working/show cockers

[dylan]

dylan is a mini jarvis, very handsome. i always get comments on his colour

[Helen]

dylan is a mini jarvis, very handsome. i always get comments on his colour

awww don't!  so puppy broody 

[SJP]

We were totally ignorant about working cockers as well and the first time I took Lola to the park we met "Mr  Know-it-All" who asked what breed (doesn't really know it all then does he?) and when I said working cocker he said "Oh mi god - they're mad you know". It put the fear of god in me .... but saying that Lola has loads of energy (I love that about her), we walk miles and even though I don't work her if I had my chance again and knowing what I know now - I would still get a working cocker.

[dylan]

i totally agree, i am so pleased that dylan turned out to be the way he is, he fits in  he is lively, but a half hour walk later and he is sound asleep. not even an earthquake would wake him up

[Cob-Web]

i totally agree, i am so pleased that dylan turned out to be the way he is, he fits in  he is lively, but a half hour walk later and he is sound asleep. not even an earthquake would wake him up

He has a lot of growing and maturing to do; I'm not saying he definitely will become more keen - but you could find yourself with a very bright adult dog who needs regular stimulation to keep him content 

[Elisa]

OP - I'll be honest and wasn't aware of the two different kinds when I got my first puppy.  I thought a working cocker was a show cocker that worked      I had been a member of COL for a few weeks but working cockers on the board were still rare back then.  I too had read everything (I thought) about cockers and thought I knew everything.  I've only found out recently about other breeds having a show strain/working strain ie labs and springers 

[dylan]

we have no plans to work him, unless chasing seagulls counts    but he is so agile so we will be looking to put him into that sort of class. we go to pup classes at the mo but at the mo dylan just sees these classes as socialization and a chance to chew on other puppys ears

[Cazzie]

we have no plans to work him, unless chasing seagulls counts    but he is so agile so we will be looking to put him into that sort of class. we go to pup classes at the mo but at the mo dylan just sees these classes as socialization and a chance to chew on other puppys ears

You wont be alone, there are very few working cockers now that are purchased and are worked in the shooting field, alot of people that are heavily involved in the shooting world will not work spaniels with tails 

Agility is a great thing as are hunts (hooman ones) so there will be lots of other options for you 

[anita96]

 [/quote]not doing the appropriate health checks. This goes for every breed of dog not just cockers.
[/quote]

Forgive me if I am wrong and I sense the health check thing is quite big at the moment, but as a layman as I see it and I am by no means knowledgeable on the subject and correct me if I am wrong, but theres an old saying 'if it isn't broke don't fix it'  now from my understanding working cockers historically have not suffered many of the health problems other breeds or show cockers have experienced, but there is a view that health issues are increasing.  However, is this due to bad breeding and therefore goes back to the issue of working cockers becoming desirable for the pet market buyer.  So its a bit of a 'chicken and egg' if the breeding was kept tight and potential owners did their homework would there  be health issues.  The more we check the more we find and we allow the bad breeders to continue about their business as there will always be people wanting to get a bargin, even for their long time companion and friend!.  I think what I am saying is that as 'pet' owners of workers and I include myself in this, we are adding to the problem of the worker becoming less of a worker and more of a 'pet' thus losing many of the qualities that made it a worker in the first place.  Oh god I am rambling I haven't posted for ages and now I am off!!!!

[Helen]

not doing the appropriate health checks. This goes for every breed of dog not just cockers.
[/quote]

Forgive me if I am wrong and I sense the health check thing is quite big at the moment, but as a layman as I see it and I am by no means knowledgeable on the subject and correct me if I am wrong, but theres an old saying 'if it isn't broke don't fix it'  now from my understanding working cockers historically have not suffered many of the health problems other breeds or show cockers have experienced, but there is a view that health issues are increasing.  However, is this due to bad breeding and therefore goes back to the issue of working cockers becoming desirable for the pet market buyer.  So its a bit of a 'chicken and egg' if the breeding was kept tight and potential owners did their homework would there  be health issues.  The more we check the more we find and we allow the bad breeders to continue about their business as there will always be people wanting to get a bargin, even for their long time companion and friend!.  I think what I am saying is that as 'pet' owners of workers and I include myself in this, we are adding to the problem of the worker becoming less of a worker and more of a 'pet' thus losing many of the qualities that made it a worker in the first place.  Oh god I am rambling I haven't posted for ages and now I am off!!!!
[/quote]

there's a long thread on this 
but briefly...no, working cockers are not exempt from any of the hereditary problems like FN and PRA - in fact PRA is now showing in a few lines (of the few dogs that have been tested) but the breeders (and some are considered very 'good' working cocker breeders, using FT CH as sire's etc) are sticking their heads in the sand and continuing to breed without testing.

The tight breeding IS one of the issues.  The 'famous' working cocker breeders are just as much responsible as the hobby breeder or BYB's here because 99 percent of them (and there are very few exceptions to this) are testing their breeding stock.

my dog isn't tested...yet.

[anita96]

Was it me that cocked up the quotes or both of us!!!!!!

thanks for that brief explaination off to read health thread!

[Cazzie]

Maybe once the big boys start testin maybe the others may follow suit. Workingcockers on here is a model breeder and should be highly commended for it, there must be another way of making breeders out there (who I may add are not BYB) testin is an abs must  

Ive looked on the majority or field trials big boys sites and there is NO mention of health testing, ive often been very tempted to call them to ask WHY  

[Coco]

Ive looked on the majority or field trials big boys sites and there is NO mention of health testing, ive often been very tempted to call them to ask WHY  

Do it, DO IT! I've spoken to most of them in my searches and they always say, 'Oh, they don't need it, not affected'. It makes me wonder how many people do ask, surley if everyone did it'd have clicked no?!?

[Jane S]

Can I just remind all members of the Etiquette Guide, specifically this section :-

PERSONAL DISPUTES
Please do not use this forum for personal disputes or for making snide remarks against other members etc. You are expected to treat each other with respect and to take any personal disputes to a private mode of discussion off the forum.

I have just edited this thread to remove a number of posts which really had nothing to do with the subject being discussed but were of a more personal nature. Please can we keep this interesting thread on topic and keep all private disagreements just that, private.

Could I also ask members not to name specific breeders when discussing various issues - this can cause problems for the forum and is not something we would encourage.

On a different note, I am currently compiling a FAQ Article on the two different Cocker strains and am reading this thread with interest to pick up any further points I might have missed so do keep it going

[anita96]

An interesting thread and it leads me onto another question, should the KC split the two strains in an attempt to make it clearer that there are two types of cocker spaniel, as it is not the first time that I have heard people say that they thought a worker was a cocker spaniel that worked as opposed to a different strain.