Viewing 28 posts - 1 through 28 (of 28 total)
  • Help!! – choosing a dog – Boy or Girl? – cocker spaniel
  • ikimbunza
    Free Member

    Help needed! We are getting a cocker spaniel (no debate on that, we’ve agonised long enough on the breed) but can’t decide on the sex.

    It’s between:

    – chocolate / brown / liver coloured boy. Personality wise he seems a bit more active and extrovert. Bigger puppy at 6 weeks. Coarser coat with slightly longer hair; or
    – black girl. Slightly smaller, shorter glossy hair, bit quieter, calmer…

    It’s our first dog and we’ve two young ish kids so we want to get this right. Active family who love the outdoors etc etc. We just can’t decide…

    Aaarrrrgggghhhh!! Help!!

    FunkyDunc
    Free Member

    It’s never nice watching a man licking his own bits on full view …

    sv
    Full Member

    I would take the bitch, seem to learn quicker and much easier to train. Our male sprocher much harder train/control than the female springer we had before.

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    sharkbait
    Free Member

    Girl.
    I doubt she’ll be any calmer but they’re generally less hassle in my experience (be prepared for her being in season though).
    edit: My ‘soul mate’ was a male working cocker but current bitch is probably the best all round dog we’ve had.

    oldnpastit
    Full Member

    Calm is good I’d have thought.

    However calm and sensible they seem when you go to see them, they will be a lot more batty once you get them home. At least that was my experience with a springer and a springer/lab/box-of-frogs mixture.

    Innes
    Free Member

    We have two female dogs and one male.

    It hasn’t made too much difference apart from when the male dog got a bit nearer maturity he started peeing everywhere. It was sorted out with being neutered.

    It maybe that the dogs calmness is more a deciding factor for you with your choices, female dogs will reach maturity quicker in general.

    Do any of you have a preference to either dog?

    5thElefant
    Free Member

    Our dog is more placid, less murdery, less shaggy, and a whole lot less doggy than our bitch. I’d get the dog.

    M1llh0use
    Free Member

    Females seem to be more highly strung than males with cockers (IME)

    Our male was the shy one and has been the same since a pup (now nearly 4 yrs). Either which way they’re great!

    BUT

    Where are the pics??!?

    ikimbunza
    Free Member

    I can’t post pictures!! If anyone fancies uploading then I can send them on. They just look like cocker puppies to me 😉

    We’d previously settled on the bitch as the dog wasn’t available but going back to see her at the weekend the breeder (who is great) said that the dog had come available. We are now really torn as I think when we started the whole process we had assumed we’d err on getting a dog but the bitch is lovely and we really took to her. Being told that the dog is now available has really thrown a spanner in the works.

    The internet (cos it’s always right) seems to suggest that girls lose coat condition if they are spayed (which we would do). Anyone had this?

    M1llh0use
    Free Member

    Please make sure you don’t get her spayed too early. Seen loads of cockers done very young and problems because of it.

    allfankledup
    Full Member

    In our experience, the dog would roam further away when out for a walk, the bitch would stay closer

    I’d go for the bitch

    Seasons are a pain with bitches, so think about spaying vs breeding as apart of the gameplan
    Dog will scent everywhere…including indoors…ymmv

    mitsumonkey
    Free Member

    Get the dog, they tend to be much more of a character and less ‘miserable’ than bitches. Training wise there’s nothing really in it that depends on the individual animal (and you).
    That’s in my experience, after owning 2 bitches in the past and 2 dogs. I don’t think I’ll get another bitch.

    Get what you want don’t be swayed by us 😉

    mitsumonkey
    Free Member

    Oh I’ll just add, my parents have owned 2 Cocker’s a bitch and now a dog, the dog knocks the bitch into a cocked hat. A real scream of a character and very intelligent to boot. He’s a fantastic dog. The bitch was a bit spiteful if I’m honest.

    hammyuk
    Free Member

    Of all the Cockers I’ve known the bitches are the more difficult.
    Same with other “energetic ” breeds.

    skaifan
    Free Member

    My brother has a male spaniel. Can’t remember which specific brand of spaniel (he’s either a jerry or a Jarvis). He’s had him since he was 3 months and he’s around 18 months now. He has always been completely mental, barely trained, and an idiot. He loves people and is barely in control of himself when he greets people. No idea if a lady dog spaniel would be better or worse. He can be great fun but I’m glad he’s not mine.

