Update: January 2015
Poor Joe has lost the sight in his other eye due to glaucoma and he is now totally blind.
Joe looks to me like a pure Cocker Spaniel but I can’t guarantee it. He certainly has the Cocker trait of LOVING his food! He is a friendly dog who is always wagging his stump of a tail and really likes people. He does well with the dogs in my house and I think he would do well with most dogs. I don’t think small children would be a good fit for Joe, he is always pushing for attention and might unintentionally injure a small child.
When I got him, he wasn’t keen on walking but he now seems to enjoy it. I keep him on an extended leash though as I do a lot of walking in the bush and my instinct tells me this boy might get a scent and then be gone. I think he would do okay off leash in a more controlled walking environment and perhaps with treats to reward his return.
When he arrived, he had serious glaucoma in one eye necessitating it’s removal. The surgery went well and I don’t think Joe knows he only has one eye. Joe was not house trained when he arrived but he has picked up the routine nicely now and knows that outside is where he does his business. He does like me to stand outside with him though as I think in Joe’s mind, if I am inside, there is a possibility of food and Joe is really food motivated. He is not a huge leg lifter either. In a new environment, he would need to be treated as if he is not house trained to get into the routine of what is expected of him. He has picked up the concept very nicely though and pretty rapidly.
This is not a dog for someone who has not lived with a dog before. He is a sweet dog, but needs to learn what is expected of him. He is not a jumper but does like to chew anything that may have come within a sniff of food!
