In my local paper.......

"American Cockers as seen at Crufts"  ooooh is that like the other several hundred breeds seen at Crufts this year?

But Yanks are big winners this year ;)

I wonder just how many people realise they need a lot of work groomingwise? So many will end up matted or trimmed to have almost no coat just because the new owners can't be bothered with it all. Shame.

I don't think there has been a big explosion in interest for Yankees following this years Crufts - we certainly have not seen  a big increase in the number of frivolous or "I saw one at Crufts on the Telly" type enquiries which can occur after TV or press appearance, either from breeder or rescue perspectives.

> or trimmed to have almost no coat just because the new owners can't be bothered with it all. Shame.

Actually, we recomend our pet buyers to keep them in puppy trims, a full show coat is unsuited for normal family life, the time commitment is simply not what people can cope with.  A good groomer can do an attractive puppy or pet trim which keeps the essential appeal of the breed, keeps the dog tidy and much less likely to knot, and relieves the owners of the need for hours of coat care.

> a full show coat is unsuited for normal family life,

no doubt! i imagine it needs groomed a couple of times a day?

show coat is beautiful though- the group winner at crufts looked amazing!

Oh, when people say they love my Beano and ask about them, I tell then that they are wonderful dogs, great temprements if you get them from the right breeder but their coats need alot of work, hence why beano is clipped to a short puppy trim!!! and they need clipping every month to keep them looking the way Beano is (and yes, I must admit in the summer he keeps his ears and top knot but everything else comes off!!!!!!
I could never keep a Yank in a show coat :o :o (especially not Beano who has double the coat of aqny ofther yank I have seen!!!)
Lea :)

> i imagine it needs groomed a couple of times a day?

In fact no, daily brushing is death to a full coat on a Yankee, what it does need is bathing and blow drying every 5 days, plus after every time is gets dirty or wet (like on a walk, at the beach etc)

ouch, i think i'll stick with short coated breeds :)

But how many people will want the Am Cocker because of its full coat? Once they realise just how much work is involved I could believe they might go to the groomers once or twice, but every time they need clipped? I don't think so. They'll try themselves and make a complete mess of it. Then they will complain about the coat. Or maybe not. They might just realise that it's too much work and go for a nice short coated breed. If I was going to get another spaniel I would want to keep its coat the way its meant to be. That's probably why I'll never get one :-) I'm too lazy......

but most people get lasa's etc and have them shaved every 8 weeks.  What you be different with a yank?  Many yank showers will put dogs in a puppy trim when breeding them or retire them!

> but most people get lasa's etc and have them shaved every 8 weeks.  What you be different with a yank?  Many yank showers will put dogs in a puppy trim when breeding them or retire them!

Absoutely right.  All of our brood bitches, stud dogs who are retired, and pet dogs are in one or another form of pet trims, from all off to a puppy trims.  Very occassionaly a new pet puppy owner will say they want to grow the pup into full coat, very few actually keep it up, to maintian the impression of a full coat without the actual show care, we usually clip of the tummy hair and into the "armpits" to minimise matting, and then we tell them to brush/slicker regularly, they start off with good intentions and almsot all then come back and ask for a puppy trim!  Lots of our pups come back to us for trims - I have 1 oldie who is 13 this year and has been back every 4 - 6 weeks since he went at 8 weeks old!

Dexter probably got more TV coverage than any of our other dogs, and whilst his Crufts appearances did not generate a whole lot in the way of puppy interest his appearance on Richard & Judy after the POTY, a Pedigree ad, and a Peter Purves documentary all pulled in lots of phone calls asking about pups.  People seem to relate to dogs doing things other than being in the show ring, I think.  Thinking about it, the last time he was on TV was on a Crime Watch thing, and he was in puppy trim by then, we still got quite a few calls about pups from that!

With Rescue we have had a few very badly matted Yanks, but surprisingly few, given the problems the coat could produce.  Maybe breeders are making the message clear to the puppy buyers that a short trim is the way to go.

Hi I own Labradors, but what I do know when you ask about the puppies, also ask about health checks the parents have had done the hips and eye. This breed are also prone to problems like Labradors. If they haven't had any tests done, I'd be looking somewhere else for a puppy.

> also ask about health checks the parents have had done the hips and eye

Excellent advise, but I don't think anyone is acutallylooking for a puppy, the OP was simply  pointing out that someone was trying to jump on the bandwagon after one of the breed featured on Crufts TV. 

Am. Cockers do need health testing, but not the same tests as Labs - HC is essential, and preferably glaucoma and PRA too.  Hip testing is very rarely done in the breed.  There is an incidence of several other problems, in small numbers, but no testing yet.  However, knowledgeable, caring breeders will be aware of them, and will take measures to avoid where possible.

Sorry I was only trying to point out about health tests. I knew about the Labrador tests but wasn't sure which ones for this breed but I knew they needs some checking for. The can goto BVA website and check all this themselves if they want to know what test to ask about or the KC website also gives advice on testing. My advice still  to ask about the parents test.

> Sorry I was only trying to point out about health tests. I knew about the Labrador tests but wasn't sure which ones for this breed but I knew they needs some checking for. The can goto BVA website and check all this themselves if they want to know what test to ask about or the KC website also gives advice on testing. My advice still  to ask about the parents test.

Apologies not needed, you advice was right - always check for health tested parents.  Hereditary Cataract (HC) is a very real problem in American Cockers, although Glaucoma and PRA  are much, much less common.  These are the only conditions tested for on the KC/BSAVA scheme.  However, in the USA hips and patellas are also tested.

A lot of my friends have come up and commented on the Yankee winning the group, but that's mainly because they know I own one and so the name of the breed stuck in their memories. :-)

Sad to say here in Uk and USA people fall for a name in the breeding not look passed the name. Going to a proper breeder with right paper work to me, using AKA/KC website will advice alot of first time buyer not to fall for the first fluffy cute puppy  then see paper work., this is the right way to start a life with a new puppy. Alot of people think it so easy with a bitch to bring up a litter. Breeder work endlessly against puppy farming and abusing a breeding name. Sorry to be a  misery about a name.

Luckly alot of proper breeder can use the endorsements on dog papers.