Been discussing getting a spaniel with the wife.

We have a few things to sort out first but no point in not doing my homework whilst we do.

I am swaying towards a Working Cocker Spaniel and possibly a Show Cocker Spaniel also, though I not ruled out a Field Spaniel either.

I looked at a few website and read a bit on them, but thought there might be a few in the know on here

We both have had dogs in our respective families all our lives, but since we have lived together and had kids we have put off having our own, but now i think the kids are at a age were we can spread out time between them and a dog. I also want a companion whilst out walking and a friend to sit and play and watch TV with.

By reading the last line, think your trying to say you need an au pair.

PM Toeknee, (spaniel owner)

I don't know about those particular Spaniels but we have 1 English Springer (Toby 9) and 1 Welsh Springer (Sam 11). Both completely bonkers but very fussy and lovely dogs. Sam is old now but has always been calmer than Toby. Sam is full of mischief but in a lovable way. Toby is a bull in a china shop type and loves chasing reflected sunlight or torch light.

Toby was 18 months old before we had him as the original owners couldn't keep him. He is the most powerful springer ever. He's built like a tank and despite being good off the lead and with other dogs, he will act in self defence. He has got "Springer Rage" and I don't know if those Spaniels you mentioned can suffer from something similar but suffice to say that savage pit bulls pay Toby protection money.

A Doberman launched an unprovoked attack on Toby once when Toby was minding his own business. I tried to intervene but Toby went into Hulk mode and the Doberman had a similar outcome to Loki in this clip (must watch):



Enjoy whichever dog you choose  LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

My parent have a English Cocker Spaniel who they adopted a fair few years ago, great dog and very friendly

Andy, will speak with Tony, but his is a springer

Meet Sprocket the Dog, he's a typical ESS nearly 11yrs now, but still acts like an 18 month old. They will need a lot of exercise Nick, Do loads of research (I know you will) try to see both Parents and wait until at least 8weeks before you bring them home.

Sprocket was put in a crate from day one and its the best thing we've done with him, its his sleeping space, his place to go when he wants to be out of the way and when it came to house training he soon released it was better doing it out side, rather than in his own space.

i would alleyways go for the working type over the show type, but thats just me, will you be working it, great partner for your shooting exploits


Sorry for the Sprocket overload, but he's simply the best Springer out there

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Sprockets lovely, been keeping a eye on him via Flickr

Will only deal with a reputable breeder were I can meet parents and research any inherited issues that them might have, I can recall what they are at the moment, but I know they should be trying to filter it out buy breed carriers with non carriers

Hate people who just breed for the money and not the love of the breed

A cocker may be a handful if you have never had one before,however they will also be loyal and loving go for the working strain not the show stock as very often they bear little resemblance to what the dog should be,a springer fan myself.
Sorry toeknee second best
:mrgreen:

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Last edited by archie98 on 16th Jun 2014 9:46 pm. Edited 1 time in total

We have a 2 year old working cocker. Lovely dog, as are all her siblings and relatives that we see on a weekly basis. Very loyal and loving dog. The working ones don't moult, so fine for my wife who has allergies to pet fur. They do like a bit of exercise though - we take ours out for at least an hour a day and longer on weekends otherwise she gets a bit restless. Likes nothing better than a good rummage through the bushes and if she gets a sniff of a river or lake, she's in before you know it and just swims around for the fun of it. My wife goes on cockersonline. Be careful how you type that!
Susie.

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+^ Steve D said

I read that working don't moult, which is good for me too

My wife's concern is that when she gets up at 6am, she leaves at 6:20 and she can't walk the dog then, but I have said I would be up to walk it, for twenty mins, then home for the kids, were it can run round our garden as much as it wished, we have a decent sized garden. Then I can come home give it a walk through the day as I work locally, my wife's home 4 days a week too, evening, plenty of time to walk again, with kids or without

I could easily do an hour or more a day, more at weekends, how much do they need a day on average? Once fully grown etc

Hiya Nick

Spotted this and thought I'd drop in - in my experience spaniels can make great pets but some need to work. If you plan to go out to work and leave it at home or in the car don't be surprised if it destroys everything

My parents had 1 that was laid back and the next one demolished the house and car before a gamekeeper took it and said it was the best dog he ever had

I had a lab last time and he was one of the kids. Now have a westie and despite everything we were told about terriers she is completely the opposite

Guess what I'm trying to say is dogs tend to be typecast but they're all different. Oh and once you let a dog into your life it will never be complete without one. Good luck and remember pics  Wanted a Series 2 LR since childhood but previously owned MY16 Disco Sport HSE TD4 Auto, MY13 RR Sport Black Edition TDV6 Auto, MY10 RR Sport HSE TDV6 Auto, 2007 Freelander 1 Freestyle TD4 Soft Top, 2009 Freelander 2 GS TD4 Auto, 2007 Freelander 2 GS TD4, 2004 Disco 2 Metropolis Auto, 2002 Disco 2 GS, 2000 Freelander 1 SE TD4 SW

Still hoping for a S2 one day!

