2nd Chance Cocker Spaniel

Cocker Spaniels are supposed to be groomed often, but little 2nd Chance has other ideas. Because of his traumatic confinement as a puppy, he hates to be groomed. Sometimes he will tolerate brushing and a few snips of matted hair with the scissors, but he needs to be tranquilized or sedated for a complete clipping. Because 2nd Chance does not wake up happy from the anesthesia, Dr. Rusty, our vet, ordered some giant clippers for us so that we could do it at home. It takes two of us and a lot of sweating, to complete the job.

That is why there are many pictures of him looking like a rag-a-muffin.

If you'd like to read a blow by blow account of a clipping session, then check out our blog entry, Spring Rituals on Crabbysbeach.com .

Here's an excerpt:
When the warm weather rolls around, most people do spring cleaning or plant a garden. They dust off the white sandals and get out their spring clothes. We do those things, too, and they are not so bad, but one of our spring rituals is not one we look forward to. It's one that we put off until there is no way to avoid it. Have you guessed it yet? ... It's shaving 2nd Chance, our maladjusted Cocker Spaniel.

We first tried getting the Vet to do it (because groomers wouldn't touch him). The Vet had to give him anesthesia and one time when an emergency came in, it wore off and they had a really pissed off little dog confined in the bathroom of their office. After anesthesia, he'd come home and act like he did when we first rescued him from 8 months of solitary confinement in a small cage.

Finally, we decided to do it ourselves, so the Vet, bless his soul, got us a super shaver that was designed for horses and plenty of doggy tranquilizer pills. We already had a muzzle.... Read the rest of the article

With 2nd Chance around, we don't need an alarm clock. At about 5:30-6:00 a.m. every day, 2nd Chance begins a series of barks, whines and howls until one of us gets up and lets him out. Actually this is an improvement over how he used to be, because now he will usually hold it until we let him out. Unless it's rainy outside. He does not like to get his feet wet.

Tips from the Dog Whisperer

We got some great tips from Ceasar, the Dog Whisperer that improved 2nd Chance's behavior.

1. Establish that the humans are pack leaders.
2. Be consistent
3. Teach him to walk behind or beside you, on a lead and off.
4. If he gets head strong and grumpy, make him lie down until he is calm.
5. Establish trust with kindness, but firmness.
6. Pinpoint what behavior problems need to be changed.
7. Work with one thing at a time and master it, then move to the next.

2nd Chance shares our home with Rio, the part Catahoula dog, 4 cats (Blaze, Star Noir, Dax and Pepper) and 2 Cockatiels. We also have 3 Ameraucana hens and many wild animals in our 9 acre habitat on the Little Tchefuncte River in southeastern Louisiana.

Dax and Chance Share by naturegirl7

Second Chance still has a lot to learn, but he has improved quite a bit. He can be cute and sweet at times and he has gotten between me and a poisonous snake on at least one occasion. He wants to be a good dog and do the right thing, but he missed the important lessons of his puppy hood, when his first owner kept him locked in a carrier for most of the first 8 months of his life.

We are glad that we are able to give him a happy home, where he is loved. He gets along with all of the cats and most dogs, but he's a little too head strong sometimes when it comes to humans. He's sort of like the little girl who had a little curl, right in the middle of her forehead.... when he is good, he's very very good, but when he is bad.... well you know the rest.

It's not his fault. It's the fault of the unbalanced person who mistreated him when he was an impressionable and helpless puppy. My blood boils every time I think about what he went through. That's why it is so important that we support organizations like the Humane Society and the ASPCA.

Cocker Spaniels have been one of the most favorite dog breeds for years. They are kind and loving and get along well with a family, but they do require frequent grooming. Because they have such long ears that always seem to get in their food and water (contributing to ear problems), it is best to purchase a special dish for long-eared dogs like the one below.

Some Cockers, like our 2nd Chance, are more prone to ear problems than others. We must keep his ears very clean and use a prescription ointment called, Mometamax, in his ears each week. When he has a flare up, we have to use the leash like a muzzle and squirt the ointment in each ear every day for a week, then go back to once or twice a week. Cocker Spaniels are a high maintenance dog breed.

This dog has a lot of energy and loves to play. The Cocker Spaniel was originally bred as a small game dog and so are at home in the fields as well as in the home.

Like most children, when I saw the movie, Lady and the Tramp, I wanted my own little golden Cocker Spaniel dog. Alas, it was not to be, but there were many good looking and quick witted mixed-breed Tramps in my life.

The Lady and the Tramp movie is now over 50 years old and it is still capturing childrens' hearts. It is by far one of the top 5 dog movies and will remain a favorite for years to come.