Dawson Family Cockers

Cheryl Dawson
(814) 234 -1355

PCatHSCC@aol.com

State College, PA

Nursery

WE HAVE PUPPIES AVAILABLE and MORE COMING IN JANUARY.

Please email pcathscc@aol.com to receive pictures and details.

Tyra had a new litter that arrived on November 12th. Ready for their new homes on January 7th. These puppies are gorgeous.

We also have a beautiful black and tan male that is ready for pick up on December 7th. Maggie is the Mom and she is a lovely lady. She is gorgeous, very attentive, petite in size, extremely loving and playful. Ready in time for Christmas. Please email me your cell phone number, if interested in either litter, I will send pictures.

Also have a buff litter that is due in January.. ready to come home in March.

We will no longer be posting details about litters on the website.

We look forward to talking with you about our upcoming litters. If you are interested in a puppy, please complete the puppy application.  Once your application has been approved, you will be asked  to send a $200. deposit to hold your place in line.  You can also check in on availability, at anytime throughout the process,  just use the form below to give us the information needed.  We appreciate you checking in and asking about any upcoming litters. If you are interested, please fill out the Puppy Request Form.  We hold the puppies in the order of the received deposits.  We will not be contacting families when puppies are born…. We really appreciate you checking in with us.  Thank you so much. 

Puppy Request Form

Get on our waitlist

The way to get on the wait list for a puppy.  Is complete and submit the puppy application, we will get that approved quickly and then you will be asked to send a deposit, a check is perfect in the amount of $200 to hold your place in line. Your deposit is non-refundable but can be used in any of our litters.. and does not expire. 

Nursery Updates

  • Miss Eloise due mid January.

If you are hoping to be able to pick a puppy soon, It’s a good idea to check in often. We are still looking at possibly a one year wait time. However, things seem to be moving along nicely and some families might have had their deposit in longer than you, but are not quite ready to pick their puppy. Some might be wanting a certain color or gender, that is not available in the current litter.. So, you will want to put your request in as early as possible when the puppies arrive. You can do that even if you just left your deposit.

WE HOLD ALL PUPPIES IN THE ORDER OF THE RECEIVED DEPOSITS. IF YOU HAVE SENT IN YOUR DEPOSIT YOU CAN CHECK THE SITE FOR AVAILABLE PUPPIES. ALSO, CHECK THE TOP OF THE NURSERY PAGE FOR DETAILS ON WHEN THE NEXT LITTER OR LITTERS WILL BE ARRIVING. IF YOU SEE A PUPPY THAT YOU LIKE, PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL LETTING US KNOW. INCLUDE YOUR NAME, EMAIL, DATE WE RECEIVED YOUR DEPOSIT, YOUR PHONE NUMBER, AND THE PUPPY THAT YOU ARE INTERESTED IN YOU MIGHT EVEN WANT TO HAVE A COUPLE PICKED OUT.. A FIRST CHOICE AND A SECOND CHOICE. WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO GIVE YOU, YOUR FIRST CHOICE.. HOWEVER, IF TWO FAMILIES WANT THE SAME PUPPY, THE FAMILY THAT HAS HAD THIER DEPOSIT IN LONGER GETS THE PUPPY. YOUR DEPOSIT WILL NOT EXPIRE AND CAN BE USED ON ANY OF OUR LITTERS.

Frequently asked questions about puppies

Yes, both males and females are the same price.. Prices are constantly going up and we do everything we can to keep our prices as low as possible. Our prices can vary from $1,650 to $1,900. …unless we take our dogs to a breeding service or we have ER expenses .. in that case, they will be higher. THE PRICE OF OUR PUPPIES IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE and will be posted by the Mom’s listing. Because of the high cost of everything involved with raising the puppies, we are looking at closer to the higher end of the scale for now.

Boys vs. Girls Which is better? All of our families that have boys, will say BOYS. All our families that have girls, will say GIRLS. But what is the truth? Generally speaking, boys are a little larger than girls and tend to be a little more needy. Girls usually are a little smaller and can be a little more independent . Boys love lots of attention. Girls will greet you and go do their own thing. You can mix boys and girls with no problem. BOTH MAKE LOVELY PETS. If you have your pet spayed or neutered.. you will love them both.

Yes, The deposit is $200. and is NON-REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT and it cannot be transferred or sold to another party. Prices will vary depending on which litter you choose from. Prices are subject to change. Your $200. deposit will be applied to the full purchase price of your puppy. Only one deposit can be applied to each puppy. Your deposit does not expire, as long as we are training and raising Cocker Spaniels, you can personally use it on any of our litters.

