Gundog Training Forum

I've seen good and bad springers and cockers out working so why would a cross between the two breeds be any different ? Usually when a litter of sprockers are for sale the sire and dam will have been nothing special and the breeder is just trying to make a few quid from his bitch...........he is very unlikely to have paid the stud fee for a top quality stud dog.

I'm not anti sprocker, I am just too stingy to pay pure bred prices for non pure bred pups especially if the sire and dam are just run-of-the-mill dogs.

Wullie

While perusing a borrowed copy of Shooting Times at lunch today I spotted an article by the ever popular David Tomlinson on just this subject. Apparently he recently received a letter (unsigned of course) outlining a great many accusations of top cocker trial lines being infiltrated by springer blood. These accusations do seem to be something of an open secret around here - but it makes you wonder if there is any point even having the conversations on this thread if there really is a whole load of springer blood in the cocker gene pool anyway?

Frankly I'd love to know which lines are implicated so that I can buy one - I'd love a "pedigree" cocker with a bit of genetic diversity

Sadly I can't find the offending article online anywhere or I'd post a link - anyone? He did claim that said letter was also sent to the KC…

There's been accusations of springer blood being sneaked into cockers going back decades. It's nothing new.

Naj

There's been accusations of springer blood being sneaked into cockers going back decades. It's nothing new.

Naj

No but back then it was actually done to improve the breed, not for financial gain I would say.

I would more impressed if the artical came with a name, if they are so sure of it and feel so intent on it going further then they should stand their ground and put their name to it.

EssGrouse wrote:No but back then it was actually done to improve the breed, not for financial gain I would say.

To improve the springers or the cockers??

James wrote:I would more impressed if the artical came with a name, if they are so sure of it and feel so intent on it going further then they should stand their ground and put their name to it.

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Just wait until my secretly bred cocker and springer x Brittany pups hit the trial scene . That'll liven things up a bit and make folk stop moaning about boot polishers !

Wullie

There is no doubt that some Cocker lines are leggier and produce more liver and white pups than seems kosher.

Naj wrote:There's been accusations of springer blood being sneaked into cockers going back decades. It's nothing new.

Naj

Yep, nothings new.