Home

>

Dog

>

Health & Wellbeing

>

My husband and I want to get a dog either a British Bulldog or a Cocker Spaniel We’ve never had a dog before so we need advice please We have no children and do not get many visitors We have a 3 bedroom home with secure front and rear grassed gardens We both work I’m gone max 6 hours per day We read up on both breed personality trainability companion health issues there’s lots of contradictions and this is why we are confused which breed is best For first time ever dog owners what do you think

My husband and I want to get a dog either a British Bulldog or a Cocker Spaniel We’ve never had a dog before so we need advice please We have no children and do not get many visitors We have a 3 bedroom home with secure front and rear grassed gardens We both work I’m gone max 6 hours per day We read up on both breed personality trainability companion health issues there’s lots of contradictions and this is why we are confused which breed is best For first time ever dog owners what do you think

Updated On March 8th, 2020

Pet's info:

Image profile

Answered By Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

This question includes photos that may contain sensitive content. Click to view.

View more to consider that the photos may include sensitive content.

Well, I am partial to a Cocker Spaniel! Mine just turned 15; she was the first dog that was all mine. I got her from a good breeder that wasn't breeding a ton of dogs (which could mean they are just doing it as quickly as possible rather than with intention). She has had only a few ear infections in her lifetime, and I am not sure if it is due to good genetics or the fact that I keep the hair on her ears trimmed so they don't get heavy, which could reduce airflow around the ear canals. I do not pluck ear hair either. Cockers are a great breed for a house companion. They can be taught basic commands, and more if you want! We did some basic agility training. I would say bulldogs aren't great for first-time pet owners. We like to say bulldogs keep vets in business! In my experience, they tend to have more than average health issues, and frequently they can be tricky to manage. They can have respiratory difficulties due to their anatomy. They can have skin issues from the folds in their skin. They tend to have severe food and environmental allergies. I am not a fan, but my clients who own them are in love! Either way, we are always here to help!

Vote icon

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Other Answers

See More Answers

Related Questions

My dog I heated uses tampon is it an emergency

Unfortunately I'm having a little trouble understand your question as I'm not sure what you mean by "My dog I heated uses tampons..." I'm wondering if Bella ate a tampon or if you wanted to use one on her while she is in heat. I will answer both to be safe. If she ate a tampon, then yes this is a medical emergency and she has to see a vet now. Tampons can easily cause obstructions in the GI tract, especially since they are absorbent and can get large in the stomach from liquid in there. if Bella ate a tampon, you need to take her into a vet immediately to get it removed. If she is on heat, no you cannot use a tampon to control her bleeding. It's not safe to use at all, and are not meant for dogs. You can put a diaper on her to catch any bloody discharge. There are dog specific diapers online and at pets stores, or you can use one made of a human child. Just cut a hole in it for her tail. Hopefully this answers your question. If it doesn't, I'm sorry and ask you post again in the forum for free to it can get answered!

Read More

My puppy had parvo virus. If I bring a fully vaccinated dog here, can it infect the new dog? Is there still a risk?

If they new dog is a year old and you are completely sure that that it is 100 percent vaccinated there is a very minimal risk that it will be infected. However, that being said, vaccines are never 100 percent effective so there is always a 0.09 percent chance that the new dog could get the virus. But you should be safe bringing the new dog home. I would make sure that the home environment has been cleaned as thoroughly as possible (this means with bleach to all surfaces) and make sure that the outdoor surfaces have been cleaned as well. Parvo can live in the environment for an annoyingly long time (up to 6 months) so it wouldn't hurt to apply a safe mixture of bleach product to your yard as well. This is probably going completely overboard, but you know how scary parvo can be!

Read More

I have a cat that as a kitten was very ill. We got him from 7 months old. We knew he’d had cat flu prior to him coming here. He is now nearly 5 yrs old. He picks huge fights with our other cat. He keeps urinating and scratching at doors and windows around the house. We allow him to go out via the cat flap unlimited. What is happening to him

I'm glad to see that Pippin has been neutered because this eliminates that possibility of hormone-fueled behavioral changes and aggression. Behavioral changes in cats can occur at any point in time, and could be related to anxiety or stressful situations (even rearranging furniture or introducing new people to the home can be stressful to cats). Without a lot more information and observing Pippin's behaviors, I can't precisely tell you why these changes are occurring. It may be best to consult a veterinary behaviorist in your home so that they can observe everything firsthand. You can also try using calming pheromone collars or diffusers (Feliway is one example), and discussing the use of anxiety medication with Pippin's vet. I hope that all goes well!

Read More

Hi! My cat was recently diagnosed with diabetes. He’s taking insulin and taking antibiotics for a Uti. It’s been 4 weeks and he wobles when he’s walking. He can’t jump up on the bed like he used to.He’s blood sugar is 250 it’s better than it used to. I don’t understand why he’s so wobbly.

Cats can develop what's called diabetic neuropathy, where their hindlegs become progressively weak. The best thing to do is try to get his diabetes under control as quickly as possible. Here is a link describing the conditon: http://www.diabeticcatcare.com/DCCCOK/Neuropathy.htm

Read More

Can I reapply flea treatment early? It’s been 2 weeks with no results.

A [flea](https://www.petcoach.co/article/fleas-life-cycle-anatomy-disease-transmission) infestation on your pet or in your home can be [difficult and frustrating](https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-are-fleas-so-hard-to-kill) to deal with. Yes, if after two weeks the [flea preventive you applied isn't working](https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-reasons-your-flea-prevention-isnt-working), you can reapply flea treatment early, or switch to another brand. I recommend using Advantix or a chewable prescription product from your vet, like Bravecto, Nexgard, Simparica, or Credelio. This recommendation is unrelated to Petco or PetCoach. If you are seeing fleas on Mia now, you can give her Capstar ([Nitenpyram](https://www.petcoach.co/pet-medication/nitenpyram)). It's a one time pill that starts killing adult fleas in 30 minutes and is safe to use with a topical treatment. Use a monthly preventive on all pets for at least 3 consecutive months to break the flea life cycle. Year round use is preferred. You will also have to [treat the environment](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-tips-to-get-rid-of-fleas). Wash all bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. Discard of the bag or empty the canister outdoors immediately afterwards. Use a spray, such as Indoorex or Knockout ES, in the house and to prevent reinfestation.

Read More

My senior cat has metastized cancer.17 yrs old. My vet gave her predizone1 and one half tabs a day.i wanted to know if i can just stop the meds.

Is there a reason you want to stop the prednisone? I would recommend not stopping it and if you feel it is better to stop the prednisone then I would recommend weaning off of the prednisone. I would discuss how to wean the prednisone with your veterinarian. Thank you for using Boop by Petco.

Read More

image

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Filed Under

Sponsored