Hello,

I'm new here and require some advice please!!

I'm looking to a get a puppy or a slightly older dog as I work Part Time 4 days a week for about 4 1/2 to 5 hours but my partner works shifts and is normally around during the day except at weekends but I'm off then.

We have a good sized house and Garden with local parks and the beach near by.

I don't mind the size of the dog or grooming as I'm willing to learn!!.

I have looked at different breeds from dog shows and speaking to breeders and narrowed it down to the American Cocker, English Cocker and a Cavalier.

I know these breeds are rather different so would appreciate any advice about which one would suit us best.

Thank You. :)

Hi Puppy2,

Welcome to the site, and really pleased you are asking for advice first, for what it is worth here is mine. :-)

I really wouldn't recommend a puppy of any of the breeds 4-5 hours, 4 times a week, is too long to be left :-( Pups need company they are not solitary animals and need consistant toilet training, play sessions and socialising, as well as training. Dogs need company more so than we do, they are born to live in a pack, not be alone.

I've often heard people say that a partner works shift work, but that is no good if a partner works nights, he may well be in the house, but he is asleep for a good part of the day (otherwise he would be half dead :-) ) so a pup is still not being toilet trained, still no socialising and playing with a pup, infact it can be worse as the pup knows someone is there but not giving any attention to it, which may cause crying, howling and often dogs and pups left alone will become destructive, so I would completely rule out any pups altogether, as well as the fact I'm sure your partner will wish to see the back of any dog if it is constantly waking him up whilst trying to get much needed sleep, so not fair on any pup or dog.

All 3 breeds that you mention can be laid back when older, all very nice breeds :-) though the breeder they originally come from makes a huge difference with regards to health and temperaments, to be honest with your working hours what you need is an older very laid back rescue who will tolerate and is used to being left for upto 5 hours, are you adding on the travel time to and from work with this too? If not think again it's not acceptable to leave a dog for longer than 4-5 hours.

Think about why you actually want a dog, is it for you, or for a loving and fullfilling home where a dog will have all it's needs fullfilled?  Put the dogs happiness first not a want for something.

If you can get over all the stumbling blocks in finding a very laid back older dog, which will not be left longer than 4-5 hours and your partner can still get his sleep also, then to be honest with what you are offering the dogs character and temperament is going to need to come first whatever breed, so I wouldn't really even look at breed, if you sit down and discuss all the pro's and con's and still want a dog, it may be best to pop down to your local rescue and see if there is a dog happy with these living arrangement, but please be sure, it isn't fair for any dog to be re-homed because they were too much trouble in the end.

Sorry, to be harsh, but better to really think now, rather than at the expense of a poor dog. :-)

Hello,

Thank You for your advice. Although my partner works shifts he works from 6-11 usually every 3 days or around that and sleeps when he gets in around 11.30pm. I think I made it a bit confusing in my first post or maybe that dosen't change things?

or maybe that dosen't change things?   

It does :-) Immensly, it gives up all that free time to be with a pup or older dog and for your time away to not make any difference at all, as long as your partner is happy to do the toilet training etc, then the pup will have a lot of socialising and all the love in the world to be happy and well balanced.

Personally, out of the 3 breeds for a first time dog, I would choose the Cav, lovely gentle breed, not too much wrong with them temperament wise they are very easy going, lovely to train, you really need to find a good breeder though, there are a few on CD :-) as health is soooooooo..... important with this breed, but really I can't fault the Cav, happy upbeat dogs and they can be lazy too. :-)

The Cocker I love them have many in my family, but a good breeder is essential again, dodgy temperaments are coming through quite often BYB's mainly to blame for this, glad that you are meeting dogs at shows etc, be so careful, but a Cocker would also fit in well though they need a good 90 mins plus exercise from adulthood.

Can't help with the American Cocker never owned one???????????

Glad you have put us right with the working hours, good luck, check out the breeders on CD you'll get a good pup that way, and of course we are here for all those training tips later on. :-)

Just to add, when looking at the English Cocker, they are split into two different strains, the Working and The Show, so be careful if looking at Cockers to get the right strain, for your requirements you need the Show Cocker. The Working needs double the exercise and has a very active mind. :-)

Thank You, I've been looking a the show strain.

Would you say there is any difference in temperment? I've been told by one Cavalier breeder that they can get serpation anxiety if left although someone is around for most of the day, if we needed to pop out I wouldn't want the dog to be distressed.

Cavaliers as companions are wonderful but I warn anyone to "teach" them to be alone. If being left for the odd few hours is incorporated in their training from puppyhood they should be OK. They are such "people dogs" that if allowed to spend every minute with you they dislike being alone and take it as rejection.

one Cavalier breeder that they can get serpation anxiety if left

That can be true of any breed really that is never away from it's owner, it's easy to rectify by leaving a pup for 5,10,15 then 20 mins at a time on it's own, doing slow build ups and getting it used to not needing to be with you all the time when you are indoors. One of my brother's and one of my nieces have Cav's I've never once had them come to me for seperation anxiety problems, though I have to admit my brother now has 2, for no other reason than one just wasn't enough, I think that Cav's do get very moreish. :-D My nieces Cav is now 6, has always been a single dog and she can happily leave her for 2-3 hours, she's never been any trouble at all and was an absolute dream to toilet train.

They really are lovely dogs, can't fault them.

> I think that Cav's do get very moreish.

Tell me about it!! :-)  LOL

One point I've not seen mentioned here is grooming -Cocker and American Cocker are both breeds that require professional grooming, the Cavalier only needs brushing/combing and occasional bathing, so this is worth taking into consideration. Unfortunately they're a lot harder to find REALLY good breeders of that does all relevant health testing and with Cavaliers you do need to make sure the breeder has done everything possible to ensure healthy pups as the breed does have a few serious problems. You can't fault their temperament though -nicer dogs anyone would be hard pushed to find. :)

Cockers (show type) definitely need regular grooming and trimming but it does not need to be professional - a lot of pet owners learn to trim/clip their dogs themselves with the right equipment and some tuition (either one to one or using DVDs). Others of course prefer to take their dogs to a groomer. Just thought I'd mention that ;-)

To the OP, if you're interested in meeting lots and lots of Cockers and talking to their owners, there's the Cocker Club Championship Show at the Three Counties Showground this weekend, July 19th. There will be nearly 400 Cockers there so a good chance for you to really get a feel for the breed and decide if it's the one for you or whether another breed would suit you better.

Show Cocker here I have a two year old, very loving and when out sniffing very deaf. Im happy with mine but they are needy dogs and if left for hours at a time are very unhappy.
Other one here is a Border collie I would not recommend him at all he is very active, very clever and needs about 10 miles a day to keep him docile.

Cocker is happy with a morning amble, a lunch time pee but then he needs a long hour hike before bed time. Show type has a lovely coat but beware of burrs, seeds, and sticky bit's a groomer at least 6 to 8 weekly in the summer months, or they get too long and everything sticks in their coats.

But I'm happy as I have time, patience and very warm feet!!