Hi,
I recently bought a red cocker spaniel bitch. She is seven months old, and we have had her for 2 weeks. We have another cocker a boy aged 3 years. Anyway she came into her first season 4 days ago which was a shock for us, as we were about to have her spayed.
Anyway shes been a really loving dog, and has only been growling at her food. Tonight she was just laying on the floor, and she went into a wild dog, really growling trying to bite really vicious. We have two children aged 9 , our daughter aged 9 really loves her and its her birthday tomorrow as well so shes getting upset as you can imagine. What do you suggest?
Please Help

How sad for you - must have been very distressing. true Cocker Rage is very very rare indeed but the outburst you describe if exactly as you say - ie no provocation or anything, does sound odd. I recommend having a word with her breeder.

If one of your children or your other dog may have approached her and startled her, then that coupled with her season could be the explanation. If they touched her somewhere and she hurts - that too could explain it. Has she been injured at all? Or had the chance to be and you maybe haven;t noticed.

As I said first off - true Cocker Rage is incredibly rare here is a web-site devoted to the condition where you can find out more about rage. Consider having a word with your vet and getting her checked out just to make sure all is well with her and also her breeder as they may have some ideas.

hth

Pam n the boys

Hi Pammy,
Thanks for your speedy responce! What happened was Tia was laying down on my cardigan that had fallen off the sofa with her ball. We were all watching the television when my daughter went to go past her to go to the kitchen and Tia started growling. I got up to tell her "no" in a firm voice and she started to show her teeth, get up and come forward at me going to bite me! Every time i told her off it made her worse! It was quite frightening really even though she's so small, what a temper! My other cocker spaniel is such a big softy and kept well away although he has been top dog since she arrived which i thought strange. He seemed to know that she was doing wrong. Tia is now awake after laying under a chair for half hour as she was afraid to come out like she knew she'd done wrong. I cant take her to the vet yet because of her season and there doesnt seem to be anything else i can see that could be causing her problems and putting her in this mood. I cannot believe she has gone from such a loving dog who acts like a baby all the time to this! Im hoping it isnt cocker rage but i now dont trust her with the children or if i tell her off myself and i know ive to show her who's boss. Thanks for your advice, take care!

Michelle

Hi Michelle

Don't worry about her being in season if you need the vet to check her out. Just tell the receptionists that she is in season. If they have males in there they will probably ask you to wait outside and the vet will either come to you or you go in when he is ready or they may just ask you to wait in the waiting room if no males around and clean up any mess when you have left - this is what my vets do.

Chrsitine

Michelle

From your fuller explanation from what happened, I don't think it's rage at all. She was protecting her ballf rom a position of dominance - being on your cardigan, and got into a battle over who was boss with it. Cockers can be very stubborn and coupled with the hormonal war of her season it's easier to understand. It can be frightening - but you have a clear picture of what happened.

She saw your daughter as a threat to her possession - so she needs to learn that she does not own anything, you and your family do. I have this with my boys and certain things. They never growl at us with them - but I know that if they have a chew or balls or anything each, then my younger one will gather them all up and constantly grumble when the older one goes near. Solution, they never have things without my being there or unless they are seperated.

You need to play some games with your girl with the ball and other toys but all under your control. You bring the ball out, play and then take it away when you decide - not her. Your daughter should do the same. When your girl does well give her lots of praise and treats. If not, then stop the play immediately removing the toy.

You also have to have the confidence to show you are not going to put up with her trying to have the last word and ignore your "no".

You might be as well to wait until after her season for her hormones to return to normal before starting to train like this as you could end up with a real battle that you won't win.

Chances are this was all down to the combination of events and by now having this knowledge, then you can prevent any future recurrence. Some owners of bitches find their girls become very grumpy ladies during the seasons where others see no difference. All cockers are different to each other but rage is truly very rare but grumpiness during a season is not uncommon.

Have you been able to talk to the breeder - you may find that her mother is like this.

hth

Pam n the boys

Hi Pammy and all you fellow dog lovers,
Thanks for your great advice. Right heres an update. Tia our 7 month old cocker is in season and our boy dog Bradley aged 3 is constantly trying to get to her, hhhhheeeeeelllllppppppp.
Its driving us all mad. We have to keep them apart all the time, is there anything else we can do, ie to calm Bradley down, i am worried with his constant crying and panting it cant be good for his throat. Tia is on her 12th day now, when can we have a peaceful day????
Since that rage episode she hasnt done it since, thank god, lets keep our fingers crossed.
P.S. I dint think our Bradley was capable, anyway it seems he is, do you think we should stud him with someone elses bitch? He is kennel club registered and is a lovely chocolate roam, any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Ian and Michelle

Hi Ian and Michelle,
People who keep entire dogs and bitches often have this problem. You may have to consider kennelling one or other of them, so that you can all get some peace. It could well carry on for another 10 days or so (my bitch was successfully mated on days 18 and 20). If you can't kennel one, you will have to be keep them in separate areas of the house (eg one upstairs and one downstairs) for the duration. Chlorophyll tablets help, but it's a bit late in the day now. Wash Tia's 'bits' frequently, and use one of the 'Odorkill' sprays to try to get rid of the scent in the house.

Unless you plan to use Bradley at stud regularly, it's best not to use him at all - once he has had a taste of the 'pleasures of the flesh' he will be even more keen to repeat the experience.

Not much I can add to what JG has said - please please think very carefully before using your boy at stud - it's fraught with problems and there are plenty of proven quality dogs out there already.

Pam n the boys

What do Chlorophyll tablets do? and where do i buy them from?
Also does anyone suggest a good season odour deterent spray, i have one but it doesnt seem to be doing anything. We cant take much more aaarrrrrrggggghhhhh were cracking up!!!!!!

This is the main reason that in the average domestic set up breeders/owners do not keep both sexes entire. It can be very hard on the dog and his owners for the duration of the season, and works best if the dog or bitch aare boarde away from home.

I am presently looking after a freinds bitch. she had bred from her and kept a bitch pup, but then one of the male pups came back. The sister had just finished her season when the moth3er came in, and her sister is yet to come in, and the 17 month old male is driving himself demented.

They have dedided to get Mumand sister spayed, and just have the young bitch having seasons, and that will just mean six weeks a year rather than a possible 18 od seasons to cope with!!!