Hi  some advice please,  my cocker spaniel bitch aged 4 normally so loving and good tempered keeps growling at new 8week old puppy
she bit her ear and drew blood and since then I am keeping them apart (puppy in pen) will this behaviour sort out in time please help

It's normal for an older bitch to discipline a new puppy, but drawing blood is being a bit too strict. Make sure you fuss your older girl and give her plenty of peaceful time where puppy can't bother her, like you are doing. Perhaps try to let them out together when puppy is sleepy, and supervise carefully. I'm sure in time your older girl will accept the interloper, but you do need to be careful while she is overdoing the tellings off. :-)

Had to smile reading this. I remember well, my two little horrors chasing my 9 yr old BC bitch. They couldn't resist her lovely long fur, or her tail that wagged. She came across as a very strict matron who stood no nonsense. Now, that very same BC is the instigator for play. She wakes all the others up for a game of kiss chase.
I think you'll find that in time your older bitch will settle with the new member of the tribe but for now she is probably teaching her some manners and letting the puppy know that she (your older bitch) is top of the tree. Just keep play supervised and separate them when you think they've had enough.

A lot of adult dogs seem to think puppies are ghastly - don't blame them really!

I wouldn't take unnecessary risks but it's worth remembering that ears are very easy to catch and they bleed very freely - it might not be as bad as you thought so no need to panic just yet :)

My male dogs really didn't start to relax around our latest addition til he was 12 weeks old, which is an age I've heard others mention too.  Until then just exercise a bit of caution, supervise at all times and use baby gates to give your girl some places she can retreat to.  Let her have some easy exit routes and you'll find she'll initiate (friendly) contact when she's ready.  Better to let her escape to other rooms rather than contain the puppy in too small an area or the pup will just fling herself about and appear even more annoying to your older girl

I have an older cocker spaniel and a puppy who play together biting ears and lips constantly.

Are you sure the drawing blood on the ear wasn't just a bit of over excitement?

They do growl and make alot of noise when they play and sometimes it does sound like they are falling out when in fact ther're just enjoying themselves.

My old cocker would happily eat every puppy she ever saw!  She hates them.  So when we got our other cocker pup just over a year ago, it was all out war.  She would growl if the pup came into the room and she drew blood a couple of times but then the pup just seemed to understand that she didn't want messed with.  The old girl is by far the topdog and everyone understands and respects this.  Drawing blood is too far but no-one tells them how to re-act properly and they are just so angry at the interloper.  It's our job to intervene and show the older dog that it's OK.  It helped that we had another bitch who acted like the babysitter and kept the pup busy and away from the old lady.
If I were you, I would continue to separate unless supervised.  Try not to show the pup any attention while the older dog is in the room.  I would also do the training whereby you feed the older dog a high value treat everytime the pup enters the room.  The older dog soon gets to see that the pup means good things happen.  Also, do a lot of outside time so the bitch doesn't feel that the intruder is on her 'turf' so to speak.  She might see the pup as being a bit fun? It will take a while but the first time you see them playing or sleeping together, you'll know it's worth it.
Either that or you could send your new puppy straight to me!!!lol.

I haver always found that around the 8 wk stage, older dogs are a bit scared with the young pups, but once they get about 10-12 wks they are much better and can cope with them, so.....I protect my older dogs from the young 8wk olds.

my older bitch used to pin the puppy untill she screamed but eventually it settled down

Hi   many, many thanks for your replies,   I am glad to say older lily is beginning to accept puppy, (under supervision)
puppy on lead in garden and not allowed to chase after her and get on her nerves. I am feeling a lot less tense now
but still a long way to go.