Sprocker Spaniel puppies for sale UK

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Introduction

Sprockers are the result of crossing a pure bred Springer Spaniel with a pure bred Cocker Spaniel although occasionally an American Cocker Spaniel is used to create a Sprocker. This lovely cross breed is definitely not a “designer dog” but rather a working dog that also makes a fantastic family pet. Sprockers usually inherit the lovely traits of both their parent breeds which has made them one of the most popular cross breeds in the UK. Today, there are between 5, 000 to 10, 000 of them found in homes throughout the country. They are very special dogs that are extremely handsome and proud looking. However, Sprockers are not recognised as a breed by any of the major international kennel clubs, which means they are not allowed to compete in Field Trials.

History

Sprocker spaniels over the last 20 years or so have made their mark on the dog world in a brilliant way. It's thought they might have been first bred either accidentally or on purpose by gamekeepers who selectively bred from Springer and Cocker Spaniels but it is only recently they have become known as “Sprockers”. It is also thought that gamekeepers in Scotland were the first to cross breed Springers with Cockers, which they did to create a strong working spaniel that would have the stamina to work larger estates. The combination of the best traits from both parent breeds meant the dogs could work in any sort of terrain. Since then, Sprockers have found a place in many people's hearts and homes and are known to be ideal as family pets. Sprockers are definitely not considered as “designer dogs” simply because they are the result of breeding two different types of spaniels and therefore no “cross breeding” as such has taken place. Cockers and Springers came about by breeding original land Spaniels which is pretty much the same ancestry as a Sprocker could be considered as having.

Appearance

Sprockers are very elegant, proud looking spaniels, having inherited many of their parent breed traits. When it comes to coat colours, there are many from solids, roans, black and white, liver and white, tri-colours and many more. The most common colour however, is black or mostly black with splashes of white. Chocolate and chocolate with a dash of white are also common colour variants. The most popular Sprockers are those whose fathers were Cockers with the mother being the Springer, the result is a much stockier and heavier pup. When it comes to weight, this can range from anything under 14kg to anything over 20kg – but these are just averages. Males are normally heavier than their female counterparts and a little taller too. The average height at the wither of a Sprocker is around 14” to 20” with the females being slightly smaller.

Temperament

When it comes to temperament, Sprockers can boast being wonderful family pets as well as superb working dogs. They absolutely adore human contact and are particularly good around children of all ages as well as cats and other pets. Sprockers can be a little naughty, but this is part of their charm. They thrive on loads of activity and this means physical and mental stimulation. They are very intelligent which makes them easy to train. However, because they are such alert characters, many owners use them in gun dog training as well as for beating. Sprockers have also proved themselves to be excellent agility dogs. Both the armed forces and emergency services recognise the value of Sprockers and use them to assist them in their endeavours.

Health

In general, Sprockers are very healthy, resilient dogs but they are prone to the diseases their parent breed spaniels are predisposed to. However, many Sprockers live very long and healthy lives without showing any signs of these diseases, but if you are thinking about buying or adopting a Sprocker, it's better to know about them so you can keep an eye out for any symptoms should they occur. The common diseases that can affect a Sprocker's parent breed are as follows:

- Eye Diseases
- Hepatitis
- Hip Dysplasia
- Ear Problems
- Hypothyroidism
- Epilepsy
- Fucosidosis
- Phosphofructokinase (PFK) deficiency
- Auto immune diseases

Caring for a Sprocker

Sprockers are very active by nature and as such need a lot of daily exercise and mental stimulation to keep them happy and in good health. However, they are very intelligent and can adapt easily into their owner's lifestyle as long as they get to play and go into the great outdoors with their owners on a daily basis. Because they are so clever, Sprockers are very easy to train which makes them great fun to have around. However, like many spaniels they do tend to have selective hearing when they want so a firm, but gentle hand is needed when controlling them. When it comes to their coats, Sprockers need grooming on a daily basis, and they love the routine. This helps keep coats looking good and any debris out. As with all spaniels, Sprockers need to have their ears checked regularly because they tend to pick up things in them – as they get older this is especially important as they are prone to ear infections. Regular visits to the vet are essential for their boosters and also as they get older, they do need to have routine check ups. Their teeth need to be checked regularly to make sure there's no build up of plaque and if there is then this needs to be removed with a visit to the vet in order to avoid any gum disease.