We have finally decided to get a dog and cockers seem the clear favourite right now.

Anything I need to look out for? I understand that show dogs don’t shed like working ones – is this correct?

And despite wanting to get a rescue, all the ones we have found are ex breeding dogs and are highly recommended to be homed with other dogs (which we don’t have) so a puppy seems the way forwards – anywhere in particular to look? What sort of price can we expect to pay?

Cheers

We got one 2 yrs ago. Pretty much perfect temperament. Loves to be outdoors and I take him running with me a couple of times a week. Unlike my Lakeland terrier which just lies to be in the house.
Some downsides:
Loves mud and water and dives in any pond/ditch he can find and has a tendency to run at other dogs barking and looking aggressive. Never bites and runs away yelping if other dogs bound up to him.

Great dogs. I am a purist so would not consider a rescue as they are unlikely to be pedigree. Find a respected breeder (when we got our Lab we went to Crufts gundog day to meet breeders) and make a visit or two.

I’ve got a working cocker who is quite simply the best dog that ever lived.
Lovely temperament, very obedient and full of affection. He’s 8 now and I’ve never had any issues with him, bar a nasty cut to one of his pads. Just goes in for his annual jabs and that’s it.
He seems to be the hairiest cocker I’ve come across though and does shed a bit. It never seems to come off in your hand or on your clothes but tends to gather behind door/sofas. I’d have another in a heartbeat

🙂

Cockers are lovely dogs. Make sure you check out the breeder thoroughly, plenty of advice on this on dog and breed sites. Cockers seem to vary a lot in looks, size, temperament etc, so ask a lot of questions about the character of mum and dad.

We don’t have a cocker (know a few though) but we do have a springer. And any excuse to post a picture of the mentalness of a spaniel-
[url=https://flic.kr/p/xtwoAV]Courtesy of Mrs t.[/url] by Evil Goat, on Flickr

We have a small springer that is about the size of a cocker

Having spoken to Cocker owners and done some reading they do seem the ideal dog for the outdoor family. Springers needing a huge amount of excercise particularly when they are younger

Shedding I have no idea. But I mainly see working bread Spaniels which are shorter haired. In the overall scheme of the insanity of a dog in the house hair has never seemed a big deal. Personally I’d prefer working every time, particularly after a muddy walk

We paid £250 which I think was bit of a bargain. We met both parents who were both clearly Springers although only 1 had a pedigree. My wife selected the smallest of the litter as she didn’t want a dog that could pull too hard. We bought from a family who had an unwanted pregnancy rather than a breeder

An excuse for photos?

Mad and young

[url=https://flic.kr/p/G6BT3]DSC_0282[/url] by John Clinch, on Flickr

Growing up

[url=https://flic.kr/p/7oCGMT]DSC_0613.jpg[/url] by John Clinch, on Flickr

Now a bit less mad

[url=https://flic.kr/p/CcfUqZ]Ginny[/url] by John Clinch, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/BNf3zE]Ginny-2[/url] by John Clinch, on Flickr

when we got our Lab we went to Crufts gundog day to meet breeders

Crufts and the Kennel Club are the main cause of problems with pedigree dogs.

Horrible the lot of them.

I bet loads vote UKIP. 🙂

We got a working cocker spaniel from a rescue, he was 6 months old at the time. Lovely dog, nice temperament.. but he came with a couple of issues, one being submissive urination (which I’ve since heard is quite common in cocker spaniels) and the other is that he hates being on his own, and suffers from seperation anxiety.

Very trainable dogs but also very stubborn too.

I have a working Cocker, having had a Springer that sadly died a year ago. I wouldn’t want to be with out a Spaniel in my life.

Say hello to Marmite.

Wonderful dogs – my BIL has a black working cocker who is as soft as anything. Sheds like mad though – which they didn’t consider when they had a white tiled floor installed in their kitchen…

I’d have one in a flash if we didn’t have to leave one in the house for a few hours a week.

I’ve never been a big fan of Spaniels until our kids childminder got one. We’d love a dog of our own but with both working full time it wouldn’t be fair so we get to walk Milly most weekends and take her back to her owner when she’s muddy. She’s a cracking dog with a lovely temperament. It’s fair to say that my kids adore her.

Lots of stories of good dogs. Now for the horror story.

My MiL had a pedigree cocker. So interbred it was bat shit mental, and that was from a respected breeder. We found out when we took the puppy to a local obedience class ran by a husband / wife team who bred and trained working spaniels and knew the other breeder and the dogs that were in my MiL pedigree.

It was dirty, it would piss and shit everywhere. Every time if it was in the car. Territorial, snappy, constant attempts at dominant behaviour.

A lot was caused by the way my MiL treated it, but even with extended stays with us, and with a clear pack structure and discipline, I wouldn’t trust it around my kids.

I’d not have one, but I’m biased.

YMMV

Have a Spaniel ourselves. We haven’t gone pedigree at all, and have a Sprocker (Springer – Cocker cross) who is now coming up for 2. He is our first dog, and have to say he is an absolute beauty. Great friendly attitude to him, but just protective enough at the house (ie growls if someone knocks on the door). Would not be without him!

He’s approximately 18kg and can pull like a train on the lead despite not doing so at training! Full of energy, but also quite happy to sit in front of the fire. He sheds hair alot! Find it all over the place.

Consider a Sprocker for sure!

I understand that show dogs don’t shed like working ones – is this correct?

Never heard that and never really had an issue with any of our working dogs moulting excessively.
TBH show cockers and good working cockers are so different they may as well be different breeds, and personally I wouldn’t dream of having the former (sounds like BBS ^ encountered a show dog).
The term ‘working dogs’ is well overused in my opinion and should only be applied when a puppy really has come from [proper] working parents.

