Dg Just check to see whether he's got a metal button in his ear. If he has, then you've got a Steiff teddy bear and not a dog (and a bear in their best shade of brown, too) !

A what cross? Wheaten x poodle? Wow, that'll be interesting ! Will he moult? Probably not: non-moulting seems to dominate crosses like this e.g cockerpoos.On the other hand , he'll need more grooming than a wheaten. Not a lot, but his coat will grow longer than the wheaten's and so will need clipping from time to time, otherwise he'll look like a fur ball with eyes in there somewhere . Pretty intelligent (that's the poodle bit). Likely to be surprisingly agile, too. I have cockerpoos (American cocker/ miniature poodle) crosses here. They are only small, the size coming from the Am. cocker half, but can easily leap on to a kitchen table from standing: that's the poodle part of them showing through again.

He will prove a great companion !

quote:

Originally posted by Skye:
Does a Cocker hunt and get mice???:
Skye.

My American cocker bitch prefers rats. She goes completely frantic if she gets a sniff of one. If she can't get to one she tells everyone where it is, or has, been, barking and leading me to the place. She hopes that I'll oblige her by moving any obstruction, to flush the rat out.

She's an enthusiastic excavator, too. It's a wonder any of the wooden sheds around here are still standing, what with her digging under them!She's a good ratter, though far from the class of a Jack Russell terrier.Her daughters the cockerpoos, hunt together. Their greatest hit is catching muntjac deer, which they've managed twice now.They do it by ambush, not running (no chance!)and I had to rescue the victim from a gorsh bush each time . Both victims survived and were freed quickly.

Mice? Too small and fiddly to eat but she has caught some in her time.

Hi Fred. I was really surprised when the Chihuahua I found proved to be a mouser! He, in turn, taught my Rat Terrier to be one!! My Cocker does like to go after my Guinea Pig, who is rat sized... But my new kitty tend to just watch, rather than get her. So, a Cocker will get a mouse, maybe... like as a last resort!?? TY, Fred!
Skye.

quote:

Originally posted by Skye: I was really surprised when the Chihuahua I found proved to be a mouser! He, in turn, taught my Rat Terrier to be one!! My Cocker does like to go after my Guinea Pig, who is rat sized... But my new kitty tend to just watch, rather than get her. So, a Cocker will get a mouse, maybe... like as a last resort!?? TY, Fred!
Skye.

Just think how big a mouse is, if you're a Chihuahua!Must be like tackling a wild boar !

Yes, the guinea pig is about right (?) for a cocker. If you're an Irish wolfhound a cocker is the right size. I have both.If the cocker or a cockerpoo is daft enough to run and squeal that really makes Nuala, the wolfhound's, day! All wolfhounds have this habit of 'hunting' small dogs.Nuala never hurts them, she just bounces around 'fencing' at them with her open jaws and making happy 'grrrs!'.The victims soon learn the right tactic which is to look at her pityingly and stand still without making a sound. No chase and , above all, no squeal, takes all the fun out of it so she doesn't even try (until the odd time when one forgets the tactic).

The queen (cat, not Her Majesty) has to teach her young to hunt (though, come to think of it, Her Majesty did just that with her Charles and Anne ) so your new kitty needs lessons (or not, if the prey is the guinea pig).So if your Kitty shows no interest in mice, blame her parents!

Oh.... please tell me she will be a mouser!? She hunts a lot with nails and mouth..... Mostly us!!!
Skye.

quote:

Originally posted by Skye:
Oh.... please tell me she will be a mouser!? She hunts a lot with nails and mouth..... Mostly us!!!
Skye.

Hmm. Is her hunting you a nuisance? (If it is, it's easy to stop so that she is allowed it on your terms only).She's having a grand time and obviously thinks you are a great discovery She'd been looking for a family like yours for ages ! The bitches remain puppy like and playful like that until they've had a litter or two. That knocks it out of 'em (wouldn't it anyone?).After that they become bossy matrons, if mine's anything to go by,and then take life, and hunting, very seriously. They aren't true hunters, not being bred for it, but certainly have enthusiasm.They are lot too slow, for one thing,so catch only the dopiest of rodents. That doesn't discourage them. Like long handicap golfers, they get lucky once, think that's the result of their skill, and are hooked forever, ignoring the lessons of experience in the eternal quest for a repeat of the rare success.

Your cocker will make a mouser (of sorts: see above ). Incidentally, my Chihuahua, that I had years ago, was a dog that caught mice sometimes.Most surprising was an Italian greyhound. This is a tiny greyhound,bred down to toy size as a lapdog centuries ago.It looks the most delicate dog alive, incapable of catching anything more than a chill, but fast is not the word for it. 'Lightning' is closer. Any mouse or rat that thought it was safe to peek outside was as good as dead at 100 paces.It hadn't the time to turn, let alone run, in the time it took for the bitch to be on it.Sadly the words 'lightning', 'fast' and 'cocker' don't ever occur in the same sentence (a googlewhack if ever there was one !)

The main disadvantage of having a 'rodent cocker' is that the dog gets quite carried away in the hunt for the trail. This means that anything in the way gets knocked over. So, if a mouse ever made it to your kitchen the mouse would live but the pots, pans, jars, ornaments, brooms etc etc would all go flying in the bitch's mad pursuit of the scent.Nothing in our yard is stays leaning against the wall. It's all on the ground.That's a sure sign that cocker or cockerpoo has literally smelt a rat

Well, Fred, guess maybe my Chichi will be busy this year! ( Hope not!!) I KNOW my Cocker will be bored! No rats here!!! Maybe she will follow after the Chi and Rat Terrier- I know she will... They are her mentors! If not, so be it. She is so timid yet, I think a rat or mouse would scare her to death!
Skye.

I was wondering why my Cocker jumps up- all of a sudden- and shakes her head and ears?! Very aggravating and it sure scares you to death! I see no signs of mites, ect.
Skye.

Maybe an ear infection? Something may be bothering her that you can't see. Ghosts? No, seriously, if she seems bothered by something in the ear area, have your vet take a look at it.

I was thinking mites, too. But no sign of them. Could her ears need trimmed? She is do for a groom...
Skye.

It could be something farther in the ear that you can't see.