Considering a Sprocker Spaniel for our first dog.

[lostguider]

Can I please have your views of whether this is a crazy idea or your tips to help please?

I have been researching but would like other views please.

So you know nothing about the breed other than your friend just got one?
Sounds like a bad idea if that is the case

High energy and hairy! I personally have never met an aggressive Springer, I've met a couple of cockers with 'cocker rage' though

Come on peeps - you know the rulz!!

📸🖼🐶

@lostguider I'd love one, but I've had cockers before. I think it dies largely depend on your exercise/energy/patience level. VERY rewarding, but exhausting!!

What colour is he/she?

I have a show cocker, she is the soppiest most loyal nutcase in the world IF she knows you, she will not tolerate strangers trying to stroke/approach her and does not like other dogs at all. She is going to be 11 this year and is still an absolute lunatic. My DS is 19 months old, they have the sweetest bond. I wouldn't recommend the breed as a first dog

I have a Sprocker.

Mum was a Working Springer
Dad was a show Cocker

SHE IS A DARLING. She is the best dog we've ever had (and we've had various rescue mutts and a labrador x collie

She is gentle and funny and not high maintenance at all. We walk her for about 90 mins in the day and then sometimes she will get a short walk in the evening but not every night and she really doesn't mind.

I work form home and sometimes I can't walk her till late afternoon and she is perfectly happy to lie on my feet whilst I work or chill until I am ready to go. Honestly, I know some Spaniels can be mental, but she is really easy and very affectionate.

My best friend has a Working Springer who is a bit more demanding but even she is super easy. And I have another friend with a Sprocker (which is how I discovered them) and she goes for a single good walk a day and is easy as pie.

I think you need to look at the temperament of the parents - and ask about previous litters.

But I would have a Sprocker again x 100

We have a working cocker. She is very clever, affectionate, great on walks but...she has a strong hunt instinct and cannot be left alone with children. If they scream and run, she gets over-excited and will chase and nip. I have since heard of other working cockers who do this.

We have spent £1000s on trying to train this out of her, and it is better, but not to the point I can leave her alone in the garden with my 7 year old. If his friends are visiting, she has to be crated.

Plus she needs 2 good walks a day and endless brain stimulation otherwise she steals things (and destroys them) for attention. We love her to bits, but my God she’s hard work.

Oh go on then (and yes, yes we did choose the white stone for the patio before getting the messiest dog in the world)

My Sprocker. She's one-hundred percent my most loyal and loving family member.

Fraser

So the mum is from working stock and the dad is from show stock.

We have been looking for a long time for a dog, although not mine I have trained a Labrador before and had great results but the owner didn't keep it up!
Both of us work from home but have the time to train. We also already have a cat who is 4 years old.

We want something smaller than a lab but not a 'handbag' dog, we have a large secure garden and could easily do an hours walk a day.
We do holiday abroad and we also go camping. So if not a Sprocker, what would your suggestions be please?

oh and someone asked, the sprocker we were looking at is black and white.

I have had four springers and there are two other springers my family currently have and not one was or is aggressive, all of them energetic though and need plenty of exercise. I currently have a rescue sprocker, he is the softest and everyone who meets him falls in love with him. I would say he is less energetic than any of the springers I have known but has his moments. If you are an energetic person yourself then a sprocker may be a good dog for yourself but I think it depends on the dogs personality as some sprockers will be more demanding than others 🐕.

So 'your' sprocker would be from the same heritage as mine - Working Mum and Show Dad. Turned out to be a wonderful x for us.

As long as you have time to put the training in and walk at least an hour and a half a day, I'd say go for it. Sprockers are brilliant family dogs. Loyal, loving, easily trained and lots of fun.

We have a working cocker. First dog. He is the most mental but wonderful loving loyal sweetheart ever. If you have time to walk them (hour minimum) per day and want to spend the time training (their brains need it) then it will be wonderfully rewarding. Very smart easily trainable dogs. But if you can't give them that every day then get a different breed as they need it to flourish. Less would mean a probably happy but not totally fulfilled pupper. I hear they begin to calm at about 7 or 8 years old!

I have a now 2 year old sprocker as my first dog and she is a dream. Not hard work at all and I've never seen any aggression & I have a 5 year old who can annoy her at the best of times. She goes to the beach once a day for about an hour and the rest of the time cuddles on the sofa. I would y say a hard work dog at all. So loveable. I would say go for it, best thing I ever done.

We used to have a lovely pure springer with a mixed show/field parentage. If the working dog comes through then no way is an hour walk a day and some running around in the yard going to be enough, they're likely to get bored and destructive.

You're also going to need to give that dog a lot of attention and play lots of brain games and training, doubly so as a puppy. Working dogs like to have a job to do. Our boy used to go out for a 2hr walk and then do laps of the living room 🙄 Maybe a dachshund or a pinscher would be a better fit? They're also easier to clean (very relevant on cold muddy winter mornings)! I think a sprocker might be quite a big lifestyle change but if you have the time and energy then go for it, springers and cockers are both wonderful sweet dogs so I'm sure a mix wont be any different.

I would suggest making sure the parents are both health tested for hip dysplasia and other issues common to both breeds - theres a lot of overlap between the breeds so theres no sense thinking you're safe through 'hybrid vigour'.

Also: puppies are arseholes. Make sure you're ready for that! They're loud, destructive, they chew, they cry, they wake you up at 5am. I dont regret my boys but there have been a fair few moments I've told my current boy hes going to the shelter (he doesnt know I'd never follow through)

@lostguider
What's your budget/daily routine/what activities do you like doing? Do you go out much?

A spaniel might be fine but they are very high energy and you'd probably be better with a cocker than a sprocker.
Other breeds to consider:
Border terrier
Bedlington
Min schnauzer
Cavalier King Charles
Min poodle
Parsons jack russel

We’ve got a 12 week old Sprocker, not my first dog, but my first spaniel. Quite rightly people gasp and go oh you’ve got a ‘crazy’ one and maybe we will have! When I went to see mum & dad and puppies, what helped make my mind up, was their temperament- both were pretty calm and well behaved, and I suspect lots of that was down to training. After I went to see the puppies, but before I made a decision, I then spoke to a dog trainer and discussed lots about training, what came up a lot was about mental stimulation as well as physical exercise. I’m no expert, but the consideration of providing mental stimulation in place of excess physical stimulation has been shown to create a well rounded calm dog.
Not all ‘working’ dogs spend their time being physically tired out, sniffer dogs for example are worked mentally, and you don’t see a ‘crazy, bouncy spaniel’ rushing around out of control at the airport for example.

Have just realised that up thread they have a crazy drug detection dog, so I might be wrong!

Ah yes the cleaning @Syrrup !

Nothing gets muddier than a spaniel - they're filth-seeking missiles.

Not sure I'd ever have another!

NurseJacques - you stole my dog!

I would 100000% recommend getting a sprocker! We had rescue dogs growing up so I've always been a dog lover, my husband and I bought a sprocker within 2 months of moving into our first home. Easy to train, great family dogs, softies, a bit dopey 😂 We adore our boy! He is 5 this summer and we have never had a problem. Yes, he gets at least 5 miles of off lead walking a day as they need lots of exercise but we enjoy it. He's always been good with children, patient, gentle, just wants to cuddle everyone. Never been destructive or snappy. X

Also we have trained him to be left alone from 9-5 as that's when I leave and get home from work. Never had a problem with that either.

Also we have trained him to be left alone from 9-5 as that's when I leave and get home from work. Never had a problem with that either.

You are brave to admit that on here!

Extremely