Cocker Spaniel

[naddan28]

Hi guys,

A couple of you may recall at the beginning of jan my cocker, tara died. It was rather upsetting as I have had her since 5 and am 19. Now my mum has decided to get a new puppy, i wanted a springer but she is still gunning for another cocker (she will win, she is paying ) Obviously having only taken up shooting in november and having only really had one dog, althou we did breed tara once I was wondering what i can expect from a cocker as a gun dog? Are they capable of retrieving rabbit and game? Also how long should i expect it to take training her into a good gundog?

 

Any help would be grately appreciated and I know their are some great guides pinned but i was more curious as to the potential for a cocker to retrieve, As i know springers/labs are the traditional game retrievers?

 

thanks guys

[steve_k]

my old work mate had a cocker

he was fantastic, he wood go everywere and he was really easy to train, really clever, boundless amounts of energy and he wood even pull canada's to the edge of the lake. he could nt get them out tho! that wood be kind of hard for something so small. but rabbits and pigeons should be easy....... if well trained

good luck with it all

[Paul in North Lincs.]

I've seen loads of shooting men using cockers for flushing .........lovely little dogs.....just make sure you mam dosn't pamper it and teach it bad habbits

 

p.s. I recall that millomite has got a cocker pup being trained up for working...........Im sure he could advise you if you pm him

[new to the flock]

Hi guys,

A couple of you may recall at the beginning of jan my cocker, tara died. It was rather upsetting as I have had her since 5 and am 19. Now my mum has decided to get a new puppy, i wanted a springer but she is still gunning for another cocker (she will win, she is paying ) Obviously having only taken up shooting in november and having only really had one dog, althou we did breed tara once I was wondering what i can expect from a cocker as a gun dog? Are they capable of retrieving rabbit and game? Also how long should i expect it to take training her into a good gundog?

 

Any help would be grately appreciated and I know their are some great guides pinned but i was more curious as to the potential for a cocker to retrieve, As i know springers/labs are the traditional game retrievers?

 

thanks guys

 

Nadden

 

Cockers can make wonderful flushing and retrieving dogs capable of pheasant, rabbit, partridge,pigeon and duck. Just be sure that you and your Mom look for a dog out of working lines and not show or straight pet lines.

 

As to how long it takes to train them into a good gundog......all dogs are differant and train differant. It will depend on the number of sessions that you do each week, the dogs ability to grasp new concepts, and your ability to train those concepts. Just remember to take it slow and to have fun training, it is not a race to see how fast you can get the dog out in the field.

 

NTTF

[naddan28]

My mum is not one of these mamby pamby lets dress our dogs up types! as for working line, my mums mate was on the phone today and was a former breeder, but since emigrated so she asked for some good contacts etc and I will also ask the farmer I shoot for whether he knows any working cocker pups having been breed. How do you establish its working lines though? Also, if not from champion working lines can i realistically expect to be able to train it? I was wondering whether the basic instincts could be developed (obviously lot more time needed!) from more domestic lines to get a good worker?

[dogsnuts]

Nadden

 

My little black cocker bitch is due the first week of March, if you are intrested please let me know, i want them to go to working homes if poss.

[Danger Mouse]

Naddan, I have a Cocker Pup mate, it is important that you get a "working" Cocker, the show type tend to be smaller and have long hair!

As to training, well in reality it will be 9 months to a year, if you do it properly..

Megan (my pup) is just over 3 months old now, she sits to hand and voice, retreaves socks, balls and soft toys to hand and drops at "Dead" She walks to heel and is good on a lead.. I could have gone further but I strongly beleive that it is important to let them have their puppyhood!

I will start her with directional training soon, but no rush, Oh and she is starting with the whistle at the moment, but only "come."

Look in dogs section at MEGAN.. Thats my pup..

 

Hope that your new pup turnes out to be a star mate!

[plinker]

http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php

good info here Nadan

btw i wouldn,t be with out mine she can find and flush woodcock like you would not believe.

plinker

[naddan28]

Might have found one! Although its not liver and white like a springer, which is the colouring my mum wants its chocolate with a white bib so trying to convience her thats still good! They are £500, ready on the 10th and had both their first lot of injections and fully wormed. The best bit is.... they are breed from 2 working dogs and in 5 generations have 10 working dog champions! the mother was a shepard and gun dog! So hopefully mum will see sense and prob solved.

[dogsnuts]

nadden

 

The dog i mated her with was a chocolate dog with a white bib so you maybe lucky to get what you want and the dog is a FTW and i know he will be a FTCH this year, the owner is Steve wanstall (one of this years cocker championship judges) a very very good trainer.

