Getting a puppy is a huge decision and a commitment that can be for 10+ years. They will require regular exercise, training, yearly vaccination boosters, regular worming and vets fee's if they get ill. Puppies like babies teethe, so can be destructive and will want your attention. All of these are things that you need to consider before making the decision to get a puppy. So whether you are considering getting one of my pups or someone elses, please feel free to read the information below. Please read the following short article before deciding on buying a working spaniel as a pet - Pippa Mattinson, Spaniels
What is the difference between show & working types?
The two different strains have been bred for different purposes. Show type are the ones you will find at shows like Crufts, they are bred for a particular look, they have rounder heads, longer/heavier set ears and a longer coat which will need regular grooming. Working type are bred for their ability to work. They too compete, but they compete in Working Tests and Field Trials - If you see FTCH on pedigree paperwork, this shows a Field Trial Champion. Because of the difference in breeding, the two strains have a very different look. Working types are generally more active and may need more mental stimulation than their show type relatives. Working types have shorter hair which is easier to manage. Here at BarleyCourt, we breed Working Cockers and Springers.
Should I get a Working Cocker/Springer if I can only offer limited exercise?
No: Both working Cockers and working Springers are lively breeds, only choose one of these breeds if you have an hour or more per day to exercise/train them. They thrive with training and love to work, they enjoy agility and flyball too. A dog that is not sufficiently exercised/mentally stimulated can develop behavioural issues.
How much exercise should I give my new puppy?
You should not take a new puppy out on a walk until they have had all of their vaccinations (we provide the 1st with our pups) They can usually go out a week after their final vaccination. These vaccinations protect your pup from several things, among those is parvovirus which is highly contagious.
When your pup has had their vaccinations and are able to go out, it is very important to keep their exercise to a gentle walk, it is recommended that their walks are kept to 5 minutes for each month of their age until they are a year old. It is possible to over exercise a young dog which can cause serious, irreparable joint issues. After 1 year of age, I would recommend one hour a day minimum.
Pet MD have a good article How Much Exercise Is Too Much For My Puppy?
Please also consider your pup is young and will need plenty of uninterupted sleep to be able to develop properly. Children should be taught to respect pups space and leave them to rest/sleep.
As well as exercise, your pup will need training and mental stimulation.
What questions should I ask the breeder?
What health tests are in place? Breeding Cockers should be DNA tested for PRA & FN, both of which Cockers are prone to. Springers should be DNA tested for PRA, Fuco and PFK. Make sure you see the paperwork. They should also have an up to date BVA eye test (dated within the last year) Glaucoma test is also preferable as is hip testing. Please see my Health page for more information.
What is the inbreeding coefficient of the litter? Heavy inbreeding can cause major health issues, the average is around 9% (this changes periodically). For information.... a mother son mating, or brother to sister would only have a 30% (approx) result.
Is the mum there for me to meet? Ask this before going to see pups. You should see mum with her pups in the place they have been raised. Alarm bells should ring if mum is not available.
Have they been wormed? When? Pups should be wormed at least three times in their first 8 weeks - pups that aren't wormed can have medical issues.
Are they show or working type? There are distinct differences between the two - alarm bells should ring if the breeder can't answer what type they are.
What size are mum and dad? Both breeds can vary hugely in size.
When can I take my puppy home? If the breeder says you can take the puppy home before 8 weeks of age (give or take a day or two maximum) in my opinion, walk away. Puppies learn a huge amount from their mother and litter mates in their time together. Pups going to their new homes too early can suffer from behavioral problems.
Don't be shy of asking the breeder questions, they should be very knowledgeable about their breed and are usually very happy to answer any questions you may have.
For Cockers there is the Working Cocker Pro Health website which is full of information about Cocker health, have a read of "Our 10 Point Guide To Finding A Responsible Breeder" page about what to look for in a breeder.
I'm in a rented/leasehold property, can I get a puppy?
