working cocker or show

[whinneygirl]

good luck with your working cocker spaniel youve made the right dissision in my eyes,i would get plenty of toys in to stimulate and keep the puppy out of trouble,i would also start saving your old newspapers,youll be very suprised how much you use juring toilet training,if your puppy is going to be left at long periods of time a puppy crate would be a good idea,this will ensure your puppy doest ransack your house and doesnt get hurt in anyway,and if you have small children its a get away for the puppy when he/she has had enough fussing.                      

[lizzy]

I bet you can't wait, it's really exciting waiting for a pup to come home!

I saw a little black cocker ( 7 weeks old, working type ) at Lyme Park, Cheshire, a few weeks ago she was called YOO HOO and was adorable, I wanted to steal her!!

If this is your 1st dog as an adult I would recommend you get a copy of a book called " The Perfect Puppy " by Gwen Bailey, it's a brilliant book that covers every aspect of puppy ownership and how to raise that perfect puppy :wink:

Any way good luck and if you need any help I'm sure someone on COL will be able to help!!

Lizzy Molly and Evie                    

[PennyB]

good luck with your working cocker spaniel youve made the right dissision in my eyes,i would get plenty of toys in to stimulate and keep the puppy out of trouble,i would also start saving your old newspapers,youll be very suprised how much you use juring toilet training,if your puppy is going to be left at long periods of time a puppy crate would be a good idea,this will ensure your puppy doest ransack your house and doesnt get hurt in anyway,and if you have small children its a get away for the puppy when he/she has had enough fussing.  

I personally wouldn't leave a pup for long periods of time in a crate though                    

[speedyjaney]

Hi there
Congrats on choosing a cocker! They are a fab breed.
We have an orange roan show type bitch and a friend has a golden working dog. They are very similar in some ways but miles apart in others. We walked them together only once....Jessie (show type at 9 months) couldnt keep up with him! Barley (working 12 months) ran the legs off her in a walk that lasted 3/4 of an hour!! Luckily our friend lives and works on a farm an therefore Barley has a full day off lead pretty much so is well exercised. On the days when he isnt running around all day he can be difficult in the house as he wants to be stimulated. He loves playing games and often spend a couple of hours rumaging around the house looking for things that have been hidden for him! As long as time can be made available for a working cocker they can be great pets....not for me though cos they really dont care what the weathers like and demand a walk regarless  :shock:
Have fun with your pup and post some pics asap!!
Jane, JessieCocker and SaffiWestie x                    

[Mo]

I have just read this topic and found the pros and cons of owning a working cocker very interesting.  I think the breed is lovely but I'm probably biased because my brother has a 2 yr old working cocker boy who is absolutely gorgeous.  They have three very lively children and Bracken fits in brilliantly.  When they told me he was a cocker I had my doubts and I actually thought he was a springer which I now know upsets alot of working cocker owners, so I apologise for that but I didn't realise there were different types of cocker.  Bracken makes a wonderful family pet and is very obedient.  He is a very energetic dog but this fits in with their lifestyle (always out and about).

We also have a cocker called Joey who is a 1 yr old choc roan and he is half working, half show.  Bracken and Joey get on great however, I think Joey is more show than working because he can't keep up with Bracken when they go out for a walk/run and we find Joey to be more vocal.  I think this is another trait of the working cocker, they apparently don't bark as much as show cockers and Joey often makes a funny howling noise, which really makes up laugh.

We have now decided to get another cocker but wanted the same as Joey and luckily we have finally found a little girl (we are calling Phoebe) who is also half working, half show and we are picking her up tomorrow, she is 10 weeks old and we can't wait.  She is also a Choc roan but a lot lighter than Joey and they both have their tails.  So as long as you're prepared to go on nice long walks I'm sure you'll not regret buying a working cocker.  We have visited places with Joey that we would otherwise never have gone.                    

[k]

We too are picking our pup up this weekend and I was really pleased when I read your very positive comments. We too have 3 lively children who I know will love this dog to bits but I really anguished about which type to go for as I really like both. I hope I made the right decision. I'll let you know.                    

[ziggy]

i agree with pammy,working cockers are alot more hard work,,i had two and didn,t i know it,, :shock:                    

[crazyspaniels]

Oooh, can't wait for pics. I have a 1 year old working cocker called Bilbo, he is solid black with a long tail. He is soooo intelligent it scares me sometimes and he loves to be challenged in any way he can be. He can do advanced obedience but thinks the beginners stuff is too easy so when we do a test he laughs at me and makes me look stupid. he is very funny and gives us soo much love. He is actually quite laid back, especially compared to my working springers, but then I am probably quite tolerant seeing as I got him as a rescue, after 3 homes at only 7 months.
I suggest you try and get your pup clicker trained quite early, its Bilbo's favourite way of learning and he loves it
Good Luck                    

[marie_231]

ok , had to reply , i have a 17 week old working cocker called Benson , and he is my 1st ever dog , weve now had him for 9 weeks and i have to say he is Fantastic , he has been house trained since he was 9 weeks old , has never cried or fussed over night , although he was crated for the first 6 weeks , he now sleeps in the kitchen , and if we do go out occasionally without him he has the run of the house , but goes to sleep if were not here , im a really proud mum , and i couldnt have asked for more , thinking of getting another in the future                    

[k]

We have now picked up our pup and he is absolutely gorgeous. He is only 8 weeks and goes for his 1st jab tonight but is so affectionate and follows us around as though he has always livsd here.He must be teething as when playing he uses his teeth a lot which I know is normal for young pups ,we try to discourage him doing this because of the kids but do I need to worry too much about this?  any advise would be welcome. He does have chews which he likes .We made an area in the garden for him to go to the toilet but he's not quite got the hang of it yet but its early days,again any tips?                    

[Jane S]

Puppies do not start to teeth until around 16 weeks old but all pups play-bite & nip - it is how they explore their world & how they play with their litter mates. You will find lots of useful tips on play biting & house training in our Cocker Questions section (the board above the General board). You might also find it useful to browse previous posts on the Puppies board where questions about play biting etc often arise.

Jane