Is it true that black english cockers have a better temprament than other colours of the breed and is it true that cockers may become distructive if left alone for long periods of time? Is 6hrs to long?Do cockers bark alot when left alone, and what can be done to stop excessive barking?

*is 6 hours too long*, if you want you house left in one piece !!:D

I have a black cocker and a blue roan, the black is more dominant, and require more attention than the blue roan. Some cockers are quite yappy, but they are pack animals, I would not suggest leaving a dog on its own (especially) a puppy for that length of time...it would not be fair...my two are on their own, but I have someone come in and check on them periodically throughout the day...There are many cocker people on this board, and I'm sure Jane S will be able to give you some advice too.

Regards

Natasha

A cocker's temperament is determined by it's breeding - not it's colour. I have known wonderfully laid back and calm blacks but also known ones that have been PTS for biting and being dodgy.

Cockers like any dog will be destructive if left alone for too long without mental stimulation and being put in a place where the home is protected:D

Cockers can be very vocal especially if they can see things outside that they want to investigate or just see-off!! I have found though that one is happier in this case than two as they can wind each other up. When I go out - mine are split up, they are much happier that way and the house is intact - well almost:D

6 hours is the absolute most I would want to leave any dog and that would only be very very occasionally - and that would only be when fully grown. If, as it seems, you are thinking of getting a Cocker and you already think you are going to have to leave it for six hours or more on a fairly regular basis - I suggest you think again or look at what options you have to reduce that time or fill it with people maybe coming in to help out etc.

If you register with Champdogs then you'll be able to come back with more questions and also more information about you and your circumstances that might help us to help you better.

hth

Pam n the boys

Buffy who is a blue roan is a maniac, and she does bark when left alone, they are a breed that is very hard work, i have only owned her for 7 months and what a difference it is to having owned gsds all the time to now having her, you know when you have a cocker in the house.

The dog would be left in th garden for about six hours a day every second week,I could manage to get home for about 1/2 an hr a day, would this be adequate?

Sandy - thanks for coming back:) - personally I would not look to leave a Cocker alone in the garden for that amount of time unless you have no neighbours. It is likely to get very frustrated and bark. Do you mean every day for every second week that it would be left for six hours? Half an hour is not really enough and is likely to get him/her all excited.

Tell us more about where you llive, your circumstances etc - it may help us to help you a bit more.

Pam n the boys

The cocker would have quite a large sheltered area and the garden, if that helps?If not, are there any other breeds that could be left for such a long period of time on their own?

There are several negative aspects of leaving a dog outside without supervision nearby:
Nuisance Barking
Digging
Escaping from yard
Thieves who wish to steal your dog :(
Weather -- too sunny, cold, wet etc...
- even if you provide shelter, doesn't mean the dog will use it. :rolleyes:

I'm sure that there are more reasons against this idea, they just don't come as easily to mind.
toodles

I can only echo what Pam & Sara have said - leaving a Cocker alone in a garden for 6 hours is not a good idea. Thefts of pedigree dogs from gardens/padlocked kennels are unfortunately becoming more common. You also run the risk of getting into trouble with your neighbours if your dog is noisy - people not unsurprisingly get pretty annoyed if their peace is disturbed by someone's unsupervised dog yapping/howling. Sorry if this sounds harsh but I would think long & hard about whether you are really in the best situation to take on a lively, quite demanding breed like a Cocker - you may find many breeders would actually be quite reluctant to sell a puppy to a home where it would be expected to spend long periods of time alone outside, even if it isn't every day.

Jane

Are there any differences between the working english cocker and the show cocker?

Yes, Sandy ... lots of differences :-) The Working Cocker has, as its name suggests, been bred to be a working gundog - it's an intelligent, busy dog with a strong hunting drive. Working Cockers can make excellent pets for active families who will spend lots of time with their dog making sure it gets enough mental stimulation - it's not a dog that will be happy with short walks & long periods alone. Working Cockers look somewhat different to show-type Cockers - they have longer bodies, broader skulls, shorter ears & a lot less coat. The show-type Cocker is the type most often seen as family pets & the type you will be used to seeing in books, websites on the breed etc. They are also busy little dogs but the hunting drive is not as strong as in Working Cockers, though they do still retain some of the instincts of their Working brothers.