Somebody enlighten me

[B.P.R 2,798]

What's the difference between a cocker and a springer?

 

What's the best gundog types and what are they best at?

[B.P.R 2,798]

Anybody? Just learning here guys

[Billy08 1]

springers are bigger and stronger..cockers are said to be better by some but often are more stubborn and harder to train...overall they have the same characteristics for retrieving, working cover, etc.

[Irish Lurcher 1,013]

Hi

 

Am also new to gun dogs, just finished with my training of my bitch and it was a pleasure I have to say. She taught me a few things along the way, I did look at the cocker and was also told that they can be a wee bit bold, but have to say the springer has brains to burn, and its a good job to cos I was lacking at times, hope this helps.

[B.P.R 2,798]

So what's te advantages of having a springer/ cocker over a Labrador? Who does the job best in your opinion?

[saxonmaster 74]

from what i understand is mate it all depends on what you are going to use the dog for mate most labs are not used to work cover or wont work deep cover as a springer or cocker will and depending on the size of game your hunting to mate. Im no expert mate as im looking to get my first springer or cocker next year but you just need to look at the land your working what quarry your hunting, how your hunting and then look at the breeds and see whats for you, well thats all im doing

[B.P.R 2,798]

I've got a lab x here mate. Trained to

A certain standard and she will go through any cover 100%. I've never worked with springers/ cockers or even labs so I don't know what's good and bad. My lab x is tireless, I

Can't tire her out. Must be the bit of collie. A good fried if mine has just bought a lab x cocker/springer (not sure which one) from a working farm 8wks old. He's keeping it as a pet but this to me sounds like a good cross. They bred them intentionally for themselves and sold the rest on.

 

So if cockers/ springers are better at the job, why would you want a lab?

[Lab 10,979]

I've got a lab x here mate. Trained to

A certain standard and she will go through any cover 100%. I've never worked with springers/ cockers or even labs so I don't know what's good and bad. My lab x is tireless, I

Can't tire her out. Must be the bit of collie. A good fried if mine has just bought a lab x cocker/springer (not sure which one) from a working farm 8wks old. He's keeping it as a pet but this to me sounds like a good cross. They bred them intentionally for themselves and sold the rest on.

 

So if cockers/ springers are better at the job, why would you want a lab?

totally different dogs for totally different jobs. Spaniels are generally used for beating. They will hit any cover even if there is nothing 'in' there. Labs on the other hand being retrievers are ment for the picking up side of things. Both dogs can do each others job to a standard but they do have there qualities in certain jobs.

[bird 9,982]

I've got a lab x here mate. Trained to

A certain standard and she will go through any cover 100%. I've never worked with springers/ cockers or even labs so I don't know what's good and bad. My lab x is tireless, I

Can't tire her out. Must be the bit of collie. A good fried if mine has just bought a lab x cocker/springer (not sure which one) from a working farm 8wks old. He's keeping it as a pet but this to me sounds like a good cross. They bred them intentionally for themselves and sold the rest on.

 

So if cockers/ springers are better at the job, why would you want a lab?

totally different dogs for totally different jobs. Spaniels are generally used for beating. They will hit any cover even if there is nothing 'in' there. Labs on the other hand being retrievers are ment for the picking up side of things. Both dogs can do each others job to a standard but they do have there qualities in certain jobs.

true seen lots of labs and springers work, and they all do well at all gundog work, but as above each breed do certain jobs better ( water + land)

[saxonmaster 74]

I've got a lab x here mate. Trained to

A certain standard and she will go through any cover 100%. I've never worked with springers/ cockers or even labs so I don't know what's good and bad. My lab x is tireless, I

Can't tire her out. Must be the bit of collie. A good fried if mine has just bought a lab x cocker/springer (not sure which one) from a working farm 8wks old. He's keeping it as a pet but this to me sounds like a good cross. They bred them intentionally for themselves and sold the rest on.

 

So if cockers/ springers are better at the job, why would you want a lab?

 

Sounds like you have a good dog there then mate for me personally i woundnt get a lab to work cover im not saying there not any good because that would be wrong for me to say as im sure like yours there is some good ones but for me i think why mess about with a cross when there is pedigees that are there to do the job and have been for years. ill be getting a springer or maybe a cocker with a good pedigree to work deep cover for a bird of prey, lurcher and some rough shooting so will be doing some retrieveing to. If i wanted a dog to mainly just retreive on land and water then a lab would be a better choice but like i said thats my personal choice and every man to himself what works for one may not work for another

[poacher3161 1,766]

Can only speak on my exspierience with springers as i have never had a cocker but even with springers their can some time me a mile of difference between different bloodlines i have found.

[samearl14 11]

No lab will go through 100% of cover for the simple reason theyre too big to fit sometimes. Thats the advantage of a small spaniel. But if mainly for a retrieving dog id have a lab for sure. Iv got a 6 1/2 month cocker and she's coming on nicely. Ever so loyal, always wants to be with me and always trying to please me. Iv never had to treat her in order to get her to do something. She does it because she just wants to please me. Know people with both springers and cockers and the springers are tireless workers but seem to work 'for the job' if that makes sense. But the cockers seem to work to please the handler. In my own oppion of course, im no expert.

[Ideation 8,216]

As said above - All gun dogs can do most jobs up to a point, but get the dog to suit the main job.

 

So Spaniels for rough shooting, beating etc. With choice of springer / cocker being decided by personal preferance, type of terrain being hunted and quarry.

 

And labs for picking up, and waterfowling.

 

I personally have always much preffered watching spaniels work.

 

I'll also add that cockers are probably slightly harder to train than springers, and a bit mad.

[Mooch. 177]

I can only echo what everybody else has said really. Different dogs for different jobs. You can train most Gundog breeds to do any job on a shoot but a spaniel will never be happy just sitting and watching before picking up after a drive 'cos it's bred to hunt. Likewise, a lab is bred to retrieve not to push birds from cover. As much as I admire and enjoy watching spaniels work I like doing the job of picking up so it's labradors for me.

 

As for the question of the difference between cockers and springers I can only speculate that it is mainly to do with size. It seems to me that the larger the dog the greater distance it will work from the handler. This is just my theory, please be gentle!

[Ideation 8,216]

Just for the record, they are called 'cockers' because they were originally bred down, to be used for hunting / shooting woodcock.

 

Mooch - I know what you are saying mate, but that is more in the training than the breed.