Go to a few dog shows and talk to owners, its is the best way to find out more about them and quite often they can recommend someone who has puppies.

All I can do is quote from our own search for an Afghan Hound way back in 1972.

We went to a lot of dog shows and got talking to Afghan hound owners, as many as we could, and quickly the word went around about us wanting one. We were given the name of a local judge-breeder -owner and strangely enough only lived a few miles away. We didn't know it at the time but she was an international judge and highly respected in the breed. So we were given her phone number and we gave her a call. She said by all means come and have a chat but she "said" she didn't have any puppies at the time. We now know she was finding out if we really wanted one or not.
To cut a long story very very short she had a puppy for us which we bought, it was a white one (only 3 in the country at the time) Kabella Snow Blizzard. She became a great friend of ours and even now all these years later we still keep in touch.

So my advise is go to a respectable breeder, ok you may pay a little more for a puppy, but you will also get valuable help and advise for the puppies life, and that is worth more than money can buy.

From those early days we have had up to 4 Afghans at any one time and each one has its own character. From those early days of dog ownership we learnt about training ( not afghans impossible)- grooming -breeding - showing -judging -rescuing- racing (for fun only)- TV work and advertising to eventually owning our own boarding kennels for the last 21 years until having just sold it to retire.

&list=UUwYuArJi5ks5ErtToJBq6xQ

This is just one of the adverts we did with just one , among others, of our "Muffin" (and other dogs) which you might remember.
Won't even go into the arguements at shows with Mrs Barbara Woodhouse "walkie Walkie fame and that again is another story until she went to annoy horse owners shortly afterwards.

Oh yes its so true about me and her and how she stopped giving demonstrations we she spotted me at the ringside But as I said that is a whole other episode in the past.

One thing that suprised us was a phone call a friend of ours had (Sue) from a so called aide representing a sheik. it was true however the sheik wanted an Afghan Hound to take back home. Yea big joke our friend thought and wanted to know who was pulling the prank. The phone call went something like this " I am the personal secretary of Sheik ***** and he wants to buy an Afghan Puppy, Is there anywhere near he can have his helicopter land to meet you". Ok Ok joke over now who are you? its no joke he will meet you at time and date.
So our friend Sue thought well if it is true she had better smarten herself up and luckily she did cause down came a helicopter in an adjacent field and this smart young man turned up . Now women are usually classed as second class people but he made an exception to meet Sue our friend.
Now Sue would not let ANYONE have one of her puppies without investigation even a sheik. So on asking a lot of questions about how he would care for a puppy he said he had already had a huge kennel built with a person paid to care for the puppy when he couldn't and actually imported grass from the UK for the puppy.

He invited Sue to his "palace" at his cost and she did go out and see how the puppy was .
Just one of the many stories I could tell about our relationship with other Afghan owners and the famous people we met thought the adverts but it would need a book at least.

See you got me rambling on again what happens with dog ownership

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toeknee wrote:

Sorry for the Sprocket overload, but he's simply the best Springer out there

archie98 wrote:

Sorry toeknee second best

Puny dogs

Here's Toby











 LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

If you get an English springer spaniel please please please be AWARE you cannot tire them out ..!!

we had ours for over 14 years.. Boy was I fit then working 60hr weeks , 7 mile walk for me and the dog before I went to work (permanent nights .!)
5-7 miles more again when I got home from work in the morning, plus Mrs M going walkies in between !!

We live in an old cottage with slate floors (necessity after long muddy walks )and child gate on the stairs (no children just to make it dog proof ).
Lots of money to make garden dog escape proof (his actual jailbreaks lessened after 12 years of age !!)
chain-link fencing buried 18" in the ground then double layered stock fence offset to 6ft high ..
kept me fit putting in all the extra poles, was a best customer in local agricultural shop, was actually on there Christmas card list !!
Water Mud or anything smelly you WILL NOT keep them out of it unless you dislocate your shoulder trying ..!!

But years of pleasure, better health, out way everything else , he still got next doors cat by the tail 6 weeks before he walked his last walk....(funny that he only ever took a dislike to that cat)

(he only chased a sheep once till he went in with a tup ...NEVER did it again ..!!)

We still find dog hairs from time to time some 3 years later and one of his tennis balls rolled out from behind the dresser in the bedroom last week , might be gone BUT never forgotten !!.



Whatever you get .. you will never be a couch potato.. ENJOY  Wales
Were the mud is thicker, and the ruts are deeper.
(And we have the water to wash it off, and more on the way..! )
Sd4 and chrome Ar*e piece, Auto box for best fun
09 Xs Gone
12 xs Gone
HSE with Leather seats and 4 years warrenty.. staying for now !