You may recall sprockergate, the scandal that shook the cocker trialling world a couple of years ago. What brought the story into the tabloids was the accusation that HM The Queen owned a dog, competing in cocker trials, that was allegedly a sprocker (English springer and cocker cross). A sprocker…
Spaniels
Gundog and spaniel are two words you’ll often hear together. But there are so many different breeds of spaniel from which to choose. Which would suit your purposes best? How should you choose a puppy? How to train it? Here our experts have written about the characteristics of each breed: classic working cocker spaniel, springer spaniels, Clumber spaniels, Brittany spaniels and of course the Sprocker.
Brittany | Working Cocker | Clumber | Springer | Sprocker | Welsh |
When it’s best for your gundog to wrap up a shoot day early
One of the attractions of shooting is that it takes more than a bit of rain or a coveering of snow to put us off. It is extremely rare for a shoot to be cancelled because of the weather. But looking back on a long shooting carer I can recall…
How do I stop my gundog from swapping birds?
Gundog training: My spaniel bitch is doing well in her first season but last Saturday when sent for a retrieve she picked the bird then dropped it on the way back in favour of another. How can I stop her doing this?
How to buy the right length slip lead for a spaniel
Coming back from a weekend with friends, I discovered that I had left the dogs’ slip leads behind. New ones were needed, anyway, so I went online. I like the natural rope slip leads made by the Devon-based company KJK, so went to the Dog Lead Shop to order my…
Teaching a young dog quartering
Quartering is probably the toughest lesson to teach a young gundog, and one of the most vital. Joe Irving discusses this most rewarding of lessons for the handler
Why have I got such competitive spaniels?
Competitive spaniels: I have two competitive spaniels that are very headstrong with each other.
What can I do about the scratches on my spaniel’s face?
Spaniel scratches – what’s the answer? Q: Now I am retired I have been able to work my spaniels more frequently this season. One has so many cuts around her eyes and over her muzzle from having to retrieve birds from deep cover that it doesn’t take much to make…
Should a spaniel immediately drop when it flushes a bird? (And answers to other working spaniel queries)
Gundog training: Should a spaniel always immediately drop when it flushes a bird?
How can I improve my spaniels’ picking-up skills?
Picking-up skills: I have two springer spaniel gun dogs and want to improve their picking-up skills.
What’s wrong with my cocker spaniel’s eye?
Here’s a picture of my cocker spaniel’s eye. I have been to the vet who told me it’s only an infection and gave me some eye drops but I am not so sure.
Do spaniels smell more than Labradors?
Q: I would like a springer or working cocker spaniel to train as a gundog, but my father is not keen. My grandparents had a show-strain cocker who was a lovely dog but she really smelled, no matter what my grandparents did to try to stop it. Should I get…
Why does the springer spaniel have a reputation for being difficult to train? It’s not deserved.
The springer spaniel holds the greatest appeal of all gundog breeds for me. Springer spaniel skills include multi-tasking, drive, pace and style. No other breed comes close to a hard-going springer. However, the behaviour of some springers in the field has given the field a somewhat chequered reputation. Springer faux…
13 reasons why cocker spaniels and springer spaniels are different
Both springer and cocker spaniels are capable of doing a useful day’s work out in the field. Both are biddable. However, they do have different characteristics. Differences between cocker and springer spaniels Springers have a size advantage over cocker spaniels Cocker spaniels have a better engine and more staying power…
What exactly ARE the differences between cocker spaniels and springer spaniels?
Our two most popular breeds of spaniel Cocker spaniel or springer spaniel. Which is better? Choosing between the two breeds has never been more difficult. According to the Kennel Club’s (KC) figures, cockers are the most popular of the two, with 23,297 registered in 2018, compared with just 10,152 English springers.…
The Irish water spaniel
The joker in the spaniel pack. No, not my words, but those of an Irish water spaniel owner and enthusiast, talking about the foibles and idiosyncrasies of his favourite breed. The Irish water spaniel, he assured me, could lay claim to being the only HPR native to these islands. He…
The law on tail docking
Docked tails: I want to ask my new picking-up team about their dogs' docked tails.
How to teach a gundog puppy to run straight
Gundog training: Tony explains how to train your dog to take a line straight to the fall.
Are British gundogs the best in the world?
Gundog standards: HM The Queen's reign has coincided with rising gundog standards in all areas.
How to train a spaniel puppy that lacks confidence
Gundog training: Tread carefully when training a spaniel puppy with a gentle temperament.
Just why is the “sprocker spaniel” becoming so popular?
A friend was torn between gundog choices. Should he go for an English springer, or an equally speedy but rather smaller cocker? In the end he compromised. He bought a sprocker spaniel, combining, he anticipated, the best of both breeds. Sprockers becoming increasingly sought-after In recent years, sprockers — intended crosses…