look to meet other cocker spaniel owners and find some great walks!

[Nicola]

Nicola : Hi. thanks. no i dont work her. Wouldn't know how to get her into field trial competitions at moment to be honest. Something i'd definetely like to maybe get her into though if i find out about it and training. Maybe also, one day, have a litter from her. Which is why i travelled nearly 4hrs to see here as a 4 week old pup, and then another 4hrs to pick her up when ready - from wales. She must have about 35 field winner/champs in her 5 generation pedigree certificate, off my head. Love the action shot of alfie at full size!

Pretty much any well bred working cocker will have a lot of FTWs/FTChs in their pedigree, all of mine do    That alone isn't really a good enough reason to breed from them though. Proven working ability or Field Trial success is a better gauge of whether or not a dog is suitable to breed from once they have had all the relevant health tests as well. Sorry, I'm a bit evangelical about breeding for the right reasons and from the right dogs!

That photo was taken at the BASC Scotland game fair in the obstacle course scurry, he had a great time 

[tillydog]

Welcome to COL!!

No advice here also live too far away (Australia) ....

Saffron is a cutie 

[flashpanther]

cdpops : Would appreciate the info on Scarfell Pike greatly. Thankyou for that.

Nicola : 39 FTCH's in her pedigree. I understand your point of view but not all Cockers are owned by game keepers (as you probably know lol) and they don't have to be - to be a great Cocker spaniel. When it comes to breeding and Cocker Spaniels I know my stuff now  Just lacking on the field trialing knowledge like I mentioned. She has an amazing temperment and is extemely attentive. I can teach her almost anything it seems. If I think she is right I will consider breeding her with a top Stud but certainly not in the immediate future. But please... it is ok... but you really don't need to preach to me about breeding on the basis of information that my dog does not work or field trial at present (like it only seemed you did - I apologise if wrong).

If i had more info on getting her involved in trials and competions etc I certainly would if any near me.

[Nicola]

No, not preaching at all, it's just that there are so many people out there with gorgeous, intelligent cockers (or any other kind of dog) with great pedigrees who think that that's a good enough reason to breed from them. If you don't work your bitch though you will probably find it difficult to find an owner of a top stud dog who will let you use their dog on her... but then if your knowledge of cockers and breeding is as you say then you probably know that already   

[Cazzie]

cdpops : Would appreciate the info on Scarfell Pike greatly. Thankyou for that.

Nicola : 39 FTCH's in her pedigree. I understand your point of view but not all Cockers are owned by game keepers (as you probably know lol) and they don't have to be - to be a great Cocker spaniel. When it comes to breeding and Cocker Spaniels I know my stuff now  Just lacking on the field trialing knowledge like I mentioned. She has an amazing temperment and is extemely attentive. I can teach her almost anything it seems. If I think she is right I will consider breeding her with a top Stud but certainly not in the immediate future. But please... it is ok... but you really don't need to preach to me about breeding on the basis of information that my dog does not work or field trial at present (like it only seemed you did - I apologise if wrong).

If i had more info on getting her involved in trials and competions etc I certainly would if any near me.

Hi there and welcome 

Lovely wee dog you have  I have 2 working Labs (blk)  a working cocker (blk) and a JRT. 

I think you will find that cocker spaniels are not a gamekeepers first choice of dog and there are not many keepers I know with cockers. Gamekeepers prefer what they call real dogs Labs/ESS and HPR breeds.


Cazzie 

[Elisa]

Welcome to the forum Andrew and Saffron 

[Jan/Billy]

Welcome to the forum 

[flashpanther]

Thanks for all the welcomes. I can not believe how many cocker spaniel owners use this website and how friendly people are in general here!

Nicola : Never said that was good enough reason to breed from her lol. But you do still sound like preaching I am afraid though after being given very little background info.  Appreciate your opinions though and thank you for your post in making me welcome.

[Cob-Web]

Hi Andrew, welcome to COL 

As you have probably guessed if you have been browsing the site - there are a lot of members who feel the same way as Nicola about breeding, me included 

Sadly, there are 1000's of unwanted dogs in the country, all of which are looking for homes, and breeding more will only add to this problem 
My opinion is that the only breeding that can be considered responsible is if there are exceptional characteristics proven in the dog that would otherwise be lost to the breed, no matter how good natured, healthy, unique the dog is in other ways 

[flashpanther]

I agree. But intelligent to know when being talked down to when, humorously, I have given very little information for them to go on. Naturally taken a little offence to it. It is an option I have kept open. Saffron does not have to be a field trial winner to have a litter from her. Which can only be the suggestion I seemed to be preached after just joining this forum and giving very little information indeed. People should not assume certain situations and force there opinions directed on assumptions, which my intelligence makes very clear, was being aimed at me. Show me a really well bred Cocker where every bitch ('female dog' if censored) is a FTCH in its 5 generation pedigree  Assumptions shouldn't be made to preach views onto me. I created this thread after just joining to introduce myself and after mentioning i had left the option to have a litter from Saffron it was clear, in English, I was being preached (or appeared to be talked down to) after being stereotyped very early.

