# Working v's Show type - myth or fact?!



## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

Ok guys - can you help me out here?, I had totally decided I would rather have a pup from a show type mum, calmer generally - but is it really true of the offspring? I'm not sure if things are working out with my orig choice of breeder so may have to start new search and know of a litter which have working cocker mum - so how about if you can tell me which type your dog's mum was and if your dog is really lively most of the time, quite calm or calm with mad moments (or anything else you can think of) maybe it'll give me (and others) a clearer idea. Thank you.


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## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

Lady is an American Mini cross....she can be such a lazy bones and sleep around all day...or be super active at the dog park...it really changes. 
I think alot of it can come from how you are with your dog too. I am sure others will be able to help with their experiences as well.


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## Sezra (May 20, 2011)

Daisy is a Show cross. Full of beans when out and a big floppy lazy bones at home! 

My friend has a working cross, they are virtually identical except Daisy has a curly poodle tail and Flo has a working cocker tail, and the working cocker coat is coarser. Otherwise they look like Black and blonde versions of eachother! 

I think if they are bred for temperament it does not make too much difference although I am sure there are exceptions to the rule!


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## Jukee Doodles (Apr 5, 2011)

I think that this question needs a "sticky" as it gets asked so often.

Below is a previous thread on the same debate: 
http://ilovemycockapoo.com/showthread.php?t=5005&highlight=show+working

......basically there is little in it - it does then boil down to the parents used and if you look to visit a breeder or two - you should get to meet and play with the parents. We always say "if you like the mum" thats a good thing.

Stephen xx


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## Morph (Jan 28, 2010)

Darla's mum was a working cocker.

Darla sleeps most of the day and is ultra lazy, if she has a busy weekend then she sleeps even more than usual.

Take her to the park though and she bursts out of the car like an explosion in a fur ball factory. Totally ball obsessed (boardering on OCD) ignores other dogs, 'it's all about the ball people!'
If I take her fishing then it's 6 hours of throwing the tennis ball, but then it takes her 2 days to recover! 
Back at home though she is so chilled out and just likes to sleep.

In the last six months the working cocker has really started to come out in her, can run off after rabbits into bushes with ball in mouth, comes back with no ball. Say 'ball' and off she goes back into the bushes and returns with it. If you throw it and she doesn't see where it lands then she'll zig zag back and forth untill she picks up the scent and then arrows down onto the ball.
Very rarely lose a ball anymore, she'll find it.

Would get working cocker lines again.


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## PipE (Aug 4, 2011)

Kipper is a working cross. I think she's the perfect combination but maybe we're just either lucky or biased!!!
She can be as mad as a hatter one minute and as calm as anything next. 
She absolutely loves to play, especially with her ball, but will just as happily sit and chill in her bed while we watch television.
Lots of people have commented on how calm she is for a puppy. She gets excited when people arrive but as long as they are calm with her and tell her not to jump up she very quickly calms dow (especially if they tickle her tummy!!)
She is exceptionally loving and follows me around the house but generally if I sit down she'll find a comfy spot too!!
She's got a bit of cabin fever at the moment as she was spayed last week so is still only allowed very short lead walks.

Best of luck with your search, I hope you're as lucky as we are!

Pip X


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## colpa110 (Jul 5, 2011)

OMG - I think Betty may be the exception to the rule , she is from a show cocker mum and is almost NEVER still - she is on the go the whole time and 
never sleeps during the day when I am home with her all day at the weekends.
She may ( if I am lucky) settle down by about 9PM. Her dad is a toy poodle so I don't know if that makes any difference.... I think all dogs just have their own personality and two pups even from the same litter can have totally different energy levels. Good luck with whatever you decide..


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## mandym (Jun 5, 2011)

Two of my cockapoos are working cockapoos,one was extremely hyper when she was younger the other much calmer and they were sisters from different litters.Two of the dogs i walk are show cockers,one is the most chilled laid back cocker ive ever met and the other is a mad hatter so i guess they are all different,i would perhaps visit a few breeders and meet the mums so you get a rough idea xxx


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## Turi (Jun 28, 2011)

We went to choose our puppy the weekend before last. The breeder that we chose, Broadreach Dogs, specialises in working crosses but she has one show-type girl. She said her show-type is stubborn and not as ‘engaging’ as her working Cockers. I’m not saying this is a hard and fast rule though so please don’t shoot me down! We chose a working cross because:

-	We read they were more biddable than show-type Cockers and having never had a dog before we wanted one that was easily trained
-	We read that working Cockers have traditionally been bred for temperament and health rather than looks so generally have preferable temperaments and haven’t been subjected to in-breeding
-	Because generally they have more stamina and we are an active couple
-	Because we preferred the look of a working cross

Hope this helps?!


