Mixed Type parents

[ProStuart]

Apologies if this has been discussed before but couldn't find anything on search.

I've spoken with the owner of the below advert:

** mod edit - no links to breeder ads please, thanks***

She has a 11 week old golden bitch left which is exactly what we're after.  However, when I asked if it was show (what we want) or working, she's a mix - the dad is working and the mum is show.  The owner said the puppy takes more after her mum.

Is there anything to know about crossing workers with show?

[Emilyoliver]

Good breeders usually don't mix the two types as each is bred with a specific purpose in mind (or should be). Working types are bred to work and generally have more drive/ energy than show types. They also have less coat and vary enormously ito size and conformation. Show types should be bred with conformation in mind, and are generally less driven than workers. Thing is with a mix of the two types you won't know which traits will be inherited - eg you could get a barky, woolly, overly active cocker. You may be lucky and end up with a calmer, sleek coated, quiet dog. There is no telling which is where the problem can lie. If you are aware of the differences, you would likely be looking for either one type or the other rather than a mix.

[ElaineH]

There are a couple of other things that would concern me about this breeder.

£400 is really cheap for a cocker puppy, it's a bit of a red flag to me regarding their breeding. Good breeders do not usually breed a solid and a parti-colour together.

The advert says they have been vet-checked which is rather meaningless unless it states exactly what the vet has checked for! I suppose the vet feels they are basically healthy but there is no reference to the health status of the parents which is a whole different kettle of fish. There are a couple of very nasty conditions which a good breeder screens for, they undergo genetic testing to ensure that affected dogs are not bred from, or carrier dogs bred together.

There is no reference to Kennel Club registration of the litter (Beware of any other "registration" titles, they're not necessarily a true record of parentage)

I would think very, very carefully about this puppy, don't rush into anything just because the puppy is there, available and the colour you want.

[black taz]

Vet checked means just that in my experience.  When i emailed a couple of breeders about a pup the "vet check" all they had done was to take the pup to have a check up.  When i asked about eye and hip testing, she told me that the vet had said the eyes were fine as they were not cloudy or anything, and the pups hips didnt click - needless to say I didnt reply!

Having both a show and working cocker, I probably would avoid a mix - whilst i would love a mix of the good points and a mix of the bad would be horrendous

[dawn]

Henry is a working/show mix. On the down side he can be on the go all the time, especially afternoon/early evening. He has four walks a day, about 2/3 hrs all off lead. The upside is he never barks, is very friendly, clever, funny, shortish coat, easy to train. we wouldn't change henry for the world now, we are both much fitter

However, I think,if we'd have our time again, we may not have chosen him, because of his energy levels. And it is a lottery, you can get any character trait, and at a few weeks old the breeders cannot say your pup will take after the mum! We were told the same, we were also told he would just need two twenty mins walk a day and he slept all the time!

It's great you're doing your research.

[Judderz]

Jet is also a mix.  She is only 10 months so we are still in our puppy phase so I am not 100% sure how she will be but so far she is a great little dog.  Her energy levels are fairly high but an hour off lead run around is generally enough although she could go for more if and when we take her.  She does tend to be less energetic than some other cocker's we have come across.  She is fantastic off the lead, doesn't bark, has a fairly short coat and trains like a dream.  We wouldn't change her for the world!

[JennyBee]

My parents bought a mix of the two when I was in my early teens - at the time we didn't have a clue that he was a mix, or even that there was such a thing as a working cocker (this was before we had the Internet). He came from a very dubious source - we'd seen an advert in the paper and I firmly believe he was from a puppy farm, it's quite clear when I look back. He was totally the wrong dog for us, high energy levels and he was six months old when he began to display aggressive tendencies. It didn't get any better, and although he was an incredibly loving and loyal dog, he had severe problems.

How many of that was bad breeding and how much was inexperienced owners I guess I will never know - but I fully accept that we did things way wrong (my parents just think he was a 'bad dog'). It has left me feeling how important it is to find a good, responsible breeder who breeds for temperament, and also how important it is to get a dog that is right for your level of experience. With a mix you never know what you are going to get. As said, you could get a lovely, biddable and calm dog, or you could end up with a hyper, high energy dog, or something inbetween. I can't highlight enough the importance of finding a reputable breeder - I can't see the ad now, but from what ElaineH says about the breeder, I would avoid at all costs.