Caring for a Cocker Spaniel is a labor of love. Cocker Spaniels need affection, kindness and
human companionship.
Provide your new puppy-or new adult dog-with a quiet place of its own. The puppy should have a
place to go when it wants to be left alone-he needs lots of sleep. And remember, at this age the
puppy is just a baby. Children must learn not to tease or handle the puppy roughly. It is unwise to
leave a puppy alone and free in a home. He will likely become bored and lonely and in that mood
look for mischief to get into, such as chewing up sofa pillows, working on rugs or furniture.
Always confine him in a pen or crate until you return. Leave him toys to play with, some puppy
biscuits to chew on, and fresh water.
Toys are very important for your puppy. Large hard rubber balls and toys are good, as well as
good-quality dog chew bones and old knotted socks. Do not let a puppy chew old shoes, clothing
or bits of paper lest this taste be carried over to your good shoes, clothing or a temporarily
laid-down daily newspaper.
Housebreaking will be an immediate concern. The Cocker Spaniel is relatively easy to house brake
if you persist in simple rules, such as always taking the puppy out the same door to relieve
himself. Observe your puppy carefully for signs of restlessness until he learns to communicate his
needs. Put your puppy out the first thing in the morning, after each meal and nap, the last thing at
night, and at any other time when he appears to be restless. When the puppy is very young, you
will probably have to get up with him at least once during the night as a baby cannot be expected
to be continent throughout the night. Persistence and adherence to the same procedure, day after
day, will housebreak the puppy in a short period of time. A plastic crate will help in housetraining
but be sure that although it is not too small, it should also not be too big as the pup must see the
crate as it's bed and therefore not wish to soil it's sleeping area. The pup/dog should be able to
stand, turn around and lie down comfortably. Do not just assume the pup/dog will "hold it" as
long as it's in the crate...."when you gotta go, you gotta go" and should only be kept in the crate
at night, while you're running to the store or can't watch the pup/dog closely at the moment.
Never allow your Cocker Spaniel to roam at will. A well fenced yard is a must for safety, as well
as compliance with zoning and nuisance ordinances in most communities. With so many
fast-moving cars, it is not safe for a puppy or adult dog, nor is it fair to your neighbors for a dog
to be loose. This includes never allowing the dog off leash unless it is confined.
Never tie a dog outside unsupervised. It promotes aggressiveness or other personality changes,
suspicion of what is beyond his reach and susceptibility to being teased or frustrated.
Furthermore, it can be dangerous because the dog may wrap himself in the chain/line, or even
hang himself.
A precautionary note! Beware of slick surfaces and highly polished floors as footing for puppies
and adolescents. They do not give adequate traction. If puppies are allowed to play on such
surfaces, they may slip and hurt themselves, possibly causing an injury, or they may develop
"sea-legs" which will prevent their proper development. Start puppies on a rough surface for
proper footing.
Always have fresh, cold water available and provide adequate shade for the puppy or grown dog.
Also, do not leave a dog in a closed car.
There is a saying that "a dog is only as good as what goes into him". This is as applicable to the
quality and amount of food as it is to the bloodlines of his ancestors. So, don't skimp. Puppies
grow fast and have a lot of developing to do in a short period of time.
Although Cocker Spaniels are sometimes known for being "fat", your puppy grows fast and needs
wholesome, nourishing food and continued throughout it's life. Nothing takes the place of a good
quality balanced raw diet. Dogs prefer and need variety as we all do for balanced nutrition not to
mention, not getting sick of one certain thing. Commercial foods do not insure the nutrition that a
balanced raw diet does, however if you must feed kibble....make sure there is at least 18% - 21% protein
& 10% to 20% fat and the first ingredient should be chicken, beef, etc. While cooked bones can
splinter and be dangerous, raw bones are no more of a threat than kibble and are much more
nutritious. (See Immunization, Parasite Control and Nutrition.) http://www.maplewaykennel.com/immunizationparasitecontrolandnutritioncockers.htm
Feed regularly prepared, fresh food at set times…..although raw-meaty-bones are often taken to a
relaxing spot to chew on, the fruit/vegetable/etc. mix should be given in clean metal dishes and
fresh, clean, cold water should always be available in clean metal dishes. (Plastic dishes are
thought to sometimes cause pigment lose in the nose of some dogs.) There are many sources for
raw food, including your grocery store and local butcher. Fruits, veggies, yogurt, etc. are a part
of the diet as well.
