LadyC, what planet are you living on? Cockers are notorious shedders. They are a very intelligent breed, though, and quite energetic. They also get their rear ends on their shoulder blades quite often. And by the way, good luck with the housebreaking.

They are gorgeous. Loved mine despite his naughty ways.

Not sure what kind of cockers you've had, jb, but we've had six so far and they can hardly be categorized as "notorious" shedders. Do they shed, sure, but it's barely noticeable compared to German shepherds, labs, retrievers, etc.

Oh yes...very notorious shedders. If you let their hair grow out, be prepared to brush them every single day or you will have huge clumps of hair all over the place.

Surely, Kate and Will will not be brushing the dog's fur, nor getting up in the middle of the night to let "the dog out" for restroom purposes. Can one picture Kate vacuuming, after her new Title in the Royal Family?

Cocker Spaniels are beautiful dogs, have an attitude. Has anyone ever owned a Cavalier--Spaniel. They are the best--

Congratulations to Kate/Will on their new family member. Dogs are fun, fun, fun. A dog owner of 2 thru out many years.

They created a new job. Royal @!$%# shoveler.

Brian:

Who's going to be the Pooper Scooper?

Owning a dog is a HUGE responsibility, but with Titles comes just the licks, and the fun of from the dog--dogs are great companions. No dirty work, like wiping the dogs paws off after being in the mud or rain.

I have a female cocker and she definitely sheds a lot! But she is an incredibly sweet and lovable dog. It's definitely a good choice for them. They'll love their little companion!

I have had 2 cocker spaniels..one lived to be 18yrs old and the other is thriving at 14yrs old. and neither is a shedder. I have several friends who have cocker spaniels and theirs do not shed either. They are a wonderful breed. My girl cocker was blonde and spunky..not a problem to housetrain at all. My black cocker spaniel boy who I have had for 14yrs. is very laid back, but again no problem house training. I recommend this breed to anybody that wants a fun/loving breed. Both cocker spaniels were wonderful with the kids, even when they were infants. I pray Kate and William have a joyous time with their new addition.

I've had 4 cockers, and none of mine ever nipped or bit. They have all been very fun loving and affectionate. Not "little buggers" at all. Some cockers may nip, but there are dogs of all breeds that will do that. It's all about the individuals personality.

My husband and I adopted a cocker-- the vet figures he was about 1 1/2 years old when we adopted him. Our vet found him tied up outside his clinic.

He did not nip or bite anyone or anything, and the vet was surprised that he was of the temperment that he was considering everything. When my husband became very ill, Copper was my right-hand man. After he passed away, Copper was my constant companion.

My world might near came to an end when I had to put Copper down, but he became ill. The best we can figure, he was 14 years old.

Julia, I agree. I think the timing was right for them as William will be away on duty and Kate will need something cute and cuddy to love on while he's gone. Hope the lil' pup helps her with the lonliness and missing him that is part and parcel of being a naval officer's wife.

There are English Cockers and American Cockers. English Cockers are taller and lankier than American Cockers, and I think smarter in general. Much favored as a great family dog and hunting dog in the UK.

The longer legs, the sloped head, the little guy sure appears to be an English Cocker. American Cockers have the distinct stop - forehead then muzzle, the English have more of a roman nose appearance. Both are adorable and both very smart.

Steve, I agree 100%!! Why do people still breed when there are so many dogs out there that need a good home?! My sister has a designer dog that she wants to breed so she can sell the puppies for hundreds of dollars a piece and it outrages me to no end. I'm head over heels in love with my rescue dog and I'm so happy I had the ability to do so. It would have sent a great message if this couple could have done the same. Oh well. No one's perfect :)

I think people still breed because they want the various breeds to continue to exist. Having a pure bred dog is not a bad thing nor does having a rescue dog make one perfect

I think people still breed because getting a rescue dog or cat is more difficult than adopting a child. We lost our beloved cat after 16 years and after about a year we were looking to get a kitten or two. We went to the shelter nearby and they told us we had to have a vet already (we did), had to keep them indoors (we always do anyway), they weren't sure they wanted us to have one with a young child in the house (my daughter was 10 and had been around cats all her life), someone had to be at home at all times so they wouldn't get lonely (Hello? That's why we were getting two. So they wouldn't be lonely when we went out for the evening) they would have to inspect the living quarters (ok) and be allowed to drop in at any time to check on them (not ok), we were not allowed to give them to anyone else if we found they did not get along in our home and if they found anything had changed since adoption, they could confiscate them (it was cleverly worded, but in essence, we did not own the animals. We had physical possession and were responsible for their food, shelter, licensing and medical care but we would not be their actual owners). This does not sound like a group who is trying to get good homes for unwanted pets. No wonder they are up to their armpits in animals when they have such regulations about adopting. Now, we did not go to a breeder, but we did call the next advert on a telephone pole that said "free kittens" and took two. I will NEVER go to a shelter and would never recommend anyone go through that. It's horrible that you have to go through more BS to get a cat or dog than a human being. Imagine if you adopted a child and the agency came and took them away because you got another child and they fought (like all siblings do). Inexcusable

