Working Lines in Pedigree

[7733lily]

Not sure if this is in the right place
One of my "show" type cockers shows more of an "ability" as a "working" dog than my other two.  He is very keen to please, picks things up VERY quickly and is doing great at his gundog lessons etc he is also built differently
Anyhow, the breeder of one of my other dogs also has a working cocker and when I took my boys up there for a visit he asked if Cooper was from the same breeder as his worker (although he knows Cooper is a "show" cocker but apparently this kennel breeds show and working  ) anyway I said no he wasn't but I knew he had some dogs in his pedigree from that kennel
I have just looked into it and it would appear that the grandmother of his working dog (on the dam's side) is also Cooper's great grandmother (on the dam's side)
This maybe explains why he is more "worker" than the other two or is it too far removed to make a difference  
Also is it normal to have working and show (what I consider to be) quite close together and yet clearly define them as "show" and "worker" hope that makes sense?
Would be interested in views

[Emilyoliver]

Hard to say what influence it may have had (one because it's quite far back, but also because it might depend on what kind of worker the ancester was).  My 2 show types are almost polar opposites.  Ollie is full of life and enthusiasm and very 'worky' in attitude.  Mad for hunting (and anything energetic) and spends all day carrying stuff round in his mouth.  In fact very similar to my worker pup in traits (aside from being much more noisy - although never noisy hunting).  Ollie is very much pure show lines.  Emily, however, has never been very interested in hunting or retrieving and is from same maternal lines as Ollie (she's his auntie).  So within the show types there are those who retain more working instinct regardless of any working 'infusion'.

[Helen]

Probably done to get a 'special' colour in the show lines 

[Nicola]

One dog that far back in an otherwise full show type pedigree is unlikely to have much of an impact. It's more likely to be as Emilyoliver says that some dogs just retain more working instinct than others; it may have something to do with the lines, i.e. a common trait in the dogs in his pedigree so the breeder is breeding in that type, but I wouldn't class him as 'part worker' or anything with just that one dog a few generations back.

Also is it normal to have working and show (what I consider to be) quite close together and yet clearly define them as "show" and "worker" hope that makes sense

I'm not really sure what you mean by this; close together in what sense?

[7733lily]

No I know what you mean Michelle all three boys are completely different in every way imaginable  
Well on his mums side they are ALL workers up to his great grandmother and then that's where the cross over to show begins so she obviously wasn't a working worker or at least not a very good one as you wouldn't cross otherwise. It's probably like Helen says they wanted a new colour
Sorry Nicola should have been more specific I meant seeing as all his mums side are workers up to his great grandmother is that not far enough back in his pedigree to class him as "complete show" as his grandmother would have been half and half etc but in the dog world that may well be diluted enough  
It doesn't matter either way I love him all the same and we're enjoying our classes, just curious. It's all very interesting, and complicated

[7733lily]

Just had another quick look and there's ftchs throughout up until his great great great grandparents