Show Cocker v Working Cocker Spaniel

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Please help me decide if you have either show or working cocker. We have recently lost our dear little dog who had no end of health problems which has cost thousands.

This time I want a dog who has been thoroughly health tested, health and temperament is paramount. I'm not fussed with girl/boy or colour.
I have a few friends with working cockers who are fab but they are full on although some do seem to be able to turn off at home although not sure what age.
A friend has a red show cocker who was lovely and not quite so full on, but since lockdowns she has become snappy and growls a lot and won't tolerate other dogs in her space. I'm aware of cockers resource guarding etc. Ideally I would choose show cocker for their slightly less energy but wouldn't want to risk the snappyness.
If you have a show cocker, are they snappy, (maybe I only hear about the snappy ones, rescues have loads looking for homes that have bitten).
If you have a working, do they relax at home, I could give 2 x 1 hour walks (age appropriate) and brain games.

I’m so sorry you lost your dog. My heart goes out to you.

The snappiness - honestly, I feel this could happen with any dog of any breed. My working cocker was purchased by his original owner during lockdown and is now fearful of strangers, can be reactive, resource guards, etc. But many lockdown puppies have this problem as adults. And any dog who is not properly socialised could have the same problem. It’s really a case of trying to find a specific dog with a good temperament, and then working with the temperament you get.

Show cockers tend to be lower energy than working cockers, yep. Working cockers tend to be “fizzy”, if that makes sense. Always moving, always wanting to do something. They are notorious for pulling on the lead, though I’m sure training could overcome this. I’m still working on it with my cocker. I’m a dog walker and have taught nearly every single dog I’ve ever walked to walk on a loose lead, yet 6+ months in with my cocker and it’s still a struggle.

It sounds like you have a good amount of time available. 1-2 hours of off leash walking per day should be great. Then a lot of time spent on training and mental stimulation.

Basically, if you want a dog you absolutely have to constantly provide activities for (including teaching and reinforcing doing nothing - because it usually doesn’t come naturally for them), you could consider a working cocker.

If you’d rather have more flexibility and the ability to get away with less some days, go for a show cocker. They still tend to be bouncy and wiggly and energetic, just not on the same level as working cockers.

Oh and my working cocker does relax at home, but it took enforces nap times to teach him to settle. He settles for about an hour in the late morning, then on and off through lunch time, and starts to go to sleep about 8pm. He’s definitely not a dog who is happy to laze around all day.

Mines half working half show, best of both worlds. Sleeps a fair amount at home. Happy to walk all day, just as happy with a half hour walk in a day. Was hard work as a puppy, as I'm sure all puppies are - you (eventually) get out what you put in. They are intelligent dogs so need just as much brain training as they do physical

I have a show cocker (almost 2 years old) and she is the loveliest dog. Very hard work up to about 11 months, but so many puppies are hard work I’m not sure that was a result of her breed. We have reached a point now where she’s happy to laze around most of the day if we are busy but equally happy to take long walks/go swimming etc. Our average day is two short walks (up to 30minutes) and a longer walk (averaging an hour) plus bathroom breaks as required. She is not massively independent and prefers for one of us to be around but doesn’t need constant attention. Loves to play and cuddle with us and also likes to play with other dogs for short periods of time. She does get snappy if another dog has an aggressive play style (at which point we just remove her from the situation) but has never snapped at a dog for entering her space. I feel a bit bad for saying this - she’s not the absolute sharpest tool in the shed but she tries hard and has picked up everything we have tried to teach her given a little time.

One thing to consider is the show cockers habit to urinate when excited - not a massive issue though once you learn to manage it. Not sure if this is a common problem with working cockers?

My preference would be for a Working Cocker a million times over. Generally a much nicer dog IMO. The show cockers I’ve known have been very noisy and resource guarders. Workers, whilst much more active, tend to have a much more balanced temperament and they’re just the happiest little dogs.

I have working cockers that I use for work - scent dogs. I also have collies. The wcs are way more energetic than the collies. Happy busy and never still.

They do switch off at home but it has taken some work to make this happen. They do need an outlet for their energy.

I think any dog can be snappy if they have their space invaded too much and probably the result of over socialisation rather than under (Ie putting them in situations that they find scary too often), I didn't think it was a breed trait in show cockers. My mum has a show cocker who has a lovely temperament. A little dopey perhaps!
I have a working cocker and they are "fizzy" as a pp suggested but I love that he is a real dogs dog.
All cockers have a tendency to resource guard but that's easily prevented by letting them eat in piece and never taking anything out of their mouths (including stones which ours loved as a pup but always spat out. I have a feeling he would have swallowed them only if I had tried to get them from him.

Thank you for your replies, some really good insights. I think maybe a working cocker sounds a better fit for us, I'm also looking at springers too. Although I don't know anyone with a springer.
I'm happy to put the training in and quite like the challenge so definitely want an intelligent type.

our previous manager has a working and although i never met her .he did talk about her lovely friendly nature .he had lots of pics on his phone hed show us and she looked so relaxed and laid back lounging about on the sofas

I have a springer spaniel. She is lovely on her walks - very busy! At home she sleeps mostly! Very chilled and well behaved, she is crate trained so when she has enough of everyone she takes herself of to bed!! We had a busy weekend away once lots of family around and on the third day she went of and chilled in our room as she had enough!! My dad couldn’t believe it after what most people think of springers!
They do need to be active just not walks brain as well - so we often do seek games at hone on the evening. We also made sure she has been socialised well with other dogs.
Spaniels have such a lovely personality!!