Seriously? Do you realize if people stopped breeding until every dog in shelters was either euthed (for medical/temperamental issues) or adopted out, we would not have any breeding dogs to "revive" the breeds we have today.

There are good breeders, who by the way a lot also work with rescues, either directly or by donations, who do all they can to keep their breedings out of shelters. Good breeders work with their puppy people, educating them, they don't just give puppies away, buyers are screened heavily.

Then there are bad breeders who need to be stopped, cause all they care about is money not where their puppies end up.

Personally I don't believe it is overpopulation issue, I believe it is over abandonment issue. I will probably never get a dog from a shelter, cause they are just not what I am looking for. Does that mean I hate shelter dogs, or will not support their cause? No, of course I will, I already have donated lots of money to rescues, the right rescues, not the posers you see running ads on tv.

usagi...I had a similar experience trying to adopt an adult cat and I was adopting from a shelter I had been volunteering at for YEARS! You're right it is extremely difficult to adopt from a shelter.

I dislike this crap about telling people who/what they will bring into their home. Many of us have a distinct preference for dogs with particular traits. Not that there is anything wrong with adoptions from the pound or being satisfied with a generic dog for a companion. For young couples or children - that may be satisfactory: ie. I want a dog - it must fit in my purse, not grow over 15in tall or weigh over 35 lbs, 'cause thats whats allowed in my lease / rental agreement.

That is not the dog I want and would not be looking for size, weight, fur color.

For you Hollywood types where any old dog is OK... great, but can you please take the stick out, climb down off the pedastal and let the rest of us have a life ... as we do by generally tolerating the sanctimonious whine to get a "Pound dog" or actually have the lack of lucidity to suggest your opinion is better that the person who wants a particular breed because that's what he or she wants/needs. Breeders are not the problem - the real issue is people who buy dogs based on whether they fit their image, color of the car or some arbitrary size/weight limit imposed by a land lord.

I waited 10 years, bought property large enough to accommodate the breed of dog I had wanted. Worked with the breeder and kennel clubs helping to train, groom and learn the character of my breed. The breeder called me one day, several years ago - and said ... I think we have the right dog for you, want to come by and meet the litter, see if you can pick it out?

I visited 3 or 4 times before making the choice - it was the dog they figured was suitable.

Can't get that from a "pound dog". It died 4 years ago, after 12 years of being as near to a perfect fit as possible.

I've been pet less since then, if I'm lucky - maybe I'll get that phone call again, from the same breeder, saying - we found your next dog!

Look at the docked tail and the realllllly long ears. Definitely not lab traits.

Dogs under 40 lbs. are "chew toys"? That's one of the dumbest things I have ever heard.

Speaking of cockers and shelters/rescues, if you're on the East Coast, there's a fantastic rescue organization, Cocker Spaniel Adoption Center (CSAC), based in Maryland. Lots of lovable cockers to adopt. Reasonable adoption fees. All volunteer organization.

Check them out: "www.cockeradoption.org"

ah, but they didn't consult you. I applaud their choice for a forever friend.

Thank you! I was reading through to see if someone else picked up on this. Only A-holes ever purchase a dog. Folks, there are many many places to adopt perfectly good, needy dogs. Do not support puppy farms or any other breeders who are only contributing to the daily massacre of our canine friends. It's time to stop this.

If they truly did "adopt" good for them, but I highly doubt they "adopted" through "family friends" only if...

Correction: only a-holes (self-righteous, smug, pretentious, know-it-all ones) would presume to dictate to the rest of the world that there is only one acceptable way to ADOPT a pet. Responsible breeders who care passionately about the breeds they love do not contribute to the "daily massacre" of our canine friends. Irresponsible dolts who let their mutts breed at will--and those who sanction them by ordering the rest of us to settle for the mixed, unplanned, often unsound results--are a huge part of the problem, as are puppy mill "breeders," of course.

