LongSword Working Cockers

Recently, Richard added a section to his website on ‘how to buy a puppy’ due to experiences with potential buyers who he sends away with a flea in their ear.  Why?  Because as Richard states “quite frankly, they just don’t know how to buy a puppy.  Buying a new pup is both a rational and an emotional decision.  You tend to start out planning with your head and end up buying with your heart, which is all well and good, as long as the rational part has been done first“.

Richard wants his pups to go to the best possible homes; in fact, he would keep them all, than see them go to unsuitable homes.  For Longsword Working Cockers, “Best” is a home where the dog will be loved, cared for and integrated in to the home, whether that’s as a working dog or as a pet.

So how do you buy a puppy?

Richard advises “If you want one of my pups you need to impress me; conversely I also need to impress you.  In the first contact and first face to face meeting, chances are we assessing each other to see if we meet each others’ expectations.  Hopefully we do and things can progress.”

How to impress a breeder … especially Longsword!

• Do your research
• Convince me that this is the breed you really want
• Try not to be too influenced by colour
• First impressions are important
• Don’t be surprised if I don’t give you my address when we first speak
• Sometimes I will ask you for more details
• Be punctual
• If circumstances change keep us informed as soon as possible
• Don’t view more than one litter on the same day
• We don’t sell puppies as presents or as children’s pets
• I will not sell you two puppies from the same litter
• If you don’t like what you see, please tell me
• Cash is king
• I’m happy to work around your availability when it comes to picking up the pup

To view Richard’s reasoning and explanation behind each point, visit his website for his full article.

What should you expect from a good breeder?

It goes without saying that a good breeder should be open, honest and contactable.  For Richard “really our business is about relationships, you need to be able to talk openly, trust them implicitly and be able to have a dialogue that doesn’t stop the moment you have handed over your cash. A good breeder will offer you advice about the breed irrespective of if they have any puppies to sell.”

Richard’s advice doesn’t end there … his full tips for what to look for in a breeder can be seen in his full article; however, his main advice is …

• You must be able to see the Dam and pups in their breeding environment.
• You must be able to see the kennels and meet the breeder’s other dogs.
• The breeder should be able to arrange for you to see the Sire (with advanced warning if they do not own them).
• Don’t meet a breeder away from their kennels (eg: pub or car park) - there is only one reason a breeder will not invite you to their home - they are doing something they do not want you to see.
• A puppy cannot be too fat or too outgoing - never buy thin, unhappy looking puppies.
• Kennels and whelping facilities should be clean and hygienic - if a breeder can’t be bothered to tart up his kennels for a viewing, who knows what conditions the dogs are kept in when no one is looking.
• A good breeder will give you support after they have sold you the puppy.  This should be written (in the form of a puppy pack) as well as verbal.
• If there is any niggling doubt in your mind, even if you cannot put your finger on it … walk away.
• DON’T EVER consider buying a puppy from a pet shop or directly over the internet - this is supporting puppy farming.

To view Longsword Working Cocker’s full article, visit the website.

For further details, please contact Chris Henretty at Fisher German Knutsford.

Send CV, in the first instance, to knutsford@fishergerman.co.uk quoting reference CP/FG/GAGD.

Having access to rabbit shooting ground has played a huge part in making up many a Springer and Cocker field trailers’ dog to field trial champion.

Not everyone, it has to be said, has the same view.  I have heard it said that some believe a good spaniel should attempt to hunt anything and not need the added stimulus of game to get it going. I have to be honest and say that I personally like to get spaniels onto “the rabbits” as we say before any other quarry for the following reasons.

Firstly, I use rabbits as the next stage in our training a progression from the rabbit pen sessions.  Where the spaniels are taught to hunt, flush, be steady to flush, shot, and then retrieve only on command cold rabbits we have placed out in the pen. I go to the North Yorkshire moors for my rabbit training whereby we start off hunting the young dogs on the areas of rashes and white grass.  I find this allows me to keep an eye on proceedings and make sure the youngster is going how I would expect at this stage.  In addition, this allows me to see everything and I can get out to it and correct the dog, should it need reminding of its previous taught lessons.  They often can commit minor offences if you like when under “battle stations” for the first time.

Once I am happy we then move onto the heather or harder cover for the spaniel to deal with, keeping them tight and giving them short runs to keep them fit, fast and keen!!!  I think this helps to achieve a more polished methodical hunting spaniel.

