separation anxiety

Question
QUESTION: Hi Delores,
I am considering adopting a 10 mnth old cocker spaniel from a family who is relocating to another province. The dog is crate trained, but the owner ran a day care in her home, so was always home.  On weekends, she could leave it for 6 hrs if she had to.  My husband work outside the home, but are home for lunch. Should we consider this breed?

ANSWER: Hi Jill,
Yes, sure you can take this dog.  Cockers are very sociable, people-oriented dogs and wouldn't do well left all day-every day but if someone is home for lunch and can let her out & give some attention that should be fine for a 10 month old.  I leave my own dogs alone for half a day or more many times.
As long as you can walk her in the morning and again at night (they need exercise, not just to be let out) and she gets that noon time visit, then there's no reason not to take her (or him?)
Be aware that cockers need daily brushing and a monthly professional groom.  So they're high maintenance that way
but they're such a great breed and for you to get a well-trained 10 month old eliminates all the puppy issues (like housebreaking/behavior).  If this were a very young puppy I'd say no to this situation.  Not fair to you or the dog.
I'm also going to advise some foods since cockers don't do well on "supermarket food".
Canned Foods:
Innova
Innova EVO
Canidae
Eagle Pack
Newman's Organics
Azmira
Life's Abundance
Wellness
Merrick
Active Life
Pet Guard
Solid Gold
I also advise rotating a few of these.  No food, however good, is great on a "forever" basis.  You'll find these foods at the smaller stores that carry premium brands.
Notice I do not recommend kibble.  Yes, it's cheaper and there's a reason for that.

Oh..and I hope you're not thinking of crating her while you're gone.  It's far too confining..allow her the kitchen or, if he/she is very mellow, just let her be loose.
But..at 10 months she still may have the desire to find a shoe and destroy it :)  So, by all means, confine her to a safe space but spending 8 hours a day in a crate isn't good for her tempermentally/emotionally.

And good for you for thinking this through.  Far too many people get a dog and don't realize it's a committment that includes time and money.

Also, if you get this dog you'll need a vet.  In a few months they'll want to vaccinate it again.  Do NOT allow all vacs to be given at once and if the vet says he/she vaccinates annually....flee from his office.  There is no major vet college that hasn't gone to a 3 year protocol.

I hope this was helpful in making your decision.
Best of luck and do write again if you get the dog and have any questions.
Delores



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you Delores, Would keeping her in a large main floor laundry room w/french doors so she could see outside be ok? our house is an open floor plan & couldn't confine her to an area. Also, are these food brands all canned? is dry food better for keeping teeth healthy? any recommended dry food brands? I am also concerned about all the health problems with this breed, it is so discouraging! In your opinion how risky are spaniels in this respect?  

Answer
That sounds good.  She should have her bed, fresh water, and maybe a kong or VERY hard toy for chewing.  When she's a bit older you can trust her loose.  Any chance you could pop her into a doggy day-care a few times a week?

Yes, I totally recommend canned food.  It's myth that kibble keeps their teeth healthy.  Only brushing does that and canned food is far more nutritious since it's way less "processed".  As I said, kibble is cheaper for a reason.  No "doggy treats"..it's all garbage..give a baby carrot or raw green bean or two..a chunk of fresh apple
(no core or seeds).

Re health issues.  Well, you can get lucky or not.  My first cocker lived to be a month shy of his 17th birthday and we barely had any issues with him.  The next one had everything you can think of.  I blame that on a criminal breeder and medical mismanagement didn't help.  (Why do we always learn the hard way? :)

The latest pup (so far..at age 3) hasn't had anything serious at all.  A lot of the problems can be avoided with the correct diet and not allowing the dog to be over-vaccinated.  We're just learning how dangerous this is
and how a good thing overdone becomes a bad thing.  Personally I do puppy shots and that's it UNLESS there was a specific, valid reason for a particular vaccine.  She's had her puppy shots and if it'd make you feel better/safer, then get one booster sometime before age 2 and call it a day.  (That's what Dr. Schultz - Head of Immunology at Colorado State Vet College - does to his own dogs and it's his article in The Merck Manual (the bible in vet college) that says "Annual vaccinations have absolutely no scientific validity".)

So, I wish I could predict for you..but I can't.  Feed good food...lots of exercise..don't over-vaccinate and hope for the best.  There are a couple of supplements that I feel are necessary for all dogs and that's to give 1,000 mg. of salmon oil. Carlson's is best - read label - EPA should be at least 250)  AND 100 IU of d'alpha Vitamin E daily. (D'alpha on the label means "real"..otherwise it's synthetic..and it does matter.

 A general "daily vitamin product" for dogs that has at least 1500 IU of Vitamin A in it.  (Cockers are prone to not synthesizing Vit A and this can lead to the common skin issues so this can't hurt and might help).  The average family vet will see a cocker with itchy skin or seborrhea and start prescribing anti-biotics and steroids when it could all be controlled with a therapeutic level dose
of Vitamin A.

So..hey...if you love the dog..take the chance.  Believe me, you won't regret it.  They're the best company these cockers !!

If you take him, do let me know.  And any issues that arise, I'm happy to help.  My email address is DeeBeck@aol.com if you want to write directly.
Delores