[Millomite]

Might have found one! Although its not liver and white like a springer, which is the colouring my mum wants its chocolate with a white bib so trying to convience her thats still good! They are £500, ready on the 10th and had both their first lot of injections and fully wormed. The best bit is.... they are breed from 2 working dogs and in 5 generations have 10 working dog champions! the mother was a shepard and gun dog! So hopefully mum will see sense and prob solved.

 

 

That sound excessive for that pedigree mate. In my pups five generation pedigree there are 38 FTCH and 1 FTW. It of course depends on what the sire and dam are

[naddan28]

really? When we sold our puppies about 10 yrs ago they were all fetching £350, and thats without any kind of good sire and mother. Just regular domestic, KC registered cockers so i assumed the price was right? My mum is chatting to some of her friends her are breeders today to find out more about the breeder and price etc. The one thinf that did puzzle me is the fact the tails were not docked, as she said she was selling them as pets. :s I thought they would easliy sell as working dogs due to solid lines. Also, when pressed about the tails she said "well they are stopping them being docked soon anyway." I didnt think they were? Thought that was still going to happen for working breeds?

[Millomite]

really? When we sold our puppies about 10 yrs ago they were all fetching £350, and thats without any kind of good sire and mother. Just regular domestic, KC registered cockers so i assumed the price was right? My mum is chatting to some of her friends her are breeders today to find out more about the breeder and price etc. The one thinf that did puzzle me is the fact the tails were not docked, as she said she was selling them as pets. :s I thought they would easliy sell as working dogs due to solid lines. Also, when pressed about the tails she said "well they are stopping them being docked soon anyway." I didnt think they were? Thought that was still going to happen for working breeds?

 

 

Some vets will not dock mate. I'd advice getting a docked pup, dealing with cut tails etc when out shooting can be a pain in the ****. Do the parents actually work, rather than just coming from working lines?

 

I paid £450 for my bitch, it was £400 from dogs in the same litter

[naddan28]

really? When we sold our puppies about 10 yrs ago they were all fetching £350, and thats without any kind of good sire and mother. Just regular domestic, KC registered cockers so i assumed the price was right? My mum is chatting to some of her friends her are breeders today to find out more about the breeder and price etc. The one thinf that did puzzle me is the fact the tails were not docked, as she said she was selling them as pets. :s I thought they would easliy sell as working dogs due to solid lines. Also, when pressed about the tails she said "well they are stopping them being docked soon anyway." I didnt think they were? Thought that was still going to happen for working breeds?

 

 

Some vets will not dock mate. I'd advice getting a docked pup, dealing with cut tails etc when out shooting can be a pain in the ****. Do the parents actually work, rather than just coming from working lines?

 

I paid £450 for my bitch, it was £400 from dogs in the same litter

 

The mum is/was a sheep dog & gun dog and the father is a gun dog (well not sure if he has been out for a while, she doesnt sound the shooting type may be wrong though) She did seem nice enough and was quite happy when i said i shoot, so lots of green space etc!

[Millomite]

The mum is/was a sheep dog & gun dog and the father is a gun dog (well not sure if he has been out for a while, she doesnt sound the shooting type may be wrong though) She did seem nice enough and was quite happy when i said i shoot, so lots of green space etc!

 

If you're not sure make sure mate. How do you know what it is inheriting?

[new to the flock]

Hi guys,

A couple of you may recall at the beginning of jan my cocker, tara died. It was rather upsetting as I have had her since 5 and am 19. Now my mum has decided to get a new puppy, i wanted a springer but she is still gunning for another cocker (she will win, she is paying ) Obviously having only taken up shooting in november and having only really had one dog, althou we did breed tara once I was wondering what i can expect from a cocker as a gun dog? Are they capable of retrieving rabbit and game? Also how long should i expect it to take training her into a good gundog?

 

Any help would be grately appreciated and I know their are some great guides pinned but i was more curious as to the potential for a cocker to retrieve, As i know springers/labs are the traditional game retrievers?

 

thanks guys

 

Nadden

 

Cockers can make wonderful flushing and retrieving dogs capable of pheasant, rabbit, partridge,pigeon and duck. Just be sure that you and your Mom look for a dog out of working lines and not show or straight pet lines.

 

As to how long it takes to train them into a good gundog......all dogs are differant and train differant. It will depend on the number of sessions that you do each week, the dogs ability to grasp new concepts, and your ability to train those concepts. Just remember to take it slow and to have fun training, it is not a race to see how fast you can get the dog out in the field.

 

NTTF

 

 

Ok need to add a bit to this. It is also not a race to find and buy a pup, take your time and look around see a number of litters, meet the parents.....both if you can the bitch at least. See how the parents work in the field....they do not need to put birds up, but watch them quarter, see if they get into cover, see how they retrieve a dummy. Get hold of some working Cocker people,....Mad Springer...... would be a very good one to contact ....they will tell you what to look at and what not to waste your time on.

