The Cocker Academy (2026)

27/12/2025

Quick heads up re the Recall freebie 👀🐾

Facebook is being very Facebook this week and isn’t letting me reply to individual comments with the link (even though I’d love to!).

If you commented for it and are waiting, please don’t think I’ve ignored you, I promise I haven’t.

The Simple Recall Reset is ready and waiting for you ✨
It’s a gentle, practical guide designed especially for Cockers who:
• Forget their name the second they’re off lead
• Find the world more exciting than coming back
• Make walks feel stressful instead of enjoyable

It focuses on rebuilding the meaning of your recall cue, not repeating it louder or turning walks into a battle.

👇 Please click the link in the comments to grab your free copy
Pop in your email and it’ll be sent straight to your inbox.

And if you’ve already downloaded it, enjoy working through it over the next few days. Small, calm steps really do add up.

Thank you so much for the incredible response to this freebie

I can’t wait to hear how you get on.

Emma 🐾

24/12/2025

Merry Christmas from me and the gang 🎄🐾

As the year draws to a close, I just wanted to say a genuine thank you.

Thank you for being part of this little corner of the internet where Cockers are allowed to be… well, Cockers.
Where big feelings are understood.
Where calm, connection and compassion matter more than perfection.

This community has grown so beautifully, and I never take that for granted. Whether you’ve been here for years or you’ve only just found your way here, I’m really glad you’re part of it.

Over the next few days, I hope you get moments of rest, laughter, muddy walks, quiet cuddles, and a bit of space to just be with your dog, without pressure, comparison, or expectations.

Your Cocker doesn’t know it’s Christmas.
They just know they’re with you.
And that’s more than enough.

I’m so excited for what’s coming in 2026, and I can’t wait to keep walking this journey with you and your dogs.

From our home to yours -
Merry Christmas, and enjoy the next few days 🤍

Emma 🐾

23/12/2025

Wow… over 100 downloads in under 24 hours 🤍

Honestly, this one’s clearly struck a nerve.

So many of you have grabbed the Simple Recall Reset already, and that tells me something important:

A LOT of Cocker owners are quietly struggling with recall, especially at this time of year.

Here’s the part about recall that often gets missed…

Recall doesn’t break down because your dog “forgets” their training.
It breaks down when the environment gets louder than the relationship.

More smells.
More space.
More excitement.
More pressure.

And over Christmas?
That all ramps up even more.

New routines.
Different walks.
More people.
More energy.

Which is exactly why now is actually a brilliant time to reset recall, gently, without pressure, and without expecting perfection.

This free guide isn’t about drilling or demanding instant results!
It’s about rebuilding the meaning of recall so your dog wants to come back to you again.

One simple daily exercise, a few quiet minutes.
Something you can do even over the Christmas break.

If recall has felt wobbly lately, please don’t wait until January.

Over 100 people have already started, and I’d love you to be one of them.

Comment COMEBACK and I’ll send the free guide straight to you.

22/12/2025

Your Cocker isn’t ignoring you.
They’re protecting what matters to them.

For most Cockers, recall doesn’t fail because they’re “stubborn”, “too independent”, or “too distracted”.

It fails because, without realising it, we teach our dogs that coming back to us ends the fun.

Think about it:
• Recall → lead goes on
• Recall → walk ends
• Recall → game stops
• Recall → we’re tense, urgent, stressed

Over time, your dog learns:
“Coming back means losing everything I love.”

So they hesitate.
They dodge.
They pretend they didn’t hear you.

Not because they don’t care, but because they care too much about what they’re giving up.

The fix isn’t shouting louder, it isn’t repeating their name over and over and over...
It’s rebuilding the cue so it means:
✨ safety
✨ connection
✨ joy
✨ something good is about to happen

That’s exactly why I’ve created a FREE Simple Recall Reset guide, a gentle, one-exercise-a-day approach designed specifically for Cockers and their brilliant, sensitive brains.

No pressure.
No bribery.
No battle.

Just a way to help your Cocker want to come back to you again.

If recall currently feels stressful, frustrating, or fragile, you’re not doing anything wrong.

Comment COMEBACK and I’ll send the free guide straight to you.

Let’s turn recall back into a bond, not a battle 🐾

19/12/2025

The behind-the-scenes reality you don’t see on Instagram…

You see the perfect recall.
The calm sit by the Christmas tree.
The dog in matching pyjamas, gazing lovingly at their owner on Christmas Eve.

What you don’t see is everything outside the frame.

You don’t see the walk that was cut short.
The lead that went back on.
The moments of frustration, management, repetition, and learning.
The bad days that didn’t make it to the grid.

Social media is a snapshot, not the full story.

And when you start comparing your real, messy, lived-in journey with someone else’s highlight reel, it’s so easy to feel like you’re failing… even when you’re not.

Your Cocker doesn’t know it’s Christmas.
They don’t know what a “perfect dog” looks like.
They don’t measure success in photos, likes, or how calm someone else’s dog appears online.

They measure it in:
how safe they feel
how understood they are
whether you’re present with them in that moment

Staying in your lane isn’t about doing less for your dog.
It’s about doing what actually serves the dog in front of you, not the one you’re comparing yourself to.

