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.

We have 2 show cockers who are great. The majority of people have working cockers, so these working v's show cockers debate always end up with more votes for working. Personally I think both breeds are great, but very different, so really do your research. Mine are both great with kids / people/ other dogs/ the cat. Will happily sleep most of the day on the sofa but equally will walk for miles and miles. Despite both of mine coming from the same breeder they are quite different in personality. One is a little clingy, the other barks too much for my liking. But both are great fun and were easy to train. I have never heard of the urinating thing another poster mentioned. Don't be too put for by the coat of a show cocker. Google images tends to show them in full show coat. In reality you can have their coat in any way that suits your life style.

We have a young show cocker. We haven’t had any problems (so far) with resource guarding but we have trained a very solid drop and don’t take things off him.
My general impression from talking to other owners is workers are higher energy but shows are more neurotic.
If you do get a show don’t get a golden as they have the worst reputation for issues.
The difficulty is that any puppy from any breed can have issues, they are little babies. Some are easy some are not, they are all different.

I strongly suggest you have a chat with your vet for their opinion. You’ll hear many different people tell you fifteen t thumbs so hear from someone who knows facts. Also talk to your vet on what health tests/DNA tests you should be looking for. Be very realistic on the amount of training (with a trainer) you will do, if not only yourself but your family will also follow the training, realistically the exercise the dog will have daily.

My last dog was a wc and current one a sprocker. The wc was a wonderful dog and I was heartbroken when he died but he was wilful and needed mountains of attention. Our sprocker is the brightest dog, very chilled, very happy and a delight but he’s a one person dog and would happily sit on my knee for the rest of his life.

Both spaniels have been smelly though. Both dogs loved their runs and I can never tire them out I just made them fitter!

Pleased to see someone else has mentioned a Sprocker. I cannot believe how perfect our dog is and the happiness she has brought to our home.

I’ve owned a Labrador in the past and he was definitely calmer. He didn’t follow me around like a little shadow. He like to rest his head on my knee and fall asleep. He was a solid companion. But our Sprocker follows me literally everywhere wagging her tail because shes so excited about life in general. And she cuddles me with her entire body. She smooshes her head into my face and you can feel the love!!!

She is quick to train but also quick to forget. She has AMAZING recall. Even in the annoying teenager year when we had to retrain everything, she never lost the recall. The biggest issues are that she pulls on the lead unless we consistently train her not to (using Steve Mann’s technique) and she’s a TERRIBLE THEIF! The more brain games we do with her, the less she does this. She is obsessed with pens!

She has 2 walks a day, one virtually all off lead through the fields and droves, and one on lead down to the local park. She’s very playful and boisterous with other dogs so I keep her on lead around dogs we don’t know until the owner confirms it’s ok. However, even mid play she will recall so it’s all relatively controlled.

So my vote is Sprocker (working). However, we were lucky because we got to know the breeders really well who owned both the mum and the dad and an older brother from a previous litter. They were all had such lovely temperaments and we were able to spend loads of time with them, and that sold it to us.

To be honest, I never knew how bloody loving spaniels were. I was intent on only ever having another lab, or maybe a golden retriever. But the breeders adult dogs totally won me over.

I’ve had each, grew up with shows and my first cocker was half show. She was gorgeous but quite chilled. My current dog is a working cocker, she’s a black bitch (I gather chocolates have a reputation for being far more bonkers for some reason!)
She sticky - has to be with you all the time. Very sensitive to shouting. She’s so much fun, very cheeky, loves to get the zoomies, regularly steals socks and underpants, always always found walking around with a shoe (doesn’t chew, though) but she’s also incredibly chilled when we are in the house and will sleep all day if allowed. She absolutely loves to chase tennis balls and won’t allow me to sit and read a book in the garden!
I think if I had another (so two dogs) it would be a different story as she would have a playmate and someone to bounce off. She’s brilliant with the kids and tolerates all sorts. She’s adopted my best friend as her second mum and thinks the whole world is there to love her and give her attention.
She’s the best dog I’ve ever had!

We have a show cocker and I also grew up with one. Ours is quite simply the heart of the family , pretty much bomb proof actually although you can never be completely in their heads. No resource issues , you could take a bone off him , take his food away , toys etc. Very conversational , loves cuddles , always happy to see you , always enthusiastic , the typical ‘merry cocker’ . His only real downsides are a propensity to bark at the front door and pulling on the lead, sometimes when young a bit ‘cloth eared’ if he got a scent.

He lives all my teenagers friends, is a terrible gift with them and is very handsome ( he’s a true colour) and knows it !

I think like any popular breed it’s all about the breeder, I took 18 months of research to find a breeder I was happy with. Her home was full of cocker spaniels and teenagers and he came to us super well socialised , rather against the grain but I think some of the worst prepared puppies come from homes who only breed once , the breeders are inexperienced often and the puppies not well socialised . So my number one tip is choose your breeder carefully , visit , chat to them etc

Middle para should read; that he loves teenagers fiends , is a terrible flirt with them and is a tri - colour

We have a mad working cocker. Nothing will ever tire him out, he would go all day and has done! However at home we do enforce naps still. If we take away his balls and toys, he will lie down next to us and go to sleep. He's an absolute dream in the house.

The minute we go outside though, he is ready for anything. No walk will ever be long enough so we don't try - we do a lot of scent work and he loves swimming. I've never actually even seen him lie down on a walk yet, he's such a bundle of energy. We went to the pub the other day, all the other dogs were lying down under the table and he was sat there like a solider on high alert!

We love him dearly and can't ever imagine getting a different breed now!