Importance of Health and Temperament

You will become very close with your Cocker. When they don't feel well, you don't feel well. An unhealthy dog can become expensive. Vet bills can add up quickly, especially for chronic illnesses. A healthy dog will only require routine visits to the vet. Responsible breeders provide written guarantees on the health of their puppies. They have a lot of incentive to breed only the healthy dogs. 

Temperament is very similar in that there is less enjoyment with an overly aggressive or timid dog. It is not pleasant having a dog that has a quirky behavior such as curling their lip and growling at any visitor who reaches to pet them. Responsible breeders provide written guarantees on the temperament of their puppies and avoid breeding dogs with bad temperaments. We have a test you can perform on a puppy to help determine their behavior tendencies when they grow up.

Responsible Breeder or Rescue

Two sources for Cockers are a responsible breeder and a rescue organization. This article contains information about those choices.

The link below will take you to an article with expert advice on how to select a responsible breeder and who to contact.

A Lifetime of Care for Your Cocker

​Like all dogs, Cockers require care such as feeding, grooming, health care and exercise. Commonly available, name brand dog food is usually sufficient. A Cocker, like people, should exercise every day. Walking, running, chasing and retrieving are good forms of exercise. Grooming includes brushing their coat every week and a bath, haircut, nail trim and ear cleaning every 2-4 weeks. You can bathe a Cocker in the sink or a bathtub and dry them with a blow dryer in between full grooming sessions. An annual checkup with the vet is recommended. You may have more frequent visits while your dog is a puppy or if it becomes ill.

This article explains what to do to prepare and care for a new Cocker puppy.

This article addresses more details about how to care for an adult Cocker Spaniel.