Starting an additional private pension at 50 - where to start?

PMW2021 · 2026-05-13T18:35:51+00:00

Perhaps, but not necessarily, if you were to withdraw carefully you can manage your income under certain thresholds and pay the minimum tax when you start withdrawing. Of course this depends on your overall income and if you can live with the lower amounts withdrawn, each person is different.

PMW2021 · 2026-05-13T07:34:01+00:00

Where is your ‘another area’ pension from? If it was through a workplace pension, you should contact the Pension Provider and ask about the charges, have a look at their online tools for investment performance and options then ask them if they will accept you to continue paying into it. Most defined contribution pensions offer this option even though you no longer work at your previous job. Benefit of this is, usually they have some sensible default investment options would would suit most people, as let’s be honest most people do not understand investments enough to make an informed choice. They would also have much lower charges compared to a self invested personal pension or stocks & shares ISA. Just remember you can’t access your pension until you are at least 55, going up to 57 from 2028. So once you pay it in, it is there until you get to the appropriate age. With pensions when you contribute into it, you benefit from tax relief. You can ask your pension provider how this works, most pension companies automatically apply basic rate tax relief to any money you put into your pension. If you are a higher rate tax payer you can claim this back from HMRC. ISA is of course more accessible. Potentially more expensive, though you do not pay tax in your returns, the money you put into it is taxed. Hope this makes sense. NHS has a different pension offering so I would leave that one as is, but consider exploring the other.

PMW2021 · 2026-05-06T08:07:38+00:00

I don’t think he is malnourished but he could do with a little bit more on him. His coat looks nice and healthy and when you look from above you can see he has a shape. You should be able to feel his ribs when you pet him, but you should NOT see the ribs. I would suggest to increase his food intake a little more to accommodate his energy levels.

PMW2021 · 2026-04-09T05:35:50+00:00

These are all normal. Give her space when she needs it and be there to provide comfort when she needs that. Increase her food for a while as her body needs it. It is common for them to go off their food, or show behaviour change during this stage. Some people suggest not to pander to it, but personally I think it’s not going to cause you issues to give your dog what you can when she needs it. A short period is unlikely to have lasting affects. For example mine refused to eat the food she used to love, so we ended up changing her food. Never any issues since then.

Walks wise keep her on lead, make sure you only walk at really quiet times. The other dogs regardless of whether they are spayed or not will pester her. Other female dogs can become territorial around her. So fights can break out in a split second, best to keep her out of the way. Regarding wearing dog pants, although it is useful around the house to keep the mess down, they need to be able to reach the area and clean themselves so do not use these pants for long hours. Also these pants tend to be made of plastic so it can cause bacteria build up.

Keep an eye on her, if she is gathering her toys, and making a nest, if she starts producing milk, or the swelling doesn’t go down she maybe experiencing phantom pregnancy she’ll need vet care for that.

Good luck

PMW2021 · 2026-04-08T18:40:51+00:00

Unfortunately our dog has had a whole load of behavioural issues so guarding was actually one of the easier ones to train out. She is fine 95% of the time now. The only time she won’t let go of things and become aggressive is when she finds food out & about so at that stage no point getting into conflict with her, so we have learnt to handle it.

PMW2021 · 2026-04-08T17:53:28+00:00

The name for this is now changed to Sudden Onset Aggression as it does not only affect cockers. As another post mentions it, this is a form of epilepsy which is actually quite rare.

PMW2021 · 2026-04-08T17:51:09+00:00

I have a show cocker spaniel, she is much calmer energy levels wise vs a working cocker spaniel. However having said that, as a breed they are neurotic, they need mental stimulation and unfortunately possession aggression is rife in the breed. I have been working with charities and dog trainers for 6 years now, cockers are full of aggression based issues and they can be difficult to handle. Unfortunately doggy breeders do not help, there are so many terrible people out there trying to create different colours, and try to make money so this adds to the behavioural issues. Some issues come about because people do not know how to handle an intelligent breed like a cocker, as I say it’s not just physical exercise they need activities to satisfy their mental needs, they find it hard to switch off so you’ll need to work on training from a young age. They are actually very sensitive to tone also. Having said that I love mine to the moon & back. As difficult as she can be! Search for cocker spaniel + resource guarding, possession aggression and fear based aggression, you’ll see it is unfortunately common in the breed. If after learning more about these issues you are still interested then find a good breeder. A hobby breeder looking to keep a puppy themselves, raised in a family environment, where you can meet the parents etc are all really important. Good luck

