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The Cocker Academy A safe place, free from judgment to support you and your cocker to have the best life together!

A community of Cocker owners offering a safe place, free from judgment to support you and your cocker have your best life together.

06/04/2025

Training struggles? It might not be you—it might be the plan.

We often blame ourselves when training feels hard. We wonder if we’re doing it wrong, or if our cocker is just “being difficult.” But the truth is, most training setbacks come down to a few really common things.

Here are 3 mistakes I see all the time—and the good news is, they’re all easy to shift once you spot them:

✨ Asking for too much, too soon.
Just because your cocker can do it at home doesn’t mean they’re ready to do it in the middle of the park. Go back a step—it’s not failing, it’s laying solid foundations.

✨ Only training when it’s all going wrong.
If you’re only practising recall when your dog is already running away, or asking for a settle when your house is in chaos—it’s going to be hard. Train when it’s calm so your dog knows what success feels like first.

✨ Not celebrating the small wins.
Your cocker glanced at you before chasing that bird? That’s a win. They paused before jumping up? Another win. These tiny moments matter more than we realise.

No one gets it right all the time—and that’s not the goal. What matters is noticing what’s working and building from there.

Which one of these do you catch yourself doing? Hit reply or comment and let me know. Let’s keep learning, together. 💛

02/04/2025

If you’ve ever felt like you’re not making progress with your cocker, you’re not alone.

You train, you try, you put in the effort—and yet, some days it feels like nothing is changing. Maybe your recall was brilliant last week, and today? It’s like your dog has never heard their name before.

Here’s what I want you to know: progress is never a straight line.

Training isn’t about getting everything right, all the time. It’s about showing up, making small adjustments, and recognising that even on the toughest days, your dog is still learning.

So, if today felt hard—if you had a setback, if your cocker seemed to forget everything—take a deep breath. Your progress isn’t gone, and neither is your effort.

Keep going. You’re doing better than you think. 💛

30/03/2025

To the cocker mums who…
Wake up early for walks,
Always carry poo bags and treats,
Talk to their dogs like they’re tiny humans,
And love their cocker—on the easy days and the chaotic ones.

Those tail wags, nose nudges and soft, snoring cuddles?
That’s your thank you. 🥰

Happy Mother’s Day to every cocker spaniel mum.
You’re doing an incredible job. 💛

27/03/2025

Here’s what they won’t tell you about training your cocker…

It won’t always look like progress.
Some days it will feel like you’re getting nowhere.
And yes—there will be moments where you wonder if you’re even doing it right.

But here’s what matters more than perfect timing or flawless technique:
👉 Showing up, again and again, even when it’s tough.
👉 Being willing to go back a step when your cocker is struggling.
👉 Learning to work with the dog in front of you, not the one you imagined you’d have.

They won’t tell you that success isn’t built in the big, flashy moments—it’s built in the quiet consistency. The tiny wins. The times your cocker pauses before reacting. The moments they choose to look to you instead of the world around them.

It’s not about perfection. It’s about connection.
And that’s what really transforms your training.

So if you’re in the thick of it right now—keep going.
You're not doing it wrong. You're just doing the real work!

Share this with someone who needs to hear this!

25/03/2025

When training feels stuck… go back to the beginning.

It’s something I remind owners of all the time. When recall becomes hit-and-miss, when lead walking starts to fall apart, when your cocker just seems to have forgotten everything—the answer isn’t to push harder.

It’s to go back to basics.

Not because you’ve failed. Not because your dog is being difficult. But because foundations matter more than we think.

It’s easy to move too quickly—especially when things have been going well. We raise the challenge, add distractions, expect them to "get it"… and then wonder why it all unravels.

But when we revisit the basics—those quiet, calm reps in the garden, the rewarding check-ins, the simple focus games—we remind our dogs what success feels like. We give them clarity. And we rebuild trust in the process.

Progress isn’t always about moving forward. Sometimes, it’s about stepping back just enough to make the next leap possible.

If something’s not quite working at the moment—what would it look like to strip it right back?

You might be surprised by what happens next.

23/03/2025

To every puppy owner who’s wondering if they’re getting it right…

Today is National Puppy Day—and if you’re in the thick of it right now, I want to speak to you.

To the owner who’s running on little sleep, wondering if they’ll ever drink a cup of tea in peace again.
To the one trying their best to train, but wondering if any of it is sinking in.
To the one who loves their puppy deeply, but sometimes feels overwhelmed, frustrated, or even regretful.

You're not doing anything wrong. You’re just in the messy middle of raising a puppy.

It doesn’t always look cute and cuddly. Sometimes it looks like muddy floors, sharp teeth, and a puppy who won’t settle no matter what you try. But progress is happening, even if you can’t always see it.

So on National Puppy Day, let’s celebrate not just the puppies, but you—for showing up, for trying again (and again), and for loving the dog your puppy is becoming.

