Working a cocker of show type?

[Phaedra]

I live in Sweden and have two cockers of show type. For a couple of years, I have been interested in the 'working' origin of the breed and I have therefore studied some books. One year ago, I started to do gundog training with one of my cockers. I am lucky enough to have a breeder who has started her cockers (show and working) in the field for two decades, and she has helped me a lot with the basic training. 

From this year, we have a new cold game/dummy field trial i Sweden. This trial was created to make it possible to judge the spaniel temperament and working abilities among show spaniels, but the trials are open for working spaniels as well. We started the very first trial held three weeks ago and did not do very well in some parts, while others were good. So there will be more training (but first a litter of puppies - she is due in 2,5 weeks) and then we will go for more trials in the autumn. I also hope that we will develop enough to start in a real field trial, but I guess that will not happen this season.

I have very little knowledge about to what extent people in other countries work their show cockers and if they go to trials. I have understood that it is more common to see show cockers in the field on the European continent.

I am very fond of working cockers too and hoping to buy one some day. But first, I will train my show cocker more. She is pretty talented and we both have lots to learn. It would be intrested to hear from other owners of show cockers who do gundog training. I am also interested if there are specific lines who seem to do well in the field. 

[Annette]

Hi. It's lovely to hear of people who work their show type cockers.

I think I am right in saying that few people work them over here in UK, but I do know that it is more common in Scandinavia. In fact I think I am right in saying that show cockers which are to be shown, have to be worked as well. Not exactly sure what form that all takes. You would know far better than I.

I'd love to see some photos of yours at work.

[Phaedra]

Thanks for your reply!

There is no rule that show cockers need to have a working certificate to go to shows in Scandinavia. In Finland, they need it to become a champion. In Sweden and Denmark, we now have 'show champion'. In Norway, there was never any need for working/field trial certificate to become a champion.

Most cockers that go to shows have no field mertis, but it is now common that they do compete in game tracking. But this is a total different 'sport'.

[Phaedra]

I'd love to see some photos of yours at work.

Forgot the picture! Well, I do not have any good pictures from our field work training. But here's a nice retrieving pic!

[silke]

What a lovely picture- she looks great.

[Annette]

Thank you. That's a lovely photo.

[Ulla R]

Hej Anneli and others,

currently we have two show cockers in Finland who have field trial results:
http://jalostus.kennelliitto.fi/frmKoira.aspx?RekNo=FIN23464/02&R=5
http://jalostus.kennelliitto.fi/frmKoira.aspx?RekNo=FIN12664/02&R=5

For the champion title there is a "working test": http://www.spanielworld.com/guides/sports/workingtest_en.htm

I my self have both strains and personally like more workers. I actually have also a Meryl cocker but working strain . We have been working with both strains but with better results with workers. And I haven't managed to get any field trial results for my show dogs.

Ulla

[Phaedra]

Thanks for input, Ulla! (Btw - I actually think we've met - at the Sw. Spaniel Championship last year?)

In the future, I might buy a working cocker, but until then I am trying to learn as much as possible from my show cockers. Both (my other cocker is a Westerner cocker but her pedigree is mostly Lynwater) are pretty spirited and need to work to be really happy. We do a lot of game tracking, but I have become fond of the field training because it is more dog-handler cooperation.

I will look into the working test rules.

Regards

Anneli 

[Ulla R]

No, we haven't met. You met Nina Menna and Tiina Karlström. I couldn't come due a 6 moths old baby. I own two working cockers together with Nina.

I highly recommend to get one worker if You are seriously interested in training dogs. Because it is so much more rewarding to train a dog who is bred to be trained. I have never looked back since we got the first one. I'm considering to probably drop breeding show cockers and concentrate on working cockers. We'll see...

Did you notice that the other dog I mentioned Tähtimetsä Amadeus has a lot of Lynwater in him?

[Cazzie]

Trained correctly you can train any dog to do most things  Maybe the show types might just be better that the workers as they arnt as crazy or not ment to be 

[Ulla R]

I know, but after training a total non retriever show bred cocker to retrieve everything (never again), I do value the high training capacity in working cockers. The crazyness is manageable  .

[Phaedra]

In general, I think working cockers are more trainable than show cockers. And they should be - anything else would be a failure after +80 years of selective breeding.

But - I do think that many, many show cockers actually deserve to be trained (I don't necessarily mean gundog training)! They are working dogs in heart and soul. My cockers are never as happy as when we go out to do some training. They will defenetily not beat too many working cockers in the fieldwork, but I still think they can do a good job. And I can learn from it. We also do other things, like game tracking and some agility (on a fun-level).

I used to train my Norwegian fjordhorse in dressage. Impossible some said, but he became very good - although not on a competative level. But I learnt a lot from training him. So this might be another challenge to pick up. As long as we work on cold game/dummy trials I do not see any problems with me working my show cockers to become a better handler - learning how to 'read' the dog in the field and how to train her. 

[Cazzie]

In general, I think working cockers are more trainable than show cockers.

You think  I think they are all the same tbh stubborn little rascals that know better than us 

[Ulla R]

The total non retriever has taught me more than the other dogs I have had. And I do really value it. But I still want to go the "shorter route".

All my dogs are trained in some degree and even my old a bit senile bitch loves to do thing with me. Unfortunately I don't have any dogs to trial or do any official competing with them mostly due to the anti doping regulations and the docking...

[winewood]

Most cocker's that go to shows have no field mertis, but it is now common that they do compete in game tracking. But this is a total different 'sport'.

What is this sport could you explain this, here in Australia, there are maybe 2 or 3 working cocker's, that work in the field apart from agility and a few with tracking titles, one I've heard of just received OC ,cocker's are pets only  and then there are a few of us who are trying to get rid of the "dumb dogs" signature they have over here.