Choosing a puppy
Often breeders will have been observing their puppies during their development, and obviously know them better than potential owners and therefore in some instances they will often make the decisions regarding which puppy goes to which home based on these observations and the information you have provided to them. Therefore, it is unlikely that you would be able to “pick” your own puppy, unless there is more than one that fits your individual needs. Contrary to popular belief, there is much more to picking a puppy at eight weeks of age than choosing the first one that comes to you! Generally, all well socialised puppies will greet new people and there is usually a rush!
Choosing a puppy from a litter
However, if you should be in a position to be able to choose, you need to consider closely what type of personality you are looking for in your puppy. If you feel unqualified to make the right choice, bring someone experienced along or ask the breeder for help. The breeder, who has seen the litter develop, should be able to pick out a suitable puppy for you.
When you select a dog, you want one that has a personality that blends well with your family & your lifestyle. For example, you may prefer a calm & confident dog or maybe you want a dog that is more energetic & lively.
Many people believe that they should pick the "first puppy that comes to them.” In our opinion, this is an outdated approach, which stems from the days when puppies were reared in outdoor kennels (where access to "strangers" & general household noises were uncommon). All cocker puppies (from reputable breeders) should be confident and "come to meet" you! It is true to say that some may be more reticent (for many valid reasons i.e. has just woken up or is just about to go to sleep) but generally speaking, well-socialised pups are very pleased to meet new people & give them an enthusiastic greeting!
It is often the case that the boldest pups will be the first to come to greet you. It does not mean the ones who are slower to approach are shy or that there is something amiss. Every pup in a litter has a separate and distinct personality (the combined attributes of behaviour, emotions, thought processes & temperament that characterise each unique individual.)
The bolder pups are likely to grow up to be dogs that are more assertive & the more reticent pups are likely to be calmer and more thoughtful. Depending on your own personality and lifestyle, a bold pup may suit or indeed, you may find it easier to live with a dog that is less assertive. Stronger willed & assertive pups can be more challenging to train!
Puppy personality/behaviour
All eight + week old cocker spaniel puppies should be interested in people, seem safe and healthy, not react with fear or anxiety when hearing relatively common sounds, calm down quickly if frightened and be interested in what goes on around him/her.
Notice how the puppy reacts when handled, whether with fear, or acceptance. Please note that depending on the time of your visit, the puppies may all seem quiet, they could well have just finished playing & are ready for their nap, on other occasions the puppies may be very lively, in this instance it is probable that they have just woken up from their nap & are ready for "action.” Do consider all these things when viewing puppies as it is quite easy to make a wrong decision based on first impressions.
Watch the pup play with his littermates. How does he deal with being taken away from his littermates? Does he seem bold, anxious or calm?
All puppies are individuals, some will be very forward and will rush headlong to explore each new event or person, others will be more reserved and will prefer to weigh up the situation before going to explore. Some puppies will be extremely laid back and will not go and explore but be happy to watch what is going on from where they are! All of these traits are quite normal and you need not feel that a more placid pup is in any way inferior to the one that rushes over to greet you or is in the 'thick' of things!
By noticing these things, you get an impression of what sort of personality you are dealing with and it will help you make the right choice.
When it is time to collect your new puppy, check the same things over again and especially that the pup seems healthy. Clear eyes, normal motions, shiny fur, and not too thin or obese are signs that the puppy is in good health.
Temperament:
Cocker Spaniels are generally known for their good temperaments (the general attitude a dog has towards other animals & people) and kindly dispositions. They are a breed that is extremely loyal, affectionate & tolerant.
Sadly, there are occasions when an individual cockers temperament lets the breed as a whole down. These are rare occurrences & are most likely to occur in poorly bred ('puppy farm'/pet shop, commercially bred and 'back yard' bred dogs) or in dogs that have been poorly socialised (both by a breeder & by new owners) and/or dogs that are inappropriately trained by their new owners.
It is estimated that temperament is approx. 60% inherited and 40% as a result of socialisation/training. Therefore temperament can be described as the combined inherited & acquired physical & mental traits that influence a dog's behaviour.
There is a long standing myth that solid cockers, particularly golden cockers are of poor temperament. This is not the case at all!