    dantsw13
    Full Member

    Spaniels go crazy when meeting people, it’s probably the hardest time to control mine, a 1yo boy. He was the quietest in his litter, i’d be wary of the Alpha puppy.

    sime46
    Free Member

    When is too early with the spaying? Ours was two in August and she’s booked in to be done in November. Does that seem right?

    flowerpower
    Free Member

    Get both! 🙂

    anagallis_arvensis
    Full Member

    I’ve always had female dogs they seem more loyal, but then I’ve never had a male. Bitches cost more to neuter and you have to keep them in for a season which can be a pain but isnt as bad as it sounds.

    br
    Free Member

    – chocolate / brown / liver coloured boy. Personality wise he seems a bit more active and extrovert.

    Yep, we got one of those. And 8 years later he hasn’t changed.

    5thElefant
    Free Member

    …and you have to keep them in for a season which can be a pain but isnt as bad as it sounds.

    You must of heard it was totally unbearably horrific then. I’m still traumatised. 😯

    dantsw13
    Full Member

    B r – he’s a looker!!! Managed to tire mine out this morning – snoring by the radiator at the moment!

    dantsw13
    Full Member

    dantsw13
    Full Member

    Spaniels love sleeping with their feet in the air!!

    obelix
    Free Member

    dantsw13, did you steal my dog!? 😉 Looks just like our working cocker bitch, really are lovely dogs.

    b r, that’s one of the best looking working cockers I’ve seen. They really are beautiful liver coloured.

    To the OP, just know what you’re getting yourself into if it’s a working cocker. Massive responsibility in terms of 1) giving them enough exercise, and 2) mentally stimulating them. Exercise is the priority though, their exercise requirements are high even for working dogs. Not sure what your home situation is, but the ideal would be your wife being a stay-at-home mom, so she can take them for multiple walks during the day, and you as a mtber taking them for an extended and high-pace ride every couple days so they can stretch their legs.

    I don’t want to sound like a wet blanket, I hate being lectured as much as the next person, but only get the dog if it fits in with what you’re able to offer it. Rather piss off the seller than have an unhappy dog (which leads to unhappy family environment, etc.).

    If you do feel it’s a good fit, then you’re in for a treat, they really are a fantastic breed. I’ve had loads of dogs and won’t look anywhere else but working cockers from now on. 😉

    dantsw13
    Full Member

    My boy WC is 14 months, and is very happy with a 1 hr off-lead walk/run/play every day, coupled with a few good runs in the garden and some fetch/tug/search playtime at home.

    Spaniels tend to have a bit of a mad 30 minutes about 8PM, but that is receding as he gets older. I was very lucky to be home with him constantly for 3 weeks when we got him as a puppy. We used a crate for house training, and he still sleeps in it now. We only had a couple of accidents when he was young, and he was completely house trained by 14 weeks. He was the class star at puppy class, but they are so clever that bad habits are learnt very quickly too. He can tell from 200 yds if I have a treat for him, so whether he needs to obey or not!!

    All in, love him to bits, he is great with the kids, and pretty chilled most of the time.

    ikimbunza
    Free Member

    Wow!! Thanks all for the responses!

    To give reassurance to obelix et al, yep my wife works at home part time so we are able to give him / her plenty of time, attention and exercise. Looking forward to it.

    Don’t know if we are any closer to a decision but this thread has helped. My wife and I are going back to see them (without our young kids;-) ) so we can spend a decent amount of time with them both. I think there is part of me that thinks the bitch would somehow be ‘easier’ but I am drawn to the boy…

    obelix
    Free Member

    Both our bitch and dog are great, very different personalities but each lovely in their own way. The male is from field champion stock, and has the energy to go with the label! The female is unpedigreed, and much less energetic, but very intelligent and therefore needs more mental stimulation than her mate.

    Best of luck, it sounds like you know what to expect. New dogs are always awesome, and it gets even better after that as they grow up.

    One thing that working cockers are also really good at if you have the time is flyball. Collies are the best at this, but working cockers usually compete in a weight category below. Good exercise, good mental stimulation, and owners get to meet like-minded folk.

    Link – Youtube Flyball Clip

    Link – Flyball Clubs

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