 

Ask your Mom if the breeders that she is talking to are working dog breeder, pet breeders, or show breeders....she may be looking in the wrong area for what you want. Remember this pup is going to be with you for a possible 16 years.

 

Take your time and find a well bred, working pup that will end up being a companion and field worker.

 

If the breeder you go to has an excuse for something...espesially if it does not sound correct.....GO TO ANOTHER BREEDER.

 

NTTF

[naddan28]

Hi guys,

A couple of you may recall at the beginning of jan my cocker, tara died. It was rather upsetting as I have had her since 5 and am 19. Now my mum has decided to get a new puppy, i wanted a springer but she is still gunning for another cocker (she will win, she is paying ) Obviously having only taken up shooting in november and having only really had one dog, althou we did breed tara once I was wondering what i can expect from a cocker as a gun dog? Are they capable of retrieving rabbit and game? Also how long should i expect it to take training her into a good gundog?

 

Any help would be grately appreciated and I know their are some great guides pinned but i was more curious as to the potential for a cocker to retrieve, As i know springers/labs are the traditional game retrievers?

 

thanks guys

 

Nadden

 

Cockers can make wonderful flushing and retrieving dogs capable of pheasant, rabbit, partridge,pigeon and duck. Just be sure that you and your Mom look for a dog out of working lines and not show or straight pet lines.

 

As to how long it takes to train them into a good gundog......all dogs are differant and train differant. It will depend on the number of sessions that you do each week, the dogs ability to grasp new concepts, and your ability to train those concepts. Just remember to take it slow and to have fun training, it is not a race to see how fast you can get the dog out in the field.

 

NTTF

 

 

Ok need to add a bit to this. It is also not a race to find and buy a pup, take your time and look around see a number of litters, meet the parents.....both if you can the bitch at least. See how the parents work in the field....they do not need to put birds up, but watch them quarter, see if they get into cover, see how they retrieve a dummy. Get hold of some working Cocker people,....Mad Springer...... would be a very good one to contact ....they will tell you what to look at and what not to waste your time on.

 

Ask your Mom if the breeders that she is talking to are working dog breeder, pet breeders, or show breeders....she may be looking in the wrong area for what you want. Remember this pup is going to be with you for a possible 16 years.

 

Take your time and find a well bred, working pup that will end up being a companion and field worker.

 

If the breeder you go to has an excuse for something...espesially if it does not sound correct.....GO TO ANOTHER BREEDER.

 

NTTF

 

Thanks NTTF, the only reason my mum wants to get one reasonably soon, Is because firstly we are still in "dog mode" i.e. shutting all the doors, closing the gate etc so obviously longer we leave it the more likely we are likely to slip into bad habbits. Also both me, my brother and my step dad have time off over the next couple of weeks so its ideal for some really concentrated training as we will be at home 24-7 (there normally is someone at home at all times, 2-4 hrs alone tops so it wont be being left at any stage in its life incase anyone gets quite rightly worried and jumps to the wrong conclusion). Also mum wants it as a pet, so being that she is paying I am having to obviously convience her a better bred gundog, will not only be a great companion but probably easier to train and more healthy than some of the showy breeds you get.

[naddan28]

Mum phoned a breeder which today, which her best friend supplied the lines for so I know they are great little healthy dogs and in fact owned the mother for the first 6 months before emmigrating. Went out with mum, gf and step dad the mother was their and she is still a beautiful blue roan and their was another 3 adult dogs. The litter itself is 8 and a mix of black & white and chocolate roan. Two bitches are choc and we have placed a deposit on one! Tails all docked by vet and socialised with the grandchildren and the other 4 dogs. Here are some pics below (excuse the quality done on camera phones):

 

This is alice the mother

 

This is Lucy our pup

 

The litter

 

Lucy, is the one on with the spot on her head

[new to the flock]

Naddan,

 

I hope she is everything that you are looking for

 

Good Luck

 

NTTF

[naddan28]

I think she will be, potentially not a future field champ but with a lot of hard work she might be a great little worker. At the end of the day is my mum's pet and if i can field train her all the better, if not, well she is lovely! She was easily the pick of the litter, lively, friendly and inqusitive. Alice, her mum is beautiful (and happy to carry, note ball in mouth pic!), perfect tempermemt and a good mother, she was always there with the pups but didn't mind us handling then just kept a eye on things. The breeder was saying he had another bitch, but had too send her to his daughters as she had produced milk and was feeding/motherring them! I had never heard of such a thing!