working/show cockers

[dylan]

hi there, i felt i needed to post this as i thought i had done my research. i have dylan, my baby and what i thought to be a chocolate brown show cocker i have put years of thought into getting a dog, my son has wanted one for years but i wanted him to be of an age where he was responsible , i.e picking up poop i hsd read up so much about cocker spaniels and thought ` great ` family dogs. dont get me wrong, he is great . when i seen him advertised i thought wow what  bargan, health checked, docked, chipped, dew clawed and kc registered. i bought him off a farm,  as in proper farm( not puppy farm)  he was adorable. my only concern was that his mam  didnt look like the show cocker i had seen before, but i overlooked that. anyway, moral of the story is that i didnt even know there were show and working cockers    i think thr breeder thought that i knew, as he is great, always ringing to see how dylan is gettin on. i woundnt part with him now, he looks different from show cockers, and acts totally different to the show cockers i have met , but i love him for being the mad loony puppy i know and am grateful for having him, no matter what sort of cocker he is
i

[Coco]

So glad you are happy with your Dylan  Having a little liver worker myself I must commend you on your choice, knowingly or not 

It seems that quite a number of people unwittingly get a worker and end up unable to cope which is so sad because the dog is just doing what it's supposed to do.
You say that your breeder is a good guy and I don't doubt that but I think in general it's a shame that some breeders don't take the time to explain the difference. I know i'd rather offend potential owners by telling them, even if they knew, than risk the possible consequences of their not knowing  I also think they should thorougly check a persons back ground and lifestyle to see if it's compatable... But I guess it's not an ideal world. Does you breeder breed a few litters? Perhaps it's worth mentioning it to him one day, give him something to think about and hopefully pass it on in the future. 

Sometimes I wonder if the average 'pet' breeder realises the difference between the two.
We always knew we wanted a worker as we wanted to work her and knew they were best for that, we didn't realise how big the difference can be - to us (before we got her and before COL) there really was only one type of Cocker we'd ever known; a worker. Without really wide research into the breed it's not obvious as most books are about show and don't mention working or do but don't point out the difference.

Again, i'm glad you're so happy with your loony boy   

[angelbaby]

yes you wont be the first to buy a worker unknowing of the two 'types' of cockers, i for one always assumed there was only one cocker? and the breeder i bought my boy from didnt advertise them as workers or mention on the phone,  and didnt mention when i was there either, although by then i was completely smitten and wouldnt, couldnt walk out that house without him in my arms! worker or show they are beautiful intelligent dogs, each and every one of them

[Helen]

there was no mistake for me 

I had to convince Jarv's breeder that a potential pet home was good enough for one of his working cockers (and in the end I have taken him out beating) ....and to be perfectly honest, I wish more breeders were like that 

You say he was health checked?  He may have had the once over and ok from the vet but have a look at the working cocker health testing thread - it would be interesting to know if the sire and dam had any of the recommended cocker spaniel health checks at all 

Enjoy your working cocker - we have a liver boy, 2 1/2 years old now, and we love him to bits and are very relieved that we knew exactly what we were letting ourselves in for 

[Hurtwood Dogs]

Whilst, phoning around breeders (working through the KC registered breeders list and other sources) to find a litter when I got Dave, I was amazed at how many 'breeders' didn't mention that their cocker pups were working cockers and I only found out when I was emailed pics of the parents and pups etc.

It's very much a problem I think and does highlight (again) the need for lots of research when getting a pup..

Glad you're happy with your choice though 

Hannah x

[anita96]

there was no mistake for me 

 I wish more breeders were like that 

I totally agree Helen I am so sadden when I see workers in rescue now and even when I speak to people and they say they didn't know they had a worker, please don't get me wrong I know they love there dogs as much as I love mine.    These dogs are so totally different and need such different owners,  I struggle with mocha and I knew what I was getting!  Whilst the breeders have alot to answer for we as owners need to know what we are looking for and what we want from a dog.  I also think that as more people get working dogs as 'pets' there is a risk that the breed itself will change for the worse as breeders do not select well and for the right purpose and that is to work.  I am not saying they can't be pets, they can be and mocha is.  However, if people don't do there homework and research the breed unscrupulous breeders will breed just any dog and this will ultimately have an effect of the breed itself.   I don't post much as I alway manage to upset someone, so sorry if I have, its just how I feel I see some workers now that really do not do the breed justice.  I think this site and the people on it have done a great deal to raise awareness of working cockers and long may it continue. 

