Not sure if this is a genetics and breeding question or should be in the general section.
Just out of cutiosity does anyone have data on the relative numbers of working versus show cockers being bread/registered – is it recorded separately?
When trying to find a local breeder of working cockers I came to the conclusion that there were more show types around and I was searching about for quite a few months before finding a suitable pup and had to travel 1.5hrs.
When walking with “Saffi” our now 17week old pup we have met 10 cocker spaniels (the third most popular breed after Labs & Retrievers among those we have met) and eight of the cockers have been working types. I know this is a very small sample but how general is it? – could it be a country/village vs. town/city effect as I get the impression there are more Show types on COL. (I live in a village on the Surrey Hants border next to Alice Holt forest) Maybe is it just a local anomaly or maybe more people with working types like to walk their dogs in the forest – I don’t think any of the dogs I have met actually work, all are pet dogs like Saffi.