Marley!

by Emmmiiilou
(Taunton, Somerset)

I have a 15-month old cocker spaniel and would like to get another one but don't know if it would make Marley aggressive or change his personality.

Does anyone have experience of this that could help me decide?

Also I don't know what age cocker to get? x

Reply from Pauline (Web Owner)

Hi Emmmiiilou,

Where do I start? You're asking how long is a piece of string because the answer to your questions depend on many things.

First of all, how your dog will react to another dog in the household really depends on his personality and the personality of the dog you intend to bring into your home.

How your dog or dogs behave together will also depend, to a certain extent, on how much you know about canine pack mentality and how to handle your dogs.

If Marley is well-trained and normally well-behaved around other dogs, and he's not too territorial, you may not have any problems - but you never can tell, you can only make a considered decision.

Before you take on another dog, why not arrange an 'introduction' to see how they get on. Perhaps arrange a meeting in the park to allow them to run and play together.

If the owner is willing, why not let them spend some time together in your home.

If you decide to take in a rescue Cocker, I'm sure they would endorse this as it's in the interest of both dogs and, if things didn't work out, I'm certain that they'd take your rescue dog back.

As for the age of your new cocker spaniel, that's really down to you and your family. Do you have the time to devote to looking after a puppy? If the answer is yes, then go for it! However, if you don't have too much time on your hands, why not plump for an adult cocker. The benefit of this is that he (or she) is more than likely already house-trained as well as obedience trained and won't need nearly as much attention as a puppy.

Hope this helps!