ROBLATCH Posted March 16, 2007 Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 Cockers are great little working dogs - especially for beating. Did 52 days of beating last season with my little bitch recently had a springer and still got my lab and cocker. cockers would be my choice any day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferretboy111 Posted March 16, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 Cheers roblatch, thats what i like to hear, as you have experience with a nice number of different dogs. I must admit cockers are closely following springers for my choice, as both have relatively same attributes, never seen a cocker with the drive of a springer though. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiercel Posted March 16, 2007 Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 Cheers roblatch, thats what i like to hear, as you have experience with a nice number of different dogs. I must admit cockers are closely following springers for my choice, as both have relatively same attributes, never seen a cocker with the drive of a springer though. Alex When you have been hunting for well over 40 years with a diversity of dogs from ESS through Terriers, HPR, Labs, Lurchers. You will learn that, there is no such thing as the perfect dog. It is all a compromise you pick the dog that ticks the most boxes for what you want the dog to do. never seen a cocker with the drive of a springer though. I might suggest here that you look a little longer and harder. Because almost all the working Cockers I have seen make Springer’s look positively lethargic. Each and every breed of dog that has been mentioned on this thread has a place in hunting in one form or another. What you have to remember is that there is not a breed of dog in use today that has been specifically bred for beating; such a breed does not exist, as far as I am aware. So it all comes down to compromise and personal preference. This thread has thrown up some good ideas in the shape of what different breeds are capable of when well trained. BTW there is no reason why a well trained Terrier cannot do the beating job as good as any Spaniel. All beating entails is a biddable dog that will enter cover. If your Corgie does it then it is a good beating dog. But that does not mean that all Corgies are good beating dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browning Posted March 16, 2007 Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 quote name='Ferretboy111' date='Mar 16 2007, 03:09 PM' post='289324'] I must admit cockers are closely following springers for my choice, as both have relatively same attributes, never seen a cocker with the drive of a springer though. Alex Alex, I was in a similar position last year, I have HPR's but needed something more useful in the beating line. I just couldn't decide between Cocker and Springer.........so ended up with this little fella. (Sprocker. Half and Half ). Early days yet as he's only 7 months, but so far he's shaping up well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmerguy.22 Posted March 16, 2007 Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 Browning- Thats a lovely looking dog you have there!! keebs, go with the springer!! as i will be getting a cocker and we dont want the same now do we!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted March 16, 2007 Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 What you have to remember is that there is not a breed of dog in use today that has been specifically bred for beating; such a breed does not exist, as far as I am aware. Tiercel. Whilst not wanting to get in to an argument over which dog is the best for what, have you ever wonder where the Springer gets it's name? It is because it was bred and used for "Springing" game. AFter all said and done we will all hold our dogs in the highest from and think they are the best at whatever we do, and all the posts on here show that. Alex has asked for advice and has got plenty of differing opinions. It will be his dog for the next 10 - 15 years and his choice alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferretboy111 Posted March 16, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 Cheers for all the comments... hearts definately set on a springer. Browning lovely pup, the thought did cross my mind about getting a sprocker. Ive made my decision, unless someone is giving away cocker pups. A liver and white, but more white, ESS bitch puppy. Now need to buy a few more bits for her, buy some books, earn some more money and ill be away. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new to the flock Posted March 16, 2007 Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 Alex, Now that you have decided to definately go with a spaniel, you should look at the differrant breeds before you decide on the Springer. Springers are great and I have had a couple very calm ones but I have also had a couple that were just wired for sound ....I think they were head bangers in a previous life ....You have lots of Spaniel breeds to choose from some that may better fit that which you are planning to do. For starters take a look at; English Springer Spaniel Welsh Springer Spaniel German Spaniel French Spaniel Brittany Spaniel Picardy Spaniel Sussex Spaniel Clumber Spaniel English Cocker Spaniel American Cocker Spaniel Field Spaniel Boykin Spaniel Some are much calmer than others, all hunt slightly differant to each other some faster , some slower, some calmer, some harder. They also all train differantly. You still have lots of choices to make....enjoy NTTF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiercel Posted March 16, 2007 Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 name='martincavie' date='Mar 16 2007, 07:04 PM' post='289431' What you have to remember is that there is not a breed of dog in use today that has been specifically bred for beating; such a breed does not exist, as far as I am aware. Tiercel. Whilst not wanting to get in to an argument over which dog is the best for what, have you ever wonder where the Springer gets it's name? It is because it was