Working Cockers? What are the differences?

[Helen]

So when she said Laurië's father was "a working cocker and a very good hunting dog" I assumed she meant he worked as a hunting dog 
[/quote]

Sorry dont think I can quite work out how to do the quote thing.  Anyhow, I was told that Polly's mom was a working dog and assumed the same as you, I thought she went out with the owner working  .  Perhaps its my fault for not realising. 

Polly is actually very laid back and if its a day when I can't let her off the lead but has a good walk she is quite content.  She doesn't appear to have high energy levels but most days she has a good run around the local field.

Kate x

[/quote]

Did you meet the mum then?  That would have given you an idea of what Polly would be like when she grew up.

Polly's energy levels are normal for a young 4 1/2 month old pup - her exercise and stimulation levels will increase greatly over the next few months.

Cob-web - it seems a lot of working cocker pups are being sold as pets without explaining to potential owners what kind of dog they are getting.  There is a surge now in rescue where a lot are given up from around 7 months on when some owners find they can't cope with their exercise and stimulation requirements and have a small bored hooligan on their hands 

Kate, I'm in no way saying this will happen with you and Polly, but be prepared for a very active little dog!!

[Sarah16]

Like you I didn't realise that there was two types of cocker (I had not found COL then) and even though I had bought her from a farm where they said they worked all their dogs, I thought like you they just took them hunting. They are very bright and love learning something new. I found that once Mollie reached 6 or 7 months was when her energy levels went up and I did struggle with her for a while.

I have found it very rewarding knowing that I am now coping better and that she is a lot happier stimulated dog. I spend quite a lot a time each day with training and mental stimulation as long off lead walks are not always enough for her as we found we had a dog even after 2 or 3 hour long walks bouncing off the walls and generally not settling. We still struggle sometimes off lead as she has a tendancy to chase birds as her working instinct is strong. We will be starting agility in the new year which I think she will enjoy.

Not all working cocker spaniels have as much energy as Mollie as each dog is different but she will properly get more active than she is.

[LesleyW]

well, i was really looking for a show cocker, and a boy come to that - what came up at the opportune moment was a working cocker girl, 4 yrs old and kept in a kennel for at least the last 2...

Shes been a delight (as anyone who has been on the New Forest walks recently will affirm) and loves her food, exercise, attention and warm bed in equal amounts.  She will walk whenever i am ready to, for as long as i am able to and any distance.  However, she is a couch potato on occasion and will happily sleep in front of the fire or in her basket for hours on end!  Above all, she adores routine - and likes me to stick to it too.

I've no doubt she would work, with the right person, she loves flushing birds, and understands quite a few commands, but she is our pet first and foremost. 

I'm so glad she came along........

[KateandPolly]

Oh my word, you're all frightening me.  I chose a cocker because I wanted a dog who would fit into our lifestyle.  I love taking her out for long walks, especially off lead but it is not always possible to take her out for long periods and I dont like letting her off at night time because she is black herself and you can't see her.  

At least I'm prepared I suppose.  I'll wait for her energy levels to rise and see how we get on.  mind you by then it will be coming onto spring time and at least I can let her off the lead then during an evening walk.  

Kate x

[KateandPolly]

Aah Lesley, that's a lovely post. 

Kate x

[Cob-Web]

Cob-web - it seems a lot of working cocker pups are being sold as pets without explaining to potential owners what kind of dog they are getting.  There is a surge now in rescue where a lot are given up from around 7 months on when some owners find they can't cope with their exercise and stimulation requirements and have a small bored hooligan on their hands 

I know, which is why it worries me when people say..."Oh, a working cocker is a great family pet"....even if the litter is selectively bred for *steadyness*, a working cocker pup is far more likely to grow into a dog that needs higher levels of stimulation and a greater intelligence and drive than a dog which has not been selected for those characteristics for several generations 

Of course working strain cockers can make successful family pets - but they are generally not owned by "average" pet homes - they are usually involved in agility, obedience, scurries or other activity either formally, or informally......  

