Hi Nikki
I'm afraid that while Finn's tail wouldn't necessarily be a problem in the show ring, his markings would be (unless the white disappears as he gets older) & if he also has only one descended testicle, then that would be 2 big "no no's" as far as the show ring is concerned. However, at 8 weeks, he has plenty of time for the other to drop so you have no need to panic or rush into neutering. If he does remain a unilateral cryptorchid (posh name for only having one), then this is a hereditary defect, probably recessive in nature (ie both parents carry the faulty gene not just the sire) Having said that, if breeders in Cockers removed from the gene pool all those dogs & bitches that have produced cryptorchids, there wouldn't be many left
It is a relatively common defect & relatively minor in that neutering & removal of the undescended testicle removes any health risk to the dog & he can live a perfectly normal healthy life following the surgery & indeed, even without surgery, many cryptorchid dogs will live out healthy lives without developing cancer. It makes sense that if a particular mating has produced a cryptorchid puppy that the mating is not repeated, but there is no need to decide that Ebbie should not be bred from again. Many geneticists would view such a decision as "throwing the baby out with the bath water"