Gun Dog Forum

i can get a free cocker. it is out of king charles or louie or something like that. i know they dont point so it wouldn't be a upland dog but i was wondering if i could kinda train it kinda like a lab and use it for a retriever. if they are good retrievers? i dont really know much about these dogs so any info would be appreciated thanks a merry christmas to y'all.

Actually a spaniel is a great upland dog. That is its' calling . The word 'cocker" comes from wood cock, its' speciality. It's a fine retriever in the field too when trained properly. It's not a cold water retriever really.
It doesn't point . It flushes the bird and hups ( sits) while you shoot. Requires a faster shot than a pointing breed.

The choice is yours but remember - a free dog can turn out to be very expensive. A poorly bred spaniel can have a multitude of health problems.


Your thread title says cocker. Your post says King Charles. My comments only apply if its a field bred English/American cocker.

If it's a field bred english cocker yes, but a King Charles spaniel-no just a burr magnet and a ankle biter. I'd say thanks, but no thanks.

muddycreek wrote:If it's a field bred english cocker yes, but a King Charles spaniel-no just a burr magnet and a ankle biter. I'd say thanks, but no thanks.

Right on.

Ezzy

A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a toy breed and lap dog. My parents have three and they are as far from a sporting breed as you could imagine. Very sweet but a meek, lightly framed lap dog.

ezzy333 wrote:

muddycreek wrote:If it's a field bred english cocker yes, but a King Charles spaniel-no just a burr magnet and a ankle biter. I'd say thanks, but no thanks.

Right on.

Ezzy

Field Springer, yes. Free cocker, No.

Common Man, Is that a serious question?

Ron

Field Bred....Field Bred English Cockers are a decent & hard working happy go lucky hunting dog of the flusher type.
A King Charles Spaniel unless aa RARE exception is nothing but a pleasant lap dog. That is what they were bred for.
Second the field bred Springer also.

thanks then i will say no to the dog like i said i know nothing about the cocker spaniels thanks for the imput

sjkennels wrote:thanks then i will say no to the dog like i said i know nothing about the cocker spaniels thanks for the imput

If the dog is a King Charles Spaniel it isn't even related to a Cocker Spaniel. The are completely different. One is a toy lap dog and the other is a great but small sports dog that works great in the upland fields. Don't know for sure just what you are talking about but that is the story of the two types of dog.

Ezzy

Field bred English Cockers are as much bred for the field as Field Springers. In fact, if I'm not mistaken I've heard in Canada, their hunt tests or field trials can include both & the Cockers have recently dominated.

well i know and have seen both dogs several times. the sire is a english cocker spaniel and the dam is a small king charles what ever kinda dog. i know both of them have never been hunted or anything. i was just thinking of a retrieving dog for dove i wouldnt use the dog for upland just because they dont point. since im not a big fan of flushers. (not saying there is anything wrong with flushers) i just like the dogs pointing the birds out. but i will hold off on this pup then.

would like to hear about what a good little dog would be for doves though.

GSp's are real good as are any other dog that retreives.

Ezzy

To answer the question, yes.

The most recent issue of "Sporting Classics" has a Mike Gaddis article on how to use the little dogs on pen birds that is of great interest. I have done the same with my Boykins with mixed results, no doubt Gelhause is a better trainer than I.

Neil

I have both a field-bred english cocker from working lines, and incedentally, a cavalier king charles spaniel. While both are spaniels, they couldn't be further apart in terms of personality. The cavalier is a house dog, and an outstanding one at that. Calm, clean, and trusting of everyone. The english cocker is a rocket, tough as nails, quivers at the line to be sent on a retreive, and would die for bird contact. Both are very friendly. As you might guess of a spaniel lover, I have absolutely no use for a dog who thinks it's his job to protect me or my property.

In the South, Cockers are taking over the quail flush/retrieve jobs traditionally done by labs. They get under cover better and handle the heat better than a lab. You'll see these dog handlers who treat their pointers like machines (kennel>dog box>bird work>dog box>kennel) riding around with cockers on the seat next to them. They really are great little working dogs.

Neil: i went to the booksstore to look for the sporting classics article, but they said the January issue is not out yet. Do you have a link or something?

Flocker,

I got mine in the mail last week, so it should be in the book stores soon. You should consider subscribing, I think it is the best of its kind, although it has a few too many big game stories for my taste, there are still a good many upland articles. And they have the best of the writers, the very best. McIntosh, Parker, and Gaddis are worth the price alone.

Neil

Neil

sgc wrote:Field bred English Cockers are as much bred for the field as Field Springers. In fact, if I'm not mistaken I've heard in Canada, their hunt tests or field trials can include both & the Cockers have recently dominated.

Canadian spaniel trials do indeed pit springers vs. cockers. The cockers have been a little more competitive as of late, most notably in 2005 when the English cocker Warrener's California Quail won the Canadian national: http://www.workingcocker.com/index.php? ... &Itemid=58 Still, the springers tend to bring home the majority of the ribbons in head-to-head trials and have won 42 of 43 Canadian nationals.

Kyle Wintersteen wrote:Itemid=58 Still, the springers tend to bring home the majority of the ribbons in head-to-head trials and have won 42 of 43 Canadian nationals.

Is that because there are many more Springers entered in the field, or are cockers well represented at the nationals?

FLocker wrote:

Kyle Wintersteen wrote:Itemid=58 Still, the springers tend to bring home the majority of the ribbons in head-to-head trials and have won 42 of 43 Canadian nationals.

Is that because there are many more Springers entered in the field, or are cockers well represented at the nationals?

That's probably the biggest reason; there are far more field trialers training springers and putting efforts into their breeding, and there are a lot more springers running trials, period. The numbers strongly favor them.