Any dog (cocker or otherwise) that is procured from anyone other than a reputable breeder, is poorly reared and/or badly socialised by a breeder and then goes to an inexperienced home where training & socialisation may be a haphazard affair has the potential to develop behavioural problems including aggression. The 60% inherited good temperament in a dog won't override the need for a dog to be appropriately & regularly socialised or indeed correctly trained.
Likewise, a dog with an inherent untypical temperament for the breed is not the whole picture, training dogs with a less than perfect temperament goes a LONG way to redressing the balance. Trainers/owners have the 40% acquired physical & mental traits element of temperament with which to work and this can & does produce sociable, confident, friendly and well behaved dogs. However, puppies/dogs with some undesirable temperament characteristics are better in experienced homes where new owners have the knowledge to bring the best out in the dog.
It goes without saying, that if a would-be owner has any reason to suspect a poor temperament in a puppy they are hoping to buy, they should not proceed as there is little point in making life hard for themselves by attempting to ‘turn around’ a dog’s character unless they are already experienced dog owners.
Would-be owners should ensure that they purchase a puppy from a reputable source & from a breeder that knows the pedigrees of the dogs, including many of the ancestors (in person) and one that actively socialises their puppies AND provides socialisation and training advice to their new puppy owners.
Dog or Bitch?
When choosing a puppy, your first question to ask yourself is whether you would like a dog or bitch.
Before we go into the differences, we need to look at the most important point – have you chosen a good breeder? A reputable & knowledgeable breeder will have a good idea about the each puppy's character/personality and may well not give you a choice of pup. There is no reason to be concerned about not having a choice of puppy. Many owners choose on looks alone, whilst important, looks do change. Eight week old puppies do not look the same when they are adults. Markings expand and merge and by choosing on looks alone you will be denying yourself the opportunity of the most appropriate puppy for your circumstances.
For example, when a breeder helps an owner select a puppy, a breeder may offer a calmer natured pup for instance to a first time owner, to older buyers or if they had young children, one with show potential to someone who wants to show and a lively pup to someone who enjoys outdoor pursuits and wants the dog to accompany them etc. As potential new owners, you have to sit down, have a good think about what you want from your dog and a good breeder will help you with the choice of a suitable pup.
If you already have a dog, the choice is easier for you – your Cocker should probably be the opposite sex to the one you already own. Although you can have two or more dogs of the same sex, this can lead to squabbles if the personalities clash. Generally speaking, you should aim to (regardless of gender) match a placid, easygoing dog with a more lively and dominant dog and visa versa as two dogs with similar personalities can have the potential to challenge each other.
Males tend to be a little more pragmatic (unless their natures are the same and you can have constant challenges), bitches tend to hold grudges and once you have two bitches fighting, it's very difficult to resolve.
If you want to introduce a dog of the same sex, it's advisable to introduce a puppy rather than an adult as all dogs normally take to puppies. The other key element is to have a good age gap between dogs of the same sex – if you have two dogs or two bitches of similar ages and personalities; you have a greater chance of some squabbling, which could lead to fights breaking out. However, the most important element is character, if you are introducing adults; don't put two dominant dogs together. Once again, a good breeder will help you select a puppy of a suitable nature, where everything being equal, the match of puppy to existing dog should be favourable.
In the home, where there are two or more dogs you will find that the girls are the leaders of the canine pack! The boys may on occasion bluster about as if they are 'in charge' but one look from the girls and they know their place!
Female Traits:
In our opinion, females seem to have a stronger pack drive. Pack drive is the definition of the dog's ability to interact with the pack and the desire to be part of that group. Pack drive is important in training and bitches usually tend to have a slight edge over dogs. (This is not a foregone conclusion, merely a generalisation!)
Bitches can be quite crafty; they are more subtle than dogs in the way they do things. They can weigh up situations and pull them to their advantage without owners realising! When owning a dog and bitch the bitch is usually the boss (very few exceptions to this rule). In dog/wolf packs, although the pack is run by an alpha pair (male and female) the male is there more for "show" due to his larger stature. In the event of threats or problems, the male may fight but the bitch does the thinking and resolving! This is important to remember when choosing between them.
