Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi.
I was wondering if anyone here knows whether there is a segment of the American Cocker Fancy that loves the breed and how it differs from the other spaniel breeds but strongly prefers the type of coat that was so prevalent until the 1960s.

I love the modern head type (when not ridiculously extreme or associated with nasty runny eyes), love the short hard back, handy size & meltingly sweet personality but am absolutely repulsed by the quantity of hair that is ubiquitous in show kennels EVEN THOUGH THE STANDARD PROHIBITS ALL THAT NASTY FLUFFY HAIR.

(As an aside why are the conformation judges so complicit? Aren't they ashamed of being corrupt?)

I remember the wonderful cockers of my youth with shiny shiny silky coats and decent amounts of feathering which required NO BARBERING.

Does anyone know of someone who is trying to be competitive in the ring while actively selecting for less hair?

Perhaps a concerned group of like minded people might be able to get together with the purpose of improving the breed by selecting for the highest quality dogs with the highest quality coat - which means much less of it!

Any thoughts?

I see your point and agree, excessive amounts of fluffy hair are not desirable in a pet and shouldn't be in the show ring. I have an american cocker spaniel that came from rescue. I think his coat is pretty, he's certainly not show quality but its a nice manageable coat. Here he is before he got his hair trimmed:

>>Hi.
>>I was wondering if anyone here knows whether there is a segment of the American Cocker Fancy that loves the breed and how it differs from the other spaniel breeds but strongly prefers the type of coat that was so prevalent until the 1960s.
>>
>>I love the modern head type (when not ridiculously extreme or associated with nasty runny eyes), love the short hard back, handy size & meltingly sweet personality but am absolutely repulsed by the quantity of hair that is ubiquitous in show kennels EVEN THOUGH THE STANDARD PROHIBITS ALL THAT NASTY FLUFFY HAIR.
>>
>>(As an aside why are the conformation judges so complicit? Aren't they ashamed of being corrupt?)
>>
>>I remember the wonderful cockers of my youth with shiny shiny silky coats and decent amounts of feathering which required NO BARBERING.
>>
>>Does anyone know of someone who is trying to be competitive in the ring while actively selecting for less hair?
>>
>>Perhaps a concerned group of like minded people might be able to get together with the purpose of improving the breed by selecting for the highest quality dogs with the highest quality coat - which means much less of it!
>>
>>Any thoughts?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>

You might want to take a look at the other Spaniel breeds, including the Field Spaniel.
-----
Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series at www.veterinaryforum.com

Hi
It's not that I'm looking for a spaniel with less hair - I know they exist.
My point is that I find it shameful that the American Cocker breed has been ruined by people who have allowed a FETISH for excessive hair to manipulate the gene pool to such an extent that INFERIOR animals are considered to be the only ones that should be bred.
I'm hoping that some intelligent, morally superior people will stand up for the BREED and say ENOUGH.
We WILL breed the dogs that WE decide are best and those dogs WILL NOT BE THE ONES with show championships because those dogs are ridiculously over coated.
Why did these fussy people RUIN this breed? Why didn't they breed poodles or Shih Tzus or Yorkies if what the really wanted to do was primp and brush and snip and fluff?

Show exhibitors and breeders:
SHAME ON YOU for what you did.
SHAME ON YOU for continuing to do it.
SHAME ON YOU for not even having the decency to admit what you did is wrong.

Field spaniels are nice.