When We booked Molly the breeder that was advertising said in the advert Cocker spaniels which she is but failed to mention she was of working strain, I asked on the phone if she could be shown and he said Yes. I did like the breeder and his set up and I was very impressed on the health and look of the litter I asked about testing and was told that the strain she was from were ok and didn’t need it. At home I looked at Molly and thought not sure about you but as she was only 7 weeks old I didn’t know any different, as I’d had am. Cockers before I knew the head would not be so domed and the muzzle not so chunky and not as much coat. I wasn’t disappointed as I didn’t intend to show her but before buying her my pref was for a B/W cocker that may be shown if I wanted, Molly’s breeder said she was B/W too,
The trouble is that with even show types you can get dogs not conforming to the breed standard (otherwise they’d all be champions) and with Molly’s mum I just assumed that she was one of those, but a good brood bitch, a cocker all the same and being naïve not knowing there were two types anyway. His dogs were to me just shorter coated with more muscle and as he told us he entered field trials with them and took them shooting I naively thought that’s why they appeared like that.
I wonder if it’s snobbery on working line breeders that think the worker is what a cocker should be and the fancy show type is just that and that the cocker should never have been split in the first place. If that’s the case perhaps that’s why a lot will not change their methods and are not informing people of the two types.
I quite like the idea of two strains but (just my opinion though) I also think you should have some conformity in the workers too after all they are cocker spaniels,and as with the show, I think the height should confirm to the same standard and also temperament, you’d lose it on head shape, ear set and coat though and as with show kennels each tend to have a slightly different look and it’s lovely that people can recognise other lines from the look of the dog so the same would be for the working lines.
Having both show and worker I’ve found Molly is a much quicker thinker than George but their temperament is the same both very biddable they both have the same needs and stimulation although Molly is ready to up and go again and again, but only when we are ready to.
I like both and I certainly would have another working cocker
and I hope breeders will start to regularly test their working lines for the future good health of the breed.