Homes who give up their dogs as adolescents appear to be the families who don't want to commit as much time to their dog, and would prefer the dog to fit into the existing lifestyle, rather than fit their lifestyle around the dog 

Even though I do agility with my two, as well as long-distance hike and clicker strain, the fact that I also have a busy family and working life means that I am not able to commit to the needs of an "average" well bred working cocker spaniel 

[Cazzie]

Cob-web - it seems a lot of working cocker pups are being sold as pets without explaining to potential owners what kind of dog they are getting.  There is a surge now in rescue where a lot are given up from around 7 months on when some owners find they can't cope with their exercise and stimulation requirements and have a small bored hooligan on their hands 

I know, which is why it worries me when people say..."Oh, a working cocker is a great family pet"....even if the litter is selectively bred for *steadyness*, a working cocker pup is far more likely to grow into a dog that needs higher levels of stimulation and a greater intelligence and drive than a dog which has not been selected for those characteristics for several generations 

Of course working strain cockers can make successful family pets - but they are generally not owned by "average" pet homes - they are usually involved in agility, obedience, scurries or other activity either formally, or informally......  

Homes who give up their dogs as adolescents appear to be the families who don't want to commit as much time to their dog, and would prefer the dog to fit into the existing lifestyle, rather than fit their lifestyle around the dog 

Even though I do agility with my two, as well as long-distance hike and clicker strain, the fact that I also have a busy family and working life means that I am not able to commit to the needs of an "average" well bred working cocker spaniel 

The same could be said for ANY working breed, what about Labs/terriers/collies/springers most of these breeds are the most popular in the counrty and dont tell me that everybody who owns one of these breeds goes to agility or works it. Also far from you have quoted many of the dogs that come to me that are owned as pets in pet homes are working cockers and working breeds and are model residents within a happy family home that will never see a working field or an agility ring

[Cob-Web]

The same could be said for ANY working breed, what about Labs/terriers/collies/springers most of these breeds are the most popular in the counrty and dont tell me that everybody who owns one of these breeds goes to agility or works it.

There are working and show strains of most of the breeds you have mentioned, as you know...and IMO, the same issues equally applies to well-bred working strains of all breeds - have you seen the number of working-strain collies in rescue ? 

Also far from you have quoted many of the dogs that come to me that are owned as pets in pet homes are working cockers and working breeds and are model residents within a happy family home that will never see a working field or an agility ring

No, they use daycare/home boarding - so are anything other than "average", imo     Like it or not, the "average" pet dog is left alone for hours at at time, gets a trot around the block on the lead every morning/evening and maybe an off-lead run in the nice weather once or twice a week, is fed a diet full of additives, wormed with off-the-shelf products and has a two week stay in boarding kennels every year.  This is the reality for the majority of dogs in the UK - and they rarely encounter the type of owners who are members of COL.....

[Rhona W]

Like it or not, the "average" pet dog is left alone for hours at at time, gets a trot around the block on the lead every morning/evening and maybe an off-lead run in the nice weather once or twice a week, is fed a diet full of additives, wormed with off-the-shelf products and has a two week stay in boarding kennels every year.  This is the reality for the majority of dogs in the UK

Just out of interest Rachel, where do these statistics of the life style of an average/majority of pet dogs come from?     Because of all the people I know who have dogs (family, friends and dog walking aquaintances) , only 1 family fits your description.   

[Cazzie]

The same could be said for ANY working breed, what about Labs/terriers/collies/springers most of these breeds are the most popular in the counrty and dont tell me that everybody who owns one of these breeds goes to agility or works it.

There are working and show strains of most of the breeds you have mentioned, as you know...and IMO, the same issues equally applies to well-bred working strains of all breeds - have you seen the number of working-strain collies in rescue ? 

Also far from you have quoted many of the dogs that come to me that are owned as pets in pet homes are working cockers and working breeds and are model residents within a happy family home that will never see a working field or an agility ring

No, they use daycare/home boarding - so are anything other than "average", imo     Like it or not, the "average" pet dog is left alone for hours at at time, gets a trot around the block on the lead every morning/evening and maybe an off-lead run in the nice weather once or twice a week, is fed a diet full of additives, wormed with off-the-shelf products and has a two week stay in boarding kennels every year.  This is the reality for the majority of dogs in the UK - and they rarely encounter the type of owners who are members of COL.....

