About the Breeder
How We Got Started
Maria, who is based in Melbourne, has owned and loved dogs since she was 12 years old when she was given the responsibility of training the family’s first dog, a beautiful GSD.
Maria learned how to be calm, firm, loving, and committed to another living being. She has always loved animals but dogs have a special spot in her heart.
Having a dog who is with you during the highs and lows of life always ready to snuggle and discuss the events of the day, she cannot imagine a life without a dog, or several, by her side. Her dogs are cherished parts of the family and live inside and by her side in everything she does.
Maria was first introduced to the English cocker spaniel in 1999 when she began looking for a smaller breed to have while raising her young family and was delighted with the gentle fun-loving dogs.
With a new phase of her life, Maria has the time and the commitment to help a new generation of cocker spaniels into the world. Being able to fully commit to raising puppies and using up-to-date information, as well as utilizing programs such as puppy culture Maria strives to make sure that Rivers Pride pups have the best start to life.
All Rivers Pride dogs are health tested for PRN, FN, and AON as well as hip and elbow scored. We offer continued support and are always happy to hear from our puppy families.
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Our Program
In the first eight weeks a puppy goes from fully dependent on their mother to a boisterous bundle of fur that lucky families get to take home.
We feel it is our job as breeders to do everything we can in the first 8 weeks of our puppies lives to help them to become healthy and well adjusted.
We do this in a number of different ways,
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Startle response
Introducing different noises to the pups helps them to become desensitised. We introduce them to the vacuum, fireworks, wheely bin and many more everyday noises.
We blow the hair drying in their direction slowly brining it closer to the pups to get them used to The sound and feel long before we give them their first bath.
ENS and ESI
Both ENS (early neurological stimulation) and ESI (early sent introduction) are simple exercises to which we expose puppies from day 3 - 16 to help their development, resilience, and coping mechanisms.
Benefits Of doing this:
Boost brain development
Improve circulation and immune system
Stimulates the neurological system
Improves stress responses in later life.
As they become mobile
Through play and toys, we introduce the pups to different textures and sensations to help give them a well-rounded start to the world. We introduce them to the crate, toilet training, and various people and give them age-appropriate obstacles to overcome. We get them used to being brushed, using a soft brush on their coat daily. We handle their feet and ears to get them used to being handled. All of this is designed to help them in their development.