So if this time of year feels heavy…
If your expectations feel louder than your enjoyment…
If scrolling leaves you feeling behind…

This is your reminder to step back into your lane.

Your dog doesn’t need perfection.
They need consistency, patience, and you, exactly as you are.

And that?
That’s already more than enough 💛

17/12/2025

Recall is one of the things Cocker owners worry about the most… and also one of the things we tend to make the hardest without realising.

Because on the surface it looks simple.. say their name... they come back... job done right?

But Cockers don’t experience recall like a command on a checklist.
They experience it in the middle of information.

Scent on the ground.
Movement in the hedgerow.
Wind carrying yesterday’s news.
Their whole brain is switched on and scanning the world.

So when we stand there repeating their name over and over again, louder, sharper, more desperate each time, what we’re actually doing isn’t building recall…
we’re diluting it.

Their name stops meaning connection and starts meaning background noise.

One of the biggest mistakes I see is treating recall as something you only practise when you need it.
When they’re already too far away.
Already mid-sniff.
Already emotionally invested in something else.

At that point, recall isn’t a skill. it’s a gamble.

Cockers are bred to work with us, not to constantly check in without reason.
Historically, they were encouraged to range, search, flush, and think independently…
while staying emotionally connected to their handler.

That balance matters.

Good recall doesn’t come from calling louder, it comes from building value before you need it.

From moments where coming back feels safe, rewarding, predictable.
From not always ending the fun.
From not only using their name when you’re about to clip the lead on and go home.

And from remembering this part, too:
Your Cocker isn’t ignoring you to be stubborn. They’re choosing the information that feels most important in that moment.

When we slow recall training down, stop repeating names, and focus on clarity and timing instead of urgency…
everything starts to shift.

Recall becomes a conversation again, not a power struggle shouted across a field.

If recall has been feeling hard lately, you’re not alone.
And it’s not because you’ve “failed at training”.

It’s usually just because no one ever taught you how a Cocker actually experiences the world.

Tell me, what’s the one situation where recall feels hardest for your dog right now?

14/12/2025

I’ve noticed a lot of new faces here lately, so I thought it might be time to reintroduce myself 🤍

I’m Emma, dog trainer, coach, and the founder of The Cocker Academy.

I share my life with six dogs (yes, six 😅): three working Cockers and three Labradors. So when I talk about the joy, intensity, sensitivity, and big feelings that can come with living with Cockers… it’s not theoretical. It’s lived experience, every single day.

The Cocker Academy exists because I truly believe life with a Cocker shouldn’t feel like constant management, tension, or bracing yourself for what might happen next. It should feel safe. Connected, enjoyable, not perfect but real.

My approach is rooted in compassion and curiosity, not control. I don’t believe in “winning” against your dog or forcing behaviours into place. Every Cocker is unique, and when we slow down enough to understand what they’re feeling, training stops being a battle and starts becoming a partnership.

Helping Cockers, and the humans who love them, feel calmer, more confident, and more connected is genuinely my passion.

So if you’re here because you want calmer walks, a stronger bond, or simply to feel less alone on this journey… I’m really glad you found your way here. Make sure you're following this page so you don't miss a thing. ❤️

12/12/2025

There’s something I see so often with Cockers, and it quietly makes life harder for everyone involved....

When we end up working against each other instead of with each other.

Cockers weren’t bred to question us, challenge us, or “push boundaries” for the sake of it. They were bred to work with humans. To stay connected, to respond quickly, to please, to notice tiny shifts in body language and emotion and act on them. That’s their history. That’s in their bones.

The tricky part is that they don’t come into our homes with an understanding of what we, as humans, label as “right” or “wrong”. They don’t know that pulling on the lead is frustrating, that jumping up feels rude, or that barking at the window isn’t ideal at 7am. They only know what feels safe, exciting, confusing, rewarding, or overwhelming in that moment.

So when we get stuck in a cycle of correcting, managing, reacting, or feeling constantly at odds with them, it’s exhausting. For you and for them.

A Cocker trying to please but not quite understanding how can start to feel unsettled, over-aroused, or disconnected. And a human who feels unheard or pulled in every direction can start to feel resentful, guilty, or just worn down.

What changes everything is when we shift from asking,
“Why won’t you just do what I want?”
to
“How can I help you understand what works in our world?”

That’s where things soften. Communication becomes clearer. Expectations become fairer and instead of feeling like you’re constantly pulling in opposite directions, you start moving together again.

Your Cocker isn’t trying to make life difficult- honestly!

They’re trying to make sense of a human world with a spaniel brain. When we meet them there, with clarity, patience, and connection, life gets easier for both of you.

And honestly, that’s where the real joy of living with a Cocker lives.

10/12/2025

Stop scrolling if you struggle with door greetings…✨
(And yes, a lot Cocker of owners do.)

If your Cocker launches themselves into the hallway the second the doorbell rings — barking, spinning, jumping, or doing their best impression of a land shark, please know this:

It’s not “naughty", it’s not “disobedient", it’s not you doing something wrong.