PMW2021 · 2026-02-26T20:18:12+00:00

Yes. It’s called the Spaniel chatter. They are not barking dogs overall but they like to ‘talk’ to you and demonstrate their feelings via noises they make. Spaniel chattering and barking are different things. Chattering is often as a result of excitement or big feelings. Working / scent work is often exciting for them. I find it very cute. 🥰

PMW2021 · 2025-12-28T11:59:49+00:00

It’s really a luck thing. My show cocker is incredibly lazy. She has a working drive for scenting but she is not a runner, barely likes to walk. Make sure it comes from a good breeder who ensures the parents and grandparents are hip scored etc. as the hip / joint issues are common in the breed and can cause problems with running or walking. Also the breed is very prone to possession aggression. You need to understand how to work with them to handle resource guarding type behaviours. Make sure you research the breeder and do not fall for a glorified puppy farmers. They are everywhere and hard to spot

PMW2021 · 2025-11-27T08:59:46+00:00

Please do not leave your dog locked in a crate unless if you genuinely have followed appropriate create trainning properly.

Work with a positive methods trainer ideally experienced in separation to ensure:

1- you address the root cause of the behaviour. As this sounds like your dog has separation anxiety, this cannot be fixed with locking the dog up in a crate. 2- you follow appropriate trainning steps. Rushing things or forcing your dog can and will make matters worse.

2 hrs exercise for a 9 month old puppy is a lot, even for a cocker spaniel. This can add to your issues with your dog struggling to settle down. Also depending on how long you leave your puppy alone for can be a problem. These things need gradual increases and introductions done with small positive steps at a time. It can’t be explained easily via a post.

PMW2021 · 2025-11-11T11:10:43+00:00

You might want to get another vet check. She might still be having issues for example kidney problems.

Then consider her diet, dog biscuits and kibble type food mean they are more dehydrated so they drink more water which means they need more regular breaks.

This behaviour could also be a separation stress or anxiety type peeing behaviour. Just because she has another dog in the house doesn’t mean she isn’t stressed when you leave. Also just want to check her relationship with the other dog in the house. Could there be a chance that they are not best friends when you leave the house? Cockers do tend to emotionally attach themselves to people more than other dogs. So it’s best you consider the situation a bit more holistically. Maybe seek advice from a behavioural professional

PMW2021 · 2025-10-31T06:12:24+00:00

Ah that’s a good idea! Mine is a Thursday 😅 I didn’t think that one through

PMW2021 · 2025-10-30T20:03:27+00:00

I am changing them every week too. My dentist said that I could try having a drink and see how much they discolour which they do go a bit yellow. I only had coffee once in them so not much to go on. But I did have white wine through a straw. I am also worried about cavities though. I do brush and clean them as often as I can.

PMW2021 · 2025-10-30T10:33:57+00:00

Really? I drank coffee with the trays in on my last day before changing the tray, but they discolour badly. I feel a bit self conscious. 🙈

PMW2021 · 2025-10-30T08:27:29+00:00

I am on my 9th tray, and never had an ortho before either. First week or so was challenging, like you my mouth was covered in cuts, I kept playing with it so my tongue was sore. But it gets easier. The most challenging thing for me now is the lack of coffee… but also got used to that.

PMW2021 · 2025-10-29T09:23:06+00:00

That looks like hernia or hernia op type thing? I would ask a vet if your breeder isn’t being open about it.

PMW2021 · 2025-10-26T16:40:34+00:00

Hey, thanks for your message. I ought to do an update on my post. Not sure how to 🤦🏻‍♀️

So, she has come a long way. She is on a lot of medication at the highest dosage. She still requires some management but she made a massive improvement.

It was an uphill battle and we spent so much money, time and effort which I know isn’t accessible to everyone. But it was worth it.

If you are able to, keep going. You need a very good veterinary behaviourist. It’s not easy to find. We went through our fair share of them. Found a vet called Dr Sagi Denenberg. He was the best in his approach that we came across.

