Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 60 total)
  • Tell me about springer and cocker spaniels
  • loddrik
    Free Member

    Am currently looking for a staff pup but the wife is suggesting a spaniel of some sort.

    What are they like?

    willard
    Full Member

    AWESOME!!!!!

    I have one of both and they are great dogs. Lots of energy and great company. Also quite small, so a good size for today’s modern life.

    Jake25
    Full Member

    They are lovely dogs but be aware of this possible problem

    sandwicheater
    Full Member

    Have you considered a Lab/Springer cross? Love ours and will happily laze around the house/by the fire or run and run and run.

    loddrik
    Free Member

    How do springers and cockers compare?

    cobrakai
    Full Member

    I worked with working springers years back and they were brilliant. Now have a 16 week working cocker. Love him to bits. Extremely intelligent. House trained more or less within 4 days using a crate. Recall, sit, stay and paw he picked up straight away. Thinking of field trial lessons purely to keep him entertained. Doesn’t chew furniture and has learned his place quickly. I’m trying not to exercise him too much because of potential hip problems later on. He gets a 15 min walk on the lead and free run of the garden every day. That’s where the only problem is! He has chewed everything in the garden to the extent ive fenced some areas off for the time being. He also has a nasty habit of hunting and eating snails. They can cause lung worm so making sure his worming is up to date.

    He’s a proper lap dog and very affectionate. He’s not allowed up on furniture so he knows the minute I sit on the floor it’s cuddles!

    danrandon
    Free Member

    Got a black sprocker myself, absolute nut case in the woods, loves chaing me around when i’m riding. At home sweet affectionate calm doggy. Always wants to snuggle up for a cuddle. great with my daughter.

    I grew up with springers and the wife grew up with cockers, so a perfect choice for us.

    He’s in a for his 2nd summer groom today before heading to cornwall for the week.

    loddrik
    Free Member

    Are they good trail dogs? I can’t imagine a staff would be though tbh.

    RaveyDavey
    Free Member

    Springer FTW had both but cockers can be a bit snappy especially in adolescence. Not all of them but it can be an issue. Make sure you get one from a working line not a show bred one which are thicker than mince. One of the most rewarding breeds to own and will love you unconditionally.

    rkk01
    Free Member

    Lovely dogs. Smart, loyal, affectionate.

    I wanted a springer, but the opportunity came up for a blue roan cocker. TBH the cocker is a better size for “modern life” – small enough for our house, big enough to be a “proper dog” 😉

    Our first is from a show bred line. She’s certainly not thick, but more inclined to lazy indifference. Second is a liver & white 50:50 (show mother, working father). Excellent dog – very loving and affectionate, but mad as a box of frogs. Much more energetic, always running around following her nose and quick as a whippet (almost). Most folks mistake her for a part grown springer

    andymac78
    Free Member

    Excellent dogs and as a retriever type gun dog they would make great trail dogs. Lived next door to a Welsh Springer, very well natured and was our Collie’s best friend till we moved away.

    suburbanreuben
    Free Member

    They’re nuts.
    Their ears dangle in their food.
    They’ll outrun you. (even the little ones with bandy legs)

    thehustler
    Free Member

    Grew up with a springer and have a 2 year old springer from a working line now, will run further than you can ride (they just dont know when to stop) You will be their whole world totally unconditionally, and they will make you laugh every day!

    My wife grew up with german shep’s and when we were looking at a dog both were an option, the springer won on size (we go caravanning…….ahem)the wife wouldn’t go back now, there is just something about this breed.

    thehustler
    Free Member

    These just about say it all……

    scud
    Free Member

    We’ve a Springer Spaniel called “millie”, she is 7 now and recovering from meningitis (something i had no idead dogs could get), she is a very affectionate dog and very good tempered, we were happy for our daughter to go near her from the minute she could walk and she absolutely loves her. She is a bit barmy, she loves nothing better than chasing leaves and shadows for hours on end, and is happy round the bike.

    She came from my brother in law who breeds gun dogs and he has two of the other bithces from the same litter still working.

    He also has a rare breed called a Clumber Spaniel, huge paws and chunky jaw, lovely dog but a lazy gun dog.

    scud
    Free Member

    This is our Milli doing what she does best.

    Bigface0_0
    Free Member

    Yeah cmon get your pics out, puppies Please??? 😀

    funkrodent
    Full Member

    Don’t have either (I’ve a Lab/Shepherd cross), but see loads of them in the park/on the river where I walk mine. Fantastic dogs. Particularly like Springers which are a bit larger and more boisterous. Full of character, intelligent, good fun. They are originally gun dogs, so they will need a lot of mental stimulation and a lot of exercise (2-3 hours a day). Probably best with a relatively experienced dog owner, or someone who is prepared to get into it properly.

