New to Cockers - worker.

[loumeg]

Hi all

We have a new addition to our family.  A bitch called Cookie.  She is only 19 weeks old and is very intelligent and i am wondering whether or not to go down the line of getting involved with field trials etc.  But as you probably can gather from this post i know nothing at all about this and need your advice.  I have just spent time researching her pedigree and neither of her parents were champions or even entered into competitions (i know they were pets).  on her pedigree most of the FTCH is from her fathers side and then the majority listed as FTCH are males.

here are the most recent listed champions and their generation in relation to Cookie.

Sandford Black Mamba - Grandfather
Wernffrwd Dai Bach  - Great Grandfather
Kigaro Minnie -           Great Grandmother
Cadboll Zachary -       Great Grandfather

All above from Fathers side
-----------------------------------------

Roanlodge Treacle -       Grandfather
Mallowdale Rackatear -   Great Grandfather

All above from mothers side.

I know i am asking a lot but can any one advise has cookie (Miss Loumeg Cookie Crisp) any prospects in the field as she has not immediate champions.

Many thanks for any he   ::)lp.

[Cob-Web]

Competing with dogs in any discipline is fun, for both the dog and owner    No matter what ancestry your dog has, she (and you) will benefit from training and taking part in trials, beating, agility or even obedience; and it is an added bonus if she does well and begins to bring home awards 

Have fun !!

[loumeg]

Can you give me any info on where to go next in relation to training etc. I really am an novice and dont know where to start. 

[Cob-Web]

At 19 weeks old, she will benefit from some basic puppy classes, which teach the basics and help teach you how to train her 

Try http://www.apdt.co.uk/local_dog_trainers.asp to find a local trainer that runs classes in your area - or ask at your local vets or even pet store.  Go along and watch the classes if you can before you sign up, and never do anything that you are uncomfortable with.

As she gets older, you can decided which disciplines you would like to progress in; all of them will need a good basic training, and once you go along to puppy classes, you will begin to learn what type of training you and she enjoys 

[Helen]

Competing with dogs in any discipline is fun, for both the dog and owner    No matter what ancestry your dog has, she (and you) will benefit from training and taking part in trials, beating, agility or even obedience; and it is an added bonus if she does well and begins to bring home awards 

Have fun !!

Gun dog scurries, agility, gun dog training - yes, all fun...but I would I would never EVER call field trialling 'fun' - it is very disciplined and intense and takes a huge amount of training and commitment   

I'm sorry to sound negative - but I'm trying to be realistic! Just because Cookie has these lines does not automatically mean she is a field trial prospect, especially if she is primarily a pet and not a working dog (similarly my working cocker who has a large amount of FT CH in his ancestry would not make the grade - actually he might, but my training capabilities are far below that required)

Enjoy your pup, take her to puppy training, and see how she evolves 

[loumeg]

    I am not really into competitions that would be stressfull and excessivly time consuming as both myself and my Oh work full time.  What i do want however is for Cookie to have the best and dont want to short change her abilities.  This sounds naff i know but i want to know i will have given her the best of everything 

She is such a treasure i thought i was being unfair by not following in what is her ancestry

Thanks for all the advice it has given me a lot of food for thought 

[cazza]

If you want to go down that route of field trials etc I wouldn't let anyone put you off 

But honestly agree that at the moment first thing to do is basic obedience and then once Cookie is older and obedient contact a gun dog trainer and have lessons  Even if you don't want to compete they are good FUN

You say you work full time but surely if you want to do this you will find 15 minutes every day rain or shine to do some training 

[Cazzie]

Hi 

One of my fav boys "Sandford Black Mamba"  I you fancy going down this route, then get yourself involved with a gun dog club or similar, go and spectate at the cocker trials and see what you think. I love to watch the trials people working their dogs but its a whole different ball game to training a dog to work in the shooting field or similar (the dicilpine is paramount) I dont think there has ever been (or there maybe have been 1 or 2) very successful field trials dogs out there that were first and foremost pets but it certainly does not stop you trying. Getting involved with a local gun dog training club is great fun and will aid you in training you to train your dog and bring out the best in what your dog has been bred to do and will also give you all the information you need in trialing dogs and will be the first to tell you if you and your dog have the potential. Go for it and enjoy your dog 

[Nicola]