Rachael I think we will have to agree to disagree on this as we could go on forever and im sure ive bored enough already 

[Cob-Web]

Like it or not, the "average" pet dog is left alone for hours at at time, gets a trot around the block on the lead every morning/evening and maybe an off-lead run in the nice weather once or twice a week, is fed a diet full of additives, wormed with off-the-shelf products and has a two week stay in boarding kennels every year.  This is the reality for the majority of dogs in the UK

Just out of interest Rachel, where do these statistics of the life style of an average/majority of pet dogs come from?     Because of all the people I know who have dogs (family, friends and dog walking aquaintances) , only 1 family fits your description.   

I haven't quoted any statistics - I made generalisations   

These are my observations based on what I see in my neighbourhood, at work, family and within my daughters social circle (my social circle isn't representative, because it is focused around dogs  ) When I consider the dogs that live in my road, and those that belong to my colleagues - very few of them live the kind of lifestyle that COL dogs do

(here are the statistics:)
There are as many as 7 Million dogs in the UK, that is an average of approx one in every THREE households......and do you regularly see that many dogs being walked in your street? 

[*sammy*]

in my street, (on a large council estate) there are about 10 dogs. one springer who is five is never ever walked , a lady has a german shepard and a terrier cross who are walked three times a day without fail, in all weathers, there a young girl who has three dogs who i see out mostly everyday, and the woman across the street has four dogs, 3 jack russels and a springer, only the springer is walked  . then there's sam who has a mixture of one long off lead walk or two short pavement walks or a runabout on the farm. so it's a bit of a mixture here. i see millions of dogs everyday mind. a lot of greyhounds and staffs that are being walked and a lot of walkabouts with collars but no owners

[Helen]

Like it or not, the "average" pet dog is left alone for hours at at time, gets a trot around the block on the lead every morning/evening and maybe an off-lead run in the nice weather once or twice a week, is fed a diet full of additives, wormed with off-the-shelf products and has a two week stay in boarding kennels every year.  This is the reality for the majority of dogs in the UK

Just out of interest Rachel, where do these statistics of the life style of an average/majority of pet dogs come from?     Because of all the people I know who have dogs (family, friends and dog walking aquaintances) , only 1 family fits your description.   

unfortunately Rhona, I know a lot of dog owners like that who are amazed at how much exercise Jarvis gets  and isn't it awful for me that he is always wet and muddy 

The one that gets me around here are the 2 goldies who have quite a big garden therefore 'only need a walk once a week, on a saturday if we have time...'

it's not just the exercise, it's the stimulation when they do go out, seeing new things, meeting other dogs, the smells etc....

Kate, I'm sure you will be fine with Polly - she sounds a total poppet     She will be an active wee girl, and I would look at things like clicker training classes etc.  I always found that clicker training and them using their brains tired them out reeeeaaaallllly quickly!

Are you going to puppy classes?

[Rhona W]

Like it or not, the "average" pet dog is left alone for hours at at time, gets a trot around the block on the lead every morning/evening and maybe an off-lead run in the nice weather once or twice a week, is fed a diet full of additives, wormed with off-the-shelf products and has a two week stay in boarding kennels every year.  This is the reality for the majority of dogs in the UK

Just out of interest Rachel, where do these statistics of the life style of an average/majority of pet dogs come from?     Because of all the people I know who have dogs (family, friends and dog walking aquaintances) , only 1 family fits your description.   

unfortunately Rhona, I know a lot of dog owners like that who are amazed at how much exercise Jarvis gets  and isn't it awful for me that he is always wet and muddy 

Well I can honestly say I don't. Everyone I know (or have met through walking the dogs) walk their dogs twice a day in all weathers; usually for a good hour of off lead exercise around the local fields. Although in the winter, the evening walks tend to become on lead, road walks as the fields are too dark.
The only people I know who don't do this,  have a GR and a lab and they only take them out for the odd walk around the block.     
But the good far out way the bad - in my area at least. 

[Jan/Billy]

Well I can honestly say I don't. Everyone I know (or have met through walking the dogs) walk their dogs twice a day in all weathers; usually for a good hour of off lead exercise around the local fields. Although in the winter, the evening walks tend to become on lead, road walks as the fields are too dark.
But the good far out way the bad - in my area at least. 

Same here really. Thankfully I don't know of any dogs that don't get regular daily exercise etc, if I did it would really bother me  

One of the women I walk with in the mornings is retired yet still meets me at 6am without fail  


The people of IOW have no excuse as they have the lovely beaches to walk on