Red gene, aggression in Cockers

[JoannaC]

I've heard before that there is a certain line of red Cockers that can be extremely unpredictable and aggressive. A family member is sadly having their young Cocker pts after numerous aggressive incidents the last one being a nasty bite this week. He is fine 80% of the time but when he isn't he really isn't. As they frequently have young children at the house they have had to make the sad decision after ringing round a couple of rescues who basically told them the kindest thing would be PTS. I don't disagree but wondered how common this is in Cockers. I took on my step son's black Cocker while he was at uni as she was being kept by his mother in unsuitable conditions and she had aggressive tendancies which once she had been spayed and was in a regular routine completely disappeared and she is the sweetest loveliest dog now. She is completely devoted to my stepson and such a loyal dog but having looked after both these dogs I wouldn't personally ever want a Cocker now. I know there are lots of lovely ones out there but are they better with people who will actually work them rather than as pets? I'm talking about working types rather than show.

 

[blodwyn1]

We had to have our red gold working cocker put to sleep for cocker rage. I sustained a bad bite to the face as did my husband and we always took great care round him the rest of the time he was a very loving little dog but it was like a fit and it would change in seconds. I would never have another one.

 

[ArklePig]

Not that I know heaps of them, and obviously anecdotal, but I've never met a cocker that could be described as 100 percent mentally sound. Which is a shame because as you say when they're good, they're great.

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

My ex oh has a black working cocker, she was totally devoted him and tolerated everyone else she would go mad if anyone went up to the car if she was in it. I know one doesn’t make a sample but I wonder if they are better as one person dogs?

 

[oldandgold]

When I was a kid (many moons ago!) we had a black and white and a blue roan - they were actually sisters although we had them 12 months apart, and they had absolutely fine temperaments. The black and white was supposed to be my dog but she adored my dad and that's how we ended up with her sister, she was mine. But there was never a time that they were 1 person dogs.

At the time I know there was cocker rage but that was in the solid colours, we knew someone who had a solid black and probably 99% of the time he was fine but he could turn in the blink of any eye and even his owner didn't trust him fully.

 

[JoannaC]

We had to have our red gold working cocker put to sleep for cocker rage. I sustained a bad bite to the face as did my husband and we always took great care round him the rest of the time he was a very loving little dog but it was like a fit and it would change in seconds. I would never have another one.

It’s such a shame isn’t it especially when they are young

 

[blodwyn1]

We kept him till he was 7 by being very careful but the last attack was when I got into the land rover beside him and again he had my face and that was the last straw my husband is still traumatised by taking him to the vets but he wasn't healthy he was mentally ill.

 

[Splash2310]

There’s a lot of discussion about this topic in the “Cocker Spaniel Community” with some saying it’s red/golden dogs only, some saying it’s becoming more prevalent in WCS, some saying it’s only show cockers, so on so on.

There’s also a thought that it could be a form of epilepsy which manifests itself in the lunging/biting.

We have a 2.5 year old working cocker spaniel and he is the loveliest dog. He’s good with kids, elderly people, new people in the house, I genuinely don’t think he’d hurt a fly. However he is “my” dog, and definitely displays the “one person” breed traits that others have mentioned above. If I’m not around he’s absolutely fine and gets on with life happy as Larry, but if I’m around he’s with me following me around etc.

They are also extremely high energy dogs, we do lots of walking, sniffing, playing etc every day. I can definitely imagine some dogs who haven’t been taught to relax and settle and who are in an environment which isn’t stimulating manifesting aggressive behaviour….

 

[marmalade76]

Not that I know heaps of them, and obviously anecdotal, but I've never met a cocker that could be described as 100 percent mentally sound. Which is a shame because as you say when they're good, they're great.

This is my experience too.

 

[JoannaC]

There’s a lot of discussion about this topic in the “Cocker Spaniel Community” with some saying it’s red/golden dogs only, some saying it’s becoming more prevalent in WCS, some saying it’s only show cockers, so on so on.

There’s also a thought that it could be a form of epilepsy which manifests itself in the lunging/biting.

We have a 2.5 year old working cocker spaniel and he is the loveliest dog. He’s good with kids, elderly people, new people in the house, I genuinely don’t think he’d hurt a fly. However he is “my” dog, and definitely displays the “one person” breed traits that others have mentioned above. If I’m not around he’s absolutely fine and gets on with life happy as Larry, but if I’m around he’s with me following me around etc.

They are also extremely high energy dogs, we do lots of walking, sniffing, playing etc every day. I can definitely imagine some dogs who haven’t been taught to relax and settle and who are in an environment which isn’t stimulating manifesting aggressive behaviour….

I’d only heard about a specific red working line previously but sounds like it’s more widespread then. I do wonder if, as you say, some Cockers are just mismanaged and it’s put down to this syndrome when actually they are just frustrated at their lifestyle and as someone else said not the most mentally stable. Clearly some dogs absolutely have it but maybe not as many as are attributed to it.

