Sprocker, Cocker, springer or King Charles?

[Howlingowl]

We are thinking of getting a dog / puppy. Not right now but probably next year some time. What is the difference between any if these breeds? Do they make good family companions? Have 6 and 4 yr old dc.

Would live to hear from people who know about Spaniels or ow them.
Tia

I love my working cocker more than the dc! They are v gentle, soft mouths, easy to train (greedy!), but need a lot of exercise especially when young. Show cockers tend to be hairier ( I think less clever too but I am biased!).

Springer are bigger and can be even madder.

Careful with a Cav as health problems with some too inbred. Lovely dogs though.

They are all lovely (I'd say Cavalier for a young family, but do make sure you use a reputable breeder who health screens), but I think Springers are a bit lively and have intensive exercise requirements.

Thank you tanaqui. Sorry dim question but is a working cocker a different breed to a springer?

Bof, why would a KC spaniel be a good fit for a young family?

Cockers are smaller than springers. Cavs don't need as much exercise which is good with small dc, but not if they are likely to give lots of treats (or drop a lot when eating!) as they get fat quickly!

We have a springer, completely loopy never runs out of energy, absolutely soft as anything with the girls and will defend her space to strangers, with a very good bark

Sprocker is a cross breed springer and cocker

I have a springer x cocker puppy, he is a complete nutter but lots of fun, loves his walks and is proving very easy to train. He's very eager to please and loves our dc, although he is a bit too bouncy and unpredictable for ds2 who possibly has ASD.
Both his parents are working dogs.

Years ago my family had a show type cocker, she was very gentle, calm and easy going, but kept getting herself into scrapes and didn't seem to be blessed in the brains department, but I'd have another because she was lovely.
We also had a cavalier King Charles who was nervy (despite socialising) and tended to be aggressive, which has put me off the breed.

Cavaliers wonderful for small children. We had one who was so gentle and tolerant of all sorts of DC wanting to pet him. He died when he was only 6 of congestive heart failure :(

We now have a show springer. He needs plenty of exercise, although not as much as working Springers I think, and he's actually very calm most of the time. He's also great with children, although is bigger and bouncier so better now our DC are that much older.

Pics of both are on my profile.

I grew up with King Charles spaniels 40 years ago and they are lovely natured. However I think that have changed so much in that time due to their popularity and resultant in breeding. They can have health problems so insurance is a must.

We now have a working cocker with my young family. She is very submissive and would be total friends with a burglar ! I have to disagree with another poster in that she doesn't need that much physical exercise - you can't exhaust them physically - but you can tire them out (a bit) mentally.

Springers felt a but big for my lifestyle.

What would you say are the main differences between working cocker and springer spaniels.

Also.... Are 'sprockers' a good idea ?

I have a show cocker and she's lovely and calm. Doesn't need as much exercise as a working cocker or springer and has been very, very easy to train. Gets on great with other dogs and kids.

She was a wild pup but everyone else thought she was very placid for some reason. Once she reached around 6 months she calmed right down.

I keep her clipped short as all spaniels love water, the murkier the better!

My kids were 5 and 8 when we got her.

I have springers who both love children and never ever run out of energy. They are a lot bigger than cockers, and quite different. I wouldn't have a King Charles due to the health issues . But I would go to a recommended reputable breeder .

Any good breeder would let you see the parents and visit without pressure to buy. So I would have a good look at both.

Have you researched each breed? A springer and a cavalier are rather different! How would a dog fit into your life? How much time do you have to train and exercise etc?

we had two King Charles for 10 years. Sadly they both died. We then got another in August (she is still full of beans) They are the most gentle kind loving dogs. They are wonderful with my little cousins who are 6 and 2. I

As an all round breed, Spaniels are wonderful, but agree you need to think about how much time you'll have to walk it etc etc. You can then decide on the type of spaniel you should choose.

We have a working cocker 8 y.o and she's just fab.

We have a rescue Springer; she is full of energy (constantly!), but so much fun and full of love. She has to have a lot of exercise (even with recently diagnosed arthritis) and wants a lot of attention.