bred and used for "Springing" game. Horse feathers. I have no need to wonder I know where the Springer Spaniel gets it's name from. The Springer Spaniel has got it's name from 2 different sources The name Spaniel come as a corruption of the roman name for Spain; Hispania. As that is the region that all Spaniels are derived from. The name "Springer" was given to the way the Spaniels sprung at game and that was as early as 1700 long before the advent of driven pheasants. AFter all said and done we will all hold our dogs in the highest from and think they are the best at whatever we do, and all the posts on here show that. I beg to differ! If someone cannot be objective of how well trained or suited to the job in hand ones dog is then he /she is living in cloud cuckoo land. Plus i might add will get nowhere training dogs. Training Dogs is a learning curve if you are not honest with yourself then you will never get past first base. Be honest with yourself there are things that your dog does that you do not want him to do. But the next dog you have should be better trained than the one you have now, because you should have learnt from the mistakes that you made on this dog. So it goes on. Alex has asked for advice and has got plenty of differing opinions. It will be his dog for the next 10 - 15 years and his choice alone. 100% right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell Posted March 16, 2007 Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 I must admit cockers are closely following springers for my choice, as both have relatively same attributes, never seen a cocker with the drive of a springer though. Alex I haven't seen a springer that will cover the amount of ground that my little cocker can cover - and being small she gets in places that a springer can't get to. I go beating on 4 different shoots and have seen various dogs used for beating - plenty of cockers & springers & a few labs & I'm probably a bit biased, but the cockers seem to have the most stamina. In one of the weeks of beating I did 5 consecutive days with the same dog & she was still as keen at the end of the 5th day. I think the only time a cocker may struggle would be in a strong current of water, so if you intend to go wildfowling then a springer would probably be the better choice, but for beating - you can't beat a cocker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted March 16, 2007 Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 Tiercel, You are obviously spoiling for an argument and A) I can't be bothered and as you seem to be unable to accept anyone else's opinion other than your own arguing is pointless anyway. It must be nice to never be wrong and know everything, or be able to use Google. And as for cloud cuckoo land I've been there done that. I will freely admit my spaniel is as well trained as some, Ian Openshaw has about 30years and about 200 dogs experience on me. But he is better than most. As for what I say about we all hold our dogs in high esteem, the last post proves that. Alex, If you buy any kind of dog I will always be on hand to help in any way I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferretboy111 Posted March 16, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 Cheers martin, always good to know that ive got someone with a decent trained dog relatively close by, especailly the same breed aswell-Springer. Alex Me n ben are off on the maize tomoz for pigeons, atleast 500 floating about now it has been cut down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffolk shooter Posted March 17, 2007 Report Share Posted March 17, 2007 Cockers? Cockers? COCKERS???? (You'll never guess I hate Cockers) I have never sen a decent one of these yet except being used as a picker ups dog. They are not the most obediant dogs, however each dog has its place in the shooting field/marsh/wood etc. Springers, I have seen good ones, I have seen bad ones and I have seen hyper ones and i have seen Lazy ones. The same with Labs (Black, Golden, Chocolate or otherwise). Having got a Lab at the moment, and knowing his capability (My errors in earlier post), and having watched Martin train Merlin to a very reasonable standard thus far. And having also had a Lab/Springer cross. I would say go for the cross everytime. It is the most perfect mix of two dog types. You get the energy and enthusiasm of a Springer with normally, a small body to enable it to get into the brambles and cover, whilst still having the "Brain" of a lab for learning and training, and will do equally as well as a peg dog or a wildfowlers dog. As it has been said before, each dog and each type of Dog is different from the next. Dogs from the same litter are never the same. The litter that my Springer/Lab cross came from, he was one of two that survived till old age, the others having to be put down owing to the fact that they were unruly and attacked people. We never had a problem with our dog in the 13 years we had our dog, and without training it, it would quarter, flush, point and sit quietly whilst off the lead. This in my opinion was and is the best dog there ever was or likely to be. RIP BJ Having read over the posts, I have to say that if our dogs could read, they'd all be laughing their **** off at us, arguing about who is right and wrong about this and that. Sometimes we really do act like spolit kids on here. they is no real answer, FB111 you have to go for the one that suits you and your life style and only time , paitence and training will make anything of the dog you choose. Good luck with what ever you decide on. SS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell Posted March 17, 2007 Report Share Posted March 17, 2007 Cockers? Cockers? COCKERS???? (You'll never guess I hate Cockers) I have never sen a decent one of these yet except being used as a picker ups dog. They are not the most obediant dogs, however each dog has its place in the shooting field/marsh/wood etc. You should come up to North Wales then if you want to see decent cockers working Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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