If there were no responsible, knowledgeable breeders, we would not have the wonderful and useful variety of dogs we all know and love. There would be no cocker spaniels, golden retrievers, fox terriers, beagles, etc---there would only be a hodge-podge of badly mixed mongrels. I have great Danes and rat terriers. When my wonderful, loving, and highly specialized companions pass on I have every intention of going back to good breeders with AKC ties and adopting the same breeds, which are a perfect fit for our family.

If you want to go to a shelter and gamble on what sort of temperament and health issues your chosen animal exhibits, go right ahead. Owing to the wonderful nature of dogs in general, you may get lucky (especially if you know what you're doing with training & raising it). But you have no right to inflict your views on others.

Hundreds of years of breeding have made Brittanies uniquely suitable as bird dogs, border collies as herders, and so on. Some breeds are more likely to be "one-man" dogs and thus reject other family members. Some are more likely to bite, bark, be extremely loving with children, do well with other dogs, do well with cats or other pets, be content with minimal exercise or require lots of running space, etc. There are many valid reasons why someone would choose a certain breed, then go to a reputable breeder to find just the right pup. You are nuts if you think your offensive fanaticism is going to influence anyone. You just come off as a crazy extremist.

I find it offensive the people on the board today that think only they have the right way of bringing a pet into their family.

My family and I are "adopting" a puppy this week from an apparently non-authorized pet breeder. (Yes, a friend's dog who they thought couldn't have puppies after trying when she was younger - dared to get pregnant recently.) Yes, we're paying for this puppy - to cover all her necessary shots and vet check-up... Wow...we're bad.

Such arrogance...

I concur. There are many reputable breeders who take great care who they sell a pup to, so they are not the ones contributimg to the overfilled animal shelters. Buying a particular breed allows you to select the characteristics you want - knowing the size your pup will be, whether it is likely to be high energy, a perfect lapdog, or how much food it will require, all adds up to peace of mind for some people. I have always had purebreds and have never been disappointed. I also have adopted cats from our local shelter, because there is less of a size difference in cats and their basic requirements are similar, so not so much of a chance of choosing something unsuitable. Our local shelter is filled with the product of lousy backyard breeders - pit bulls and pit bull mixes galore. I personally know people who have adopted dogs that have turned out to have problems - dogs with severe anxiety around men, health issues that have required costly vet treatments etc. so getting a rescue dog is not always a perfect solution. If it works for you, great! Go for it, but lay off those of us who like to select pure bred companions.

lee-

I am incredibly offended by your comment. I purchased a dog from a breeder, a reputable breeder. In fact, she was very clear that if anything ever happened and I did not want the dog anymore, for whatever reason, she would take her back. she said that her puppies were NOT going to end up in a shelter. She has limited litters and thoroughly explains to each prospective buyer what they are getting into (she breeds border collies-very high energy and intelligent breed). My girl is crazy, but completely healthy. I also adopted a border collie from a rescue group, very sweet dog but health problems typical of "back yard breeders".

You should not condemn someone because they bought a dog. Those that buy from pet stores, yes, they are puppy mill dogs and those, and back yard breeders, are contributing to the problem of too many dogs in shelter (along with the people who decide they don't have time for their dog or want to go on vacation and don't want to pay to board the dog). There are many reasons to want a healthy, purebred dog.

Oh ok, so along those lines, as long as there are kids in need of adoption, nobody should ever have a child of their own? Cool.

Exactly. Thats like saying the only way to adopt a child is from an orphanage. Adoptions are arranged and paid for. I know many people who go weekend after weekend to the shelters looking for specific breeds to adopt, oh btw the shelters now charge a $200+ adoption fee, well at least in NYC they do.

NY'er. I live in a small town in Georgia. The county has a pretty well run Humane Society. However, I just recently read that they ask $250 for a dog and $100 for a cat. That seems a little pricey to me and I'm sure it deters a lot of people from acquiring a nice pet. I believe if they could lower the fee some they could find forever homes much faster. I'd be willing to bet that when people find out the cost of adopting and all the background checking that is required, they just go to the local pet store and spend their money there. I'm not in the market for a dog right now, mine is 14 years old, but I will get a rescue when the time comes.

Good grief, she got this dog from her mother, and what her mother chooses or not do in the privacy of their own home (breeding dogs) is their business.

Well, once upon a time people got married THEN the children came along.

Somehow, it seemed to work out better that way then.

Wulfrano - birth control???

What has their pattern of "you know what" to do with the story? The article is about them adopting a puppy, not having children. My ex and I did "you know what" for 8 years before we had a child too. BFD.

They have been doing "you know what" for 8 years? What are we, 8 years old?