i have a fifteen week old cocker spaniel. i hope that i am worrying a bout nothing, but he seems very laid back and unpuppyish. he is always happy to see us but he doesn't seem like other puppys in our puppy class, he just isn't as 'bouncy' and enthusiastic as the others. he likes to play games with us for a while but then just lays down and sleeps or watches what is going on. i think i may be worrying over nothing, but he just doesnt' seem as waggy as other puppies and cocker spaniels i know. do you think that this is normal?

Some pups are like this and some owners would probably give thier eye teeth for one if they have the other sort.:-D Seriously tho' it isn't that long since he had his vaccinations and I assume the vet checked him over then. Is he lively for a bit then flops down to rest, does he eat ok tummy ok, check back with the breeder and see if Mum and Dad are the same. If you are really worried take him to the vet and explain your worry and have him checked to put your mind at rest. I had two Boxer pups from the same litter and one was laid back while the other was a hooligan
Anne

Hi Guest,
My cocker/chih mix has always been a bit 'reserved' compared to others especially when she was a puppy. She still only plays with our other dog and is very uninterested in toys except her 'sheepskin ball' that she's had since 5 weeks old.
It's just her.

That said though, if there are health problems, it can contribute to a puppy/dog not being as 'bubbly' as it could be. Whenever Samma's teeth start causing pain, she slowly gets staid and not like her normal self. It's so slow and gradual, that it is hard to notice.

Have your vet check your puppy out just to make sure there is nothing wrong. Anne has really good suggestions to follow esp. with the breeder.
If everything is copacetic, then accept that his personality is an 'old soul' :)
hth
good luck.
toodles :Cool:

Okay ...hands up all those that had to look up copacetic?

;)

Melody - ok? :D

Common American term/phrase ;) :D

Nice to be able to shake things up a little -- payback? :rolleyes: :P
I'm still scratching my head over the "Good Days" and "Pinks" threads. Talk about cultural differences. :P They're Greek to me ;) :D :D :D

So what is it with Americans that they have to make short words longer and long words shorter? :)

Elevator - Lift
Sidewalk - Path

Ok - copacetic :D

Melody

Edited to add ..have just looked in my Volume 1 Shorter Oxford English Dictionary and it isnt there so no wonder I didnt recognize it...where does it come from Sarah?

Well at least we don't add unecessary vowels to words ;)
Color =Colour
Hemophilia = Haemophilia ------------ positively Victorian :D :D :D

From Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
Main Entry: co.pa.cet.ic
Function: adjective
Etymology: origin unknown (I always thought it was Italian )
Date: 1919
Variant(s): or co.pe.set.ic also co.pa.set.ic /"kO-p&-'se-tik/ : very satisfactory

I belive that Xander uses it from time to time ;) :D :D


Actually a 'path' in American-speak is used for something a bit more substantial than a trail through the countryside.--- but it's not large enough for a wagon/car to go on. Towpaths along canals for instance :)

No unnecessary vowels here ...move along.

Haemophilia - not Victorian duh! Latin innit? Haemo - blood (off top of my head so no prizes if I am slightly off could be Greek)

Usually the vowels change the sound of a word ...color is spelt colour to distinguish it from collar (which is how color *should* be pronounced) ;)

No copesetic in our dictionary either

How about Aluminium? How on earht do you get Aluminum from that?

;)

Melody

Color = Culler
Collar = Col laar
Easy to tell the diff ;) :D :P

Yeah, I know med terms are Latin -- it just looks so old-fashioned to see them spelled that way. That's why I say "Victorian" ;) :D

As far as Aluminum
Looks as if it was the Brits that added the extra consonants and vowels :)

Main Entry: alu.mi.num
Pronunciation: &-'lü-m&-n&m
Function: noun
Etymology: New Latin, from alumina Date: 1812

Still love though how "Laboratory" has split between the oceans.
US -- La bra tory
UK -- la BOR atory :D

In the Shorter OED ..it says that Aluminium is from Aluminum , but has had -IUM added to conform with other metals. Originally began as Alumium apparantly ...was changed in 1812 to aluminium (ie Titanium , Irridium etc)

Yanks changed it so it stands out from all the others possibly? Or do you say Irridum and Titanum?

Laboratory is how it is spelt ..so thats what we say :) ( Medaeval Latin) Labratory doesn't doesnt appear in the OED

As in Nuclear rather than the strange Nucular that yanks seem to say

:D

Melody

Have no clue how Aluminum lost its "i" for us Americans The other "ium" endings are still substantually in place :D :D :D Perhaps it's a Jeopardy question? ;)

I was spelling out Laboratory to illuminate the pronounciation differences ;) We spell it all alike. :D

Hmm, as for Nuclear, it must be regional differences....
Pac. NW has always pronounced it: New clee ar (sometimes with an) "er" ending, though.
Hubby's NJ accent almost puts it the way that you have it spelled :D :D