Hi this is a request for information .. can anyone help me I 'm looking for a cocker for me but it has to be fine with my two small children and other dogs I have heard nasty stoires about cockers being snappy and so on also that they dont like kids.. my son would love to have a dog that he could call his own but hes only 3.and a half. we do have another dog but she is realy a cat.. grin shes the most uselss dog ever. please mail me at abby@fat-fae.com I live in Tavistock devon

what at 3 is your son going to do with his own dog?

I think to be honest, you have to bring both pup and kids up to enjoy each other, and for kids to respect the pup does need time out and so on. Otherwise, any dog will get grumpy. As for Cockers , there are Cocker peopole on here, I believe some of the whole colours may sometimes be not quite so reliable, but I stand to be corrected on this if I am wrong.

If the dog is to be your son's you will need to still be totally responsible for it, including training, socialisation, etc etc etc :D

lindsay

Hi guest

If you are looking for a Cocker puppy (whatever the colour), then it is vitally important that you contact a reputable specialist breeder who breeds with temperament as a high priority. As with any numerically popular breed, there are breeders producing puppies for commercial gain & such breeders pay little attention to health or temperament - you could find a pup from such a breeder any day of the week by picking up any free-ad paper but a puppy from a reputable breeder may be harder to come by - you may have to wait for the right litter to come along & you must expect to be asked lots of questions about your home. Some breeders may feel that your son is a little too young at the moment & advise you to wait until he is older to get a puppy. Cockers as a breed are very good with children (provided the children are sensible, of course!) - yes, there are cases of poor temperament in Cockers but in many cases, these dogs have come from poor backgrounds & have been inadequately socialised. If you choose your breeder carefully, you should have no problems with a Cocker puppy (whatever the colour). As a first step, you could try contacting your local breed club, Devon & Cornwall Cocker Club, for contact numbers of good breeders in your area. Ring the Secretary, Sally Ellison, on 01884 881449

Jane