Need advice breeding a sprocker!!

djflawless

Iv been shooting a couple of years.just got me 1st gun in july 2010.ive a few pheasants and teal braught home courtesy of me sprocker spaniel bitch,sammy.shes 3 and well used to the bangs of a gun.after this season im going to try getting the 1st litter out of her.any1 know of anywhere that would provide a sprocker dog to service sammy?im looking for 1 thats working.or even if any1 here has a sprocker dog that would mount mine for an easy pay day?

Feidhlim Dignan

Why not use a good springer?

djflawless

Well iv hunted over many dogs (not all mine ha) but i just got more enjoyment from the sprockers

jap gt

djflawless wrote: »

Well iv hunted over many dogs (not all mine ha) but i just got more enjoyment from the sprockers

finding homes for them would be the hard part, not many fellas have interest in them, i know a man with a litter last year, it was unplanned and he ended up giving them away and had a hard job getting homes even when they were free.. it could end up costing you money to breed them

djflawless

Well iv 5 basicaly sold if i decide 2 breed her.and im planning on keepin 1 for meself.maybe 2 if the cash flow is good at the time

terminator2

Feidhlim Dignan wrote: »

Why not use a good springer?

as FD said if you use a good springer you will still end up with a sprocker,just more spring and less cock but a sprock just the same:D

Glensman

Mayfly36 from this forum has a fantastic springer, I'm sure he wouldn't mind arranging something with you...

djflawless

Whats a rough estimate for a servie from a good springer?

kermitpwee

djflawless wrote: »

Whats a rough estimate for a servie from a good springer?

During the good times 400 euro or a pup, guess it would be 150-250 now.
There won't be many people with good springers who will let them up on a sprocker as there will be no papers.

Now what I know! I was out with a 7month old sprocker today and he was awesome on woodcock, a natural born killer. You can have an excellent 1st generation sprocker like your bitch Sammy, when these dogs breed they usually throw bad litters as they are a cross who now breeds with another springer/cocker so the gene pool which made them a good dog is now diminished even further.
I have nothing against sprockers, today I offered 700 euro for that sprocker but his owner wouldn't sell him. Hope it works out for ya but don't be surprised if it doesn't.
Before I get slated I'll repeat a 1st generation cross can be excellent but usually their offspring dont hold the same qualities.

landkeeper

cockers and springers all come from the same gene pool anyway in the 60s you registered them according to weight so you could have springers and cockers from the same litter
mating sprocker to sprocker will result in sprockers springers and cockers

terminator2

what part of the country u in

djflawless

Jasus iv a lot to think about so.sound 4 all the info folks...im in laois terminator

kermitpwee

landkeeper wrote: »

cockers and springers all come from the same gene pool anyway in the 60s you registered them according to weight so you could have springers and cockers from the same litter
mating sprocker to sprocker will result in sprockers springers and cockers

I understand where you coming from cockers were split from springers first in the 1840s and the kennel club spit them officially around 1892. The only thing I can think of where you are going with the 1960's is as follows.
In the 1960-1970's there was a desire for a faster springer spaniel and extensive breeding of Ess's was undertaken in england this was due to a rise in the popularity of field trials. Often the modern field trial spaniel would not make a great rough shooting dog as they wouldn't have the stamina for it. Modern field trial springers are bred for speed for 30mins or less and are trained to comb the ground which at these tests is laden with game. The rough shooting spaniel will use its nose more which is hard to believe but thats the truth as it is designed for use in areas where the game is sparse. As you can see the springer and cocker have been divided for a significant amount of time, this is how I came up with the gene pool been diminished. as i said sprockers can be great dogs but generally in the 1st generation, as you move on in generations you lose the good qualities the parents had as there is little chance of line breeding, that may be making it a little cvomplicated anyway.

To sum up cockers were the smaller dogs in the litter and were segregated in the 1840's or so and springers(the bigger pups) bred only with the big pups. Then later springers were split to show and working springers so in my opinion the gene pool has become very diversified. Just my 2cent folks.

Anyway good luck to the op.

pmac77

find a GOOD working springer or cocker dog to cover your bitch, try some lads in your local gun club, in all fairness if you are not a complete W***** someone will let there dog cover your bitch for free or a pick of the litter, dont go parting with cash, you will regret it.
best of luck friend

terminator2

pmac77 wrote: »

find a GOOD working springer or cocker dog to cover your bitch, try some lads in your local gun club, in all fairness if you are not a complete W***** someone will let there dog cover your bitch for free or a pick of the litter, dont go parting with cash, you will regret it.
best of luck friend

couldnt agree with you more....well said;)

djflawless

Right folks gonna put up a post in the pets section for a stud.thanks for all the help folks

canon shooter

Hi Im from the cork area and i know the chairman of the rathcormac gun club, he uses a sprocker. You should get in contact with him through there website http://www.rathcormacgunclub.ie/contactform.html cos he has a great sprocker, hunts and retrieves mad. heres a video of him in action wiith pigeons

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7eyHBIlIRg