When growing up on Disney movies, you tend to want to live with the things and people you experience while watching it. With some it was Dalmatians, clown fish, super heroes or being a princess; for me it was owning my very own Lady from Disney’s Lady and the Tramp.

When I was in eighth grade my parents decided it was time to get me a dog so I could have a companion. They knew I had a love of Lady and while it was their first time buying a pet, they thought they knew  enough about the breed. The same thing happened when I got my dog; she was supposed to be playful, active and healthy like Lady was, right?

Wrong.

I get that all Spaniels are different and while you may have had a Cocker Spaniel that was everything I described, that’s great. My dog Daisy is every bit as lovable as a Spaniel is supposed to be but she is riddled with health problems.

When a movie or TV show comes out that entices people with an animal (in this case a dog breed), the breeders sell dogs to people who are uneducated or who just run out and impulse buy based on these characters. It happened in 101 Dalmatian’s release and thousands of dogs wound up in the shelter after people realize how active and unlike the character the breed really was. While Lady and the Tramp didn’t cause a large influx in breed purchases like the Dalmatians did, they were still popular enough that breeders readily over bred these dogs and destroyed an already fragmented genetic dog.

Cocker Spaniels are prone to a number of genetic diseases. Genetic diseases are problems inherited from their parents being inappropriately bred. While many Cocker Spaniels live healthy lives, those wrongfully bred come with a slew of problems from eye diseases, Hepatitis, Hip Dysplasia to Hypothydroidism. My parents weren’t aware of this and purchased Daisy from a backyard breeder and gave her to me as a Christmas gift.

No one tells you how medically needy Cocker Spaniels can be. From the time Daisy was a puppy, she’s suffered from a dropped bladder, eye problems, separation anxiety, seborrhea and several allergies. Times have been tough and she can be expensive, but growing up with her was actually more beneficial for me then never owning her. I spent the years owning her, researching the breed and the health problems, trying to keep her active and learning how to properly care for her breed. In doing so, I actually don’t see myself owning anything but a Cocker Spaniel because the love they give (regardless of their health) makes them a valuable breed to own.

Disney did the best thing in the world for a kid like me at the time. The company brought me a joy I never could have imagined owning. While it did have drawbacks with many people who bought their dogs, for me I grew to appreciate the breed I own. I don’t regret falling in love with the breed and I could never imagine life without Daisy in my life.

So thank you Walt, for bringing me and my dog together.

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