Op - it seems like from your liat you are going from 'looks' it is really important that you research carefully each breed as it not the dog fitting your lifestyle, but if your lifestyle matches the dog

Thank you for all the comments. Of course we will need to choose a dog based on its needs and what we can realistically offer a family dog in terms of exercise, space and 'energy'. I want to wait until my dc are a year or possibly two older and I think a springer will probably not work for us at this point I our lives. Can anyone recommend any reputable websites or good books about spaniels so that I can do some more serious fact finding? Equally if anyone can recommend a reputable working cocker / show cocker breeder (maybe as a pm?) that would be really helpful. Apologies if that is not ok to ask on a thread though. I am quite new to the 'dog world' on mn.

Our working cocker came from a gamekeeper. If you get a dog from working stock, they will be very bright!

My springer is big and hairy, but not as mad as is often suggested. He does like lots of exercise and a day out at the beach or the river is his idea of heaven. He can run for miles but also sleeps a lot! He was very easy to train and is great with other dogs. He is 3 and we got him as a rescue pup when DD was 2. We now have another toddler and only have the problem of an over-waggy tail occasionally knocking small children over.

I wish he were smaller! And less muddy.

Cavs are sweet but a lack a personality imo. And you must only buy a puppy from a breeder that health checks the parents, heart, eye and hips.

Cockers are lovely too ( I have one ) quite high energy, lovely in the house, perfect manners with other dogs but needs attention to her coat regularly. She gets clipped every 3 months as she goes swimming everyday and her coat is a nightmare to keep tidy if left long.

Springers ( I've had a show type ) are wonderful dogs. Again very busy dogs that need a good couple of walks a day, lots of running and exploring. Great with other dogs, no aggression and very gentle with children. Lovely family pets.

Wouldn't get a sprocker. Only because I'm not a fan of this crossing pure breeds then calling them silly names.you have no idea what you're going to end up with.

Spaniels tend to be good dogs if bought from a reputable breeder that does all the needed health checks, are socialised and well looked after, who gives her/his puppies to people who will look after them properly.

Think about the grooming needs, the exercise needs and how much company a spaniel must have to be a happy healthy dog before you buy.

Think the other thing you need to decide is whether you want a working dog or show dog if you are getting a spaniel

I always understood that working dogs were bred for brains and show dogs for looks, on a personal level I wouldn't have a show bred springer or cocker as I don't like the way they look, it isn't natural with the big fluffy ears

Working bred dogs will be incredibly intelligent, very eager to please and also a little headstrong so will need proper consistent training, a lot of working spaniels end up in rescue centres when the owners can't cope with them.
We still got one even with that knowledge and started conditioning her as soon as she came home as a pup, every time she sat naturally we would say sit, every time she ran towards us we would say here
This gets the association there from such a young age that when you make them commands they already know then and of course obeying them gets a treat

Spaniels are such loving obedient dogs i would have another with no hesitation

Middleton, whilst I wholeheartedly agree with you about breeding for silly names, springer x cocker is a very common mix with gamekeepers and has been done for years for working purposes.
Dh's uncle has been a gamekeeper for at least thirty years and will usually have at least two (and sometimes more) springer/cockers as he says they make excellent workers.
He doesn't ever breed from them directly, but will occasionally breed a litter from a springer bitch and cocker dog. The puppies are usually snapped up by other gamekeepers.

It's only recently that they've been known as sprockers, but they definitely have a history longer than their silly name :)

Yes I know that re the springer and cocker crossing by gamekeepers.

I assumed the OP waned a family pet though and not a dog for hunting.

Wanted not waned.

Www.cockersoline.co.uk is a great website as is champdogs.

We have a 11 month old working cocker, our first ever dog, with children a little older than yours. She is wonderful and I love her to bits. However she does need two off lead walks a day which proves difficult in school holidays. She also chews anything she can find, so ensuring you can stop her getting to where the kids toys are is important. I would wait until your youngest is at school and nearer 6 if totally honest. Despite this the children often tell me that having the dog has made our lives better.