[Nicola]

there was no mistake for me 

 I wish more breeders were like that 

I totally agree Helen I am so sadden when I see workers in rescue now and even when I speak to people and they say they didn't know they had a worker, please don't get me wrong I know they love there dogs as much as I love mine.    These dogs are so totally different and need such different owners,  I struggle with mocha and I knew what I was getting!  Whilst the breeders have alot to answer for we as owners need to know what we are looking for and what we want from a dog.  I also think that as more people get working dogs as 'pets' there is a risk that the breed itself will change for the worse as breeders do not select well and for the right purpose and that is to work.  I am not saying they can't be pets, they can be and mocha is.  However, if people don't do there homework and research the breed unscrupulous breeders will breed just any dog and this will ultimately have an effect of the breed itself.   I don't post much as I alway manage to upset someone, so sorry if I have, its just how I feel I see some workers now that really do not do the breed justice.  I think this site and the people on it have done a great deal to raise awareness of working cockers and long may it continue. 

Couldn't agree with this and what Helen said more. If there were fewer of these unscrupulous breeders and unaware buyers around then perhaps I wouldn't just have found a new home for one unwanted worker today to come home to a phone call literally an hour later asking if I can take in another one who's owners completely cannot cope with her and so are keeping her shut in a crate pretty much 24/7.

[Cazzie]

I think the rescue issue could be said for many working breeds and as far as health testing, I dont think there are too many of us on here that have workers who are health tested, so ramming it down others throats is yes the best advice but also a bit hippicritacle especially when some people were aware of health testing even before they bought their own untested working cocker (me being one of them) .

[cazza]

to come home to a phone call literally an hour later asking if I can take in another one who's owners completely cannot cope with her and so are keeping her shut in a crate pretty much 24/7.

Don't mean to be funny but - I think you should put them in touc with a proper rescue who could give 100% back up to the new owners and not do it off your own back

[Countrygirl]

When I was looking for a puppy I honestly thought there was only one kind of cocker spaniel - and I had already had three!  When I rang about some particular puppies I was told that their parents were workers and I remember saying 'thats fine' because I really thought it just meant that the parents were cocker spaniels as I knew them but were trained to the gun.  If I had chosen to buy one of those puppies I suppose it would have been my fault as, in a way, I had been told. 

I could have coped with a worker because Ellie is walked miles every day and walking is our hobby so sometimes we are out walking all day, but I suppose I would have been disappointed at the time because I would have been expecting the puppy to grow into a show cocker which is what I wanted.  Not that I am saying working cockers are not lovely, they are, and in fact now I know about them I would really like both a show and a worker.

[Helen]

i thought wow what  bargan, health checked, docked, chipped, dew clawed and kc registered.

This is why I mentioned the health testing Dunbarney, the assumption from the OP was that the dog was fully health checked - I don't care if you think I'm being hypercritical but I think my post was in context and related directly to the OP, and the more working cocker owners that are aware of the lack of health testing the better.

[Nicola]

to come home to a phone call literally an hour later asking if I can take in another one who's owners completely cannot cope with her and so are keeping her shut in a crate pretty much 24/7.

Don't mean to be funny but - I think you should put them in touc with a proper rescue who could give 100% back up to the new owners and not do it off your own back

I do have rescue back up    the owners won't give her to a rescue though, she was meant to be going to Kirsten but due to circumstances Kirsten can't take her just now.

[dylan]

when i 1st emailed the breeder regarding dylan he told me that his mam was a proper working dog, i just thought he meant that she wasnt just his pet   very nieve i know. i didnt have a clue. all the clues were there, but i didnt cotton on  even when we got home i still didnt realize. it was only when we started going out and people were saying what a lovely springer. even when we go out now and meet other cockers owners they dont know that there are different types of cockers. i have to say though that dylan fits very well into our family, he is as mad as my other boy( 8 year old son ) they both have so much energy and play raceys up and down the beach. my working cocker is fab, and we are so pleased we got him, our only regret is that we didnt get a dog sooner

[Helen]

when i 1st emailed the breeder regarding dylan he told me that his mam was a proper working dog, i just thought he meant that she wasnt just his pet  very nieve i know. i didnt have a clue. all the clues were there, but i didnt cotton on   even when we got home i still didnt realize. it was only when we started going out and people were saying what a lovely springer. even when we go out now and meet other cockers owners they dont know that there are different types of cockers. i have to say though that dylan fits very well into our family, he is as mad as my other boy( 8 year old son ) they both have so much energy and play raceys up and down the beach. my working cocker is fab, and we are so pleased we got him, our only regret is that we didnt get a dog sooner

awww - I adore my working cocker too...and I LOVE seeing them on the beach so photo's please 

[anita96]

At the end of the day they don't care where they came from just that they're loved, and we all love our workers!!