We were out walking in a different part of the New Forest to our usual area this morning and met a lady with Ben, an orange roan Cocker, 7 years old, with a bit of middle age spread and clipped all over. Even allowing that William is younger, slimmer and in full coat the similarity between the two of them was striking. They are both quite tall (Wills is right at the top of the breed standard height), both well boned, well proportioned and with amazingly similar heads. Both are also very laid back.
We got talking to Ben's owner and asked about his breeding. She doesn't know as he was a rescue and she has no papers, although she does know his age and his background, which is to do with his original owners going to Australia.
We'll never know, but William was bred locally so perhaps Ben was as well. William is very much like his dad Sunny, who is certainly old enough to be Ben's dad.