(and yes our’s is worked regularly)

I understand that show dogs don’t shed like working ones – is this correct?

Liver roans don’t moult, so need cutting every couple of months or so.

We’ve a working cocker and working springer, both dogs. But the working bit is more a statement of how they look than what they do 🙂

The cocker was bought from a local breeder in Bucks, we saw parents and the breeder was keeping a bitch and other friends also took one of the bitches. Dogs are cheaper but still +£400. The springer was got from our local rescue, but with known history, for £35.

Great dogs.

I’ve got a 12 1/2 year old Blue Roan and as many have said above they generally have a great temperament and mine is very sociable; he has been known to walk up to total strangers and just stand there quietly expecting them to fuss over him in a strangely passive aggressive manner. It always seems to work 🙂

If you are going for a pedigree it is wise to read up on some of the potential health problems that cockers can suffer from. Mine has sadly had a number of the major things like dry eye and two different sorts of cancer.

We’ve always had spaniels and have found them to be fun and inquisitive dogs although they can be incredibly stubborn. Mine has occasionally feigned a limp when he has had enough of going for a walk. Thankfully he isn’t bright enough to realise he has to keep limping with the same leg for it to be convincing.

Show dogs are bred for their looks and adherence to KC standards. Working dogs are bred for their brains.

Mine has occasionally feigned a limp

Only some times. Ours limps whenever it is near a boat or unhappy about life

There’s a lot to be said for a mongrel.

Google hybrid vigour.

Wired to the moon, cracking dogs. This is Murdo, he’s a working cocker and sheds loads! I love him very much even though he’s just a dog. Had show cockers in the past, totally different animal. Much more chilled than working dogs. Blue Roan’s have a better temperament ime.

Murdo loves the bike and runs with me too, He leaves me for dead. A cracking dog.

Show cocker if you want chilled working if you want an adventure!

I’ve owned two springers in the past, both brothers from the same litter. Completely different personalities you couldn’t make up, Banger was totally bonkers, always looking to hunt and his brother Mashie was as placid and happy to be around you. Sadly I no longer have either, Banger went back to the farmer I had him from after a few years of manic depression being holed up in a home with me. For dog who just wanted to hunt it was a crewel existence being home and not doing what he wanted to do. Despite a couple of long training sessions back with the farmer he just preferred being in a pack, so reluctantly I handed him back into an environment he was happy in. He required constant stimulation, my mate the farmer could provide that, and more. Mashie on the other hand was just settled in daily life with us, spent 4 beautiful years with me before he met a sad end in a tragic accident on the road behind my garden. Silly sod jumped the fence to head into the forest behind the house and let his end between a wall and a truck …

Utterly beautiful dogs you couldn’t replace, it’s been 11 years and I still ain’t over loosing them. Should things change I’ll be the first to get a working cocker, one, and spend the rest of my life chucking sticks into the sea for him.

Choose wisely, enjoy every moment you share wth them.

I had two pedigree cocker a, one a tricolour bitch who was the first she was the most adorable, clever, cheerful dog I’ve ever been around and a year later I brought a ‘rescue case’ make blue roan who was purchased as a fashion item by the original owners and ill treated in my opinion…..looked at a year old like a miniature afghan hound with infections in both ears matted coat and didn’t even know how to play with a tennis ball……he was also an adorable family pet once h became part of the pack…..but despite all the training I put into him always suffered fear aggression when it came to other dogs. Both sadly died at the age of 11 years both due to being riddled with cancer. Neither had given any indication that they were ill up to the day that both had to be put to sleep.
The wife desperately wants another cocker but I fancy something that won’t be in every puddle/ditch/dike/lake and slightly less active.
My main issue with cocker spaniels is they easily suffer from separation anxiety if you are workers and leave them for the 8 hour day at work……….but ideal if you can take them with you as they’ll get everyone fussing them.

Show dogs are bred for their looks and adherence to KC standards. Working dogs are bred for their brains

Often a bit of snobbery about “working” cockers 🙄
Either will keep you entertained

Another vote for a sprocker. Ours is 9mo old, 18kg, doesn’t really moult much, is very affectionate, fairly obedient, great with other dogs, always happy. And he has a mohican.

I have two, their brothers but completly different temperament albiet both very pleasant.
One is nice but dim the other a bit smarter but lazy.
Both shed hair a lot.

We have one of each; a springer and a cocker, both working breeds, both pedigree. Ralph (the cocker, my wife’s dog) is useless as a working dog. He rarely wants to retrieve and only likes playing with his other (cocker) friends, with the sole exception of the six month old Great Dane across the road. He also just loves being picked up and cuddled. It’s his favourite thing.

They are lovely dogs, but they are clever and do need to be occupied. Ralph needs to have people around him or, at the very least, his brother. When he’s alone, he gets anxious.

Go for it. Buy one. You will not regret it. Until the first time it rolls in fox poo and then wants to be cuddled.

Got a working cocker, small in size for the breed. Work it at what its meant for. Its bold, tenacious, clever(devious), obedient(sometimes) and loves beating and picking up. she can mark a fallen bird and retrieve well after its come down. The site of her bring back a Pheasant or rabbit as big as her is both amusing and very pleasing. She loves to hunt rabbits as a hobby when we are out walking often with great success. Which is good for the pot (or freezer) but not necessarily for a reliable working dog. Any faults she may have are down lack of consistency in training by us, she never misses an opportunity to train us though. Was more into bigger dogs for working but now totally sold on this cocker. Big worker in a small package.

My cocker is my first dog. He gets a 1hr off-lead run every day, but is also happy to be left for 3-5hrs at home when necessary. Couldn’t be without him now!!