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

Thank you for replies so far - I imagined working type would be good to train but that you may have to put more time in with them so they didn't get bored, we are fairly active but during an average day there will be times when i'd hope the dog would be happy to crash out while I got on with other things without getting too stressed or destructive - from these replies it sounds as if a working mum could work out for us - although hoping the picking up scent wouldn't be too strong - we nearly rehomed 3 yr old border terrier, but 2 reasons we didn't were 1. he was dog aggressive and made walks too stressful. 2. if he got a scent he was gone. (anyway i always wanted a more cuddly type breed!)


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## MillieDog (Jun 1, 2011)

Millie is from a show cocker. As a puppy she was incredibly chilled out and relaxed around people. I have people coming to my house several times a day and she had to learn very quickly that squeals of delight aimed at her were normal. She absolutely loves the attention. She remains chilled out (other dog owners I've met have said its the home she's in!) I have no idea if this is true or not. 

When we go for a walk she loves to play and run around, although get tired quicker than my sister in laws Cockerpoo, who is Working cocker. 

Her two bad traits are finding dead rabbits and fox poo.

I did buy from a breeder who said they bred specifically for temperament, which was quite important to me being a first time dog owner.


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## Turi (Jun 28, 2011)

I think it’s worth remembering that any Cockapoo, be it from an American and English Show or a English Working is likely to be ‘higher maintenance’ than some other breeds – they’re half Poodle which are, according to Wiki (!) the second most intelligent dog. As a prospective owner I relished the idea of a puppy that would be communicative, responsive, spirited and in some ways, demanding. Probably because those closest to me would describe me in this way. 

If you were to read through the experiences of ALL the Cockapoo owners on here I’d say that there really is no hard and fast rule as to how chilled their dog is at home. I also think it depends on what you enforce with your dog – if you’re calm and relaxed at home but exciting and fun on a walk then I imagine a puppy, to some extent regardless of their background, will fall in line with this.


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## Hfd (Aug 19, 2011)

Billy is a show type cockapoo, he is never 'mad as a hatter' and doesnt bomb around the house but is lively and excited around other dogs and on walks. He has brilliant stamina and keeps up with a working cocker who we walk with. At home he loves to chill and is happy to fit in with whatever we are doing. Personality wise he is loyal and loving and has been very trainable. 
Looks wise you will be hard pushed to tell the difference (as a previous thread of pics proved when most of the guesses were wrong!).
Good luck
H x


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## ali-s.j. (Jun 6, 2011)

Izzy is pretty chilled at home, but still a pup so also playful. She has boundless energy when we're out. She is a working cocker cross. I also have a working cocker spaniel, she was pretty hyper in her younger days, but remember they are bred as working dogs, and if you train them, they do as you ask


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## Sezra (May 20, 2011)

One thing that I have noticed on these Show V Working threads is that no one ever says they have gone for the wrong type! 

So either everyone made the right decision after lots of research , there really isn't much in it OR we all love our dogs so much it really wouldn't matter what they were like!


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## flounder_1 (May 12, 2011)

Lolly is from a working cocker and compared to Millie (above who's show and is very calm) she seems positively hyper!!! But we have a young family with squealing hyper kids around whereas Millie lives in a grown up calmer house! However she only really shows this when there are lovely people to meet and when on a walk when she could keep going for hours and hours!! But at home she's a bit of a couch potato.
She's been extremely quick to train and is very obedient (most of the time!!) I think it's a bit down to luck


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

From the point of view of someone who has always rescued dogs - there are lots and lots of young working cockers rehomed every year because they are too active for the homes they are in. Some working cockers are calmer, some show cockers may be more manic but generally speaking working cockers will be more active and may be too much for the average family who just want a family pet.

Although the cockapoo is a cross I would expect generally working crosses to be more active and demanding than a show cross.

Part of the problem Molly had before she came to me was she was too active a dog for the lifestyle she was in and from the ads on sites like preloved there are a fair few younger dogs always looking for homes of which a fair proportion are likely to be for similar reasons.


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## Laura(L)Izzie (Sep 9, 2011)

Don't know whether there are genuine differences or not, I would assume working crosses would be livlier, but i'm just going to share what my two are like to help.

Both my girls are English show cockers crossed with miniature poodles. My house consists of my mum, dad, me (19) and my sister (16), so a more grown up household.

