Cocker Spaniel
Acquired: Other (stray, given dog by friend etc.)
Gender: Female
Training: I’ve taught bird care / training techniques
One of my favourite breeds
My 12 year old working cocker spaniel came to live with me 2 years ago, and as she was already quite old, she has been extremely easy to care for. When they're young, spaniels are absolutely crazy and need loads of exercise - this has slowed down drastically for my cocker, and she's happy with one good walk a day, although when she's with her children and grandchildren (she used to belong to a friend of mine who is a breeder), she can keep up with all of them just fine. She was trained as a working dog, so she's very well behaved, although now that her hearing and eyesight are starting to decline, I'm beginning to have a few problems with recall.
In terms of grooming, she's very low maintenance, just needs a quick brush every now and then. When it comes to food, I switched her over to a raw diet last year, and it has made such a difference in her energy levels. She also gets a few joint supplements, but that would apply to any senior dog breed. Cocker spaniels are such an amazing family dog - this is definitely a breed that I would own again in the future.
