Poor Hazelnut!  This sweet Cocker Spaniel was found as a stray.  He had either been on his own for a while or been very neglected.  His weight was way down but he is making a fast recovery.  All he needs now is a big dose of love!!!

7/23 Volunteer Update:
"So," said I last week, "can't you get me a better photo of Hazelnut?  He doesn't look so good in the ones on his webpage."
"That's because he doesn't look so good," replied Amanda.  "This poor thing is such a mess.  He has an ear infection, eye infection, and his coat.... oh, his coat!  It was so matted that, when we first had him groomed, they had to trim it way down.  After they did, they realized that they hadn't gotten it all - it was matted all the way to the skin, so they had to all but shave him.  They did their best to leave as much hair around his face as they could, but it was so hard.  It really says alot about Hazelnut that he has kept such a good attitude when you know he has to have been in such pain!"
Gosh, that is upsetting to me.  Thank goodness hair grows back.  And Dr. Howse is neutering him today so I'm sure she is going to take another good look at his eyes and ears to make sure they are well on the way to recovery.
If you love Cocker Spaniels, and you love tenderhearted dogs, you are going to love Hazelnut!

Foster update 7/30: Well i have fostered Hazelnut for a couple of days now and have some insite into this charming dog. Hazelnut is good with other dogs, cats and all the people he has interacted with. He is also very well housetrained, I can leave him loose in my home while i am at work (8-9hours). He's great at the dog park and enjoys other dogs and people alike. He is a very active boy and will do well in a home which will exercise him often and at great lenghts. I take him to the dog park for at least 2 hours each day and this gets him tired for a while but i can see he would do best with at least one other LONG walk as well. He is a very sweet and loving dog but an exercised dog is a good dog. He also must have been taught not to get up on furniture as he will not get in the bed or on the sofa even though i encourage him to do so! The only issue i do see is that Hazelnut is food aggressive with other animals (not people). I solve this by feeding him in the crate and i do not release him out until my other dogs have eaten and i have picked up the food bowls. Other than the above Hazelnut has been a real charmer. When we rescued him he was very matted and had a bad skin and eye infections. Since then he has been treated for both problems but his looks really "took a hit". He's in the process of growing back some hair on his chest and stomach as well. He is also very thin and i feed him 3 times per day to help get his weight back up. I can see why he might have food aggression issues since he was SOOOO thin when we got him in. Hazelnut i think would even dog well with kids has he has such an agreeable personality.

Foster Update 8/30: Well i have fostered Hazel for a month now and have learned so much about Hazel. First off i must say this boy is a cuddler..loves to have attention and be pet all the time. He also loves to run...he isn't insane with energy but loves the huge open dog park i have..he spends hours chasing squairls and hunting butterflys! He is excellent with people and actively walks up to most people to be pet! He really is a GREAT dog..and i'm not sure why we still have him i would have expected that he would have been adopted by now. Hazelnut loves the dog park and interacting with dogs on a daily basis is not problem but i think he would really love to be in a home by himself although he is very good with other dogs. He just really wants his people all to himself in the home. The food aggression issue has since decreased ALOT! He can be feed with the rest of the dogs outside his crate and has learned from the pack to stay away from there bowls as well. His fur is growing back nicely and he now has a thick head of curly hair! His ears are completely clear of infection and his skin looks great.  I have noticed that he seems to be allergic to misquitos and flea bits. Once he is bitten he itches the spot until its raw. I use an over the counter anti-itch spray and it keeps this at bay. Hazelnut is looking for a wonderful loving home were he can be king and enjoy cuddling with his people ALL the time!


According to www.dogbreedinfo.com, Cocker Spaniels are cheerful, sweet, and sensitive. The Cocker Spaniel is respectful of its master's authority without much challenge. Merry and endearing. A happy tail-wagger. Gentle and trusting, with average intelligence. They are lively, playful and devoted. Cockers will do okay in an apartment if they are adequately exercised, and are fairly active indoors. A small yard is sufficient. The American Cocker Spaniel is smaller than the English Cocker Spaniel and has a different conformation. The name "Cocker" comes from the woodcock, a game bird these spaniels flushed particularly well. Today, the Cocker Spaniel serves primarily as a companion and glamorous show dog. It can also be used for hunting, tracking, retrieving, watchdogging and agility. They have a life expectancy of 12-15 years.