Izzie is my oldest (16.5 months), as a pup in the house she had a mad half an hour at night time, but generally was always very chilled and loving. Grown up she is still very chilled, loves to sleep! & is very loving and affectionate  Always comes to sit on my knee to enjoy a snuggle while she settles to go to sleep  She sleeps in mine or my parents bedrooms everynight and every morning (around 5am) will jump up onto the bed and snuggle into our legs  She is VERY intelligent and was very easy to train, she loves her walks but could go without if for some reason we couldn't take her and is brilliant with people, but a but giddy when people first come over, although settles down after 5 minutes of fussing.

Poppy is the youngest (5.5 months) has always been chilled out so far, doesn't have the mad half hours that Izzie did, but we think this may be because she has Izzie to play with instead. Loves her walks and is lively enough on them, but is very chilled out and sleeps a lot at home. She's the same as Izzie with snuggling up to your legs on the sofa or laying on your knee. She also sleeps in our bedrooms and even though at first she liked ot sleep on the bed, she now prefers the blanket on the floor and comes up for a cuddle early or later morning depending how she feels, she gives lots of kisses  However she is not as intelligent as Izzie, she hasn't yet learnt any tricks (although I will keep trying), she just sits and looks cute instead, so we definitely think Izzie got the poodle brain and Poppy got the cocker brain  Lol.

Hope that helps a little, good luck with your decision!


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## Ali79 (Mar 30, 2011)

Sezra said:


> One thing that I have noticed on these Show V Working threads is that no one ever says they have gone for the wrong type!
> 
> So either everyone made the right decision after lots of research , there really isn't much in it OR we all love our dogs so much it really wouldn't matter what they were like!


I am with Sarah (Sezra) in this post  Beau has a Show Cocker Mum and a Miniature Poodle Dad. She is extremely intelligent (sometimes too much for her own good)  She can be a bit hyper but she is still very young and will be one on the 16th  She will walk as far as we want but will also chill on the sofa with one of us or in bed with whoever is in at bedtime. Apart from recall (my fault due to personal circumstances so wont blame her for any of this) she is very easy to train and often does more of what is required at obedience classes than any of the others which include Working Cocker, Show Cocker, Springer, Labrador etc. She sometimes suffers from separation anxiety but again I do partly blame myself as she is with us pretty much all of the time (again due to personal circumstances) so when she has to to be left alone she does get a bit agitated to start with but things are improving and we are working on all of the above. Most of all she is loyal, cuddly, sweet natured and eager to please both people and other animals (plumber came on Saturday to fix our hot water said he can't believe how gentle she was when he was playing with her toys with him). I am not sure if this is Working, Show or Poodle (all of which we have owned over the years but not as a mixed breed) but both Madeleine and I are more than happy with what we got the same as every other Poo owner on this site


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## M&M's mummy (Jul 12, 2011)

I tell you what guys and girls don't be worrying about show or working cocker etc....... because it is the poodles that I think play a major part in their make-up 

From what you hear about the poodle studs they all seem right little characters and sure it's their genes that put the extra "spice" in our dogs.

As some-one said to me at the weekend with my Cavapoo it's the poo bit that makes her bomb around and dive into lakes etc............. as most ( not all) cavaliers are generally more laid back dogs


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## embee (Dec 27, 2010)

M&M's mummy said:


> it is the poodles that I think play a major part in their make-up  From what you hear about the poodle studs they all seem right little characters and sure it's their genes that put the extra "spice" in our dogs.


Ummmm - are mine the exception that proves the rule... my two girls have the same miniature poodle dad and they are like chalk and cheese - Flo is as mad as a box of frogs  and Remy is very laid back


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## M&M's mummy (Jul 12, 2011)

embee said:


> Ummmm - are mine the exception that proves the rule... my two girls have the same miniature poodle dad and they are like chalk and cheese - Flo is as mad as a box of frogs  and Remy is very laid back


Yeah but Remy is still young yet -she may turn 

I think lots of factors come into play: genetics, temperament, how they are raised etc.....

My poodle theory was just some


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## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

M&M's mummy said:


> I tell you what guys and girls don't be worrying about show or working cocker etc....... because it is the poodles that I think play a major part in their make-up
> 
> From what you hear about the poodle studs they all seem right little characters and sure it's their genes that put the extra "spice" in our dogs.





M&M's mummy said:


> I think lots of factors come into play: genetics, temperament, how they are raised etc.....



Excellent points Shirley ..

The poodle is a character for sure lol ....


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## DONNA (Jan 7, 2011)

Buddys from a working cocker i would say he is carm with mad moments,we live in the country so he always has an off lead walk in the morning for 1/2 hr-an hour then he will happily sleep most of the day .

Also he has never shot off when he gets the sent of something (unlike my friends springer)yes he walks nose to the ground most of the time but apart from when he sees another dog he dosnt wonder far from me at all.

