Labrador Cocker Spaniel mix

The majority of the time it seems like most people looking for a pet, who are looking for a dog in particular, want to find full-blooded dogs. Full-blooded dogs, such as a cocker spaniel or a labrador retreiver can be wonderful addiitons to your family, but you could also be happy owning a cocker spaniel/labrador mixed canine.

The cocker spaniel is a breed of canine that craves attention, loves to play, and can be somewhat hyper. A labrador retreiver also craves attention and wants to sit by your side or be next to you all the time. They are great hunting dogs, they love the water, and just attention in general. I happen to own a cocker spaniel/labrador retreiver mixed breed. I have had my dog Sandy for over two years now, got her when she was a little larger than my two hands, and she has been one of the best dogs I have ever owned.

Mixed Breeds Begin To Take On Various Characteristics Of Their Breeds As They Grow

As a small puppy, when I took Sandy to the vet's office for the first time, people thought she was a full-blooded Labrador. I explained she was a mixed breed of lab and cocker spaniel and they were amazed. When mixed breed puppies are small, they seem to favor one or maybe two breeds. They look a certain way when they are small, but once they begin to grow, you can begin to start seeing the other breeds within their features.

Sandy was a very playful puppy, just as though I had a full-blooded cocker spaniel or Labrador Retreiver. She was a healthy puppy, never seemed to have any serious issues. Although cocker spaniels are known for having issues with their ears or eyes and other problems, Sandy seemed to develop traits from both breeds. Although Labrador Retreivers are known to have hip problems, I have not seen that becoming an issue with Sandy. Her ears favored those of a Labrador, even though they did have a slight tinge of curl to them. Her feet seemed to favor those of a Labrador, but once again, there was a slight bit of cocker spaniel in her feet, as some curly hair was seen on the back of her legs. When she was around three months old, I could see her changing as she began to develop more features from the Labrador. Her mom was a medium sized cocker spaniel and her father was a larger Labrador.

Mixed Breed Dogs Make Good Pets

When choosing my puppy, I saw that most in the litter looked like Sandy, however, some were black in color as the mother of the litter was a full-blooded black cocker spaniel. The Labrador was a light brown color and was very friendly with those visiting the litter. One thing that is important when picking out a mixed breed puppy is that the mother and father of the puppies are friendly. Sandy's parents wanted me to play with them more than Sandy, so I knew I had chosen the right dog for me.

It all depends on what you are looking for when you are thinking about getting a mixed breed puppy. I was fortunate as I was able to get Sandy from a friend whose cocker was expecting puppies. I was given Sandy free of charge and she has been a wonderful dog. Always remember though, if you want a dog or any other animal, you need to be a responsible pet owner and make sure to keep them healthy with regular vet visits.