Cockers

[Ohmydog]

Is it me or is it expected a cocker spaniel will have a 30% of pooping on the table, hehe?

[Danielle]

Are you talking about when you groom them???
I find that Cockers poop on the grooming table every chance they get!!! It must be a global conspiracy to get us humans to quit grooming them, cuz everytime one of em does it, i seriously consider changing proffessions! LOL!
LOL! Oh and the whole anal glands thingy too!
YUUUUK!

[Suz23]

Ummm - no problem here, groom both American and English cockers, they are all darlings.............

[2dogscrzy4ball]

I've talked about this before. Around here they poop all the time (even when you take them out), they pee when anyone goes around them (even owners picking them up), they hate their feet touched, the dryer around their heads, I can go on and on. I only do a few and when people call I price them really high or just say I don't do them anymore. Most of the groomers around here don't do them and even trainers hate dealing with them. I'm sure they used to be lovely dogs but bad breeding has really ruined them! I find that English Cockers aren't bad, it's only the American Cockers (especially the parti ones)!

[Brooke]

I've had an English Cockerspaniel (Rome colour I think?) and she was such a delight. I never had problems with constant pooing and peeing, and she was an inside dog. She was very friendly, and I never had a groomer complain or charge ridiculous prices when we got her done.

[Danielle]

I agree with 2dogscrzy4ball, every cocker i get in to be groomed is an absolute nightmare!
They hate the forcedryer, hate the clippers, and certainly hate their paws being touched. I think the reason that we notice this with cockers is the fact that they are quite strong physically and strong willed. You may get a poodle in that hates all these things too but it will deal with it better and let you do your job. Not the cocker! It will tell you how it feels by arguing with you throughout the whole grooming process.

Brooke I think the reason why you didnt hear complaints from the groomer is purely the fact that us groomers wont tell the customer if fido was naughty, we tell them the opposite, that fido was a perfect angel! No owner wants to hear that their dog is a nightmare to groom and no groomer will tell you that. It is our job to groom the dog, not to whinge to the customer!LOL!

I believe even the most well trained cocker would still be a handful to groom, in fact i dont think ive ever groomed a cocker that wasnt! (and ive groomed hundreds of cockers!)LOL!

In saying that, I find that the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is very similar to the cocker, a total handful.
The Shihtzu can be quite a cranky one to groom, and the maltese can be down right vicious!
My fave to groom are the poodles, they are so intelligent and very patient with groomers. They can be snappy just like any dog, but are generally a total pleasure to groom, lots of my poodle clients will even hold their paw up for you to clip in between the paw pads and will also hold the head up for you to do the neck, they are soooo smart!
Danni x

[Suz23]

woah! Ok first off I ALWAYS tell the owner about the dogs behaviour good or bad- no its not what they want to hear but tough. I dont whinge to the customers just tell the truth - that way we can move on and help with the dogs training.

I have groomed lots of cockers and rarely meet a difficult one - they are smart dogs and do just fine with consitency and not being allowed to get away with anything.

Here CKCS are the sweetest dogs - its rare you will meet one that is at all difficult.
Poodles are generally good here too - but some are horrendous, again smart dogs they learn with time and patience.

No dog is bad- just lack of training and often being dragged round every groomer in town.

[Danielle]

I wish I had your cockers as clients Suz!!! They sound like a breeze!
I agree that the cocker breed is generally a really sweet dog, but the ones i get in are difficult (although sweet) to groom. I agree with the whole training thing tho, a dog that is well trained is generally easier to deal with but unfortunately im yet to come across an easily groomed cocker, hmmmm, maybe ill apply for a job with you Suz!
Danni x

[2dogscrzy4ball]

Here Lhasa's are a nightmare also.

[Suz23]

One of my sweetest customers is a little cocker - little english show type, neautiful done her from a pup and she is just prefect. loves the hair dryer ;) In my old job I had the best cocker customer- have yet to meet one to beat him behaviour wise, just stunning - the workers tend to be a tad ore neurotic and the americans can be too- but on the whole, nice well balanced dogs.

Lhasas are nice here to - shih tzus tend to be the ones to watch - but only the badly bred ones, the well bred ones are normally lovely.

[Weesha1717]

Well this is totally random LOL, but I help transport Cockers every once in a while, they are wonderful dogs :)

[2dogscrzy4ball]

Hey Suz where are you from? It sounds like you live in the perfect area. These breeds are good dogs but it is the breeding that is terribly bad!

[cockermom93]

I have two cockers and a cavalier of my own who are very good dogs both at home and on the table! Because I have two cockers I end up with alot of them at work too and yeah there is the occasional aunerey fart but for the most part I have found patience and experience with the breed helps me alot. If you don't let them win they will learn. I don't have the poop problem but I do know a few that do the submissive pee thing. I love cockers! :)

[Suz23]

I live in The UK!!

[Danielle]

I must agree, Cockers are very beautiful and to tell the truth, ive never met an ill tempered one, they all seem very kind and gentle but in saying that, and i hope i dont offend anyone, ive never met a very smart one. They seem quite dopey and hyperactive. (The ones ive met anyway)

Id like to see where they are on a smartness level, statisticly i mean. I might google it and see where they are on the intelligence scale compared to other breeds.

To all the cocker lovers, im not trying to be mean or anything, im just stating what my opinion is due to my own personal experience. Maybe I just havent met the right cocker!

Danni.

[snazyminis]

Sounds like you haven't met the right cocker, I know a few who compete in obedience!

i agree with Suz, they aren't a problem breed. I also will tell a customer if there has been a problem with a dog, so we can both work to improve the dog for future visits, same as I tellthem if the dog has fleas or a matted area.

[Carol]

The only time Casey, my cocker has pooped at the groomers was while I was chatting with her and Casey was sitting at the door waiting...I did not realize, she needed to go potty!!! LOL
Both the groomer and I were surprised!!! Nice little poopies right in front of the door......ugh!!! embarrassing.

[Danielle]

No need to be embarrased! Us groomers deal with poopies on a daily basis! LOL!

You wanna hear about embarrasing? I was at a local dog park and was talking to some random lady and what does my dog do? He walks up and cocks his leg on her and pees all down her leg! Talk about embarassing!

[Izzypants]

once at the salon i work at there was a cocker another groomer had just washed and blow dried and was about to tidy up when all of a sudden the dog had diarrhea:eek: ! there was poo from a***hole to breakfast! the girl had to take off her shirt cause the dog got her! we had to stay back to clean it up and wash her shirt (lucky we had a spare) and the dog had to be rewashed and it was horrible lol but i haven't had that in a while! but most of our cockers are alright about 50% poo 50% don't:p