You’re doing far better than you think. 💛

22/03/2025

Saturdays are for swimming! 🏊‍♀️

Is your cocker a water lover? Like this if they are!

20/03/2025

Spring is Here – A Fresh Start for You and Your Cocker!

Today marks the official start of spring—a season of new beginnings, fresh energy, and brighter days ahead.

If the winter months have felt like a struggle—training setbacks, frustrating walks, or just feeling stuck—you’re not alone. But just as the seasons change, so can our journey with our cockers.

Spring is a time for growth. It’s a chance to reset, refocus, and step into a season where progress feels possible again. Longer days mean more time to train, explore, and build the confidence and connection you’ve been working towards.

So if you’ve been waiting for the right moment to start fresh with your cocker—this is it.

What’s one thing you’d love to work on this spring? Drop it in the comments—I’d love to hear!

19/03/2025

Struggling with a reactive cocker? You’re not alone.

Walks that feel like a constant battle, the stress of spotting a trigger before your dog does, the worry that things will never get better—it’s exhausting. But there is a way forward.

Join me tomorrow night at 6:30 PM GMT for my FREE Reactive Cocker Masterclass, where I’ll share the proven framework I use to help cockers feel calmer, safer, and more confident.

📩 Comment "REACTING" for the link to sign up!

Let’s start making life feel easier—for both you and your cocker. 💛

17/03/2025

Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone! 💚

14/03/2025

The thought of losing a dog to theft is every owner’s worst nightmare. Cockers, with their friendly nature and high value, are sadly a common target. Today, on Dog Theft Awareness Day, it’s a reminder to stay vigilant and take steps to keep our dogs as safe as possible!

How to Protect Your Cocker:
🔹 Never leave your dog unattended – Outside shops, in cars, or even in the garden if it’s not secure. Opportunistic thieves act fast.
🔹 Vary your walking routes and times – It makes it harder for anyone to track your routine.
🔹 Use secure, well-fitted leads walking equipment – To prevent your dog slipping free in a risky situation.
🔹 Be mindful of social media – Avoid tagging locations in real-time or sharing details that could make your dog an easy target.
🔹 Ensure your dog’s microchip details are up to date – It’s a legal requirement and gives the best chance of reunification if the worst happens.
🔹 Train a reliable recall – So if your cocker is off-lead, they return to you immediately when called.

We never want to think it could happen to us, but awareness and prevention are key. Stay safe, stay vigilant, and let’s continue to protect the dogs we love.

Have you taken any extra steps to keep your cocker safe? Let me know in the comments!

13/03/2025

For the Ones Who Feel Embarrassed on Walks...

I see you—the owner who dreads certain walks because you never know how your cocker will react. The one who feels their face flush when their dog pulls, barks, ignores a recall, or does that thing that makes you want the ground to swallow you whole.

I know how easy it is to feel judged—by strangers, by other dog owners, even by yourself. But here’s what I want you to remember: you are not failing, and you are not alone.

Every single person who has trained a dog has been exactly where you are. Every well-behaved dog you see once had a moment (or many!) where things weren’t going to plan. And every cocker owner who looks like they’ve got it all figured out? They’ve been there too.

Progress isn’t about never having tough walks. It’s about the small wins—the moments when your cocker pauses before reacting, the times they choose to check in with you, the seconds of calm that weren’t there before. Those are the things that matter.

So if you’re feeling embarrassed today, know this: your journey is yours, and you are doing the best you can. Keep showing up, keep trying, and most of all—keep celebrating the small wins. They add up to something bigger than you realise. 💛

08/03/2025

Running The Cocker Academy has given me the privilege of working with so many incredible women—women who pour their time, energy, and patience into understanding and training their cockers. Women who refuse to give up, even on the hardest days. Women who show up for their dogs, for themselves, and for each other.

To every woman out there navigating the joys and challenges of life with a cocker spaniel—I see you. The early morning walks, the training setbacks, the moments of pure frustration, and the even purer joy when something finally clicks. The way you keep learning, adapting, and doing your absolute best for the dog in front of you.

And to the women in this community who support one another—who offer advice, reassurance, and a reminder that none of us are in this alone—you are what makes this space so special.

Happy International Women’s Day to every woman in the Cocker Academy community and beyond. Here’s to you, your resilience, and your unconditional love for your dog. 💛

06/03/2025

Time for Throwback Thursday, today I am throwing it back to Cocker Spaniel Problem 101: The stuck inside-out ear! Like this if this happens to your cocker all the time! 😂

03/03/2025

Exciting News- I’m Now a Certified Family Dog Mediator! 🐾

I’m thrilled to share that I am now a Certified Family Dog Mediator! This training has deepened my approach to dog behaviour by looking beyond just “how” to train and really understanding why behaviours happen in the first place. 😃

Too often, we see behaviour as something to "fix"—but real change comes when we address the root causes. This certification allows me to support owners even more effectively by:
- Understanding behaviour through the lens of evolution, genetics, learning, and self (L.E.G.S.®).
- Helping dogs and their families work together, rather than just “correcting” symptoms.
- Providing training that focuses on the whole picture, not just quick fixes.