Female dogs come into "season" (oestrus) unless they are neutered. The frequency of these varies from breed to breed, however in Cocker Spaniels we have found parti-coloured (all colours save for solid colours) tend to have seasons spaced approximately 9 - 11 months apart. This effectively means they are in season only once a year. Seasons tend to be more regular in the solid colour cockers and the frequency is more likely to be every 6 - 9 months apart.
During a bitch's season she will loose some blood stained discharge, the quantity of this varies from bitch to bitch, with our own girls we find the discharge is quite light & certainly doesn't pose a problem in terms of keeping the house/furniture clean.
At some stage during the season (approx. 8 - 16 days after the onset) the bitch will be fertile and if mated (deliberately or accidentally) she is likely to conceive a litter of pups. It is advisable if you are exercising your bitch away from home whilst she's in season, that you keep her on a lead at all times to ensure that she doesn't encounter a male dog on her travels!
The age of a bitch when she has her first season can vary tremendously. For some, the first season will be when they are between 9 - 15 months old; however, some bitches may be anything up to 30 months before they have a first season!
Male Traits:
In our opinion, males have slightly less pack drive; this can make training dogs slightly more challenging. However, most boys want to please and they are generally more soppy and loving than girls and this ability to please usually works to the owner’s advantage if and when any training issues arise and generally evens out the difference between boys and girls in this regard.
Un-neutered males are interested in bitches in season all year round. With our own males we haven't found this to be a problem, none of our males has ever escaped our garden in search of bitches in season in the locality, neither have they made a nuisance of themselves in any other respect. However, owners should be aware that if their dog detects a bitch in season in the vicinity they should ensure their home and garden is more secure than normal (dogs have been known to jump fences they wouldn't normally bother with or to escape from open windows!)
In the wild state, the most physically superior and aggressive male in the pack is considered to be the alpha male. Domesticated dogs still have this tendency towards pack behaviours and the intact male dog may want to be the dominant member of the household. Fortunately, cocker spaniels are not a particularly dominant or aggressive breed and a well trained and socialised male is unlikely to behave any differently to a well trained and socialised female. At Powerscourt, we have always shared our home with both boys (several at a time) and girls. Based on this personal experience, we have to say that both genders are wonderful and we wouldn't like to choose between them!
Scent Marking:
Most dogs and some bitches will engage in scent marking (passing frequent small quantities of urine at designated spots) at some stages in their lives. This process is certainly more noticeable with males than it is with females.
Scent marking is a trait that was developed in the wild to allow dogs, both male and female, to indicate their territory. It is also a way for dogs to find out about other dogs in the area. The urine of both males and female dogs contains pheromones that allow other dogs to determine their age, gender, and status within the pack.
In domesticated dogs, scent marking seems to be related to dominance. When a dog lives as part of a family (human), he should not be the pack leader. The role of pack leader should be adopted by the humans! As pack leaders, the dogs family set the ground rules and one of these rules is to decide when and where the dog toilets.
When you walk your male dog, aim to go from A - B without stopping, don't allow him to sniff every lamp post you pass, if he stops to sniff he will want to leave his mark - he won't be able to help himself, he wants to do what comes naturally! However, as pack leader you decide if he's allowed to behave in a dominant fashion i.e. leave his scent mark!
Once you arrive at your destination he can, have a sniff around and pass urine if he needs to. If you allow him to stop, sniff, and leave his mark every few feet he will learn that it's OK to scent mark when and where HE chooses.
If you follow the advice above you should find that you don't have a male who feels the need to lift his leg on everything he sees (including your furniture on occasion!)
In conclusion, we are back to the most important thing – choosing your breeder. You are responsible for teaching your puppy manners and the social graces but early rearing by the breeder plays an important part too!
A good breeder will have started the socialisation, basic training & "house training" process with your pup. Don't under estimate the benefits of this. The early days with your puppy will be much enhanced.
Please also look at our Cocker Spaniel Breed Information and Questions To Ask Breeders pages for further information on the breed and how to determine a good breeder and tips on buying a healthy puppy from a reputable breeder.