Hi all new to this site would value the opinion of spaniel owners. Hope I don't ramble to much but here goes for our life story.. Currently we own 2 English Cocker's a Black boy now 8yrs and a blue girl 9yrs. Love them both best most loving dogs I've ever owned, previously Airedale Terriers and before that Rott's. Attended obedience with all, but also competed with the Airedales. The cocker's I trained for Obedience (competed) agility, tracking and Field work my dream, we almost reached standard for the Field trials when we moved from Australia to Italy,of course the dogs came with us but no more hunting. We could be returning to Australia this year and considering getting a pup that would also come back to Aus. We are planning on living in country Victoria on at least 20 acres. We are slightly more than middle aged, but both of us want to use the new pup for hunting rabbits, maybe showing, and maybe tracking if the hunting does'nt work out . Now for our question I'm in favour of the Field Spaniel husband wants a Welsh Springer (the English SS working is to fast and hyper for us and only heard of a few Working Cockers in Australia) So I would like to hear the opinions of others for the working capabilities of the Welsh and Field Spaniels. Our reasons for these are 1. Coat less work than our present cockers 2. A little bigger which is better for the Australian terrain 3.Love the spaniels also considered the Italian Spinone which I would love but the slobber factor and the size 4. Grandchildren maybe in the next few years. 5. Also need to transport a lot planning on also having a small place in the suburbs and staying there 2 or three days a week. Own a 4 x 4 I will not be working away from home, husband will probably be semi retired . We could consider getting 2 pups 1 welsh, 1 field to take home also bringing new line to Aust both of us want Males personally I think train better than females but just my opinion. Many thanks in advance, Think I mentioned everything but the colour of the bathroom sink.
Hi, I don't know a thing about different breeds of cockers I'm afraid, but thought I'd pop in to welcome you I'm sure others with more knowledge of the breeds will be in soon, wow a life in aus sounds amazing, lucky pups whatever you end up getting x
Unfortunately I cannot help either, but as I did not welcome you when you first joined, I will do so now!
How exciting! I don't know what the spaniel world is like in Australia, but here in the UK, Field Spaniels and Welsh Springers are in a minority actually working in the field. However, there was a working Welsh Springer in Shooting Times, picking up on a shoot that was featured recently. Before I chose my English Springer, I spoke to a few of the breed clubs of the less common spaniels and I found everyone really helpful and honest. I've only met 2 Field spaniels and 6 Welsh, so it's not the biggest sample to go off....but I definitely fell for the Welsh. Maybe I was lucky, but they all seemed to have really gentle, happy personalities and their owners seemeed very relaxed and happy with them too - and more than willing to share their enthusiasm for the breed. I know someone in Scotland is is breeding Airedales from lines imported from the States now, that have always been bred purely for work and have been used succesfully over there as rough-shooting dogs, pickers-up and tracking dogs amongst other things.... ;-) I have a soft spot for Airedales - wonderful dogs! Shame we don't see more working.....
working strain cocker spaniels would be ideal for you. very very energetic but fantastic little dogs. I have 2 working types and 1 show type. the workers are very biddable unlike Alfie our show type who, if i'm honest just loves the sound ouf his ow voice lol. do yourself a favour and research the workers. I cannot praise them enough. wonderful wonderfuldogs.
A lady in my village has a welsh springer and she's gorgeous! She has some problems with her being a very fussy eater (common in this breed apparently) and it took a lot of work to get her recall anywhere near acceptable. I don't think there are that many around as the breeder has insisted on having breeding rights with her. I don't think she's that brilliant at working although she's still young (around 18 months).
We have Willow the WS, she's nearly two years old now. She has outrun, outbounced and outplayed any show line ESS we've met. When my OH takes her for walks he says she needs a 20min rest after about 5 miles, and then she's up for another walk, OH is exhausted before Willow is. Talking to other owners and some breeders we think that Willow is on the high exercise side for WS, and may calm with age. As far as what other people have said, Willow eats anything and everything (including scavenging from the garden), she loves people and other dogs, and was fairly easy to train. She is a one-person pooch, the OH is the centre of her world, and with him I would say her recall is darn near perfect. With me, she comes if the nose isn't overiding the brain. Her coat is incredible, she can get in the car nose-to-tail a brown mud covered dog, get out after 30 mins drive, shake, and she looks clean! As far as grooming, the ears need any tangles brushing out at least weekly, although you can just use a trimmer to remove most of the fur (no fur = no lugs) and the same for the feathering on the legs. I would say the best thing you could do is to find a breeder you might want a pup from, and talk everything over with them.
