Pampered pets

Good grief!

I have a cocker spaniel x miniature poodle and joined a forum for people with the same type of dog. I found myself feeling out of place as people posted endless pictures of their dogs wearing clothes. To describe them as pampered pooches understates it. I began to wonder if I was the only person with this type of dog that was treated like a dog, allowed to get wet, dirty and race about enjoying himself. Fortunately, I now meet a number of other dogs like mine, all equally muddy within seconds of being let off lead. Hair extensions! Noooo

I'm looking to possibly have a cavapoo if I get another dog. Was very concerned due to the genetic problems that King Charles' have but, given a reputable breeder that does all the right checks they seem to have ironed out any problems. They are the most adorable dogs and incredibly trainable [due to the poodle intelligence and the spaniel desire to please]. Not desgner dogs at all but from what I can see the ideal family pet.

Iam64 From what you say, it doesn't seem that the dogs were being pampered –what dog wants to wear clothes – but the owners' egos.

Our beautiful, silky, snow-white clumber spaniel liked nothing more than to dive into muddy water and emerge with a brown tide mark!

Tegan no reputable breeder of cavaliers will ever claim to have ironed out all the problems of the breed. I have always had cavaliers and will eventually have another one, but my favourite breeder has told me in no uncertain terms that the health problems are in every strain and crop up for even the most careful breeder from time to time. It's a case of walking in with your eyes open I'm afraid.

And having seen my last cavalier die horribly of heart failure it's not something I would wish on any dog. Syringomyelia is even worse, and they think they have unwittingly bred that into the dogs through trying to breed out the heart problems

Supposedly a first cross often irons out a lot of genetic problems, especially if the breeding pair have been checked. I know what you mean, though, because when I realised the dog I was interested in was a King Charles and not a cocker spaniel cross it set off alarm bells in my head [especially as it was that breed that kick started the debate about in breeding a few years ago, and quite rightly so]. I'll pm you the site I've ben looking at because it's quite interesting to read what they are trying to achieve.

Tegan, as the owner of two poodle crosses, and someone whose fostered poodle crosses can I just say you don't always get the best of both breeds. I love these breeds, they're full of personality and you're right about the kindness and willingness of spaniels, and clever poodle brains . My experience is they can also be daft, like spaniels, and a bit stubborn and independent like poodles. They work out yes, I can do that, but the next thought can all to often be, what I though, or what's in it for me. Still, as the vet on the BBC2 dog programme last week said, what's not to like, affectionate, kindly personalities and they look like they were drawn by Disney.

Since I switched to whippets from cocker spaniels I've grown used to the 'what's in it for me' trait along with 'what can I steal next'. I have been wondering what a whippet/poodle cross would be like [hmm; probably a whippet with a brain..not a good idea ].