The only cockapoo from a show cocker i know is Treacle (nadine) and she is lovely i would say yes more layed back then Buddy but this might be a girl thing?

So i dont think it matters really, what matters is the mum and dads temperment and if you go for a boy or girl.

Another plus for me i almost forgot was that a working cocker has a shorter coat then a show and i must admit ive found Buddys coat to be quite short on his body and even though he's been to the groomers twice ive not yet had his body cut as it still looks fine and he's nearly 9 mths.


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## Jukee Doodles (Apr 5, 2011)

JoJo said:


> Excellent points Shirley ..
> 
> The poodle is a character for sure lol ....


In my experience Poodle characters vary a lot as do their size and stamp. Whilst they are all intelligent, we've had a very feisty and needy Toy one, an oversized Miniature one who looked more like a little Standard and was a fairly fragile character (we nick named him Gaylord :-D) and now have two that are nephew and uncle who are chunky, confident, off-road (play rough with the rest of them outside) and really laid back characters and not delicate at all. 
For me both parents temperaments are vitally important and you can't really generalise accurately by breed alone. J x


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## M&M's mummy (Jul 12, 2011)

Jukee Doodles said:


> In my experience Poodle characters vary a lot as do their size and stamp. Whilst they are all intelligent, we've had a very feisty and needy Toy one, an oversized Miniature one who looked more like a little Standard and was a fairly fragile character (we nick named him Gaylord :-D) and now have two that are nephew and uncle who are chunky, confident, off-road (play rough with the rest of them outside) and really laid back characters and not delicate at all.
> For me both parents temperaments are vitally important and you can't really generalise accurately by breed alone. J x


Totally agree it's both parents.

We never seem to discuss the poodles much though always the cocker and as you have just said the poodles you have had varied a lot....


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## JoJo (Mar 2, 2011)

M&M's mummy said:


> Totally agree it's both parents.
> 
> We never seem to discuss the poodles much though always the cocker and as you have just said the poodles you have had varied a lot....


Yes its takes two well balanced and healthy pure breeds and a good breeder to care for parents and help raise the litter to create a cockapoo ... so much to be considered when creating this wonderful breed   by hey its well worth it, I know we all agree with that xxx

You are right we dont talk about the poodle much .. and it is such an important factor   love poodles xxx


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## tessybear (May 1, 2011)

My two are both from show cockers. I wouldn't say they are high maintenance at all compared with pedigrees I know. Like others have said they are very lively outside on walks but calm and easy at home. They both follow me everywhere and cuddle up with me at any opportunity. I may sound like I am boasting but they both excell at obedience class and outshine all the other dogs as they are both so intelligent and willing to please! They do have their traits of course and are certainly not angels!


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## Mogdog (Feb 6, 2011)

Bess is working cross .... playful, confident and energetic (she is still young) but calm once back home.

Maisie is American cross .... she's timid (that's probably just her!) generally sticks with me when off-lead, but can be playful, can be a barker!

Both are sweeties, however, and very loving. 

They all differ, best to see the mum and dad dogs and guage what they are like.


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## Hfd (Aug 19, 2011)

I think the general responses show that all Poo's are fab whatever their parentage!
Maybe find a breeder you are happy with then wait and see the litter for *** / colours....but for alot of us when we have visited the litter our puppy has picked us!! 
H x


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

Thanks again all - they are obviously all fab, I think i'll be sticking to my first plan of show type mum - I hope to be able to give you all details of my new boy soon!!(i hope), although if things don't go to plan I think I would be a lot happier now widening my search to include working type mums since reading your replies. I am a bit superstitious (ok, a believer in sods law!) so I don't want to presume all sorted until deposit paid and have something in writing but watch this space....


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## Turi (Jun 28, 2011)

Pleased for you that you've made a decision between the types Dawn - I really believe that's a massive part of the Cockapoo search journey!


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## Jukee Doodles (Apr 5, 2011)

DB1 said:


> Thanks again all - they are obviously all fab, I think i'll be sticking to my first plan of show type mum - I hope to be able to give you all details of my new boy soon!!(i hope), although if things don't go to plan I think I would be a lot happier now widening my search to include working type mums since reading your replies. I am a bit superstitious (ok, a believer in sods law!) so I don't want to presume all sorted until deposit paid and have something in writing but watch this space....


There are certainly some lovely Show type 'Poos out there and I'd personally suggest you try Anthony at Anzil Cockapoos.

Stephen x


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## mandym (Jun 5, 2011)

Awena said:


> Anzil and jandaz and donna from essex cockapoos got lots of experience and have had great success in this breed and been doing it a long time. Also Marley doodles got some lovely dogs. Good luck


Essex cockapoos only do american toy cockapoos,not the showtype x


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