I think you'll be quite happy with an english cocker. I have one and I literally hunt everything with him from grouse and woodcock, to rabbit, ducks, geese and pheasants. He's hardwired to hunt, and has no bottom (not always a good thing, has a hard time settling in the house). Here's some pics capturing his versatility:

 

Forgot to mention, I think you're barking up the wrong tree with the ECS society... those societies are for show breeders. You need a field bred dog - they are 2 entirely different animals and do not even look alike. There are many great breeders in the States - I got mine in Ohio from Flushing Star Gundogs, but there is lots more. Look at fieldcockers.com, those are hunting dogs and most trial. You would be very disappointed if you ended up with the wrong type of english cocker.

 

Those cockers, aws, and Boykins must have a very good mouth breed into them. I saw a video of a pack of Boykins hunting up box turtles and picking them up.

 

Yep, that pic of my dog with the rabbit - that rabbit is actually fully alive without a hair out of place. We were out for a walk before he was steady (and I wasn't expecting to run into game) and as he was quartering back and forth ahead of me he went into some thick cover like he always does. After a few seconds he came bursting out with the rabbit in his mouth and ran to me, sitting in front to present me with his prize. He was pretty proud of himself. I thought he had found a dead one until I saw it close up. I let him give it to me then began walking again. Once he was off to one side hunting again, I put the poor rabbit down in a bush and kept moving so he wasn't found again.

 

Give me a call- I have two male pups looking for a great working home. 308.730.8083. If not home, leave a message and I will call back!

Photo is of the mother.

 

Is this a pup selling/buying post ?

 

Really?
Relax, it's a very fair question by a newbie seeking advice on what seems to be a mostly friendly forum of knowledgeable dog people. I'm pretty sure the very diplomatic RTF moderators can/will move the post if they have an issue with the post or any responses.

WELCOME ROADglide13!!!

 

I would question the mostly friendly forum statement above. Welcome ROADglide13.

 

Clint,
I get your response, but I was actually trying to be a bit diplomatic (friendly).

BTW: ROADglide13, Raina actually has an ad in the General Sporting Breed classifieds.

 

It looks like there's a cocker field trial in Maine next month (www.fieldcockers.com). Go walk the trial & ask questions. The Cocker community is very close knit but friendly. Cass made the point but it needs to be emphasized, you are looking for dogs with field trial backgrounds only. Do not consider hunt test titles as meaningful.

Once you connect with the field trailer community, you'll find what you're looking for.

Good luck.

 

you are looking for dogs with field trial backgrounds only. Do not consider hunt test titles as meaningful.

110%. Hunt test titles mean nothing. There are show breeders out there for american and english cockers both that will put a JH title on a dog just to say they're a hunting dog. A pug could achieve that title.

 

thanks to all for the aforementioned info. Plan to attend the upcoming field trial events too. Spaniel search.com/maine link looks quite promising too. will keep U all posted.

 

My hunting American Cocker Spaniel goes back to 1957 when I acquired an AKC bred pup NOT because of Tricky Dickie's "Checkers Controversy" but because I knew the guy, cut his lawn, who hunted and raised a litter or two. Any way Sergeant Sputnik , as I named him (Sergeant-from Sergeant Preston/Canadian Mounted Police and Sputnick-saw that first pre-dawn morning delivering the Sunday newspapers) was good on bunniies but had one huge problem-wanderlust. Lost him the 1st time when home from school w/bad cold, let him out, we had 20 acres than, ran off with a couple of dogs.Tracked him thru the snow(coughing/spitting he was my dog) over a mile and half in the woods to a trucking faciity where nobody saw him and said they would watch. Put a newspaper ad out, was responded to by a trucker who had picked him up @ the facility. After that he ran away four more times, just on a whim. Three times a couple of miles away to a picnic grove with a bar. Found him there 1st time. They called the house, two more times. Rode the bike, picked him up. The last time, even tho a kid I decided he did not like our "home" never heard from again. Yes he had a collar with a couple of ID tags. Way before MC, etc. Moral is there was a very prominent MN-WI FT trialer who had such a FC-AFC Lab a few years back and was lucky to get him back w/considerable regional and national news. Some beasts have "wanderlust!" At a later date as some of you know I went to American Water Spaniels and onto Labs.

PS Those were the days when Cocker Spaniels were the most popular US dog breed and fortunately the same fate has not happened to most FT Labs.

 

Sounds like a 'Character' with 'Go' ..? Stan
1957 , It was 3 years later that I was born ! ..Fortunately them little 'American Cockers' are still being held in great regard (all be it in the minority) But it can and has been done

 

I agree Robert, but I think to the new owner that doesn't have much knowledge of the breed they are getting into - going for a dog with a heavily red pedigree stacks the odds in their favour a little more. That was my reasoning - I knew nothing substantial about cockers when I decided it was the breed I wanted.

