Choosing a puppy

[Macnab]

Am off to choose a cocker puppy from an excellent working bitch in the next few days. Any good tips on what to look for in the litter and what to avoid please?

 

Prefer to take a bitch if I can, but more importantly looking for a good working dog.

 

Thanks.

[dustyfox]

yeah let the dog choose you,

[WGD]

Make sure you've done research on the breeding lines so you know you are getting a working dog (FTW, FTCH and no SH abbrevations in the pedigree - these are for show dogs and not good in working cocker pedigrees). If possible, try and see the sire and dam working before you decide to take a pup from their litter, difficult I know. If you're satisfied with that and all the appropriate health checks have been done prior to the mating the pups should be fine whichever one you go for - it is the handler that makes the dog, not the breeding, that just helps a bit

 

In saying all that, from what you say I gather you are going to pick a pup from the litter and want to know what to look for in the pups. Health is the most important thing rather than temperament at this age IMO; look for a good weight and coat and a pup which is generally alert. Don't be put off by a quiet pup, they can turn into easier to handle dogs than their bolder litter mates!

 

Good luck, let us know how you get on

 

WGD

[Macnab]

Thanks for the input. I have seen the dam working and was very impressed, although other than assurances I don't know much about the sire. I guess I will trust my instincts when I get there.

[new to the flock]

MacNab,

 

Run a search in the dog section and I am sure you will come up with several threads addressing this issue.

 

Try using for search quearies:

picking a puppy

choosing a puppy

puppy

temperment testing

 

Alternatively scroll back through the pages and have a read. Set your selection to show all posts from the beginning of the section and enjoy.

 

NTTF

[lurcherboy]

I would choose the bold one providing it's got four legs etc. But I like a challenge.

 

Good luck in your choice over the dog you will have for the next 10-15 years

 

 

 

 

 

LB

[Millomite]

Pick the one you like the look of. No point picking a dog you don't like the look of. The breeding is all the same, it's nurture that will determine the outcome

[Macnab]

Thanks again for the posts. I did a search but found surprisingly little stuff on the subject. I'll post a picture of the one I do go for in a few weeks.

[tiercel]

Macnab,

 

Try this thread.

 

http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/ind...ic=27836&hl

 

There is another link in there that is a good read.

 

TC

[Macnab]

Thanks that was helpful.

 

M

[gdunc]

Don't take one which isn't running around completely bonkers as it's unlikely to be a real cocker

[gdunc]

On a serious note, the black ones are typically the hardest hunters but the most bonkers. Cockers in a roan colour scheme tend to be more biddable.

 

I'll try and remember some more old wife's tales and urban myth

[bob300w]

On a serious note, the black ones are typically the hardest hunters but the most bonkers. Cockers in a roan colour scheme tend to be more biddable.

 

I'll try and remember some more old wife's tales and urban myth

What about the red ones with high brass? ....errr...hang on, wrong thread.

[WGD]

On a serious note, the black ones are typically the hardest hunters but the most bonkers. Cockers in a roan colour scheme tend to be more biddable.

 

I'll try and remember some more old wife's tales and urban myth

 

Don't know if it's an old wives tale or not but a guy on our shoots got one of each and it's like you say gdunc. Roan more biddable, black covers many more miles in a day.

 

WGD

[gdunc]

On a serious note, the black ones are typically the hardest hunters but the most bonkers. Cockers in a roan colour scheme tend to be more biddable.

 

I'll try and remember some more old wife's tales and urban myth

 

Don't know if it's an old wives tale or not but a guy on our shoots got one of each and it's like you say gdunc. Roan more biddable, black covers many more miles in a day.

 

WGD

 

It was first said to me by some experienced hands and I initially dismissed it as myth but it has proven true in my experience. I just put in the disclaimer on the chance that someone may have a roan cocker who is an absolute mentalist

[Macnab]

Here she is. This photo is a few weeks old now but she never sits still so pretty hard to get a good photograph. I didn't have a choice in the end as she was the only bitch in the litter. I got the pedigree from the breeder and in the last four generations there are 20 FTCh or FTW so I guess if she is no good I will only have myself to blame. She is coming, sitting and staying at 14 weeks but I'm not rushing ahead as I want these commands to be rock solid before we move on.

 

M

 

[polski]

Not so sure about the roans being more biddable. I got my tri-coloured cocker dog off a mate who has trained and trialled spaniels for 50 years with success, he reckons this dog is one of the hardest dogs he has ever trained,a pure hunting machine. I've had some battles with him over the years, but now at the age of 11 he is starting to slow down a bit.

 

Rick.

 

[radio1ham]

well you can try 2 loud claps of your hands and which ever one pricks up his/her ears maybe be a good working dog it half the battle if they not scrared of the loud clap from your hands