Hi everyone, I am new to this forum and new to cockers, having always had springers. A couple of months ago I took on a rescue cocker called Murffi. He is 17 months old, his sire is Maesydderwen Scimitar and sadly he has had 2 failed pet homes. I also have two  springer spaniels, who come beating and rough shooting with me. I am hoping to train the cocker to be part of my crew, probably not this coming season but maybe next year...

No doubt I will be picking your brains with regards to training Murffi. 

Heidrun

Hi and welcome.

Your in a lovely part of the country. We went camping for a few days a couple of months ago and took 2 of the cockers, they came back home (Cornwall ) covered in ticks aghhhh

Thanks for the welcome!

I must admit ticks are a real problem here and it was a bit of a shock how many the dogs would pick up during a single day when I first moved here. The only thing that seems to work are regular treatments with advantix.

Heidrun

Hello and welcome.  We love Exmoor, particularly Winsford and "The Royal Oak".

It's great shooting country as well.

I go beating on a shoot very near to Winsford! There are three Royale Oaks in the area, one in Withypoole, one in Luxborough and the one you mentioned in Winsford. All are brilliant!:P

Heidrun

You are making me jealous - living on Exmoor is enough, going beating there, well , that's just being greedy   Seriously I'm sure folk on here will be able to offer you advice and with your experience you can help us out as well.  I know the Royal Oak in Withypool but not the one in Luxborough, still that gives us something to seek out on our next visit.

Here's to a good season.    As a beater you will finish it a good deal fitter than me I'm sure, as a gun I will certainly be poorer 

Maybe some day those living within driving distance of a couple of hours  could have a cocker meet up, a walk, a pint, a spot of lunch? Something to think about 

Hi ther Heidrun, hope you enjoy this web-site as much as I do! Have to say I am extremely jealous as well, love Exmoor. So pleased your little dog has a happy home now, you will fall in love with cockers I am sure!, they are the most wonderful little characters as well as amazing workers too, Toby never fails to make me smile at least once a day!

Hi Sue, Murffi certainly is a character! I don't really know what happened or what went wrong in his previous homes, or why he had two pet homes when he was clearly bred for working or trialing. All I can say is that I am extremly lucky to have him.

Hello welcome, good luck with your WC

Hi

Welcome and I too have a springer, but only one, and the pair get on very well - I've learned loads from the website on everything from ticks to training - I've had labs, springers and now a cocker all my adult life but you are never too old to learn new tricks to give this breed the best life possible.  Mine are not working dogs but I take great care to stimulate and exercise them fully - they are fantastic `brothers' and a continual joy to the household.  My cocker is my first one and I'm smitten, just a fantastic all round pal.

Dimmy

All the best with the cocker, we have just come back from a short break with our four cockers at Lynmouth.

There is a great walk from Lynmouth up to Lynton and back via the river and Watersmeet that would probably even tire out a WCS, every time you crest the top of a hill and think "I must be there now" there's another descent and another climb.  It's in the Pathfinder Guide for Exmoor and I'd recommend it to all WCOL members provided you are reasonably fit.  If not, the cliff railway is the easier option

We went up on the Railway, with two of the four cockers, we had to push past the rows of sitting people with out two dogs on leads, typically Fern took a fancy to one of them, but the lady didn't take a fancy to Fern, I can still hear the complaintive cries of          "get that dog orf me"     even now.

Hi Heidrun

We give our dogs one 500mg garlic tablet (odourless!!) each a day with their tea and since then we haven't found any fleas or ticks , which was better than any vet treatment, and cheaper, and we haven't noticed any side effects after about 7 onths so far. Last year it was a nightmare with them when we went to dartmoor or any other woode area so we thought we'd give a go.