Cocker spaniel

[jcm 2,327]

Any of you have experience working a cocker on a variety of quarry? 

Pre ban hunting etc

I'm not interested in there xs whether it be terrier or hound they mixed with I just want to know more about a cocker as a all round bushing dog hunting fox etc

I'm asking as my lass has wanted a pure cocker for some time but she wanted the show shit and I just stopped that dead in her tracks and have talked her into looking and working cocker. 

If we going to get a cocker in the future I want it to be of some use to me that will run with my terrier and a mates few bushing dogs. I have no experience with cockers and from what I have seen on the Internet everything you see is gun dogs relying on the human to give demands and I don't want that I want it to hunt for its self. 

Any experience, story's or guidance is welcome. 

[forest of dean redneck 11,675]

Lot of gundogs Will peg stuff especially in bramble ,

Got a friend heavily into bushcraft Camps out in woods couple days at a time etc Her cocker catches rabbits think it’s had a squirrel or 2 as well ?.

[Foxpack 2 7,852]

Great little dogs for bushing rabbits etc .sometimes they will favour birds if lot in your area  very busy all the time .they won't hunt to far ahead of you and will keep checking back. But versatile little animals.

[jcm 2,327]

1 minute ago, Foxpack 2 said:

Great little dogs for bushing rabbits etc .sometimes they will favour birds if lot in your area  very busy all the time .they won't hunt to far ahead of you and will keep checking back. But versatile little animals.

I know they won't go to far and stay close ish but if fetched up to work cover on there own or with a small pack of bushing dogs will they, I don't want to be telling one where to go and want one that would hunt for its self. 

I'd want it to hunt ground game not birds. 

[Foxpack 2 7,852]

Lad who comes with us has a sprocker it won't hunt with my little pack  .just bobbles along on its own .when they find, it duns about for a bit and  comes back .but she is a hell of a rabbiting dog .will put pheasants up on days rough shooting .

[white van man 3,329]

6 minutes ago, jcm said:

I know they won't go to far and stay close ish but if fetched up to work cover on there own or with a small pack of bushing dogs will they, I don't want to be telling one where to go and want one that would hunt for its self. 

I'd want it to hunt ground game not birds. 

If you get the right one I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t do what you wanted. If it’s going out with other bushers it should soon learn. I’ve had my mates pet one tag along a few times and it soon clicks on with my busher. Not sure if you will ever get it to hunt ground game only. 

[jcm 2,327]

Just now, white van man said:

If you get the right one I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t do what you wanted. If it’s going out with other bushers it should soon learn. I’ve had my mates pet one tag along a few times and it soon clicks on with my busher. Not sure if you will ever get it to hunt ground game only. 

I'm not to fussed if it was to flush birds along its way but not actively hunt birds 

[white van man 3,329]

Some are just bird crazy. Get it out early enough on rabbit and it should soon get it. I’ve got a spaniel x terrier (more towards the spaniel) he ain’t that interested in Birds. Crazy for anything else though. 

[jcm 2,327]

3 minutes ago, white van man said:

Some are just bird crazy. Get it out early enough on rabbit and it should soon get it. I’ve got a spaniel x terrier (more towards the spaniel) he ain’t that interested in Birds. Crazy for anything else though. 

Do you think they would hunt foxes? 

[white van man 3,329]

Yep but more bushing them than hunting out. If that makes sense 

[jcm 2,327]

33 minutes ago, white van man said:

Yep but more bushing them than hunting out. If that makes sense 

Yeah it sure does mate, some of my questions may sound abit daft but I keep my circle fairly small so only get to see what we keep between us and spaniels is just one that no one seems to hunt with 

[bunnyboiler 1,053]

Mines a pure cocker and he’s 100 miles an hour don’t stop from the minute he’s of the lead till he’s reluctantly back on it and will go through any cover also started to give voice as well which suits me as all I use him for is bushing atb BB 

[Lewis1 19]

I have a little springer she hunts anything and everything and bays like a full hound on warm scent. I use her mainly for bushing fox and the same was for my old spaniel but she was mute. Its all to do with how you bring them on hope this helps

[jcm 2,327]

2 minutes ago, bunnyboiler said:

Mines a pure cocker and he’s 100 miles an hour don’t stop from the minute he’s of the lead till he’s reluctantly back on it and will go through any cover also started to give voice as well which suits me as all I use him for is bushing atb BB 

That's the type I'm after if it make noise then that would be great as I want to work it with lurchers 

[jcm 2,327]

3 minutes ago, Lewis1 said:

I have a little springer she hunts anything and everything and bays like a full hound on warm scent. I use her mainly for bushing fox and the same was for my old spaniel but she was mute. Its all to do with how you bring them on hope this helps

That's the ideal type then, do they work well in a pack or better off alone