Are some lines more suited to work?

[silke]

Hi All,

I have just wondered about something - we have had two cockers (Bobby, who is no longer with us ) and now Charlie. Both have absolutely loved to do things, like obedience, agility, flyball, working trials etc. They have both burst with attitude and been so amazingly keen. The thing is that they are vaguely related. When we lost Bobby, I couldn't bear to be without him and researched the breeding and found Charlie, who is (vaguely! ) related to him. I don't know if we've just been lucky, in that they have both been so keen or if there is something in the breeding or if all Cockers are like this. I'd be interested to get your impressions and thoughts.

Silke x

[Beezzzkneez]

Well, Cockers are working dogs, especially working cockers are very suited to do work and if your two shared similar lines it doesn't surprise me that one takes after the other.

The dam of our pup is a working gundog that has been trained for Field Trials and her sire's line is full of Field Trial champions so I'd be very surprised if she wouldn't turn out to be a busy wee worker. Means more training for us and her to make sure she's active and happy but all the more fun!

[silke]

Thanks for that! Both Bobby and Charlie were/are show-type cockers. They have shared my love of training, and I suppose I'd love to have cockers in the future that are just as motivated and keen. (Although, I know that there obviously aren't any guarantees that a pup will take to agility/obedience/flyball etc with the same enthusiasm my two have shown! )

[silke]

Just realised - I think I put this in the wrong section  - it was meant to go in 'other activities', not working. oops.

[seaangler]

Like i have said in a post very similar to this one ..If you go back in time(18 hundreds) and like i have seen in farm houses as well as manor house pictures and also bigger pictures on the walls of stately homes..The owners with there cockers by there side with there gun with a brace of fezies...And they all look like aldernary cockers but a lot bigger...(not springer's)More like the Sussex spaniel and the field spaniel...

Of all the ones i have seen there was never one like are working cocker as we have today!!

[Emilyoliver]

Just out of interest, silke, what lines are/ were your two from? My boy is very work-orientated which I love and would like in the future. Unfortunately he comes from south Africa so will be difficult to find close relative. And I can't breed from him as he's 7 now and I don't have a bitch (besides not nearly knowledgeable for that!)

[silke]

Just out of interest, silke, what lines are/ were your two from? My boy is very work-orientated which I love and would like in the future. Unfortunately he comes from south Africa so will be difficult to find close relative. And I can't breed from him as he's 7 now and I don't have a bitch (besides not nearly knowledgeable for that!)

I will dig out the pedigrees if I can find them in my mess filing system and let you know.

[Emilyoliver]

Thanks. Ollie is a loon really, but a fantastic, enthusiastic dog who loves to do anything. I was told on a number of occasions it was through his grandfather - Bitcon Troubador. Know he is in a lot of lines in UK, but further back I think.

[flossysmum]

I do agility with 4 out of 5 of my show cocker spaniels and they all love it, Gus, Flossy, Charlie and Bertha all go/have gone to obedience classes and been great, Gus also does Flyball every week which he really enjoys. Their mother is by SH CH Bitcon Pickpocket (grandad is Bitcon Troubador)  Charlie's dad is a swedish dog Westerner True Lies, Gus is by a blueacre dog and Amber & Bertha are by Lindridge Ticket to Ride. All different lines but all love to work 

[aljeana]

Hi I do agility with show line cockers and the 3 of them are quite closley related my old girl Mollie who is retired now is Lindrige,Bicton & Sorbrook and she was always up for it and still is very active at nearlly 14

And because of how full of energy and attitude Mollie was when I was looking for another cocker to join our home I wanted to keep with similar lines so i found Amy who's line is half Mollie from Amy's GG Grand parents with Manchela & Bicton & Lynwater on the other side.

Amy is a fantastic dog and a great agility dog so much attitude and stamia I now have her niece Jodie who again is a very intelligent girl.

What is interesting is how many people question me over Amy as they cannot believe that she is not working line (she looks totally show) because of her drive and attitude but I always say the same go back through the lines they all come from those same dogs and it is only in more recent times that the lines have really split.

I believe you can have good agility dogs from both working and show you just need to get the right lines to get the balance you want

[silke]

It took me ages to find the dogs' pedigree in my filing system , but here it is - the lines both Charlie and Bobby have/had in common were Charterwood. Charlie's dad is related to Bobby. Charlie's dad was 'Tavin Indianna Jones at Charterwood'. I don't know if they both get/got their enthusiasm, intelligence, motivation, style, energy etc from their of it's it a trait common to Cockers.  Whatever it is, I love it!

[SkyeSue]

My working type, Chloe, is highly driven. She has a plethora of ftch in her pedigree and it shows in a her hunt/chase drive.  Had I been in the position to work her, I would have done, but our nearest shoot or gun dog trainer is over 100 miles away. I just have to keep her stimulated with lots of clicker training, teaching tricks, and agility...not to mention loads of off lead walks!