Yes, the personality and health are the main thing to look for in your beautiful Cocker pup. Both boys and girls are lovely and make wonderful pets. With the experience of working with Cocker Spaniels for over 40 years… I have found that if your pet is spayed or neutered, at the correct age, which most vet’s recommend at 6 months, they are both lovely. The general rule: MALES: are slightly larger in size and weight and are very loving and sweet natured. Their whole world revolves around you. They love to sit on your lap, follow you everywhere you go and are very devoted. Boys love lots of attention. FEMALES: Are usually a little smaller in size and weight… they also are very loving and sweet natured dogs. They will greet you and spend some time with you.. But, they also enjoy being a little more independent. They tend to want things a little more on their terms and can be a little more competitive in nature.
Yes or you can have all of the same gender. Both will work very well together. Cockers love company.. So, it’s common for a family to want more than one. Cockers benefit from having siblings.
On the Nursery page, Scroll down until you see each Mother’s name. Her name will be written in a fuchsia color. You will see the date the puppies were born and the date they are ready for their new homes, the price, and details about the litter. You will also see a listing of each puppy in the litter, the puppies name, it’s birth weight, the birth order, it’s availability, and a description of both the Mother and each of the puppies in the litter. When you see a description of a puppy that might interest you, please contact us via email or call with the cell phone number and we will send you pictures.

Most of the time, we have a waiting list. It can change depending on the time of year.. But, for now.. it’s common to have up to a year wait time. The more specific details you have.. the longer it will take. If you are open to first available.. or are open to either gender you will most likely be getting your puppy before families that have very detailed requests. In the past we have called the families that were next in line. We have been finding that it can be very challenging as mailboxes are full and we couldn’t reach the families… It became so time consuming especially when we have puppies that need our attention. We do not have a staff, it’s only my husband I caring for the dogs and puppies and we have a lot to do here. We are asking that you would please help us by following up with us.

WE WILL CONTINUE PUTTING INFORMATION ABOUT UPCOMING LITTERS ON THE NURSERY PAGE WITH THE APPROXIMATE DUE DATES. AFTER THE PUPPIES ARE BORN, WE WILL PUT A BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE SITE STATING THE ARRIVALS. WE DO THIS TO GIVE PEOPLE A CHANCE TO FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES WITH THE CURRENT LITTERS AND ALLOW FAMILIES THAT HAVE BEEN WAITING, A CHANCE TO CHOOSE. THIS INFORMATION WILL BE AT THE TOP OF THE NURSERY PAGE… Please contact us and we will send you pictures. THE PUPPIES WILL BE MARKED AS “AVAILABLE” TO ANY FAMILY THAT HAS LEFT A DEPOSIT. IF MORE THAN ONE FAMILY WANT THE SAME PUPPY, THE PUPPY WILL BE GOING WITH THE FAMILY THAT HAS HAD THEIR DEPOSIT IN THE LONGEST. THE PUPPIES WILL BE OFFERED AS AVAILABLE FOR TEN DAYS TO ALLOW ALL THE FAMIES TIME TO SEE THE NEW ARRIVALS. WE HOLD THE PUPPIES IN THE ORDER OF THE RECEIVED DEPOSITS. BECAUSE OF THE HIGH DEMAND FOR PUPPIES, AND THE TIME IT TAKES TO TRY TO REACH EVERYONE… WE WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO CALL FAMILIES ABOUT THE AVAILABLE LITTERS. FAMILIES WILL NEED TO FOLLOW THE EXPECTED LITTERS BY CHECKING THE TOP OF NURSERY PAGE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

his is the most commonly asked question . I wish we could give you an exact date that you can choose your puppy. It is a impossible question to answer because the number of people ahead of you, really doesn’t have any bearing on the situation. Most of the time there are going to be people ahead of you.. HOWEVER, THAT DOES NOT GIVE YOU A GOOD PICTURE OF WHEN YOU CAN PICK YOUR PUPPY. The answer is not that simple. We are asking families to please be prepared for up to a one year wait time or longer. That is the best way to judge the time you will be able to pick your puppy. Some of the people ahead of you are wanting a puppy next spring and a couple want one next fall. Some people leave a deposit long before they actually want their puppy.. We have often had people pick up their puppy and leave a deposit for a future puppy on the day they arrive. They either have gotten puppies from us in the past, or their vet had recommend them to get on our wait list. We also have had people that have not responded to the 10 day window.. for one reason or another, some people do not want the colors that are available at the time, or they are looking for special markings. Some want twins. Some have left a deposit for a puppy to be picked out after their current dog has passed away. We have several families that left their deposit close to 3 or 4 years ago .. They want a puppy in the future, at some point, but not now. They are ahead of you .. but that doesn’t mean they will go before you. We have two families that have senior dogs, they had gotten from us years ago, and they don’t want to add the new puppy or puppies until their seniors have passed. Still others have passed on puppies because they are looking for certain markings or certain colorings that we didn’t have at the time. Some families are waiting for a certain Mom to have puppies. Some are looking for only a female, others have to have a male…. Other families do not want to pick out a puppy, if the pick up time is near their vacation time or happens to be in the winter months. So, as you can see, we try our best to accomindate the families needs and what works best for them . The process can actually be a little complicated and can’t be answered with ” What is the number of people ahead of us” the families have the freedom to change their mind as well. The deposit does not expire and some want to wait until they are ready for their new family member. We also don’t know if there will be any complications in the labor and delivery or even if the pregnancy will take. We can’t guess any of that ahead of time. We know that people love to be able to order something and see it delivered quickly. All of our puppies are born here and we are not ordering them in. They are living beings and we really don’t have any control over the number that arrive or when they arrive. Thank you for your understanding.
If a family has had their deposit in a long time Or, we know that there are not other deposits that have been in longer.. That family can adopt a puppy even before the 10 day period is up.

