coat wise for most owners, were forever having to de-matt feathers and ears!
Maybe they are lovely out of the salon and in their own environments?
 
You have never met St Sweep:D

He never has been any of things you mention - he has never been in a fight with another dog in his near 14 years - had a couple snap at him though:rolleyes: but then again he has always been properly excercised every day - which makes a happy dog whatever the breed:)

Kate & Wills have just got a Cocker puppy - one more for the spangle massive!:D:D:D
 
They do have great qualities which make them excellent pets, they are small in size and cute as pups and adults. Sadly like a lot of breeds this has made them good fodder for BYB and puppy farmers who breed for cash, not health or character and those are the people who sell to homes which are not ideal for that type of dog, because all they want is the cash.
 
GeeGeeboy said:
They are everywhere these days!! More popular than labs it seems. I work in a groomers, we get tonnes of them and they are generally the most difficult dogs to deal with. They are mostly hyper, disobedient, overly clingy, neurotic and some are even snappy! Also they seem very hard to keep coat wise for most owners, were forever having to de-matt feathers and ears!
Maybe they are lovely out of the salon and in their own environments?
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Unfortunately, dog groomers, like policemen tend to see the worst of the species. The occasional gem will be experienced though!

eta - omit 'species' and insert 'breed' - before I get slain.
 
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Funny you should mention this, I always thought springers and cockers were cheery dogs but recently every one I have met has been snappy and highly nervous bordering on neurotic. Shame.
 
i grew up with them and neither of mine (or any in fact) have been like what you have experienced.
but im guessing, some may fear you like they do going to the vets! haha
 
Hen is not like that... He's chilled, happy, well trained (ish), gentle and full of character. And fabulously groomed, so he never sees a groomer...
 
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Just look at the face ;) :D hehe!

Pixel is the kindest, most loving little dog you'll ever meet. She is a spaniel, they have energy, but she isn't hyper. Bless her she is almost completely blind and i have health problems, but she'll happily not be walked for a few days if it can't be avoided. She'd never be bouncing off the walls. I couldn't ask for a better dog!

I trimmed Pixel yesterday, i just use thinning scissors on her in the winter and brush and wash regularly. I think a lot of people get a cute looking dog like a cocker. Assume because they are so small they will be easy, they take work and training. I wouldn't be surprised if these people also think that you can not groom your dog and then just pop them too the groomers.

What can I say, I grew up with and trained our family lab and golden retriever, and much as Ronnie the goldie is a dog in a million who has done the most amazing things looking after me and is basically a teddy :D hehe! I would get another cocker in a heart beat, before getting a retriever.

Basically...Spangles are taking over the world!!!!
 
I have to say, we get loads of spangles at dog training and while they come with varying levels of bounce, they generally have sound temperaments. But then owners who commit to training are probably better than some when it comes to raising decent dogs.
 
They seem to be very popular around our way too, we see a lot more Cockers than any other breed of dog on our walks. We've met a few horrible, snappy, rude ones (usually with horrible, snappy, rude owners!) but also some lovely ones! I'm a firm believer that each dog is a reflection of its owner rather than a reflection of its breed, so I imagine the awkward ones which come into your grooming parlour are treated like spoilt babies and allowed to get away with being naughty at home! I agree though that they suddenly seem to be the "in" dog breed to have, but I suppose they are versatile dogs which can turn their paw to a lot of different activities, and make excellent working dogs as well as excellent family pets, so its not too surprising that they are so common now!
 
I wouldn't want to be without one now I know the spud (that's Henry's other name), that's for sure :) Merry, funny, bags of stamina, and trustworthy with anything that isn't a picnic. What more could you ask for in a dog?
 
Spudlet said:
I wouldn't want to be without one now I know the spud (that's Henry's other name), that's for sure :) Merry, funny, bags of stamina, and trustworthy with anything that isn't a picnic. What more could you ask for in a dog?
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Still PMSL at the picnic raiding......;):D:D:D

I caught the naughty old St Sweep trying to climb on the freezer to get the cat food the other day - not bad for nearly 14!:eek::rolleyes::D
 
Slinkyunicorn said:
Kate & Wills have just got a Cocker puppy - one more for the spangle massive!:D:D:D
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Ooh, will they be joining us here?!

I'd like a working cocker, more of a lap dog sized than a 24kg springer!

Just because I'm more interested in spangles, I could recount some horror stories (mine included! :rolleyes:) but most spangles are lovely natured.
 
My OH covered a little about this in one of his canine psychology courses and apparently they are a popular choice due to their huge brows and long hair/ears hair and sad eyes making them look almost child like, so maybe that has alot to do with it. Personally thats not my type of dog:p I have a cavalier and the amount of folk that think she is cute is ridiculous, I personally find my akita way cuter:p but to be fair so do other people when they meet her as she looks like a teddy bear. I have not jelled with the cavi like my other dogs so leads me to believe I literally have a type/s and spaniels ain't one of them lol, sh was a puppy farm dog and semi feral when she came as a puppy so she remained back longer han he should, funnily enough I had a litter of working cockers the same time(rescue ones). Infact had the cavi would have been homed had the folk who showed interest now wanted to turn her into a couch potatoe when she is like a mini moto and loves to hunt she would have gone and im now contemplaiting a close friend getting her (who is a spangle fan) and has a cocker but he is over weight so I said show me a trim dog and will consider letting you have her as it would be nice to keep an eye on her and see she is in safe hands (OH does actually really like panner) but we have enough and im more a whippetx grey/rotti/akita fan:p
We do ge aot through our rescue an half have just been hyper and ill trained ad the other half had serious or mild aggression issues.
 
GeeGeeboy said:
They are everywhere these days!! More popular than labs it seems. I work in a groomers, we get tonnes of them and they are generally the most difficult dogs to deal with. They are mostly hyper, disobedient, overly clingy, neurotic and some are even snappy! Also they seem very hard to keep coat wise for most owners, were forever having to de-matt feathers and ears!
Maybe they are lovely out of the salon and in their own environments?
Click to expand...


To be honest, I often ask this very question, for the very same reasons.

I suspect they are much better behaved when not under stress of grooming....and unfortunately people get them because they're cute but can't get to grips with actually properly socialising them. It's the noise of constant and insistant whimpering that grates my nerves.

But on the other hand, I have some (client dogs) which are so sweet and loveable that I woudln't trade them for the world....but they tend to be owned by folk who are a) really good at exercising them b) really good at keepign them groomed or being brought in for FREQUENT visits c) socialise them often and d) all of the above!!!

Your average pet owning person hasn't got the time and energy or know how to do all these things and they don't even realise it.
 
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