    I’d +1 the Labrador/Springer cross. Met a couple on my travels with dog and it is an excellent cross and less likely to suffer from any hereditary issues.

    FWIW Staffs are great dogs. Super friendly, great with kids and lots of energy. Can sometimes be a bit funny with other dogs, but this probably more to do with owners. Not sure how they’d do as trail dogs, those little legs and stocky bodies..

    Not sure about Spaniels either to be fair. Gundogs weren’t bred to cover vast distances at pace. You’d probably be better off with a terrier. I’ve heard that border terriers make great trail dogs and they have bags of personality and are relatively compact!

    Anyway, have fun, dogs are great and add loads to people’s lives!

    toppers3933
    Free Member

    SPRINGERS ARE BRILLIANT!!!! So much fun and they don’t tend to scare people (rightly or wrongly) like staffies tend to. I know all the stories of how loving and wonderful staffies are but this has not been my experience as an owner of another breed. Daisy (my working springer) regularly gets hassled/attacked by staffs. Way more than any other breed. She can spot one a mile off and stays well clear now.

    My springer is almost identical to the hustlers ^^^.

    She’s crackers outdoors but really chilled at home. She has always been superb with both of our kids who are both younger than the her. Will retrieve a ball for as long as you’re able to throw it. Is excellent around the bike and will run forevermore should you let her. Has never chewed anything other than the stuff we give her (the exception rather than the rule) and is just brilliant to have around. She is a bit nervous and can get spooked easily by household noises but is bold as brass out on the trails.
    We purposefully got one with a tail although most were docked despite it being made illegal (except with dispensation) but I regret that. She constantly cuts her tail which occasionally gets infected. We have recently had her tail docked down to half length in an effort to reduce it from happening. She’s currently 2 weeks into a month of wearing the cone of shame. She hates it as do I but thems the breaks I’m afraid. I would definitely say think carefully about getting a working springer with a docked tail because it could save you quite a bit of anguish and vets trips.
    She is mine and my wife’s first dog but I grew up around springers so I suppose I’m just used to them. They are a fantastic breed but they really respond to training and knowing their place. If you get one you won’t regret it. And if you do then let me know and I’ll have it off you. 🙂

    And for what it’s worth daisy is happy with whatever walks she gets. She will get a minimum of 30mins a day but usually more. She only starts going crackers if she doesn’t go out for a couple of days. This is only usually following one if her many injuries.
    I mention injuries because she’s had a fair few. The vet and I put it down to the fact that she is a beater/ retriever and as such loves to go into brush and scrub, and hedges. Around where we live that’s where the local morons chuck their glass bottles so she does get cut pads fairly frequently as well as cut ears, nose, tail (as mentioned) and other minor scrapes.

    Sui
    Free Member

    I Have a Sprocker (mix of the two) mad as a box of frogs that is all.

    andyl
    Free Member

    +1 for springer

    I do love cockers but for me it has to be a springer. Or I quite fancy a field spaniel as they are quite rare and it would be nice to support a breed.

    As for trail dogs…not ideal and there are better dogs. You just have to be aware that they will need plenty of decent breaks as they are a point and shoot type dog. They can stay out all day in all weathers but they are not a husky or a dalmation in terms of distance. They will show you up around any twisty and steep terrain though (as will most dogs but spaniels are exceptional) and they won’t be as ultimately controllable as a collie as they will want to deviate and do some loops off the trail, especially when you slow down on hills.

    They do make fantastic family pets though that you can take riding.

    thehustler
    Free Member

    Forgot the one word of warning, they do love their water and mud………

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    Both are great, I have a preference for cockers and I just love the look. I had a black lab and if we’d wanted a smaller dog or a pair we would have got cockers. Staffies are a bit to “static” for me, not active enough.

    toppers3933
    Free Member

    Forgot the one word of warning, they do love their water and mud………

    This. Daisy could find smelly mud in a desert. Also when she drinks 80% of the water ends up on the kitchen floor. 10% actually get into her mouth the rest soaks into her ears, even with a proper spaniel water bowl.

    Sui
    Free Member

    A scruffy pre-groomed Sproker in the folks back garden.

    tonyd
    Full Member

    We have a Sprocker, mum was a working cocker, dad a working springer, and we love her to bits. She’s just coming up to 9 months so we still need to be careful about over walking but she gets at least an hour a day (prob a bit too much at the moment) and absolutely loves running full tilt through the woods with her nose down. She’s just starting to swim too.