Having spent many hours shooting rabbits over spaniels I believe it to be an excellent sport and a benefit not only to training but in general the land owner, they should be pleased you’re keeping the numbers down.  I always laugh when I hear the quote, “A bad shot will never have a good Spaniel”.  I reckon it must have been a lucky rabbit that wrote this?  I’m sure some of you will agree it takes a few flushes to get your eye in as a gun, I bet one or two of you are nodding your heads in agreement if you’re honest.

The benefits for a young dog and handler are huge; it allows you really to see the style and temperament of your youngster.  Does it get to hot or your worst nightmare, does it make a noise or squeak? Or damage the rabbit when retrieving it.   On the positive side it should give you a hard hunting, polished spaniel that is steady to flush, shot and will handle and retrieve, teaches the youngster to take a line and put its nose down.

After all, a spaniel without style in its hunting, is like an empty bottle of Scotch whisky, Nae good to me!

Of course you don’t have to be a field trialer to enjoy shooting rabbits with spaniels.  With the financial implications these days affecting most pockets this in my opinion is a great sport at minimal costs.

One important thing about shooting rabbits, as with all shooting, is safety.  Due to the bolting quarry most shoots have to be quick almost instinctive, Just make sure there is not a young spaniel on the end of the rabbit’s tail or your day could end in disaster.

If you are lucky enough to have rabbit ground and a few basically trained spaniels why not give it a go and I bet you enjoy it as much as the spaniels do and what a difference it will make to you and your dogs.

Enjoy your dogs.

Andy Cullen

Laochin Gundogs

www.laochingundogs.com

Brook is a medium built, dark cholate lab with a small white fleck under his chest and a kink in his tail.  

Brook’s story, from his owner

Brook is a chocolate Labrador that was taken from our garden in Bay Horse, Lancaster on the 16th April. We are terribly worried about him and desperately want him home where he belongs. Brook came to live with us when he was just a few weeks old. Not only was he a birthday surprise for me, but the first time I met him he had an engagement ring tied around his neck. This make him even more special to Aubrey and myself.

He spends his days with his dad sat in the tractor and exploring the countryside, and when at home he is either walking the canal or lounging on the sofa.He has always had a lovely life with us, and we dread to think what life is like for him now…he will be missing so badly!…He has spent the odd night in kennels, but he barks so much that when he comes home he has lost his bark…he can’t bear not to be with Aubrey. Brook will be fretting and so unhappy, we really do need to FIND BROOK

If you have any information please contact Caroline and Aubrey Hoyles on 07765 785880.

www.FindBrook.co.uk

There is a £5000 reward.

Pass It On Young Sports!

Educating families through all Country Pursuits

Pass It On will be holding another of their fabulous Taster Days at Jacklands Fishing Lakes on Sunday 1 April.  As always, the event is free of charge to existing Pass It On members, but don’t worry if you’re not yet a member - you can easily join on the day at the registration desk or, if you prefer, on the website prior to the day.

On the day, there will be a host of activities to introduce kids to traditional countryside ways, including tuition and demonstrations for …

Air Rifles

Archery

Coarse Fishing

Ferreting with the Woodpring Ferreting team

Falconry (subject to weather conditions)

Traditional Mole Trapping

Fly fishing

Traditional rural crafts

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Sunday 1 April 2012

10.00 am - 4.00 pm

Jacklands Fishing Lakes, Jacklands Bridge, Tickenham, N Somerset, BS21 6SG

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On the day, away from Pass it On, you can have a go at Fly/Coarse Fishing (at the standard charge).  You can either bring your own tackle or there is a limited amount of tackle you can hire from the shop.  For full details, check www.jacklandsfishinglakes.co.uk.

Refreshments are available at the Jacklands cafe, where a hearty warm West Country welcome awaits you … along with a lakeland terrier thats loves to be stroked.

PASS IT ON MEMBERSHIP

Family membership only £20 (2 adults/4 kids*)

Adult membership only £10

Child membership only £6 (16 or under)

* Please contact us for your particular family membership requirements

CONTACT DETAILS

For further details, contact the Chairman of Pass It On, Rob Collins:

Tel: 07901 251119 (Chairman)
Tel: 07501 962893 (Secretary)
Tel: 07565 963273 (Fundraising)

Email Enquiries: pass_it_on16@yahoo.co.uk

Chairman: chairman@pass-it-on-young-sports.org.uk

Secretary: Secretary@pass-it-on-young-sports.org.uk

Fundraising: Fundraising@pass-it-on-young-sports.org.uk

Web: www.pass-it-on-young-sports.org.uk