 

Go watch a Springer and a Cocker trial and a hunt test before you buy anything. Take your time and don't get in a hurry to purchase anything. The market for Springers at least is still pretty reasonable. You can get one out of an FC/FC cross for around $1500. Cockers might run a hair more. Call Jim Keller at Wildwind Kennels. He's in Maine and is mostly a Springer guy, but should know where to look for Cockers. Also call Paul McGagh at Glencoe kennels. He has both. Both these guys are top notch straight shooters and very successful trialers. Equivalent to Lardy and Farmer of Spaniels.

 

Go watch a Springer and a Cocker trial and a hunt test before you buy anything. Take your time and don't get in a hurry to purchase anything. The market for Springers at least is still pretty reasonable. You can get one out of an FC/FC cross for around $1500. Cockers might run a hair more. Call Jim Keller at Wildwind Kennels. He's in Maine and is mostly a Springer guy, but should know where to look for Cockers. Also call Paul McGagh at Glencoe kennels. He has both. Both these guys are top notch straight shooters and very successful trialers. Equivalent to Lardy and Farmer of Spaniels.

Both great for sure !
I must increase the prices !!!
But seriously, it's not only about the price or the person or the breed line (imo) . It's what you wanna do and what you are able to do with it .
I have a 1$ dog that has done more than y'all would pay thousands for .

 

I'd look at an AWS. If you're in Maine, try to get in touch with John Enman.

 

Taking it all in , kindda like a sponge. Spoke to couple locals the other day & both suggested looking at Fallen Wings & Covey Flush kennels; any folks familiar with them and their dogs ?

 

Both good - Fallen Wings is a top contender in the game

 

I have shot over Rumi Schroeder's dogs (Fallen Wings). They are top quality & Rumi is well regarded in the game. I'll PM you w/ a couple other people to talk to as well.

 

Places that "I" would buy a dog from: Tom Ness, Oahe Kennels in N. Dakota. Absolute Gundogs. Glencoe Gundogs. Triple Ridge Kennels in New Jersey. Why? Because all three breed, train, and compete in HT and FT, and all three have my bloodlines and are more directly from the UK. I have seen Tom Ness's dogs (and he bought two of my pups ) run and he is a well respected trainer and competitor. Dan Murray with Absolute Gundogs is a younger guy and "newer" to the game but he is really producing some really nice competitive dogs, seen his dogs as well. Triple Ridge Kennels, Ralph Botti, has the littermate to my girl and he really likes how she is turning out (she is running in FT).
One thing to really watch for are health clearances. Yes, you will get the response "I know my lines and I have never produced a dog with…" but truly you wouldn't know what you produce unless you actually test for it or if someone whom you sold to tests for or has an issue with a health concern. They should at least be tested for OFA hips and knees (patellas), elbows, and of course eyes (used to be CERF, now it is OFA CAER) and the genetic issues/tests for FN and PFK, and PRA-cd. You will find that only a few actually do ANY health testing, and that the ones that do often only do hips and maybe one or two of the genetic tests.
Ask about allergies and ear issues, and of course temperament is key. These are supposed to be very active little dogs that like to be touching you or another dog, eager to please, and quiet! They can be soft and slower to mature, however mine I now is bold as brass and too smart for her own good. She also thinks that she is a labrador and I have never had an issue what's so ever with getting mine IN water, it is getting them OUT that can be an issue!

 

I came really late to the spaniel tests, so from what I know the water blind has always been in place. A friend and Myself have only ran 2, both with HRCH MH Labradors. All I know is from us going to the first one, we learned how to be more quiet-sparing with our whistles, to give the dog more free range-trust on quartering and perhaps learned how to dance a bit (albeit not as gracefully as some Master spaniel handlers) on the strange thing which is a Hunt'emup blind. From the 1st to the 2nd test watching Labradors run, several spaniel people went home and bought a book on how to teach their dogs to handle-cast retriever style, which was evident in their Hunt'emups and water blinds. They needed it, water blind was an angle entry, angle across a pond, up on to land and dig it out, but don't go completely though a briar tunnel, a tad bit tricksy. Overall the information transfer has been good for all parties.

Also because we have transcended venues, we've had some spaniel people show up for our HRC upland test. They are just pretty to watch flush, and their handlers have so much trust in their dogs, make it look effortless. It was fun watching them try to get their dogs to heel, on the brace walk-up-honor, but by the second test they had it down. Good dog work is nice to watch-judge, regardless of breed.

 

Go to the field trial June 11 in Hollis, Me. (On entry express)

Wear blaze orange & good walking boots and volunteer to carry the shag basket. You'll get to see a good sampling of cookers & breeders. Plan to stay for the banquet.

 

I'd be interested in one too.