# Working Cocker Spaniels.



## Alec Swan (30 May 2012)

As title,  does anyone keep them?

I have a delightful bitch in,  to whelp,  she's due 14th. June,  and she's been scanned,  and my vet found 3 embryos,  but her owner's pigman,  found 4!!  My vet says that the pigman probably has more experience with a scanner,  and he may be right!

She's in pup to Maesydderwen Spartan and she herself is by a dog,  who's by Spartan's sire Scimitar.  Apparently line breeding is considered to work well for them as a breed,  it's been happening for several generations without any apparent ill effect,  so who am I to argue?!  All 4 grandparents,  the 8 grandparents and 16 G/G parents are all field trial champions,  so we'll see what we get.

I'd be interested to hear of anyone else's dogs.

Alec.


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## Cinnamontoast (30 May 2012)

Would be interesting to see the breeding co-efficicents. 

There was a thread not long ago about cockers generally, not too flattering, I think, kinda put me off when I would have considered them strongly as a smaller version of the springers and therefore a good idea.


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## monte1 (30 May 2012)

Alec Swan said:



			As title,  does anyone keep them?

I have a delightful bitch in,  to whelp,  she's due 14th. June,  and she's been scanned,  and my vet found 3 embryos,  but her owner's pigman,  found 4!!  My vet says that the pigman probably has more experience with a scanner,  and he may be right!

She's in pup to Maesydderwen Spartan and she herself is by a dog,  who's by Spartan's sire Scimitar.  Apparently line breeding is considered to work well for them as a breed,  it's been happening for several generations without any apparent ill effect,  so who am I to argue?!  All 4 grandparents,  the 8 grandparents and 16 G/G parents are all field trial champions,  so we'll see what we get.

I'd be interested to hear of anyone else's dogs.

Alec.
		
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we have two working cockers, a dog and a bitch, who are fabulous dogs, we work them both on several shoots over the winter season, but,  they are also lovely house dogs, not to be confused with the showing type cocker, which are very different in both build and temperament, IME - not that i am biased in any way  they are however very active dogs and certainly need to be kept busy.(a 20 min walk round a park on a lead just won't do it!)

 My bitch and dog have quite similar blood lines to yours, more than five generations FTCH 's... 
my bitch is part Housty bloodlines and my dogs sire is Scimitar. 
I understand that the Maasydderwen lines are known for being lovely biddable trainable animals - I would certainly agree..    my bitch is also in pup at the moment (fingers crossed) she is due early July by a dog whose father is Maasydderwen Scimitar. so, we are hoping for a great litter too! good luck with yours!


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## Dry Rot (30 May 2012)

Working cockers have very little in common with show cockers and certainly don't have the temperament problem that is occasionally reported. Cockers are very keen and determined hunters and I will say this -- get the control in as early as possible. They should Sit before getting their feed and training should progress so they can be stopped in full pursuit of a thrown tennis ball. Early training involves teaching the pup to Sit at the sight of a rolled tennis ball as they ought to hunt up rabbits and Sit when one is flushed.. 

I think that little lecture will get across how important it is to instill obedience and control at an early age because if you wait until they've started to hunt and chase rabbits it is going to be ten times more difficult! I love working cockers but as Keith Erlandson put it, "Demons with live coals for eyes sent by the Devil himself to torment mortal man!"

The best book on training cockers is, in my opinion, "Spaniels for Sport" by Radcliffe published by The Field. Copies should be cheap through the secondhand book market.


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## birchave0 (30 May 2012)

I have 2 working strain, love em!!!

such personalities! nothing like the show version in build or nature, excellent gun dogs and house dogs too.  Mine live in the house but will agree that when younger they do need a lot of exercise OR free rein around garden/yard/farm.
Very intelligent and don't suffer fools gladly lol
my black bitch can whither you with a look! ha ha

good luck with your pups and pictures too


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## Lanky Loll (30 May 2012)

We have a 4 month old Maeswydderen line bitch... she is as my mother puts it mental  Purely because my family is used to terriers and other breeds that chill out a bit more.  Thea is on the go non-stop until she conks out for about 30mins, then given the chance goes off again   She exhausts the terrorists and the oh so patient GSD who copes so well with being jumped all over but also puts her in her place when she's being rude thankfully!  She learns really quickly - sit took about 30 seconds, recall is pretty much there unless she's after something but still works if you make yourself interesting enough, and is improving all the time.
Being so boisterous it took the cats a little while to learn how to cope with her - standing their ground it their best bet and she's taken a few wacks on the nose but has mostly learnt to leave them be.
Fantastic little dogs and well deserving of their pocket rocket moniker


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## Jesstickle (31 May 2012)

We had a working bitch (acquired her when the game keeper shot himself,  nasty affair). I used to love taking her out beating. She was a cracking dog and even as a teenager she'd work really well for me. She was absolutely full of energy, I've never seen a dog with such a work ethic before. Surprisingly cuddly as well. She'd happily curly up in my stepdad's lap of an evening. She had impeccable manners though, none of which we can claim credit for! I imagine without she'd have been an utter menace though as she was so full of beans!

