Cockers and a 2 year old

Question
My wife and I are contemplating getting a Cocker Spaniel puppy soon.  We have a 2 year old daughter.  My brother had a cocker years ago(who I was very close too and spend an enormous amount of time with) but once they had kids, his temperament changed and he began to get snippy.  They had the dog about 5 years before they had kids and was well established as their "baby".  My question is...would a cocker puppy do well in a home where a 2 year old is...since the child came first? Or do cockers not do well with small children...regardless of birth order?

Answer
The specific line a dog comes from, along with its early socialization maybe more important than its breed.  If you have many happy memories of a Cocker, I see no reason not to get one.  i often advise to follow your heart.  Certainly a puppy that comes into the home at 7-8 weeks will grow up accepting all the members of the household.  I don't like small dogs around toddlers, small breed adults or puppies.  They are just too fragile.  I would look at adopting an older dog.  

One of the best sources for dogs with a predictable personality is the rescue
dogs.  These are dogs that lost their home, but were taken into a foster home
to be retrained as necessary and placed in the right home for them.  You may
find a rescue near you starting at
http://www.akc.org/breeds/rescue.cfm  The rescues charge a fee to help cover their expenses, but is much less than the price of a puppy plus all its medical expenses the first year.  

Good leadership on the part of the adults is essential to the dog/child relationship.  Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog.  Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones.  You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/  For more on being top dog, see http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm  Follow the link there to dogs and children.