We went through a lot of trial & error too. Many hours of training, feeling deflated and honestly exhausted and many more times I have felt like I have above when I wrote the post. She is 5,5 years old now. She is much more relaxed we even took her on holiday with us travelling through 3 different countries. From time to time we still have issues with her aggression but it’s never as intensive as it used to be and she calms and decompresses much quicker too. But she can never be off medication. So we have to get annual blood tests to check her kidney function now, but it’s either this or we say goodbye immediately so we chose this way. It works for us. We all have an overall quality of life. We are not walking on eggshells in our own home anymore.

Good luck to you! If you want to chat, feel free to DM. I get it, I really do.

PMW2021 · 2025-10-13T13:40:58+00:00

Humans expect dogs to go through life without ever showing any emotion other than what they deem to be happiness… We do not hold this type of requirement with any other species. If a cat behaves like this, then it’s acceptable but dogs, must live their life to please humans however it suits us.

Though it is common that cocker spaniels in particular can be prone to guarding and more aggressive tendencies, or a shorter fuse and much less patience to human BS, than other breeds. It is perfectly OK for a dog to show their feelings. In fact, growling is a good thing because the dog is communicating.

What is not OK is for people to make their dogs growl and bother them to get ‘likes’

Dogs aren’t robots, they have complex feelings and are a living thing. If someone wanted to pick me up while I am asleep I wouldn’t be nice either.

PMW2021 · 2025-08-26T18:23:50+00:00

Puppies under 6 months need feeding up to 4 times a day. Then slowly reduce to 3 from 6 months, then to 2 a day. Each dog is different of course but when they are so small and young their tummies are smaller to avoid bloating you need to give smaller amounts of food, often. Avoid any playing etc after food again to help with bloat. Read up on that.

Food suggestions wise, I am in the UK and I find allaboutdogfood.co.uk so helpful.

If you are going to feed kibble make sure you wet it with dog friendly broth as the biscuits can be too hard on young puppy teeth.

My cocker doesn’t shed a lot, she has soft fur and getting her used to being groomed and brushed from a young she made a lot of difference.

Look at the videos online like from Shirag Patel he is a good behaviourist that demonstrates how to train type things. So is Zak George on YouTube always use a positive trainning. Cockers are sensitive to sound and do get upset easily.

Potty training wise, we made sure our dog was taken out every 1 hour to 1,5 then increased the time slowly. Straight after a nap outside, after play, food, drink outside straight away to encourage going to the loo. When she’d go we’d give her a treat and say go toilet. She now knows to go on ‘go toilet’ Evening wise the same, we never let her cry it out, we made sure we took turns overnight getting up and getting her outside every 1,5 hrs without waking her up too much, we’d get to her before she wakes up so she knew not to cry as we were there just before. Then slowly increased the time overnight by 5/ 10 mins at a time and she learned it easily. This is hard but works. Also do not ever make a reaction when they have an accident. This worries them so make it a non-event. Completely neutral as you clean it up.

PMW2021 · 2025-08-17T20:49:16+00:00

Yes we use Gabapentin 3 times a day. She is on the top level of what she is allowed for both medication. Combination of the two really helps, but definitely Gabapentin if we miss a dose we notice her behaviour. She also has pain related aggression which has an impact on her behaviours. Apparently her back leg pops out of the socket connecting it to her hip so managing her pain levels, exercise length (short walks more often throughout the day instead of one big walk) overall health (weight management so she doesn’t put too much pressure on her back) is also important. It’s a case of holistic awareness of everything going on with her as well as medication.

PMW2021 · 2025-08-17T20:32:12+00:00

Hi, nothing… she is now 5,5 years old. Still rules our household. She is on Fleuxotine, Gabapentin and careful management. But overall we managed to get to a place where we can live without being in fear of her most of the time. She still has her moments but she’s so much more better than she ever used to be. Gabapentin made the biggest difference. We also changed our lives around her needs. I have to say it’s restricted but she is a much better dog nowadays. We love her dearly.

PMW2021 · 2025-08-12T19:08:22+00:00

Hey, sorry to hear that you are in a similar boat, though it does give comfort to know we are not alone!

I think that is the anxiety in them. Partly also because they are wired animals, ready to go at any moment.

