Re: OMG! OMG! Have you ever read those articles in the Spectator by Melissa Kite about owning a working cocker in London, Julie? Might be worth a read...
Re: OMG! OMG! [quote author=Karen link=topic=3280.msg35405#msg35405 date=1384431504] Have you ever read those articles in the Spectator by Melissa Kite about owning a working cocker in London, Julie? Might be worth a read... [/quote] ;D ;D ;D ;D You see, that's the thing...my very limited talents have been up to the job of training a show lab to come back when called on Wimbledon Common in exchange for random rewards involving a lot of roast chicken and sardines. Would I be up to a working cocker? Dunno... http://www.spectator.co.uk/life/real-life/7667788/real-life-67/ Loved this bit: Mostly the south London cockers make the best of things, but every so often one of them just loses it. The other morning I was walking Cydney when I found Mable’s owner sitting on a bench with her head in her hands. Mable had gone awol. She was running around in circles, every now and then stopping just long enough for her owner to approach and then, when she was within ten feet, darting off again. She had been doing that for five hours. Her owner had had to ring her boss and cancel going to work. She had been home twice, the last time coming back with a big bowl of food. As she poured her heart out to me, Cydney contributed to the proceedings by wolfing down the dog meat from Mable’s bowl. Her owner looked down at the empty bowl as if all hope had receded. It was clearly incumbent on me to catch Mable. I approached the spaniel and blew my whistle. I did the fast succession of pips that Long John uses to call Cydney in. Mable looked at me quizzically then decided she wasn’t interested. ...
Re: OMG! OMG! Oh, I enjoyed that article, I haven't laughed so much in a long time. ;D Thanks for posting the link.
Re: OMG! OMG! [/quote] ;D ;D ;D ;D You see, that's the thing...my very limited talents have been up to the job of training a show lab to come back when called on Wimbledon Common in exchange for random rewards involving a lot of roast chicken and sardines. Would I be up to a working cocker? Dunno... ... [/quote] It could be a shock to the system, that's for sure. ;D :
Re: OMG! OMG! Oh God....I was crying with laughter ;D ;D ;D and it would definitely be a shock to the system!!! which worries me too
Re: OMG! OMG! It seems so! Now I've had a good look at pictures though, the cockers I like are definitely working cockers not show...Oh lordy...I'm doomed... Still, on the up side for me, lots of people can't get their show bred labs to come back on Wimbledon Common (there are lots of distractions it's a busy, busy place...) so maybe...maybe...I'd better see what WGT#2 says about progress next week. She does spaniels too...
Re: OMG! OMG! [quote author=heidrun link=topic=3280.msg35416#msg35416 date=1384434059] Would you like to 'test drive' Murffi for a week on Wimbledon common? [/quote] You are a bad woman !!! ;D
Re: OMG! OMG! [quote author=heidrun link=topic=3280.msg35416#msg35416 date=1384434059] Would you like to 'test drive' Murffi for a week on Wimbledon common? [/quote] I love that dog! I want a dog that looks EXACTLY like Murffi! He is gorgeous. But..er...having seen what Charlie can do to the mum and toddler class on their nature walk (think skittles with a brown furry ball...) Murffi might be a step too far right now. I'd probably get a lifetime ban!
