We are keepers and breeders of English Working Coocker Spaniels.
We currently have 6 cockers; 2 bitches of approximately 4 years old, 2 bitches who are a year and a half old, a 3 year old dog and a very new puppy.
All of my dogs, who are of a suitable age, work with me in the field, both as shooting companions and as an aide to my role as a gamekeeper on a local shoot. When I'm not shooting or keepering, my dogs work with me in the beating line, which can be a 6 day-a-week occupation, during the height of the season.
We have kept Working Cockers for the past 5 years, prior to that there has always been a string of various labradors about the place, but their place has been frimly usurped by these fabulous, highly intelligent, loyal and dedicated little dogs.
Working Cockers are great fun, but demand a high level of committment from any potential owner. They are bred to be busy and need to be engaged at an intellectual level as well as given appropriate levels of exercise. Having said that, in the right home they make brilliant pets and have a great temprement with children.
Our dogs, as well as being companions, are predominantly bred to do a job. They earn their keep in the shooting field, by flushing and retreiving game. Working cockers were originally bred to flush woodcock, which unlike other quarry species, is virtually scentless. Thus, early breeders of Working Cockers looked for a busy action in their dogs, which would lead to them running across woodcock in the course of their quartering and hunting. Originally, the only distinction between Working Cockers and Working Springers was one of weight - small Springers were routinely refered to as "Cockers" - however, over the past 100 years distinct bloodlines have been developed for Working Cockers.
Working Cockers are undergoing a real resurgence in popularity, both as pets and as gundogs. 20 years ago, it was virtually impossible to find a Working Cocker on a shoot - now I defy you to find a shoot that hasn't got one! Their traits of extraordinary intelligence, dogged perseverence and small stature have endeared them to the vast majority of the shooting fraternity.
We have made a conscious decision that our dogs show their abilities in the real environment of working shoots. So you won't find us entering Field Trials or showing our dogs in gundog classes. We firmly believe that the ability and breeding of our dogs speaks for itself - the best way for you to judge that, is to come and see them in action. You won't be dissapointed.
Richard H. Blades
07891 291 351
rhblades@yahoo.co.uk
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Breeders of:
- Spaniel (Cocker)
Previous Litters
- 16th June 2008 - Spaniel (Cocker)