Because of their gentle nature, Cocker Spaniels make excellent pets, particularly for those in their Third Age – the Over 50s.

In particular, Cocker Spaniels make wonderful companion dogs for the elderly. Their gentle nature and their willingness to please makes them the ideal companion dog for any Third Ager, requiring only as much exercise as their owner is able to provide.

So if you are in your Third Age and looking for the ideal companion dog, perhaps you should consider the Cocker Spaniel!

The most popular of the Spaniels, in terms of annual breed registrations the Cocker Spaniel is by some margin the second most popular dog breed in the United Kingdom. In the UK alone, breed registrations for Cocker Spaniels are some 50 percent higher than that of the next most popular dog, the English Springer Spaniel.

Sadly, they may never reach the heights of popularity they did in the 20 years from the 1930s until the 1950s when they were far and away the most popular dog in Britain, but fashions change so who knows!

There are many quality Cocker Spaniel breeders who have puppy Cocker Spaniels for sale.

Do your research. Check out the various Cocker Spaniel breeders that you find online. Check to see if they also offer a health guarantee. Check that they are registered Kennel Club breeders. There are thousands of Cocker Spaniel puppies for sale all waiting to be taken home and loved, just make sure you choose the right one for you.

Decide why you want a Cocker Spaniel puppy. Is it to show or is it simpy a family pet or companion dog? It will make a difference as to the breeder you choose.

Make sure you see your Cocker Spaniel puppy’s mother – it’s the best way of knowing how your puppy will look when it’s fully grown.

If you find the perfect puppy from a breeder that still has Cocker Spaniel puppies for sale we would love you to share the information with us.

To find a Cocker Spaniel breeder, please visit Cocker Spaniel Breeders.

If you are a Cocker Spaniel breeder, please visit Cocker Spaniel Breeders to advertise your Cocker Spaniel puppies for free.

The Cocker Spaniel is a cheerful, loyal, playful and energetic little dog with a happy disposition and a natural desire to please its owners.

The Cocker Spaniel is good with other animals and excellent with children making it an ideal family pet or companion dog as it simply loves the company of people.

If you would like to read more about owning a Cocker Spaniel, please read some of these excellent, highly recommended books:

* Cocker Spaniel (Collins Dog Owners Guides) by: Lesley Scott-Ordish
* Pet Owners Guide to Cocker Spaniels by: Frank Kane
* Cocker Spaniel (Best of Breed) by: Derek Shapland
* A New Owners Guide to Cocker Spaniels by: Judy Iby
* Cocker Spaniel (Pet Love) by: Haja Van Wessem
* Cocker Spaniel by: Liz Palika

Before you purchase your Cocker Spaniel puppy, consider why you want a Cocker Spaniel in the first place. It will greatly determine what sort of puppy and what sort of Cocker Spaniel breeder you are looking for. Simply searching for Cocker Spaniel puppy breeders will not necessarily guarantee you your desired result.

Naturally you will want a pedigree Cocker Spaniel puppy. Buying a pedigree Cocker Spaniel from a registered breeder is the best way of being certain that you are going to get what you pay for. Unlike simply buying a Cocker Spaniel – or any other breed of dog if it comes to that – without a pedigree certificate, if you buy a pedigree Cocker Spaniel puppy you have a reasonable idea what your adult Cocker Spaniel will look like because pictures of adult Cocker Spaniels abound, especially on the internet.

All puppies look cute. But you need to know what your Cocker Spaniel is going to look like when it is fully grown. You also need to know, as far as possible, that you are buying a healthy puppy. That is the main advantage of buying a Cocker Spaniel puppy with a pedigree certificate from a Kennel Club registered Cocker Spaniel breeder.

You also need to see the mother. That is important. If you see the mother then you have a fair idea how your pup will turn out. Does she have the right temperament to suit your lifestyle? Unless you are planning to show your Cocker Spaniel, breed standards don’t matter too much. It is your puppy’s temperament that is most important. The fact that your Cocker Spaniel might not be suitable for showing or fit the exact breed standards doesn’t matter a hoot if you want a happy, healthy, family pet. But at least by buying your Cocker Spaniel puppy from a specialist Cocker Spaniel breeder, you have a reasonable idea what you are going to get for your money.

Of course if you are buying a Cocker Spaniel puppy for the purpose of showing it, then that is a different matter. You will want the best puppy your money can buy. But if you simply want a delightful and faithful family pet or companion dog, then a Cocker Spaniel can be hard to beat. And the best way of ensuring that is to buy your Cocker Spaniel puppy from a registered Cocker Spaniel breeder, see the mother, check the pedigree certificate, and look forward to many years of happy Cocker Spaniel ownership.

You’d be surprised at the number of Cocker Spaniel health issues you could actually diagnose and treat yourself, at a fraction of the cost of taking your Cocker to the vet.

Written by vet John Bleby, The Dog’s Health from A-Z: A Canine Veterinary Dictionary, describes how many canine illnesses can be self-diagnosed and treated, or avoided altogether, with a little knowledge and understanding.

While this book cannot take the place of your vet, it certainly demonstrates that there is much that you can do to prevent many problems happening in the first place. We are more than happy to recommend this excellent book which is certain to pay for itself in the fullness of time!