Acquired: Breeder (hobby breeder)
Gender: Female
Training: I haven't learned care / training techniques
The Cocker Spaniel is a breed which I have had mixed experiences with, but as with any dog, much of the behaviour is reflective of the guidelines set by the pet owner. I have recently had the great pleasure of being able to look after a young Cocker Spaniel by the name of Athena, who has really broke the mold in terms of my view of the breed.
She is very much an old soul, content to lay around and be petted despite her curious puppy brain easily distracting her from the joys of being petted.
In my experience I have found that Cocker Spaniels make great guard dogs in terms of the vigilance and semi-territorial nature, while at the same time being excellent family pets due to their ability to be affable and put up with the tugs of children and smaller pets.
Pardon the blurry photo, she's quite a handful and hard to get to sit still!