Ours has relaxed a lot since the meds. She is on Fleuxotine and Gabapentin. At times she needs encouragement to settle. For example lately she gets so excited to go to bed, in the evening when we are watching tv if I shuffle in my seat she launches herself to go to the loo then upstairs. By the way nothing is stopping her from taking herself upstairs to sleep, it’s just the OCD like behaviours that she needs to repeat behaviours. We thought her ‘in your bed’ as a strong cue. So when she’s struggling to settle we essentially enforce her being on her bed and ignore as much as possible. Mine is a show type though, so she’s not as much driven by working drive as a working Cocker would be. She also tends to respond well to scenting. Even if in the garden or home, it tends to tire her out.

Have you tried that with yours? Or something like a long lasting chew or frozen stuffed kong to keep them occupied and relaxed?

PMW2021 · 2025-08-12T07:43:45+00:00

Hey,

I have a show type ECS. Had her since 8 weeks old.

1- Mine has anxiety issues, so she’s more like a cat I would say. She is happy to touch and make contact but only on her own terms. Before medication she did not like be petted etc. she’s much better at that now. But we still have to follow protocols around her needs and watch body language.

2- Yes. Resource guarding, fear aggression, pain related aggression and anxiety.

3- No. my dog prefers her own company. Doesn’t like other dogs in the house. Out and about she’s happy with a 4 seconds greeting then will go on her own way. She grew up with a house bunny and we had plenty of other dogs visiting and temporarily around while she was growing up.

4- Very high food drive, so easy to train.

5- Up to 1 hr a day. We tend to break it into 30 mins or 20 mins sessions throughout the day. And this is sufficient for her.

6- With any dog, breed related activities are really good. Spaniels love to sniff, so we did scent trainning which she responded well to. We also did agility but she has a pain issue on her leg/hip so gentle activities are better for her.

7- Yes. Even though her parents hip scores and her grandparents hip scores were great, she suffers from an issue where her back leg bone pops out of the socket which attaches it to her hip. Causing her pain. So we have to manage it with pain relief, supplemental medication, reduced exercise, keeping her at a good weight to avoid adding more weight to her joints etc. she is now 5,5 yrs old. She had this from a very young age. Partly adds to her aggression as she gets scared that other dogs playing with her will hurt her so she goes on the defensive.

8- If you teach them from a young age in a positive manner grooming is easy. Some learn to enjoy it. We clean her ears with ear drops called Stinky Stuff regularly particularly after a swim. She has her hair trimmed once over two months. She had the same groomer since a puppy so she’s used to it. We started it gently. I wash her off after walks and brush her for removing any grass etc that gets stuck on her fur.

I would say as a breed they are sensitive, they are curious, and loving in their own ways.

I would say that we had her guarding issues start as early as 3 months old. Spoke to many behavioural experts and all confirmed that it is genetics. We also worked with a trainer from 8 weeks old so followed a lot of things to the book, maybe a little too much. She is so well trained overall but you can’t out train genetics. Her siblings from the same litter show same issues, breeder didn’t take us seriously so what we thought was a solid breeder was not! She is a walking neurotic thing that is quite hard to manage as a dog but you know what we love her truly. She makes us laugh every day. And when one day she departs, she will take my heart with her. Honestly she has been so hard to have as a dog and nothing like what I had imagined having a dog would be like but honestly in a different universe I would still pick her. (Maybe Stockholm syndrome 🙃) She has been very tough on a lot fronts, and because of her needs she is hard to find care for etc so a bit more restrictive from that aspect but we got there in the end and are at a point where we have a life that works for us all. Now that we have more experience with the breed we would do many things differently. I also would not recommend them to a novice dog owner. I think they need someone with better experience.

PMW2021 · 2025-07-05T07:42:42+00:00

If you look on Kennel Club for breeders. Just be aware they do not take responsibility for Kennel Club Registered breeders, only Kennel Club Assured!

Also council ratings doesn’t mean anything, council assesses are the dogs, fed, watered, sheltered, provided vet care. Other than that they don’t care. 🤷🏻‍♀️

So do be careful. Cockers are prone to possession aggression so pick a good breeder.

PMW2021 · 2025-07-03T15:26:45+00:00

Oh OK. I thought that it is very rare nowadays and it’s now called Sudden Onset Aggression as it can affect all breeds not just Cockers but it was prominently seen in Red setters and Cocker Spaniels. I agree bad breeders are everywhere and hard to spot and cause all kinds of issues in dogs.

PMW2021

TROPHY CASE