 

[Highmileagecob]

I worked as a veterinary nurse in the 70s and 80s, and cocker rage was widely known about. Absolutely fine one minute, then full on attack mode the next. I wonder if we are going to see it transferred to the cocker crosses that are so popular at the moment?

 

[marmalade76]

I worked as a veterinary nurse in the 70s and 80s, and cocker rage was widely known about. Absolutely fine one minute, then full on attack mode the next. I wonder if we are going to see it transferred to the cocker crosses that are so popular at the moment?

The family of a friend of mine had one PTS back in the 60s after it bit more than one family member in the face.

 

[SilverLinings]

I have owned a few cockers and known a lot of them (>50, known over a prolonged period and met/meet them regularly, they are/were either friend's/relatives' dogs, or dogs I met/meet regularly training and competing). Mine have all been black with minimal white markings, but I have known them of all colours. Mine have all been mentally stable, happy, loving and easy to train dogs; they have all been working or working x show bred. My mother's current show bred (black) cocker would probably be diagnosed with ADHD if she was a human, but she is emotionally stable and very affectionate.

Of the >50 I have known well I have only known two with actual behavioural problems. One (black male, show bred) was a dog aggressive, but this stopped as soon as he was castrated. I don't think it helped that he was in a household with 5 other dogs including males and he felt he had to constantly assert his position. The owner also didn't put as much time into training as others might have.

The only other I've known with a behavioural issue was a red cocker (the only red I've known) who had cocker rage and was PTS at 4yrs old after biting the owner for the fourth time. That dog was odd, and I definitely think there was something not 'right', whether mentally or the dog had a physical problem like epilepsy or something causing pain. He didn't seem happy, and appeared to not entirely be 'with it' (I don't know how to describe it better, he was very strange). I felt sorry for him as I don't think he was at all happy or comfortable, but I think the owner made the right decision as I don't think it had anything to do with training and I don't believe the dog was enjoying life.

I have heard first-hand stories of two other red cockers with what sounded like cocker rage, but the small number of ones of other colours I have heard about who've displayed aggression have all been badly trained/handled and the problem has been fixable. Based on my experience I wouldn't buy a red cocker; I wouldn't rule out cocker rage existing in other colours but I haven't seen it, or heard about it second hand.

IME many/most cockers are high energy and sensitive. I think a lot of the ones that have ended up in novice family homes have suffered from lack of exercise and stimulation, lack of training/focus, and lack of attention/a personal relationship (they like, and want to, interact with humans). The ones who run madly about on walks, who chew furniture, and bark when alone all day seem to be the ones who have been sadly let down by their owners and are lonely, bored and under-exercised. I think it is easier to mess one up than a more placid breed like a Labrador, but (other than cocker rage in red cockers) I don't think they are any more prone to be aggressive or have other behavioural problems in the right environment. Unfortunately because they are small and cute a lot of people don't seem to see them as a working breed, which probably doesn't help them avoid being chosen by inappropriate homes.

 

[Clodagh]

I worked as a veterinary nurse in the 70s and 80s, and cocker rage was widely known about. Absolutely fine one minute, then full on attack mode the next. I wonder if we are going to see it transferred to the cocker crosses that are so popular at the moment?

My aunt rehomed a red cockerpoo ex breeding bitch. She was a lovely dog,99% of the time. She hospitalised my aunt the second time she attacked. She was pts but heaven knows how many litters she produced beforehand. My aunt still has nerve damage to her hand, it was a proper job.

 

[TheOldTrout]

My aunt, many years ago, had an ex-breeding cocker bitch, black and white, show lines. She was an absolute teddy bear.

 

[HopOnTrot]

It’s a thing in Golden Retriever too, I’ve seen it, as a child, sadly we lied about the first incident thinking we’d be in trouble and the second incident was considerably more serious (involving multiple surgeries, skin grafts etc).

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Someone I used to know, deceased now, had a Toller who developed this. Out of the blue he went for her grandson who was just sitting quietly watching tv with them. Second time he did it he was put down, such a shame as he was a lovely dog.

 

[Crugeran Celt]

Not that I know heaps of them, and obviously anecdotal, but I've never met a cocker that could be described as 100 percent mentally sound. Which is a shame because as you say when they're good, they're great.

My sister has had four cockers and i have a working x springer, all have had fantastic temperaments, one golden, two blue roans and a lemon and white. The sprocker is chocolate.

 

[GoldenLife]

It’s a thing in Golden Retriever too, I’ve seen it, as a child, sadly we lied about the first incident thinking we’d be in trouble and the second incident was considerably more serious (involving multiple surgeries, skin grafts etc).

I've never seen or heard about it in goldens my family have been in the breed years it must be certain lines maybe not sure I'd say it's a thing in goldens at least not in my experience.

I've known a few bull terriers who've had it and heard about it in cockers