Picture taken from www.dogbreedinfo.com
Good day and welcome everyone!
This is Sharda with another Cocker Spaniel newsletter.
Let’s find out together the important questions to ask Cocker Spaniel Breeders.
Here we go!
Questions to Ask a Cocker Spaniel Breeder
Even with a trusted referral, good Cocker Spaniel breeders can be difficult to find.
Don’t fall for glitzy ads in big name magazines just because they’re glitzy.
Irresponsible and ignorant breeders are more than a dime a dozen, and since they work from a standpoint of ignorance, rather than breeding healthy, well-adjusted pups, they breed a whole lot of health and temperament problems.
Recognize the bad ones and get out quick!
When you’ve found a Cocker Spaniel breeder worthy of your time, you’ll want to spend some time asking the important questions.
A good breeder won’t mind; if she gets testy, you have to wonder why.
Some questions to ask include:
- How long have you been breeding Cocker Spaniel puppies?
- How long with the Cocker Spaniel breed?
- Do you have a few references I can contact?
A good and committed Cocker Spaniel breeder should be able to give you several references.
- Can I get a written guarantee? What exactly is covered in the guarantee?
All good Cocker Spaniel breeders give a written guarantee against congenital or hereditary defects for at least the first year, sometimes two.
The guarantee your breeder gives you should ideally be for a refund or a replacement Cocker Spaniel puppy. The guarantee is an indication of the breeder’s ethics and confidence in her litter.
- Do both parents of these pups belong to you? May I see both of them?
Use your best judgment on this one. Just because both parents are on-site doesn’t mean it’s good thing, the breeder could just be operating a Cocker Spaniel puppy farm and it’s easier to get away with when you have your own stud.
However, if you are able to see both parents you’ll get an idea of your pup’s temperament and size.
- Do your Cocker’s have any health issues?
Sometimes, Cocker Spaniel puppies develop congenital or hereditary problems. If they are born to parents who are ill, their immunity is that much vastly reduced against life threatening illnesses.
There is more information on what ailments to watch out for in the “Selecting a Healthy Puppy” section below.
- Where do you raise your pups?
Of course, you will see the environment in which they are raised when you visit but this is a good question if you’re just speaking on the phone first.
- Where do you keep your adult Spaniel dogs?
If your Cocker Spaniel breeder keeps his adult dogs in kennels away from the normal daily routines of a home, he will not be in a position to speak about their true personality, temperament and health.
- Would you recommend I spay or neuter?
If you’re with a good Cocker Spaniel breeder, he will want to educate you on the advantages of spaying and neutering your pup.
- Can I see pictures of some of your other pups/litters?
It will be helpful to see exactly what the breeder calls a good dog.
- What average size do your Cocker Spaniel puppies grow up to be?
The breeder should be able to answer this one confidently.
- Do you dock your pups’ tails and remove the dewclaws? If no, why not?
The dewclaw is a now useless nail above the foot on the inside of the leg. If it is not removed or trimmed it can get snagged and cause pain, perhaps leading to emergency surgery.
Usually, the tails and dews are done when your Cocker Spaniel puppy is around three days old.
Steer clear of those Cocker Spaniel breeders who do not dock or remove dews.
They may tell you they don’t think it necessary to put the animal through any unnecessary pain, but most likely they don’t want to pay the vet for this job.
- How many breeds or mixed breeds do you normally breed?
If she has a line-up of different breed dogs in kennels, you know immediately she is not an expert on any of them.
Time and dedication to one or just a couple of breeds are required to be truly well-versed in that breed and their only in the business to make money.
A responsible Cocker Spaniel breeder truly cares about the future home of her litter.
Until she can place her pups in good, caring homes, she will continue to be responsible for the litter’s medical and sanitary care and socialization.
So, to protect her own investment—emotional and financial—she will question any prospective buyers very closely to gauge if they are really capable of looking after this precious pup.
I hope that you learned a lot from today’s Cocker Spaniel newsletter
All the best and take care
Warmly,
Sharda Baker