Poodle vs cocker spaniel for 1st timers ?

If you want a puppy farm puppy then yes sure

I have always had spaniels and currently have a WCS but I work my dogs. Current WCS at 2 and a half years has had over 400 hours of training invested in her. She is very well trained, never leaves my side etc but I would never recommend one for a first time owner.
So many spaniels in rescues because their owners couldn't cope/dogs develop resource guarding etc
They are highly intelligent dogs and need a job to do.

I looked to see if you had contributed anything else to the thread but nope just drop in some random words just to rile and make no other contribution. Mine certainly isn't from a puppy farm !

@Mrsjayy then look again and you will see I have commented about my own WCS.
My trainer works with police + RSPCA on puppy farms and rescues. Over 80% of all puppy farmers puppies are poo crosses. They are bred indiscriminately with no thought or care to health/behaviour and are often inter-bred. These so called designed breeds are just mongrels.

Show cocker 100%

my dream dog breed

but plenty of puppies surely can come from puppy farms?

@Willmafrockfit yes of course but the poo crosses are disproportionately represented at convicted puppy farms.

@twistyizzy your second post was after I had posted and replied, I still don't know why you posted an inflammatory post it was unnecessary imo.

Eh ?

@Mrsjayy it wasn't inflammatory in the slightest, it is pointing out the dangers of buying into the fad of poo crosses and was in response to another poster sating to buy a cockapoo. I clicked on the "reply" to that poster's comment but for some reason it didn't copy their comment into my reply.

That makes sense.

@userxx I was replying to a poster saying buy a cockapoo but for some reason it didn't copy that comment into my reply!

Any down sides with the smaller poodles? Would they be happy as an outdoorsy smallholding dog? I've resolved on no more dogs bigger than I can lift for various reasons, DP not a terrier fan (comes from an alsatian / lab family), and I need a dog that will definitely be trainable to be good with stock/poultry etc (sadly rules out a staffy I think, as well as their size/weight)

Every poodle I know would be miserable as an outdoorsy dog, sorry.

Good to know - I suspected so. I think it'll be some time before we're ready for another dog anyway tbh, maybe by then DP will have talked me round to a love of labradors! (Certainly more likely than me persuading him of the joy of a JRT)

Yep, got that. It now makes sense 👍

Spaniels are definitely not wilful. They are wonderful dogs because they are so keen to please their person and get it right, but they won't suffer bad handling and the don't do well not being challenged.

We had a cocker spaniel and he was an absolute nutter right up until the day he died at 13. They're fun, but bonkers.

 @YoDood

Please start a thread @userxx . Borders are the absolute best 🥰 imvho vh vvho

Need lots of pictures too please! 🥰🥰

We've a F1b cockapoo, so she's more poodle. She's loving, smart, trainable, playful, happy with 2 30-min walks a day, small (size of large tomcat) and she doesn't moult.
My first dog and I was worried but she's a dream. From a family friend so we see mum and sibling regularly.

i met a show cocker spaniel tonight, after this thread, what a gorgeous looking dog

it depends what your life style is but i think this would tick boxes

Both are lovely breeds . My cockapoo is great at scentwork but so clever like the poodle.

What I would say is and i regret more than anything is buying from a " registered breeder" . It made me think it wasn't a cruel puppy farm but having speaking to various charities, registered breeders are usually no better than unregistered breeders .
( sometimes worse!)
Maybe buy from someone's home instead? With a kc registered parent .

Have a look at a cairn terrier too.

very underrated little dogs. I used to pet sit one and it was fab.

Show spaniels are mixed bags. I’m an agility trainer and I’ve known them with bigger prey drives (with the killing bit too) than my working terrier or the other end dopey and very laid back. They used to be more consistent in temperament as a good all rounder but that’s not the case now.

My brother in law has a working springer. Not dog people. Got it for the kids. By some miracle it’s very laid back and exists on very little exercise and zero training. That is absolutely not the norm though and I’m really not sure how it can be that way. I suspect it could have neurological issues. It is a very strange dog.

WCS are great if you are going to work it in SOMETHING. We toyed with the breed as an agility and training person but I want a dog that wanted to work but didn’t need to. Happy snoozing or walking all day. Loves to learn but equally will amuse themselves. That’s why I chose a border terrier based on my experience with them. Mine is from more working lines so she does need her brain worked more than the more pet lines (although all terriers are working technically) and she’d be a sod if she wasn’t but that’s what we wanted. I know lots who just get decent exercise and are very well adjusted dogs.

If I wasn’t working full time I’d consider a WCS but they need a lot of input. Most I see in pet homes have significant issues due to not understanding their needs.