Although natural raw is better than chemically processed....naturally pasture raised beef, chicken,
etc. is healthier than that raised commercially.
If a dog appears to be off his feed (whatever you may be feeding), listless or ill, take him to your
veterinarian for treatment-the sooner the better! If you check your dog's temperature (with a
rectal thermometer) remember that the normal temperature for a dog runs between 101 - 102° F.
Maintain a regular check-up for your dog in the interest of good health. See your veterinarian on
schedule to check for worms, other parasites, heart worm, etc. Have the teeth checked for tartar
but with raw chicken backs and beef bones this problem is greatly reduced. Give booster shots as
recommended by your veterinarian. Watch, too, for ear infections, fungus between the toes and
"hot spots", which sometimes occur on the skin. Although these conditions can still occur, a
balanced raw diet will help reduce these as well.
Please always caution your veterinarian about weighing your Cocker before giving any anesthetic
to the dog, and only give "to effect".
Check the ears periodically for mites, dampness and excess wax. Keep ears dry as damp ears often
play host to fungus infections or mites. A swab of cotton on the finger, dampened with alcohol,
can be used to clean the exterior ear canals. Dry ear powder may also be used to keep ears dry.
And a little rubbing alcohol in the ear after a bath will help evaporate the extra moisture. If mites
are present, baby oil or mineral oil may be dripped into the ears, once or twice a day for a few
days to suffocate the mites.
Clip dewclaws (if present) and toenails regularly. This insures that they do not grow so long as to
curl under and into the flesh. The dewclaws on Cockers can either be left natural or be removed
by a veterinarian.
Check eyebrows at least monthly to make sure they do not curl downward and possibly into the
eyes, causing irritation. If necessary, clip them, being very careful of the sharp points of the
scissors.
Take care if shaving a Cocker Spaniel all the way to the skin either in the winter or in the summer. If shaved completely to the skin, the puppy/dog can either get too cold or sunburned but they must be clipped, brushed and bathed regularly to keep out mats, parasites and keep skin healthy. Care should consist of a good brushing once or twice a week to keep the coat in top condition and clean. Correct Cocker coat is silky yet the outer coat is coarse and hence a brush should remove the dirt. With the incorrect cottony coat, a bath once a week or so may be necessary. Loose under-coat can be removed easily with a comb or slicker brush. More details on grooming your Cocker are included on the Grooming page.
Leash breaking should be undertaken when you get your puppy. Again, use kindness and
patience. Fit a buckle collar on the puppy's neck, attach a long lead, and for the first couple of
lessons, follow the puppy, letting him lead you. After this, kindly and gently coax the puppy to
walk beside you, being lavish in your praise and encouragement. Pet the pup frequently and keep
the session short. The puppy will want to please you and will soon enjoy these walks. Don't use a
chain or choke collar in teaching a puppy to lead. But for an older dog, a nylon choke collar is
preferable-it does not wear down the coat. Note: Do NOT leave any slip or choke collar on a
puppy/dog at anytime and don't leave any collar on while the pup/dog is in a crate.
There are puppy kindergarten classes for very young puppies, but formal obedience training is not
recommended until around six months of age. Informal obedience training may be started soon
after you take your puppy home. Simple commands such as "Sit", "Down", "Come", "No", etc.
are useful for everyday life, indoors and out. From the start, show your puppy who is master (for
he may well try to be his own!) and once a command is given, insist on its being performed....do
NOT repeat commands....they will learn to count and may become "trained" to do something
after the command is repeated five or ten times. Again, use kindness and firmness. A displeased
tone of voice uttered as a reprimand is usually sufficient discipline. If an older pup needs more
discipline, firmly shake the dog by the scruff (skin on the back of the neck).
Whenever you have questions or problems, feel free to call the breeder. They know your puppy
best. Although the ASC does not state this, the GPCA's Code of Ethics states, "A breeder shall be
available to his buyer for whatever advice, reasonable aid and assistance they may need for the life
of that dog." and we adhere to that statement.