I can’t wait to bring this knowledge into our sessions and help you and your dog in a way that truly makes a lasting difference!

28/02/2025

When Walks Stop Feeling Like Walks 😞

Having a reactive cocker can be hard. Walks, which should be relaxing, can feel like a constant battle—scanning the horizon for triggers, changing direction at the last second, holding your breath as another dog appears.

You might feel guilty. You might feel frustrated. You might even feel alone.

But here’s the truth- you are not failing, and your cocker is not “bad.” Reactivity isn’t about being difficult or disobedient—it’s about emotions. Your cocker isn’t choosing to react; they’re struggling to cope. And you? You’re doing your best to guide them through it.

Progress might not look like perfectly calm walks just yet. Sometimes, it’s as simple as your cocker noticing a trigger but choosing to look back at you instead. Sometimes, it’s a shorter, stress-free walk that ends on a win. Those small moments? They matter.

If this feels familiar, I want to help.

I’m running a FREE “Reactive Cocker” workshop on 4th March at 7PM GMT, where I’ll share the framework I use to help cockers feel calmer, safer, and more confident—so you can start enjoying walks again.

📩 Comment "REACTIVE" for the link to sign up!

You and your cocker deserve more than just avoiding triggers—you deserve to enjoy life together. And it starts with understanding. 💛

25/02/2025

😖 Does your cocker spaniel react to things in their environment?
😖 Do you dread certain walks?
😖 Have you stopped walking with friends because your cocker struggles to fit in?

When our cockers react, they’re often telling us they feel overwhelmed or unsafe in that moment. And despite our best efforts, we can end up feeling frustrated or discouraged.

Over time, this can make our world smaller as we avoid triggers—making it harder to enjoy life together.

If this sounds familiar, join me for a FREE “Reactive Cocker” workshop, where I’ll share the proven framework I use to help clients and their cockers feel calmer, safer, and more confident in their environment.

Workshop takes place on the 4th March @ 7PM GMT- sign up now! Comment REACTIVE for the link!

22/02/2025

Are You Setting Your Cocker Up for Success?

So often, when training isn’t going as planned, we focus on what our cocker isn’t doing. They’re not listening. They’re ignoring recall. They keep jumping up. But what if we flipped the perspective?

Instead of asking, “Why isn’t my cocker doing what I want?” try asking:

👉 “Have I made it easy for them to get it right?”
👉 “Does my cocker actually understand what I’m asking?”
👉 “Is the environment too distracting for their current skill level?”

Training success isn’t just about teaching behaviours—it’s about setting up the right conditions for learning. If your cocker struggles with recall in the park but nails it in the garden, it’s not disobedience; it’s a sign they need more practice in gradual steps before expecting perfection in a high-distraction setting.

A simple shift in perspective can reduce frustration and make training feel so much easier. Instead of seeing mistakes as failures, see them as feedback. What can you tweak to help your cocker succeed next time?

Have you ever had a moment where changing your approach made all the difference? I’d love to hear about it!

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Why Does My Cocker...?

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Why does my cocker...? FREE Online training for cocker spaniel owners! 22nd - 26th January 2024 Have you ever wondered why your cocker might: 👉 Pull on the lead 👉 Not come back when called 👉 Chase after wildlife 👉 Pinch items and do not give them back 👉 Jump up!! Then you are not alone! Join me for my FREE training to understand your cocker and learn how to nurture your cocker to be the smart, content Cocker they were meant to be. Register here: https://www.thecockeracademy.com/f/why-does-my-cocker-jan-2024 Once you have registered, comment "REGISTERED" below!

Here’s the tea…When I speak to cocker owners who are struggling with recall, it’s obvious to see that they want to be able to let their dog off and have faith that they will come back when they are called. But recall isn’t trained overnight, and it requires a lot of effort and time to get your recall 100% right. So take your time, and start at home, be as consistent as possible and it will pay off in the end. 🐾How’s your cocker’s recall? Tell me in the comments below.

Hi, welcome to The Cocker Academy! I’m Emma, and if you wish for a better relationship with your cocker, make sure you hit that follow button! I share lots of tips, tricks and encouragement to help you navigate the waters with your cocker- from the adolescence phase to the fun activities you can do with them! Introduce yourself in the comments below. 😃🙌🏻

Never underestimate the power of consistent training- even if it’s 5 minutes a day, work on your goals! 🐾🙌 #thecockeracademy #cockerspaniel #cockertraining #cockerspanieltraining

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