A dog trainer from a dog sanctuary down south came up and gave us a lot of information, I'll just type out the section on Rage syndrome.
'This conditon is known as 'Rage syndrome'. Rage syndrome has never been proved to exist as a heritable 'syndrome' in cockers or any other breed, neither in the USA, nor in the UK.
Despite several scientific investgations into possible links with epilepsy at Liverpool vet school, investigations at Camebridge vet school by veterinary ethologists, several surveys by breed clubs and private investigations by concernec individuals 'in the breed'. No abnormalities have ever been identified in any behavioural, genetic or post mortem studies.
Yet the whole concept of rage syndrome has become repeated so often by so many that it is now believed to be gospel in much of the behaviour/veterinary world.
The only end result is that some colours, and especially the red, of a really super breed of dog have been maligned and tarred with a reputation and just isnt justified according to any scientific evidence. The vast majority of behaviour problems, even dramatic ones, are not clinical diseases and the tendency to view them as such should be resisted.
Modern day pet cockers have the simple misfortune to descend from a highly inteliigent working breed with a high demand for work, and stimulation that simply isnt available in most pet owner homes.
There is often simply not enough opportunity for the dog to solve problems in such homes: the type of problems that go with quick thinking and doing the job Cockers were bred to do in particular...which is to hunt game, flush it out and then retrieve it.
Loved to death and given all the best food and treats and fuss in the world, they simply don't get to do what they are designed to, and the types of games they may get to play are neither good nor frequent enough models of their working needs to satisfy them.
As a result Cockers can suffer from immense frustration in such home environments, but do restrain themselves admirably until some minor event proves to be too much and then they fly off the handle.
Being tough gun dogs underneath those flopy ears, they attack well and so like any other provoked dog in a highly arroused state can be dangerous when their temper does finally break.
COAPE believe that far from being reactive, dysfunctional psychopaths, that these dogs are often immensely self restrained in such emotionally limiting circumstances. Cockers have the misfortune to look cute and so may be pampered, and are often kept as pets for older people who may not stimulate them or exercise them as much. But such owners may spend a lot of time with them and so they are perhaps even more susceotable to the consequences of any serious sudden loss of temper. This is, of course, often made all the more serious because of the age of such owners.
The real point that totally undermines a 'diagnosis' of rage syndrome as a pathological disorder is surely that attacks cited in Cockers are always aimed at someone, and dont just happen spontaniuosly. No one ever came home to find their dog mid way through savaging the curtains or cat. It is people who are the source of the final straw in the frustration of the dog. Because of this quick tempered Cockers are subsequently diagnosed as having dominance aggression.
The sad truth of the matter is that this poor breed are at the top of the need for a hedonistic budget evaluation chart. Until this becomes common place more and more cockers will be punished, put into shelters simply because they are lashing out at a frustrating life style.'
the poor guy was crying when he told my mom