If you live in rented or leasehold accommodation, the terms of your lease may not allow pets. You will need a letter from your landlord/management company giving you permission to have a dog before you take your BarleyCourt puppy home.
What should I feed my puppy?
When you take your puppy home, you will usually have a sample of the food they have been weaned on to. Please use the same food for at least a month. Moving home can be stressful for pups and they may be a little 'loose' to begin with, changing a puppy's diet can cause them to have a very upset tummy. If you would like to change their food, they will need to be 'weaned' on to the new food, do this by adding a small amount of the new food to their old food and increasing the new food very gradually over 5-7 days whilst reducing the old food. Treats and tid bits can also upset their tummy, once they are well settled in to their new home, you can start to introduce new things.
Please see my Health page for more information on feeding your pup.
Can pup go in the back garden before all vaccinations?
Although your garden may not have had un-vaccinated dogs in, it may have had foxes in and they too can carry parvovirus and other nasties. I would recommend speaking to your vet about this, I have always let my own dogs in the garden from the day they come home, but I wouldn't recommend you doing so unless advised by your vet.
Why are BarleyCourt pups endorsed? What is an endorsement?
I take pride in my dogs and the pups they produce, I breed ethically and my dogs are well loved pets. I have gone to great lengths to breed healthy, happy puppies. I do not want for my pups to end up in puppy farms producing litter after litter and never being loved and cared for, I also want to keep my 'line' as healthy as possible. For this reason my pups are endorsed, this means that; puppies cannot be Kennel Club registered. I reserve the right to remove an endorsement only under special circumstances. If you have any questions about this, please feel free to ask. There is also a NO breeding clause in my puppy contract, please see below.
Do I need to sign a puppy contract?
Yes: When taking a BarleyCourt pup home, you will sign a puppy contract, this contract in very basic terms states that you will look after the puppy properly and understand that the pup is endorsed and you are signing to say that you understand what that means. In addition to the Kennel Club endorsement you also agree that you will NOT breed the pup at any point. The contract also states that if at any point the pup needs to be rehomed, he/she is to be brought back to me and NOT sold/given to a third party. I do this as a responsible breeder, so that my pups are homed with the right people who will care for them properly and do not end up in rescue centres. If you are having one of my puppies, please make sure that you have thoroughly read and understand the terms of the contract, once signed it is legally binding.
If you are looking for a dog to breed from you will need to make me aware of this during initial contact so I can give you details of alternative breeders who don't have contracts preventing this.
What should I look at paying for a puppy from a different breeder?
This is a 'how long is a piece of string' question. Having spent a lot of time looking around at the litters available I am very much of the opinion 'you get what you pay for' as long as you do your research! A Cocker or Springer pup will cost upwards of £300, but these lower priced pups will NOT come from extensively health tested parents, they could also be a mixture of show and working types.
I say "as long as you do your research" above because you will find litters of pups who have untested parents with no working ability and no puppy vaccinations etc for £700+.
The things that responsible breeders do to produce good quality pups is costly, this cost will be reflected in the price of your pup.
You can absolutely find puppies that are cheaper than mine and cheaper than that of other responsible breeders, it's down to you as the buyer to choose what is important to you and search for a litter accordingly.
If I am placed on your list and/or come to visit, am I guaranteed a puppy?
In short, no. I usually have several people on my waiting list and until they are born, no idea of how many puppies I will have available, so I may not have a pup for everyone.
I like to have a chat with people over the phone before they visit to get a feel for them and the visit itself is as much a time for me to get a feel for you as a prospective owner as it is for you to get a feel for me as a breeder, and we may not be a good fit for each other.
I never let a pup go home with someone the very first time I meet a prospective new owner, irrespective of whether the pups are old enough and ready. I like for people to come and visit and then leave so we can (both parties) decide if the 'fit' is right. It is my moral duty and my responsibility as a breeder to make sure my pups go to the right homes.