hi,to everyone out there,i was wondering if anyone can help me,i want to know how to go about breeding and my cocker spaniel boy's becoming stud dogs.they are excellent temprements,help much appreciated.look forward to any infomation.plus do they have to win shows to become stud dogs??.

Hi tterrii

Have a look at this thread [link]http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/board/index.php?board=7;action=display;threadid=1593[/link]

Most Breeders looking for a Stud Dog will want one that has been proven in the Show Ring as well as siring good quality and healthy puppies which have also done well in the Show Ring. Unfortunately with Cocker Spaniels there are an awful lot of good quality Stud Dogs around already, so for a novice wanting to use their dog for stud work you will really need him to excel in the Show Ring and be something special.

Having Stud Dogs isn't at all easy - I have one and you would think that mating a bitch was the easiest thing in the world, but it can be very difficult and the dog might not do what he is supposed to do. You also have to ensure that he has had all the relevant health checks - eye tests etc and keep them up-to-date.

Have a read through and give it some serious thought. Have a word with his Breeder and ask for her/his advice.

Sorry to be so negative.

Dessie

Dessie...Excel in the show ring OR WORKING!

Sam

As tterrii mentioned "did the dog have to excel in the Show Ring" I took it that his/her Cocker is a Show Cocker and not a Working one !!!

Maybe tterrii can clarify this.

Even if it is a Working Cocker prospective Bitch owners will still want him to excel in the working field ....... he maybe gunshy or other similar senarios.

Dessie

IS it me or does everyone on here just show thier dogs if terries dog is a good working cocker and had all the neccesery health checks then thier could be Gundog people out thier wanting a litter of puppies prepared to use an unproven dog at a lot less cost ?? you do not see many working Cocker spaniels on shoots in which case contacting your local Gundog club maybe the best step

Dave

Dave ..I think that was the point that sam was making .....Dessie just forgot to add that bit. There are a lot of people on here who work their dogs as well as some who show :)

Melody :)

Dave

In tterrii's message he/she mentions Show Ring so one presumes that it is a Show Cocker as opposed to a Working Cocker.

There are people on this board that do work their dogs and do lots of other activities with their Show Dogs as well as Showing !!! I for example do Agility with mine.

Dessie

hi it's me terrii(i'm female),i neither show them nor are they working cockers.they are my family pets,and they do have something special about them,i have been approched by someone who wants to breed from my chocolate roan cocker,but i'm not sure,i was only looking for advise from you out there.it's not something i'm going to rush into ,i want all the advise i can get.they are all qualitay cockers,and two of them have excellent pedigrees where 6/7 of there grandparents are ch/show winners.(if that makes any diffrence,).look forward to any replys from you.

Hi Terrii

Thanks for replying and clarifying that they are Show Cockers ...

Please feel free to email me privately if you wish to discuss matters further. If you click on my name you will get my email address. I'm at work at present but will respond when I get home.

Dessie

Hi Terri

Please think v carefully about allowing your dogs to be used at stud. A reputable breeder would not approach someone with pet Cockers who have not been used for breeding & ask to use them. I've noticed that chocolate roan is becoming a "fashionable" colour again (if the number of enquries I get is anything to go by) & consequently less than reputable breeders are jumping on the bandwagon & trying to produce this colour without any knowledge of the breeding lines used, health status of the dogs in the pedigrees etc. To offer a dog at stud, I think you need a few years of experience in a breed as you have to know all about the different lines, the possible hereditary problems that might crop up etc (eg the eye disease PRA or the fatal kidney disease FN) Without this knowledge, you won't be able to say whether your dogs are a suitable match for particular bitches - you could inadvertently end up producing puppies with hereditary defects which I am sure you would not want to do. The fact that your dogs' grandparents were show winners does not mean very much I'm afraid - there are thousands of Cockers in the UK who have show winners in their pedigrees but it does not mean they are suitable for breeding. All Cockers are special to their owners or should be but that doesn't mean they should be used at stud (if male) or have a litter (if female). There is a wealth of information about responsible breeding on the internet & I'm sure Dessie will give you lots of information relating to Cockers if you contact her.

Jane

hi ,
as you say they are only family pets, you will have to consider that once a dog has been used at stud, there temprements can change, they may start marking everywere,and you are also responsable for those puppies that your dog has sired, if there are problems with new owners you must take your share of responsabilty and take back any puppies and help rehome them or you just become another one of the many back yard breeders who have little or no concience on what they produce or were they go, pedigrees mean nothing unless you know the dogs that are in that pedigree and what is behind them, there lines, any health problems or faults in that line. regards tina