Door greetings are one of the hardest moments for sensitive, people-loving, sound-alert Cockers… because that tiny moment holds a LOT of pressure.

A sudden noise.
A quick change in energy.
An unknown person.
Your emotions.
Their job satisfaction (“Mum! I’ve GOT this!!”).

Let's break down the truth-
Cockers aren’t trying to cause chaos, they’re trying to cope.

So here’s a gentler way to start creating calmer arrivals this December:

1. Take a breath before you move
Cockers absorb our pace and tension like little emotional sponges.
If you rush, they escalate.
If you soften, they settle faster.

Three slow breaths can change the whole tone of what happens next.

2. Reduce the pressure, not the behaviour
Instead of asking for a perfect “sit” at the door (almost impossible for a Cocker in a heightened state), try giving them a clear, simple job:
• Go to a mat
• Walk behind a baby gate
• Sniff for a scattered treat trail away from the chaos

Clarity reduces overwhelm.

3. Practise the moment without a visitor

Most of the “work” happens before the real-life scenario.
Rehearse the sound.
Rehearse the movements.
Rehearse you staying calm.

Build predictability → build confidence.

Door greetings don’t have to feel chaotic, for you or your Cocker.

Small, compassionate changes make all the difference… especially at this time of year when excitement and overwhelm are everywhere.

Tell me, what part of door greetings is hardest for your Cocker?

10/12/2025

Stop scrolling if you struggle with door greetings…✨
(And yes, a lot Cocker owners do.)

If your Cocker launches themselves into the hallway the second the doorbell rings — barking, spinning, jumping, or doing their best impression of a land shark, please know this:

It’s not “naughty", it’s not “disobedient", it’s not you doing something wrong.

Door greetings are one of the hardest moments for sensitive, people-loving, sound-alert Cockers… because that tiny moment holds a LOT of pressure.

A sudden noise.
A quick change in energy.
An unknown person.
Your emotions.
Their job satisfaction (“Mum! I’ve GOT this!!”).

Let's break down the truth-
Cockers aren’t trying to cause chaos, they’re trying to cope.

So here’s a gentler way to start creating calmer arrivals this December:

1. Take a breath before you move
Cockers absorb our pace and tension like little emotional sponges.
If you rush, they escalate.
If you soften, they settle faster.

Three slow breaths can change the whole tone of what happens next.

2. Reduce the pressure, not the behaviour
Instead of asking for a perfect “sit” at the door (almost impossible for a Cocker in a heightened state), try giving them a clear, simple job:
• Go to a mat
• Walk behind a baby gate
• Sniff for a scattered treat trail away from the chaos

Clarity reduces overwhelm.

3. Practise the moment without a visitor

Most of the “work” happens before the real-life scenario.
Rehearse the sound.
Rehearse the movements.
Rehearse you staying calm.

Build predictability → build confidence.

Door greetings don’t have to feel chaotic, for you or your Cocker.

Small, compassionate changes make all the difference… especially at this time of year when excitement and overwhelm are everywhere.

Tell me, what part of door greetings is hardest for your Cocker?

08/12/2025

The 3 Before Me Rule - December Edition ✨

If there’s one month of the year when our Cockers feel everything, it’s December.

The busy house.
The extra visitors.
The earlier sunsets.
The shift in our routines.

And, most of all, the subtle changes in us!

So here’s a simple little practice I’ve been leaning into lately, and I’d love you to try it too. I call it:

The 3 Before Me Rule
Before you ask your Cocker for anything today -
before the lead goes on,
before you call them back,
before you ask for calm…

Do these three things first:

1️⃣ Take three slow breaths
Let your nervous system settle so theirs can too.

2️⃣ Drop your shoulders
It’s amazing how much tension we hold without realising, and how quickly our dogs pick up on it.

3️⃣ Check your pace
Are you rushing? On autopilot? Bracing for “what might happen”?
Slow your movements. Let your dog feel the difference.

Then act. Because when you shift first, your Cocker can actually follow.

Will you try it today?

Come back and tell me what you noticed. Did your dog soften? Did you?

Small shifts change everything. 🐾💛

05/12/2025

I’ve been thinking… if our Cockers could sit down and write us a little Christmas card, what would they actually say?

I don’t think it would be about perfect walks or flawless behaviour or getting everything “right.”
I think it would sound a bit more like this:

**“Dear Human,
Thank you for loving me on the days I’m a little too bouncy…
and on the days things feel a bit too big.

Thank you for noticing when I’m worried, even before I know how to tell you.
Thank you for your patience when I lose my head at the doorbell and for celebrating the tiny wins only we understand.

I don’t need Christmas magic, I just need you.
Exactly as you are.
Trying, caring, showing up.

Love,
Your Cocker 🐾”**

If you really stop and think about it… our dogs aren’t asking for perfection this Christmas.
They aren’t comparing themselves to the calm golden retriever on Instagram.
They aren’t wishing they behaved like the dog in matching pyjamas for a Christmas card shoot.

They just want us.
Our presence.
Our patience.
Our connection.

So tell me, what message do you think your Cocker would write in their Christmas card to you? 🎄💛

The Cocker Academy

27/12/2025

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