hi,

We will be bringing a cocker spaniel puppy home on 10.08.02 and i was wondering if they could be housed outside in a kennel or whether he should be in the house all the time with us?

What age should he be put outside if it is appropriate?

Also do they thrive on their own or with others?

Thankyou

Cockers are fine in a kennel environment if they have other doggy company & an owner who still spends lots of time with them, but they are not a breed you can put on their own in a kennel & expect them to be happy. I wouldn't sell a puppy to a home where it would be housed on it's own outside - this is a breed that thrives on company & needs plenty to do to occupy their minds. A puppy kennelled alone for hours on end is likely to be lonely & frustrated which can result in barking & howling (not likely to make you popular with the neighbours) I'm not sure why you would want to kennel your puppy outside unless you are going to be away from home for most of the day - not ideal for a Cocker puppy, or any puppy for that matter. Has your breeder not given you any advice at all? A good breeder will want to know all about your home situation & would happily discuss the breed's needs & give you advice on living arrangements etc

Jane

All dogs need company being a pack animal, and very few will thrive or enjoy solitude, especially not a puppy. Dogs can be trained slowly to accept short to medium lengths of time on their own, but this is not natural for them!

Dear Guest,
Perhaps you should discuss this matter with your breeder. Also look into reading/perusing a couple of Breed books aimed specifically for owners of Cocker Spaniels. This will help let you know more about Cocker Spaniel temperaments. They are truly a companion dog. They can like being outside in some of the worst weather possible.... but only if the owner is right along side :)

I know from my Cocker mix, she likes only being alone outside to sun herself, and take breaks. She prefers sleeping near me or at least on the same floor of my house that I happen to be on. Not a lap dog, though, unless she is really chilled.

We have another dog, so she is rarely alone. She tolerates when it does happen (last week her buddy went to the groomers), but she is NOT happy until everyone is back together again :rolleyes: She is not a puppy, so don't expect this to happen without a lot of practice.

good luck with your new puppy.
toodles

Dear guest
Although I have only had my Cocker pup for three weeks I totally agree with what the other members have posted. I leave Morgan alone for very short periods of time 1/2 hour at most at the moment and when I am in the house he is happiest sleeping by my feet. If I get up and move to another room he will follow me and sleep there:-) If you are worried about your pup chewing your house or making a mess you could try using a crate. Morgan loves his (now!!) and he is safe there while I am out. Having a dog living in the house is great fun (most of the time:-)).
Hope everything works out for you
Shirley

My boys hate being outside on their own. Happy in the house - but not outside. They like to be able to see me so just sit on the doorstep.

If you are looking for a pet - then why put him outside?

Cockers love company but are also happy on their own for reasonable periods of time. and if they have the creature comforts;) They can wind each other up if you have more than one and look for trouble together - mine are now separated in the house when I'm not in - and they are much happier with that arrangement. When I used to leave them together - they used to cause such trouble - lol.

It's not clear from your post whether you will be leaving your puppy alone for any length of time - if you could explain a little more, by registering with the group, then we'll be able to give you lots more tips and information.

Pam n the boys