Working Cocker Spaniel?

[Moon30]

Hi, posting here for traffic.

we've recently taken in an 8 month old dog, he's supposed to be a full pedigree Working Cocker Spaniel, however I'm not convinced that he is and now I'm thinking he's going to grow much bigger 🙈 he's seems quite big already and his ears look shorter then other working cocker spaniels I know. What do you all think, aibu to think he's mixed with another breed? We love him either way, I'd just like a heads up if he's going to get much bigger.

He does look to be the larger end of the scale, be interesting to see the paperwork - but they really do vary a lot from the really tiny long low pocket rocket almost dachsie cross looking ones to the ones that look more springer than cocker.

On the other hand, cocker x springer, cocker x lab (in varying proportions of each) are also very common as working gundogs!

Growth wise, he's almost certainly done most of his upward growing now, so I wouldn't expect him to add any more rapid growth or much more weight.

I have a WCS and he doesn't look like this. He looks like he has some retriever in him to me too.

Ah they do look like they have a really similar build here and stood almost the same too!

What a gorgeous boy! Looks a bit big for a Cocker Spaniel, and I agree with you about his ears being a bit short. He looks more like a cross between a Cocker Spaniel and a Golden Retriever.

And here I think mine does not have the same face 🙈

The vet told us ours was over weight at 14.2kg 🙈 she said we weren’t walking him enough. He gets 2 30 minute walks morning and night, and an hour at lunch time, longer at weekends. I can see his “waist” tucked in 🤷🏻‍♀️ they all come in different sizes.

DNA tests aren’t much use without the parents’ breed.

17kg is big for a working cocker. Mine is a working bred springer, weighed tonight at the vet, he’s 21.6kg, solid muscle, so bigger than most cockers, but yours is likely to be even bigger, I’m pretty sure mine wasn’t 17kg at 8 months.

Knowing his breed won’t mean training should be different. He’s a working bred dog, treat his training in line with his breed strengths. It was the making of one of ours, searching for dummies, keeping him occupied.

My big focus would be recall. It’s very dependent on what you want to do. If he’s a pet, then recall and ignoring other dogs would be my biggies. Actually, regardless, those would be my biggies. I’m not interested in my dogs being particularly sociable and playing with others, I want them dog neutral and obedient to keep them safe.

If you get the KC registration papers from the previous owner, you can check their authenticity by going onto the Kennel Club website. The registration will be listed there. The only doubt would be if the breeder owned the stud dog as well as the mother dog. In this situation there’s only the breeder’s word as to the puppies’ father. (Where a stud dog is owned by someone other than the breeder, the stud dog owner has to sign the registration application that their dog fathered the pups.).

A phone call to the breeder will give more information. It’s good practice to let a breeder know that you now have one of their pups.

I breed, train and work Working Cockers, I've had the breed over 20 years and have bred/trained several Field Trial Champions. His head isn't of typical Cocker type, he definitely has a Retriever-y look there. Almost 18kg - and at just 8 months old - is oversized for a WCS too. The biggest male I've had topped out around 16kg at full maturity. I'd be fairly sure that there's a larger, likely Retriever (Lab or Golden) breed in there.

This is the trouble, the KC registration is sometimes not worth the paper it’s written on. Some breeders aren’t in it for the improvement of the breed and aren’t made to be truthful about the parentage. It would be useful to put in place DNA testing as proof of dam/sire, plus forbidding the registration of puppies with parents who have high elbow/hip scores.

I know environmental factors play a part in HD, for example, but the KC don’t seem to care about poor scores. Drives me a bit mad.

So the mystery deepens...

there's no actual papers for this dog, all the owner had was some photo copies of a analysis certificate from 2019 (so since ours is only 8 months I'm assuming that must be either one of his parents health check?) and he also had a photo copy of a family tree for Lewis of crag of lands Prince? Which is the same reg name the analysis certificate is from. So really could be mixed with any breed? 🤔

The vet has put cocker spaniel on his vaccination record though lol

If you get a DNA test done pleeeease tell us what it says!

Looks like a golden retriever x WCS. A friend had that cross and he was smaller than my 25kg Lab.
DNA tests can be very unreliable because breeds have been split off and combined over the years.

Mine is really stocky with large feet and

Lewis of Crag of Lands Prince has sired 10 registered litters:

https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/search/dog-profile/?dogId=e2a35a32-fa7b-e911-a8a8-002248005556

None of which tally with a dog of 8 months old. Not to say he hasn't been mated with an unregistered bitch or a different breed.

I breed full pedigree working cockers and they range in adults size from compact 9kg to larger 17/18kg. All pure bred and all full working cockers.
If you are interested there is plenty of interesting information on the origin of the cocker and the differences between cockers and springers available online.

I have no idea what he is but omg he is CUTE

And DNA tests on dogs are not always accurate either. Your dog is beautiful, lovely colouring .

I see golden retriever there. Bigger breed. There are places that do dog DNA.

Look at those muscles!

Oh that’s sad. I’m sure he’ll have a much more active, stimulating life with you.
The dna test sounds a good idea to put your mind at rest.

I would bet on him being a cross and yes Golden Retriever stares straight back at me. I'd have to get his DNA done if he was mine just out of curiosity. He is a VERY handsome boy though! If he is working cocker in him, be prepared to give him some brain training and maybe go to a scentwork group to tire him out - they can go on for ever and a day.

I've been looking too and it doesn't add up does it? Would a registered kennel club breeder sire with a unregistered bitch or a different breed? Could it be possible they've just printed out a copy of this Lewis of crag of lands prince's family tree and health analysis and claimed he's the sire of this dog?
Makes no odds to us if he's not a full working cocker spaniel as we hadn't even intended to get another dog atm but fate has landed us with this wonderful nutcase 🤣

I think we'll definitely get a dna test done, even if just for fun as lots have said they may not be reliable but I'm really curious to see what the result comes back with, I'd be very surprised if a golden retriever isn't in the mix!

Oh wow, look at him carrying that great big stick, i bet he takes out a few ankles carrying those! He is very stocky, he does have a look of mine from the back 🥰