    Poppy:

    She’s great with the kids too, ours and all the neighbours that come round to call for her. This was a few days after we picked her up, so she’d have been a couple of months old or thereabouts.

    Pigface
    Free Member

    My first Staff was a great trail dog, only took him on tight twisty rides so he didnt need to fly down hill or go to fast, only problem is that I carshed once and knocked myself out he and wouldnt let anyone come and help me 😯 a bloke came over to see if I was ok and the dog growled at him. I came to after about a couple of minutes and the dog was fine with him then. Very protective hound was Caesar.

    The second one was hopless kept biting the wheels 🙄

    Bigface0_0
    Free Member

    OMG I want one, But the wife says NO!!!! My kids would go crazy If I brought one of those home…. If I was at home in the day then yes but Im at work and they would have to spend most of the day 8-3 at home with Hugo the house cat!!!! Do they mix???

    tonyd
    Full Member

    Oh, and I can also vouch for their ability to find the smelliest mud and promptly lay in it as well as the love of slugs and snails. The last two nights I’ve let Poppy out for a wee before bed and she’s come back in with some weird slimy, sticky mess stuck all over her nose and mouth. The only thing I can think is that she’s found a slug and then ground it into the dirt with her snout. It’s really hard to get off too!

    andyl
    Free Member

    Bigface – 8 to 3 is a bit long.

    As for mixing with other animals I wish I had a camera on me the other day as the dog was in her bed (for a change as the cat normally steals it), the cat was lying down having a wash about 1 foot away and the rabbit was laid down inbetween the two of them.

    In fact I just looked up and the dog is fast asleep in her bed, the cat fast asleep on a cushion on the chair next to her and the rabbit fast asleep under the table next to the chair. All happy animals 🙂

    Sui
    Free Member

    Yep, slugs and Snails, wonderful toys and treats as far as Maisy is concerned. Will vouch for the muddy puddle thing as well, especially as she has stumpy little legs.

    Helios
    Free Member

    Very hard work if you buy from working stock, still hard work even if you don’t.

    What is your level of dog experience, and what’s your situation at home?

    tonyd
    Full Member

    Agreed, 8-3 is a bit long. As for animals, it all depends how well you socialise them I think. If they’re used to cats, rabbits, etc being around they won’t feel the need to chase them. Mine will still chase squirrels and birds as she’s young and they’re fun, she’ll say hello to cats but wouldn’t dream of chasing them as all the local ones tell her off.

    Crag
    Free Member

    Due to the missus’s allergies, we went down the mongrel route and have just got a cockapoo.

    [url=https://flic.kr/p/ogUdi2]1st day at home[/url] by cragseds, on Flickr

    [url=https://flic.kr/p/ogBNMH]Just snoozing….[/url] by cragseds, on Flickr

    We’ve had her about a fortnight. She’s mad as a bag of frogs and her favourite new game is to launch herself onto the top of one the garden hedges for the soft landing.

    andyl
    Free Member

    Our springer is absolutely fine with our cat and rabbit. As is the cat with the rabbit (they actually play together).

    But outside the springer will still get all excited when she sees a cat an I have to tell her ‘no’ and she will still sit and point and ask to chase the wild rabbits (and i say yes as it gives her a good run).

    Squirrels, deer and seagulls on the beach are the three things she just bolts for without asking. Pheasants and rabbits she waits to be told what to do.

    The cat spends his days outside hunting the wild rabbits but only catching mice.

    toppers3933
    Free Member

    My sister has a cockapoo. He’s ace but a bit thick with zero spacial awareness. He also acts as a sponge and will stay wet for hours if not thoroughly dried. Consequently he can be a bit smelly. But he is a lovely temperament if a bit docile for my tastes.

    loddrik
    Free Member

    There is a liver and white 14 week old springer for sale not far from me. Tempted…

    I_did_dab
    Free Member

    I miss our cocker who died this year age 15. She was everyone’s friend, bombproof in every way, gentle, mischievous, biddable and stubborn. We took her everywhere *sigh*.

    Our adopted Welsh Springer is a different dog entirely and very hard work.

    Buy from a reputable breeder, make sure you see the dam (mum) before you see the pups. Train and socialise as soon as possible.

    tonyd
    Full Member

    There is a liver and white 14 week old springer for sale not far from me. Tempted…

    Do it.

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