No, we are asking that you would please follow along with the news at the top of the Nursery page and contact us when you see puppies that you like. This and the high demand for puppies is the reason we changed the policy. If your deposit has been in for 8 months or longer, we are asking families to CONTACT US when they see a puppy that they like. PLEASE DO THAT WITHIN THE 10 DAY WINDOW THAT WE OFFER. THAT WINDOW WILL when you see the puppies listed. After the 10 day window, it doesn’t matter if we just received your deposit or if the deposit was received a few months ago. You can still make a request on day 11 or after. THIS WINDOW IS OPEN FOR FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE.

If you are anxious to get a puppy sooner.. It’s a good idea to check in with each litter that you like. Sometimes we have puppies that have not been chosen after the 10 day window. This will sometimes happen when we have too many puppies of the same color or gender.. and the people on the wait list got what they wanted and we still have some puppies left. When that happens, other people who might have only been on the wait list a short time have a chance to pick too. You will need to watch the site and check in with us to see how things are going. We have local Vet’s as well as Vet’s from several different state’s that recommend our puppies along with groomers, boarding kennels, families and family friends.. So, there are times when you can choose a puppy fairly quickly, within a couple weeks, after leaving your deposit.. But, most of the time you will be on a waiting list. That waiting list on an average , is over a year. If your wanting a particular color certain markings, or gender.. the wait time can be longer. If you are open to First Available.. you will most likely be able to get your puppy sooner. Your deposit does not expired and can be transferred to any future litter. We usually have puppies year round.

Yes, because you will now be checking the Nursery page yourself, we will not be calling the families.. So when you see what puppies are expected and the availability.. You can just let us know when you see one that you would like to have. We do not need to know, ahead of time, what color you are wanting.
Yes, almost all the puppies that have a pink nose will turn dark over time. Most of the Cocker puppies are born with a pink nose. Some change quickly others can take a few months. On rare occasions, especially with the parti’s.. a pink spot can remain on the nose. I have even seen them turn dark up to a year of age.

No, I’m sorry, We have always welcomed visitors to our home and we love to meet everyone and show off our dogs and puppies. They are the most loving sweet natured dogs you will ever meet. However, we have been receiving at least 15 calls a day from folks wanting to come and visit. They want to play with puppies, meet us and see our dogs. That’s not including many calls from families with questions about Cockers, or needing advice on training or grooming. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate all the visits. It’s my husband and I and we do not have a staff of people working for us… and it’s our home. So, as you can imagine, we are very busy. We have dogs that need fed, bathed and groomed… and of course walked several times a day, puppies need lots of attention and we are also training and socializing puppies as well. We have vet visits, phone calls from families with questions, emails to answer and all the other normal household and yard work that needs done. So, we are very busy here at Dawson Cockers. We are an inspected State Licensed Kennel and an inspected AKC Licensed Kennel, both in excellent standing. So you can rest assured that your puppy will be given excellent care and is living in an loving environment. When your puppy is ready to come home, we will be very happy to visit with you then, answer any other questions you might have, and just enjoy meeting you and visiting. You are always most welcome to email us or call with any questions or concerns that you have.. at anytime. We will do our best to keep you informed and a part of what is happening.

NO If you are looking for a pet/companion puppy just to be a family member and plan on having your pet spayed or neutered…. we will not be providing AKC registration papers unless you ask for them when the puppies are born…Most people are not wanting the paperwork or the extra cost. Any puppies with AKC papers will have an additional cost added. All of our dogs are AKC registered and from excellent champion lines.

