Hi Petshopgirl; I have owned cocker spaniels most of my life and now work diligently with the cocker spaniel rescue of new england. The answer to your question as to the reason for people abandaning their cocker spaniels is ABSOLUTELY NOT due to housebreaking!!!! You know what? There are some nasty, cruel people out there. 99% of the dogs we get are from people that have neglected, abused or just abandoned their beloved pet. Many are brought to the shelter to be put down, just because of a "life change" for the owner, like moving or most of the time it's that they just don't give a care anymore for the dog. This leads to neglect and a lot of our dogs come into the rescue in desperate need of medical care. Cocker Spaniels are cute, fun-loving, down-to-earth, happy-go-lucky dogs. They only want to please and love you in return. Please give them a chance. Our website is
www.csrne.org to see some of the cuties. Sorry for rambling, but you asked....