Working cockers are a lottery. My current one is the most laid back fellow ever, and would happily lie in bed with you having his tummy rubbed all day (only rousing himself to whack you with his paw should you stop). Our previous dog was a full-on lunatic, did everything at 100mph, and working himself into a frenzy of excitement like a puppy all his life, right up to the day before he died (and he was very sick with cancer aged 11 while he was still behaving like that). You can get a vague sense of what you're getting when you see the litter. Just don't go a see a litter sired by the national working cocker champion, with a full run of FTCHs and then pick the liveliest puppy who is still eating while all the other puppies had toddled off to sleep 15 minutes ago. That was not a wise choice, even those we loved the bugger to bits.

Family member has a working cocker (fantastic working line) she's very reactive on the lead, snappy and resource guards. Completely different dog in the field though and happy to work alongside other dogs.

I'd choose a springer out the two if I was after a busy little working dog.

We’ve got a Sprocker! All working stock. The best of both worlds. Highly recommend provided you can manage 2 decent walks a day and being smothered by a Sprockers face of an evening.

I have a feeling he would have swallowed them only if I had tried to get them from him.

The lunatic cocker I mentioned in my previous post got hold of a washing up sponge (one of those things that's half sponge and half scourer). I made the mistake of trying to get it off him. He swallowed it whole. Like a gannet. An operation was involved. It was expensive and stressful.

Get a Labrador!

I had both and other than their coats I couldn’t tell the difference. Both energetic, happy souls. Pulling on the lead was a difficult habit to break. Heads down, constantly sniffing. Find a good breeder, breeding for temperament is key.

We have a half and half, though still fully kc registered and health tested etc. He's the best of both, happy running about mad, and also lounging on the couch. Loves to swim, and chase a ball, and chase birds! He's great with our kids and so friendly and happy, always wagging his tail and delighted to be in our company. He follows us about the house and lies where we are, which is a bit clingy, but he's also fine to be left for three or four hours in the day. Has a big walk in the morning and another during the day, then a walk round the block at bedtime.

What about a sprocker? They’re not a designer cross like all the doodle ones as they’ve been bred for years by gamekeepers but they might give you the best of both worlds if you’re also considering a springer.

We have a show cocker and he's the most easy- going dog we've ever had and not the least bit snappy or guardy. He's a real character, talks all the time (and I do mean talks - he's like a wookie), loves a walk but happy to chill at home as well, and he's just generally much slower paced than friends' working cockers. He's absolutely brilliant with kids and other dogs and just generally lovely. His coat is hard work though - he was shaved by the rescue before we adopted him and it's grown back very woolly and mats easily if we don't keep it reasonably short.

Ours is half and half and he's amazing. Definitely got more buzz than his full show cocker mate but equally he's far brighter, but also has a lovely sweet nature, doesn't yap like the shoe cocker pup we know.

Training the loose lead walking and he's a typical spaniel in that he's totally stomach focused 😆

I'm totally thrilled with him. Pic for tax!!!

Oh, @GuyFawkesDay yours looks like mine! He’s a full wcs but is wavy coated and came from a line of pets rather than field trials dogs and is seriously chilled. I can give him three crap walks round the park and he’ll snuggle in to sleep beside me, or we can climb a Munro and keep going all day and he’ll be happy. I wouldn’t plan a week that didn’t involve a really good walk, but we can manage the less fun days too. He is the cuddliest dog. Ask the breeder what the parents like to do and go from there. I’ve met other wcs who are very springer-ish, but most are calm between walks - but you must do decent walks at least part of the week, and by decent I mean an hour and a half in woods/beach/moor. Not round the local park. Mine is okay with that on weekdays but needs a good run both weekend days and more if we can manage.

Working but I am biased

We've had springers and a working cocker in the past. Currently have a sprocker and a breton. All very lively out on walks and in the garden but very happy to kip most of the time in the house. Current 2 have a zoomie session and play wrestle as I log into my laptop to work then kip the rest of the day. The wcs would kip in the house but want constant throwing games in the garden. None of them needed any training to settle in the house.

We have a working cocker. She is hilarious. Incredibly gentle and loving, mad as a box of frogs and a total thief of tea towels, socks, and anything else that can be dragged across the floor to her bed.

She is very busy - she will follow you room to room, she likes to be involved with whatever you are doing, but she is very good in the house, and she's so gentle with DD. Loves a cuddle, scared of bizarre things like tape measures, and is 8 and still chases her tail.

@MaryLennoxsScowl exactly the same here. Mum of ours KC reg show, Dad is their WCS but not FC or true working stock. Family pets, kids in the house. As a result ours gets constantly picked up, hugged, moved, bothered and he's so sweet. Only a puppy so can't say about long walks but he is a very happy, loving little dog.