Whatever he is we love him

[merlina]

C:\Documents and Settings\Gillian\My Documents\My Pictures\Merlin applepicking

 

[leashedForLife]

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wow, what a handsome dog, & very different -
makes me think of a red-roan Cocker X with yellow-belton English Setter. Very cool!

- terry

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[merlina]

Thank-you!

 

[JudyN]

He's gorgeous

 

[Mad Murphy]

I know I know..... 100% sure...




He is one fabulous dog !

 

[Violet Turner]

What lovely fur markings

 

[merlina]

Thanks all. We got him as 'a lemon-roan, English show cocker'. Hmm...my OH is well-up on spaniel breeds and he tells everyone that this is an rare example of the Norfolk Land Spaniel - believed extinct. Certainly a. our boy won't enter water and b. has proved a challenge to train though we're getting there. (NLS went extinct due to unco-operativeness.)

 

[excuseme]

He is a Cocker Spaniel, whether it be lemon, orange or red roan (it's all the same) just different shades of the same colour. By the look of it he could have some mixture of the Show type and Working type, but does it really matter! he is just gorgeous.

 

[Mad Murphy]

His coat reminds me of a hiedewachtel but paler.. Lovely though

 

[merlina]

Yeah- someone's also suggested a Breton spaniel. He has a very fine silky coat and has not needed clipping at all so far. All I can say is he's an original, bless him!

 

[excuseme]

This is our Liver roan girl "Sprinkle"

100% crazy cocker!

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[merlina]

Beautiful! Double trouble...not.

 

[Teddy560]

Is your Sprinkle a working cocker @excuseme ? @merlina I think he's a mix of working and show lines. He has a working type body but his muzzle is quite deep like a show.

 

[excuseme]

Our Cockers are the working type.

They vary so much in looks size and body shapes. This is because they are not designed to look "just so" for the show bench. They are simply bred for their temperament with ability to hunt and flush, and retrieve if required.
They are what I consider the original "Merry Cocker", before they were "designed" for the show benches.

The show types can vary too, (although I think maybe not quiet so much) Depending on what characteristics are required, and how selective their non showing breeders are really bothered about.
Both types will work! both types make fantastic pets /family members.
Both types mated together still make an "English Cocker Spaniel" that can be registered with the Kennel Club.

 

[Teddy560]

Looks wouldn't bother me. I only had one concern (not really a concern, can't think of a better word) that if my puppy was more of a working type, then he could have more of a highly strung personality and need much more mental stimulation than a show cocker?!

 

[merlina]

Oh, Teddy560 yes he does!- we've had two show and two workers over the years. This latest one is a live wire and more workerish than our late and lovely bred-from-field-champions red boy...(still much-missed) My OH is thinking of doing agility with him just to provide mental challenge as well as exercise.