Gun dog scurries, agility, gun dog training - yes, all fun...but I would I would never EVER call field trialling 'fun' - it is very disciplined and intense and takes a huge amount of training and commitment   

I'm sorry to sound negative - but I'm trying to be realistic! Just because Cookie has these lines does not automatically mean she is a field trial prospect, especially if she is primarily a pet and not a working dog (similarly my working cocker who has a large amount of FT CH in his ancestry would not make the grade - actually he might, but my training capabilities are far below that required)

Enjoy your pup, take her to puppy training, and see how she evolves 

I agree with this, most working cockers have at least a few and often quite a lot of FTCHs in their pedigrees but relatively very few dogs are of a suitable standard or achieve the required level of training to actually be successful in FTs themselves. I have 3 working cockers and all of them have lots of FTCHs in their pedigrees; the older two are good working dogs and we have a lot of fun beating and picking up and doing scurries but they are not of the required grade for competing in tests or trials. Only the youngest one is *possibly and potentially* of a quality to compete and I'm not even talking about field trial level yet, I'm planning to do a few working tests with him to see how we both get on and will take it from there.

Training dogs to work can be great fun though and it's brilliant to train your dog to do what they're bred to do so I'd definitely recommend you find yourself a good basic training class as your pup's still very young and then look for a gundog trainer or a gundog training group in your area if you do decide to have a go at a bit of field training later on 

[loumeg]

Cazza:  Yes we deff would spend time we currently spend 1/2 of her walking time doing some basic training such as returning to the whistle and sitting on command.  She is generally very good but when distracted (usualy another puppy who is willing to play) im sure she thinks up yours im not coming cos she completly ignores the whistle.  I end up going and getting her i know i shouldnt but i feel bad cos the other dog owner is usually chasing the pair round in circles 

Nicola:  I have been looking on the net at cookies pedigree and ancestry i cannot help noticing how much she resembles your dogs (liver and white) do they have a genetic link or is this coincidence.  Just wondering cos i dont see many cockers with their colouring.

Marie

[Nicola]

Nicola:  I have been looking on the net at cookies pedigree and ancestry i cannot help noticing how much she resembles your dogs (liver and white) do they have a genetic link or is this coincidence.  Just wondering cos i dont see many cockers with their colouring.

Marie

They could have some common ancestors, in fact they probably do, many workers are related via a few popular dogs. Tilly my liver bitch with the white chest was bred in England whereas the other two are Scottish breeding. I don't have her pedigree to hand just now but I think I posted it on here before, I'll try to find it.

[loumeg]

Thanks Nicola that would be great.  Is liver a common colour?

Marie

[Nicola]

Thanks Nicola that would be great.  Is liver a common colour?

Marie

It is actually, solid liver and solid black are pretty common colours in Working Cockers. There are quite a few solid liver dogs on COL 

[Nicola]

I can't find Tilly's entire pedigree just now (I moved house and it's in a box somewhere!) but I know some of it by memory and I've looked some of it up on here where I've posted before. Her Grandsires are FTCH Mallowdale Rackatear on her dam's side and and FTCH Wernffrwd Siarl on her sire's and she has the following dogs amongst others in her 5 generation pedigree. She's a well bred dog and a great worker, I wish I'd had her from 8 weeks old instead of 2 years (she's a rescue)...

FTCH Parkbreck Jefferson
FTCH Jasper of Parkbreck
FTCH Wernffrwd Pawn
FTCH Maesydderwen Kestrel
FTCH Wernffrwd Silk
FTCH Swallow Law Snipe
FTCH Wernffrwd Melyngoch
FTCH Smut of Jordieland
FTCH Kigaro Minnie
FTCH Gwibernant Llewellyn
FTCH Zelda of Cadboll
FTCH Rhu of Migdale
FTCH Gwibernant Snake
FTCH Jade of Livermere
FTCH Maesydderwen Griffon

So it looks like she and your dog are related on their dam's sides via FTCH Mallowdale Rackatear, being Tilly's grandsire and your dog's Great Grandsire. Tilly's dam is called Cragglands Mystery but I don't really know anything about the breeder with her being a rescue. I've never been able to contact him.

[loumeg]

Thanks for that Nicola after comparing with Cookies pedigree there are quite a few matching on her dams side and also some on her sires side.  Just been saying to cookie "look its your relation"   but she just looked at me like i was barking 

I will get a good photo of her cos the reseblence is uncanny.