What are cockers really like - temperament wise, exercise, good with children/other pets??

My sister used to have one and he was a lovely dog and good with kids and my mothers dog.  They are really sweet

Good tempered (they aren't called "merry cockers" for nothing) and very affectionate. Terrifically loyal companions and usually very good with children but can be stubborn as mules if they want to be!

I'd say depends on the breeding. There are some really lovely examples of the breed and also some terribly nervous and aggressive ones . But as I said, depends on where you get the puppy......

i agree the cocker can be lovely and sweet but i have meet some nasty one too. been close to being bitten on a couple of occations if they are brought up well they make lovely pets.  

I know this is true of all breeds but the difference between a well-bred cocker and the alternative can be a very iffy tempered kettle of fish! So do plenty of research and be prepared to wait for the right pup to come along.

i have to say of all the dogs at our puppy parties the most troublesome breed i have seen is the cocker.
one thing i have to say is that i have never had any problems with the all red or all black it is usually the blue roan or tris that seem to be trouble.
saying that i have met some other nice ones as well so as others have said it is breeding.

I have 4 orange roan, 1 blue roan and 1 black & white and all of mine are wonderful.  We have children and I trust them 100% they are loving fab dogs.

Of course not all cockers are this way, like everybody has said it's all down to the breeding and socialisation.

I've met many cockers, both of good and bad breeding, and I can honestly say they are lovely dogs - I've only met one dodgy one, but, he was VERY dodgy.  I couldn't get near him to groom him, he had to be muzzled.

Of the others I've known, all were lovely - one in particular stands out, she's a 10-yr-old teeny red roan called May, and is completely blind - but is the most loving, friendly, happy little dog you could ever meet.  I also know another blind male - a blue roan - who is wonderfully friendly, and a deaf black/white who is also very friendly, despite a very poor start - he was neglected and handed into rescue at 6 months because of his deafness.  He's now a year old, living with a year-old red roan female, and both are well behaved and super little dogs!

How true with cockers as with most dogs. We have owned cocker spaniels for 20 plus years now and have many friends with them too. I have yet to meet a bad tempered or even particularly badly behaved or difficult one. I have met some difficult owners though who have tried to turn an active, wilful and intelligent dog into a lap dog and have ended up with a spolit brat! We have had both solid colours and roans, although have just blue roans at the moment. Again I have children, sorry teenagers now, cats and a fairly busy household but my cockers are wonderful companions and I can't imagine veer being without one. Please will someone remind me of this next time they all come in from the fields covered in mud!

A well-bred cocker is a delight. A badly-bred one is likely to be a nightmare. It pays to be fussy.

i have a red cocker and she was wonderful from the moment i met her,she greeted me with a kiss!she has been easy to train,never been a dog that wants to bite hands clothes etc all the time.she is loyal and loving and everything i prayed for in a dog.she LOVES everybody including all animals.she will quite happily settle into my routines very quickly.she is well bred so JG is right,she has been nothing but a pleasure and i have no regrets.she was £600 and well worth it!she's not a yappy dog either like they say she is a merry cocker and its so true.

I have 5 cockers, and all have grate temps on them. I have grand children and i can trust all of my dogs with them, i have one orange roan one orange white one blue roan and l liver roan and i liver and white, all are very well behaved. I had a golden one who you could not trust at all , i had him put to sleep as he bit me and my son and had 4 other people, the sad thing was we all still loved him to bits, but i could not bring my self to ever haveing a golden or red again. Cocker if breed well and are well socialised will make wonderful pets for any one, Happy go lucky merry cocker, regards debbie.    

Hi I am new to the wonderful world of Cockers.We wanted a dog to fit in with our Saints,and thought long and hard before deciding on a Cocker,we have  a black bitch,she is 10 months old and is an absolute delight,she is so full of fun and mischief,but is certainly hardy enough to cope with the big dogs,in fact I think she thinks she is a Saint .
Do your homework as regards breeders,and I dont think you can go wrong.She is also great with our grand kids,
Good luck

My Ruby Tuesday...

she's a golden bundle of fun, loving, energetic(+++),loyal, happy, gentle,(boisterous when playing) inquisitive, barks only when necessary. She puts a smile on my face every day.

However- and don't shout at me!! - she's not the brightest button in the box, but she DOES have pretty high standards to reach as her big sis is a BC x!!

Having said all that, I wouldn't hesitate in getting another cocker. They are a cracking breed with great personalities. Like the others said- take your time, do a bit of research and then hopefully you'll be the proud owner of a merry cocker like us!   

OOps! Should've said (instead of going on about how great Ruby is- proud Mum and all that)-

they are a very energetic breed and ideally require exercise off lead( an hour aday at least). They are very good with other dogs, although mine can be a bit wary at first. She isn't necessarily that bothered about other dogs, but isn't aggressive towards them. She is excellent with kids and will tolerate being man-handled. Likes her food ( we have to watch that she doesn't get a big fat bottom as the have a tendancy to weight gain). Doesn't bark much- only to alert us. Not snappy. A bit daft.

hi like any dog it depends on the breeding and how you raise them. bit like kids really. i had a black male for 12 years.he was great but possesive towards me and became jealous when the  children came along, but never nasty. now have a 2yr old black bitch, who is so loving its silly. hope to have puppies in near future. they dont like being left alone.

>they dont like being left alone.

I found quite the opposite was the case when I had my blue roan cocker, Bob and the same goes for other cockers I know because they were wonderfully capable of just "switching off" when left alone and sleeping for hours! Obviously these are adult dogs I'm talking about because you can't leave ANY puppy alone for hours regardless of breed but I wouldn't class cockers generally as a breed that have separation problems.

mine has seperation problems she has to be with me all the time otherwise she'll leave me "a little present!"