Category / Choosing a puppy

Fred, 2 months old chocolate and tan english cocker spaniel puppy / how to help puppy settle in new home / first puppy tips and advice / first published on Perfect cocker spaniel blog (C) Natalia Ashton
by Natalia

Q&A | How to help a puppy settle in his new home?

I may be rubbish at many things but helping my new pups feel happy at their new home is something I’ve never had problems with.

As a list-obsessed person I’ve come up with a set of my own rules. Tick-done-tick-done. Works every time. There are no crying puppies in this house.

And here it is…

… create a calm and cosy house to come to;
… get a toy or puppy blanket from the breeder with the scent of mum & litter mates;
… get a safe & snuggly cleanable bed that pup can’t destroy (plastic ones are best, use VetBed & puppy blankets to make them warm & comfy);
… allow the pup plenty of time to sleep & relax;
… use the food & feeding schedule given by the breeder;
… share the room/bedroom with the pup to start with;
… allow puppy to explore his new home, but limit him to 1-2 rooms for the first few weeks;
… explain puppy do’s & don’t’s to the kids;
… don’t invite visitors for the first few days (even better, wait until the quarantine is over);
… don’t hesitate to phone the breeder for help & advice.

Got any puppy questions? Just ask!

Photo source: Fred, photographed by me

 

How to find English cocker spaniel puppy adverts online, buy cocker spaniel puppy online / how to find good cocker spaniel breeder / how to avoid puppy farms / first puppy tips and advice / first published on Perfect cocker spaniel blog (C)
by Natalia

Q&A | How to find a cocker spaniel puppy online & avoid puppy mills & puppy farms

Lets be honest, even if I tell you 100 times to look for a pup through the Kennel Club, most of you (myself included) are still going to do an online search. It’s quite normal. Internet is brilliant for finding anything. And I’m pretty sure, once you start you will end up on a popular site full of puppy ads. I did once. And I found one of my boys (and one of most wonderful breeders) there. I also came across dozens and dozens of ads that must be avoided at all costs.

The biggest problem with an ad is the fact that once you see photos, you fall in love. And once you’re in love, you cannot think straight.

This is when many people choose puppies who come without pedigrees, from non-tested parents, from parents one of which may not be a cocker, and even pups from puppy farms or stolen litters.

To help you out, I picked an ad you can trust and the one you must avoid (you can zoom on both)

How to find reputable registered breeder cocker spaniel puppy for sale online ad / how to avoid puppy farmers / good puppy advert and puppy breeders to avoid and how to spot them / puppy advice and tips / first published on Perfect cocker spaniel blog (C)

YES advert is by a kind of breeder I’d happily get a puppy from. It’s perfect in every way & gives you a peace of mind when it comes to puppy’s breeding history and health. I have included the text to give you an idea what a safe & professional ad should look like.

AVOID any ads that look like this & are from private seller, not licensed by council (current rule is that anyone producing at least one puppy for sale must obtain a license); pups are not KC registered, only one of the parents is health tested CLEAR or neither of the dogs are tested at all; dogs are described as “family pets” as the main reason to breed from them “just once”; breeder offers pedigree certificates even though pups are not KC reg; price for the pups is too low (usual cost is around £1000); dad is nowhere to be seen.

Unfortunately, the AVOID ads take about 2/3 of the site space. Be careful and think with your head when making a choice.

Photo source: image by Katrina_S from Pixabay

Questions to ask the breeder before getting a cocker spaniel puppy / how to avoid puppy farms / how to find a cocker spaniel reputable breeder / health tests for English cocker spaniel / puppy advice and tips / via Perfect cocker spaniel blog (C)
by Natalia

Q&A | Why is it important to ask a breeder about health tests before getting a puppy?

Lets get straight to the point… A “YES” or “NO” answer to these questions can map the entire course of life with your cocker spaniel. And these are the questions you really need to ask the breeder even before you meet a puppy. Because once you see him, the answer may not seem important anymore.

So if you come across an ad for a litter and are eager to run and choose a puppy, ask the breeder if BOTH PUPPY PARENTS ARE HEALTH TESTED.

Health testing doesn’t simply mean that the dam and sire saw a vet for vaccinations & health check. Any dog used for breeding must also undergo specific tests to determine whether or not they carry genes for certain conditions that can affect English cockers.

The mandatory list includes…

…PRA (progressive retinal atrophy), a condition that leads to blindness if the dog carries a defective gene;

…FN (Familial Nephropathy), a disease that affects structure of the kidneys and causes kidney failure;

Plus four more conditions that breeders can test for are…

… AMS (Acral Mutilation Syndrome) characterised to localised insensitivity to pain, which causes dog lick or bite his legs and paws until lesions and ulcers appear. Amputation is the outcome;

… AON (Adult Onset Neuropathy), a neurological disease that causes inability to control limbs movement resulting in full disability by the age of 7.5-9.

… Hip Dysplasia, an abnormal development of the hip socket;

… Gonioscopy to screen for glaucoma.

According to test results, the dogs can be “clear”, “carrier”, or “affected”. The affected dogs must not be bred for. The carrier mixed with a clear dog will not develop a disease, but will pass an affected gene to half of the puppies.

Personally, I prefer parents who are both tested “clear”. Unless a breeder can confirm that his puppies are from tested dogs AND show you original certificates as a proof, do not commit to getting a pup from him. You may be lucky and the puppy will live a long happy life, but you’re running a risk of heart aches, seeing your dog deteriorating, and paying out huge sums to cover vet bills.

Ask for certificates, check the record against the Mate Select register available via The Kennel Club, and if everything is good, get ready to meet that scrumptious puppy!

Photo source: image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay