Handle the ears from day one
Long, low-set ears need regular checking. Pair every ear inspection with food until the dog offers its head willingly.
Sporting Group
Cocker Spaniel
A compact flushing spaniel that suits smaller homes but keeps a working dog's brain. Cockers do well with structure and poorly with inconsistency.
CheerfulSensitiveBusy
What to work on first
Three things that matter more than the rest
Reward the disengage
Spaniels quarter and self-employ. Pay heavily, every time, for the moment the dog voluntarily looks back at you.
Short sessions, high rate of reinforcement
Three minutes of fast, generous training beats fifteen minutes of drilling with this breed.
Where it usually goes wrong
Common challenges with the Cocker Spaniel
- Excitable urination
- Resource guarding of found objects
- Ear infections
Behaviour that involves biting, real fear, or a sudden change in an adult dog is not a training problem until a vet has ruled out a medical one.
Recommended equipment
What our guidance for this breed calls for
Chosen against the training plan above, not against a supplier's bestseller list.
Also in the Sporting group