I respect your opinions and views. I understand what you are trying to say about breeding. I have similar beliefs. What I don't agree with is the way it was put across, assumptions made or the wording of the view though.

Thank you for the welcome. It's appreciated. Hopefully I can contribute allot from this web forum and my CS 'Saffron' can benefit greatly as a result 

[Joules]

Sadly, there are 1000's of unwanted dogs in the country, all of which are looking for homes, and breeding more will only add to this problem 
My opinion is that the only breeding that can be considered responsible is if there are exceptional characteristics proven in the dog that would otherwise be lost to the breed, no matter how good natured, healthy, unique the dog is in other ways 

Blimey Rachel, not sure how you measure exceptional characteristics but if that were the only acceptable reason for breeding then I would guess that most of the dogs on COL would never have been born. 

[hamfam]

I agree. But intelligent to know when being talked down to when, humorously, I have given very little information for them to go on. Naturally taken a little offence to it. It is an option I have kept open. Saffron does not have to be a field trial winner to have a litter from her. Which can only be the suggestion I seemed to be preached after just joining this forum and giving very little information indeed. People should not assume certain situations and force there opinions directed on assumptions, which my intelligence makes very clear, was being aimed at me. Show me a really well bred Cocker where every bitch ('female dog' if censored) is a FTCH in its 5 generation pedigree  Assumptions shouldn't be made to preach views onto me. I created this thread after just joining to introduce myself and after mentioning i had left the option to have a litter from Saffron it was clear, in English, I was being preached (or appeared to be talked down to) after being stereotyped very early.

I respect your opinions and views. I understand what you are trying to say about breeding. I have similar beliefs. What I don't agree with is the way it was put across, assumptions made or the wording of the view though.

Thank you for the welcome. It's appreciated. Hopefully I can contribute allot from this web forum and my CS 'Saffron' can benefit greatly as a result 

I am a novice dog owner (Lucy is my first dog)  i had no intentions of breeding from Lucy as frankly i think this is something best left to others who have expertise in the area - safer for the dog and better for the breed. I took the option to have Lucy spayed when she underwent an op to remove a grass seed so breeding is no longer an option anyway.

As regards the welcome you have received from the board, having read this thread, the impression i have, which i am sure cant be right, is of a self proclaimed expert who is objecting to advice given in good faith, I am sure you do not intend to create this impression and would urge you re-read your thread, Nicola was only making you aware of her passion for controlled breeding ( i'm sure theres room for a quip there  ) and was not trying to provoke you in any way.
It is human nature to make judgements based upon the information we possess.

[Nicola]

Sadly, there are 1000's of unwanted dogs in the country, all of which are looking for homes, and breeding more will only add to this problem 
My opinion is that the only breeding that can be considered responsible is if there are exceptional characteristics proven in the dog that would otherwise be lost to the breed, no matter how good natured, healthy, unique the dog is in other ways 

Blimey Rachel, not sure how you measure exceptional characteristics but if that were the only acceptable reason for breeding then I would guess that most of the dogs on COL would never have been born. 

But if what Rachel said were the case then perhaps there wouldn't be over 8000 healthy dogs put to sleep in pounds and shelters every year either 

Hamfam - thank you, you've summed it up pretty well 

[flashpanther]

A person who is committed to improving the characteristics of a breed and the genes of that pedigree is also committed to finding only good homes for all the litter. If this could not be assured then the planned litter would not be carried out.

I agree on some aspects of peoples views about owners having a litter. I think it should be a legal requirement (or at least VERY strictly checked up by the kennel club for pedigree pets for a start) that an owner of a proposed litter should have to show a valid commitment to improving a breeds characteristics and ensuring a fully committed drive to find all the planned litter a GOOD home with the right minded people for the breed.

But... advice was not asked for. This is not a breeding forum post but an introductions one  I do appreciate people trying to help, really do. But out of topic and advice not asked for.

But taking it as welcoming me and introducing yourself and see what your drives are.... I take it as you showing me that Nicola in good spirit But assumptions just seemed to be made and advice given when they should not have been and the English grammar read as if it was directed to me. But it's out of topic and for an other forum.

Lets leave it for introductions. I feel welcome already and appreciate GREATLY the welcomes and time people have taken to welcome me and Saffron here 

[Joelf]

Hello & welcome from myself, Domino (cocker) & Spike (black lab).