Re: OMG! OMG! To be fair Murffi probably wouldn't cause you problems with the mum and toddler but getting him back from the local wildlife could be a whole other problem
Re: OMG! OMG! I can see it now. The over friendly lab creating havoc with the humans, and the over hot cocker doing the same with the wildlife (and there is a fair bit, more than you'd expect). Maybe I'll have a think. ;D ;D ;D
Re: OMG! OMG! You could have your own little nature walk every day, Julie. Murffi would find and flush every bit of wildlife in a square hectare for you in absolutely no time at all! ;D 8)
Re: OMG! OMG! [quote author=heidrun link=topic=3280.msg35425#msg35425 date=1384434922] You could have your own little nature walk every day, Julie. Murffi would find and flush every bit of wildlife in a square hectare for you in absolutely no time at all! ;D 8) [/quote] Once Charlie has knocked all the kids over, I could cheer them up by Murffi showing them the birds and the animals they wouldn't otherwise get to see? Hmm...no, the rangers wouldn't like that at all. ;D ;D ;D
Re: OMG! OMG! [quote author=JulieT link=topic=3280.msg35413#msg35413 date=1384433776] Now I've had a good look at pictures though, the cockers I like are definitely working cockers not show...Oh lordy...I'm doomed... [/quote] Don't think of it as doomed... think of it as, er, appropriately challenged!! Our two cockers were both working cockers and have never been anything other than household pets. Now if you want me to be completely honest, if Spaniel No. 2 had been Spaniel No. 1, we might have stuck with just the one...but despite that, they have both been brilliant, lovable and very loyal family dogs. They have moved round with us lots - husband is in the army, so packing boxes feature very frequently in our lives - and got to the point where they would just snooze on the sofa watching the removal men work around them, and the sofa was the last thing to go in the van. Despite having read less and not having the benefit of Total Recall when they were pups, their recall wasn't / isn't that bad (Spaniel No. 1 died earlier this year, hence the vacancy for a second dog and my new Lab pup). There are limits - Spaniel No.2 loves me more than anything else in the world... except pheasants. If I think there are likely to be pheasants, then I am more cautious letting him off lead. Bet Heidrun could sort that for me! We have lived on Dartmoor though and he learnt to ignore the sheep, ponies and cattle just fine. Yep, I chose a Lab this time. Would I be disappointed not to own another working cocker at some time in the future?? Very. Lyra will be lovely!! ;D ;D
Re: OMG! OMG! Hi Julie, lots of Springers and Cockers where I live and they are all without exception pets and lovely they are too, even if they are a little crazy ;D
Re: OMG! OMG! I think the most important thing to consider, if you are thinking of getting a working spaniel (springer or cocker) is that you simply cannot just 'go for a walk'. This is the absolute deciding factor. If you just 'go for a walk, and let the dog do its own thing, you are probably going to get into trouble. But, from what I have read of your posts Julie, I think you have the 'training bug' now. So this may not be a problem for you. Every ounce of a working spaniels energy (did I mention energy ) needs to be poured into something. And if you don't decide the something, he will decide it for you. As far as b***g off goes, far more people get into trouble with springers than with cockers. This is partly because cockers adore their owners beyond description, so whilst they are ruining your walk and catching your neighbours chickens, they will keep popping back to see how you are getting on, and what's kept you...
Re: OMG! OMG! [quote author=editor link=topic=3280.msg35448#msg35448 date=1384439009] so whilst they are ruining your walk and catching your neighbours chickens, they will keep popping back to see how you are getting on, and what's kept you... [/quote] ;D ;D ;D I do think I'll get a working cocker. Eyes wide open though, and I'll read and think A LOT first. And choose carefully... I do love training Charlie, yes. I really love it. Our gundog lessons, and working hard so we make progress, are really the highlight of my week now. (What has happened to my life... :).
Re: OMG! OMG! My sister has an 8 month show cocker called Bailey. My sister has been scared of dogs her whole life and has never shown an interest in dogs (apparently we are related ) She texted me last February roughly to tell me theyd got a cocker spaniel !!!! Luckily Bailey is the most chilled, laid back dog I've ever met. He flops on his back when another dog comes near, which is lucky for my sister goodness knows what she'd do otherwise and has really good recall without much training (I'm not jealous or anything honest ) however he's not that fussed on walking which is a shame I think my sister was thinking she could take him running with her. Perhaps show cockers are easier he certainly doesnt have the hyperactive energy I think of spaniels having. You know when they dart about having a whale of a time or maybe she was lucky. Either way there are calm cockers out there we have the proof. ;D Ps the instinct to retrieve, flush etc are all there despite him being show. It must be instinct because my sister hasn't got a clue about training a dog and he does it all. ;D
Re: OMG! OMG! Good plan, I'm totally with you The spaniel people will know better than me but I think key would be finding the right parents......my neighbour has a stunning spaniel with FTCh parents both sides and while it's a fabulous dog it's proving hard work as a family pet. I'm sure there must be working cockers out there that would have been a bit more suited even if they still needed all the training and spaniel understanding.