Sorry, can't remember a single thing about how she was bred though. Like I say, I was only a teenager!


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## Alec Swan (5 June 2012)

Dry Rot said:



			.........

I love working cockers but as Keith Erlandson put it, "Demons with live coals for eyes sent by the Devil himself to torment mortal man!"

The best book on training cockers is, in my opinion, "Spaniels for Sport" by Radcliffe published by The Field. Copies should be cheap through the secondhand book market.
		
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Erlandson had the bitch Speckle of Ardoon,  and I met him in the early '70s at a Field Trial.  He was a rather strange man,  but he knew his way round a spaniel.  I had a very smart young home bred Springer at the time and KE tried to buy him.  I might have sold the dog,  but I wasn't about to give him away!!

During the '70s,  if you had cockers,  you were either a genius or a fruit cake.  They were such hard and difficult dogs.  Over the years,  a great deal of the drive has been bred out of them,  in an effort to make them a little more amenable,  and I suspect that that's probably a good thing.  There's little point in unmanageable dogs,  regardless of their abilities.  Biddable Cockers now abound,  thankfully!

The bitch we I have in,  is a bit on the hard side,  as for the last 2 years,  her owners have more or less allowed her to do as she pleases.  She was a delight when they first bought her,  but there we are.  She's only here to whelp,  so there doesn't seem much point in reinforcing discipline,  as she'll be gone by the end of August.  She could none-the-less stay here if they didn't want her!!  I've just taken her down to the river,  and when she came out,  as the water was so cold,  I wonder what her unborn pups thought of that!!

Thursday the 14th.  seems to be the day,  so we'll see what happens.

Alec.


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## noodle_ (5 June 2012)

interesing reading these 

we have just got a cocker from working lines yesterday - however i havent a clue about field trials so hes my new agility dog lol! (thats what i enjoy)

Dont know about his lines (pedigree) as it wasnt important - temprament was, his dam was a beauttiful dog and Max is so laid back but still comign out his shell 

however id love to make sure he retains his breeding traits and does plenty of retrieving and swimming on walks etc

(he dosent agree with the exercise thing....hes flat out on the sofa, snoozing and dreaming).........but to be fair he is only 9 weeks old.......


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## gunnergundog (5 June 2012)

With that breeding those pups should be like ***** off a shovel!    If you are stuck for homes for any, I can probably find a few interested parties.


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## lizness (5 June 2012)

I have a working type cocker (well that's what we reckon anyway). He is the best dog ever! He has lots of energy yes but he doesn't have the obsessiveness of say the working collies on the farm. You can walk him and hbe entertains himself sniffing around etc.He does get lots of exercise though, on the farm all day and comes out riding with me. Done a days beating which was great. He is great with other animals, brilliant (sometimes a bit too friendly) with cats and other dogs, good with kids and good in the house. He is very good at learning new things too (we have nearly nailed barking at the right time in how much is that doggy in the window!) Likes cuddles too!
Would like to work him properly but time and money prevents this a bit and finding a group nearby.
Liz


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## CAYLA (5 June 2012)

lizness said:



			I have a working type cocker (well that's what we reckon anyway). He is the best dog ever! He has lots of energy yes but he doesn't have the obsessiveness of say the working collies on the farm. You can walk him and hbe entertains himself sniffing around etc.He does get lots of exercise though, on the farm all day and comes out riding with me. Done a days beating which was great. He is great with other animals, brilliant (sometimes a bit too friendly) with cats and other dogs, good with kids and good in the house. He is very good at learning new things too (we have nearly nailed barking at the right time in how much is that doggy in the window!) Likes cuddles too!
Would like to work him properly but time and money prevents this a bit and finding a group nearby.
Liz
		
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Is this you little Winston wonder dog the one you got from that fab forum member who happens to rescue dogs
I think Scrany-anne did comment whe she saw the ginger bitch I posted that she was certain they where workers I need to post you sme pics of his ginger brother I groomed him last week.

OP those pups are due on my birthday then


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## lizness (5 June 2012)

It is indeed, I have some photos of him dressed as the Queen he looks beautiful, I think that deserves it's own thread. He is sat on my feet keeping them warm. Yeah I think he is a worker, he is like all the workers I have seen. They are due on your Birthday, add a(nother) spaniel to your collection!


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