Yes and Yes We vaccinate the puppies , as our vet recommends, The first vaccination is given between 7 to 8 weeks of age. We also worm them to prevent worms. That will occur before you pick up your puppy. However, they will only have one in the series of four vaccines. It’s very important that they receive all 4 vaccines in the series. They are spread out over a few months. This is given every 4 weeks. You must be very vigilant to avoid Dog Parks, and public areas that dogs visit until your puppy has been fully vaccinated.

NO, I’m sorry. Please do not bring dogs to our home unless you keep them in your car. For the well being and protection of our dogs and puppies we cannot allow outside dogs to be here and yes, that includes dogs that you have gotten from us. We love to see them, but we can’t take the chance of exposing our puppies to dogs that do not live here. It’s also best for your dog too. We are very fussy about the well being of our puppies and want to be sure that when a family receives their puppy, that puppy has been protected from unnecessary exposure to other dogs outside our kennel.

No, I’m sorry as a health precaution, please do not send things that are from your dog. It sounds like a great idea.. but, it’s not good to expose young puppies to things like that. We will be sending a note asking for a blanket and toy for your puppy.. but, please only send new things. If you need to send something used.. please be sure it has been washed. Your puppy will be able to come home with the blanket and toy that has the scent of the siblings and Momma on.. and with the toy they are used to playing with.

Yes, we have seen cherry eye. With over 45 years of having cockers, we have had a couple of our own dogs that developed cherry eye. In each case, we chose not to take the chance in breeding that particular dog but had the dog spayed or neutered, we had the eye fixed, and enjoyed them as a pet. The condition is a little lump that comes up in the corner of the eye, in the tear duct, it is red in color and looks painful or sore. But, it usually doesn’t bother the dog at all. It’s not a health problem but it’s a cosmetic issue. In most cases, it does not need to be tucked or removed but most people, including myself, would want to have it fixed. Cocker Spaniels as well as all Spaniels, Beagles, Bassett Hounds and many other breeds can develop cherry eye. It most commonly occurs during the stress of teething time. It has nothing to do with the health of the puppy or the health of the parents. It’s a simple thing to correct and will not be an issue to the puppies health. It can occur at any point during a dogs life. It can be caused by a genetic fault in a line or it can be an environmental cause. An environmental cause can occur when dirt gets in the eye or when a piece of hair causing an irritation. We are very careful not to allow the hair to grow long over the face or grow up from the muzzle that can reach the eyes. You don’t want to take a risk of hair getting into the eyes. This can cause eye infections and can cause or promote the possibility of developing a cherry eye. We are also careful with grooming to be mindful of the cut hair and careful not to allow it in the eyes. We will not breed a dog that has had cherry eye issues, in the past, because, if it was caused by a genetic fault, we don’t want to take the chance of passing that on to the next generation. With that said, it can still pop up from many generations ago. There is no real way to predict it and no real way of knowing what actually caused the problem. Fortunately, we have had very few families that have had to deal with this and it’s been years since we have had any problems with our own dogs. But, with that said, it’s something that you can see throughout the whole Cocker Breed . I’m sorry, No, we do not cover this condition in our guarantee. Again, this is usually not a health issue but only a cosmetic issue. I would recommend that if you do experience this you need to wait and not have the lump repaired until you see if the other eye also “pops a cherry eye”. If you have one, it’s possible you could end up with both and it would be best to treat them both at the same time. It can also wait until you have your pup spayed/neutered. It’s not something that needs to be treated right away. We recently had a call from a family that was building an addition on their home. Their dog of 6 years of age, was playing in the new addition and he got into the insulation. He chewed and played in it and within an hour or so.. He had two cherry eyes. Things that get into the eyes can cause a problem.

Yes, it’s all Adeline Grace’s fault. Adeline (one of our dogs) adores chickens and loves to spend time watching them on line. She is so human like in nature that it’s amazing to me. She will sit in my office, on my desk chair, and watch baby chickens on line for an hour or more. I have even seen her paw on the mouse. She is fully entertained on “you tube”. I think she even figured out how to order them from “My Pet Chicken”. Sarah and now, Adeline’s Mom, Sophia,(two of our other dogs) all love them. I received a call from the Post office saying that Adeline Dawson had a package to be picked up. You guessed it. Baby chickens arrived. I think someone here was having fun with me.. But, who knows… maybe she did order them. They were beautiful baby chicks. No one’s talking. Adeline is thrilled and went along, to the post office, to pick them up. She checks on her chickens several times a day. We all love the chickens. Adeline actually adores them. It’s just what she wanted. She was so thrilled. You should see her taking a walk with her chickens.

Dawson Family Cockers 

Cheryl Dawson | (814) 234 -1355 | PCatHSCC@aol.com | State College, PA