Page 1 of 1

Help in identifying dog breed

Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 5:26 pm
by MadMax
Need help in identifying if my dog is an English Springer Spaniel or a English Cocker. I know that the difference should be quite noticeable, but the person I bought the dog from keeps saying he is an English Cocker, when my dog looks more like an English Springer Spaniel. I will post pics as soon as I can, but in the mean time if someone could give me some pointers as how I could make sure, it would help. Thanks :)

Re: Help in identifying dog breed

Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 5:56 pm
by ezzy333
It wasn't an awful lot of years ago when they both came from the same litter andthe only difference was size. They finally split the breed and each hve gone their own way since. Check the papers of the dog or if you don't have those it may be hard to say but the good thing is it won't make any difference since they both hunt in the same manner.

Ezzy

Re: Help in identifying dog breed

Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 9:34 am
by FLocker
I'd go to the Cockers in the Field site (www.fieldcockers.com) and click meet the dogs. You may see a lot of filed champion cockers that resemble springers at first glance.

How tall is she/he, and how much does she weigh? My cocker looks for all the world like a mini-springer, but she is short (15 inches/ 25 lbs so far) and busts cover like she is supposed to do.

There is a pretty intersting debate among working cocker breeders (similar to what went on with brittanys) about whether taller or shorter dogs are more preferable. Some feel that an 18 inch, 35 lbs cocker defeats the purpose of a small dog intended for close work in dense cover.

Also, one more data point for the lab-haters here. In the "quail belt" South Georgia, North Florida plantations, cockers are putting the flush/retrieve labs flat out of business. They get under the cover better, work quicker, handle the heat better, and eat less!