LAST WEEK I WROTE an entire article about choosing between an English springer and a cocker spaniel without mentioning the ‘S’ word (We’re all cocker hoop, 22 January).
The sprocker is the interloper on the working spaniel scene and has fast established a reputation as a dog that that offers the best of both worlds — or more accurately, a great blend of the best attributes of its springer and cocker parents.
However, though the snappy name might be relatively new, the concept of crossing a springer with a cocker isn’t; it has no doubt happened ever since the two breeds were established at the start of the last century.
It may seem hard to believe now, but 60 years ago the working cocker was in trouble, falling in popularity in the shooting field because the existing dogs were simplynot very good.
It’s generally accepted that there was an infusion of suitable springer blood in what proved to be a highly successful move to restore verve and drive back into the working cocker. I’ve never heard of anyone owning up to performing such a deed and there’s no official record of it ever having happened, but I’ve met plenty of people who believe it is a fact.
I have also heard allegations as to who the principal perpetrators were: one was allegedly a leading cocker trialler at the time, but nothing has ever been proven. If springers were used the breeders involved did an excellent job, as working cockers today are terrific little dogs, well able to hold their own against the more powerful springers.
Denne historien er fra January 29, 2020-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
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Denne historien er fra January 29, 2020-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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United we stand
Following United Utilities' decision to end grouse shooting on its land, Lindsay Waddell asks what will happen if we ignore our vital moors
Serious matters
An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning
They're not always as easy as they seem
While coneys of the furry variety don't pose a problem for Blue Zulu, he's left frustrated once again by bolting bunnies of the clay sort
Debutant gundogs
There's lots to think about when it comes to making the decision about when to introduce your dog to shooting
When the going gets rough
Al Gabriel returns to the West London Shooting School to brush up on his rough shooting technique
The Field Guide To British Deer - BDS 60th Anniversary Edition
In this excerpt from the 60th anniversary edition of the BDS's Field Guide To British Deer, Charles Smith-Jones considers the noise they make
A step too far?
Simon Garnham wonders whether a new dog, a new gun and two different fields in need of protection might have been asking too much for one afternoon's work
Two bucks before breakfast
A journey from old South London to rural Hertfordshire to stalk muntjac suggests that the two aren't as far detached as they might seem
Stalking Diary
Stalkers can be a sentimental bunch, and they often carry a huge attachment to their hill
Gamekeeper
Alan Edwards believes unique, private experiences can help keepers become more competent and passionate custodians of the countryside