The Cocker Spaniel: Care and Training for Home and Sport

Description

The Cocker Spaniel is the only book you will ever need! With many readers coming to cockers for the first time, this book offers complete guidance for their very earliest care and training at home, and then introduces both cockers and their owners to a range of different activities and competitions. Drawing on more than a quarter of a century s experience with cockers, the author takes you on a wonderful journey from the moment your puppy arrives home to the day that you start enjoying sport and activities together. Topics covered include: . Getting started at home . Basic education . Cocker health . Training your cocker as a gundog . Agility and obedience activities . A-Z cocker problem solver Useful contacts Many cocker owners want to work their dog as a gundog in country sports, including field trials and working tests. With The Cocker Spaniel the transition from family dog at home to elite performance dog in the field is seamless and easy to achieve. There is plenty of technical instruction on how to work your cocker in the field, as the author has done, successfully, with five Field Trial Champions to her name. AUTHOR: Janet Menzies is a professional author and journalist who trains, works and breeds cocker spaniels. She is a gundog and shooting correspondent for The Field magazine and writes a monthly blog on gundog training for the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC). She has made up five Field Trial Champions, most of whom she bred herself. Best-known is FTCh Gournaycourt Ginger, one of the most consistent cockers of recent years. Although cockers are her first love, Janet writes about all the gundog breeds and enjoys all her country sports. 40 colour images

Janet Menzies is a professional author and journalist who breeds, trains and works cocker spaniels. She is a gundog and shooting correspondent for The Field magazine and writes a monthly blog on gundog training for the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC). She has had success with five Field Trial Champions, the majority of which she bred herself. The best known is FTCh Gournaycourt Ginger, one of the most consistent cockers of recent years.

Wow! What a most pleasant surprise this book was. From cover to cover it includes a swag of useful and sensible information that a new cocker owner should know. But Menzies doesn't stop there; she has also included valuable tips on field training which usually only come after years and years of field experience. An easy read which would be enjoyed by all spaniel enthusiasts. Janet's cocker spaniel guide is just the job! At over 200 pages and drawing on more than 25 years' experience, Janet's words and some fantastic illustrations will get you clued up in no time at all. Just make sure the little rascal doesn't pinch it while you're taking a break from reading it! There is no one more suited to guide you through the highs (and sometimes lows) of owning a cocker spaniel than Field columnist and cocker expert Janet Menzies... Menzies writes with clarity and enthusiasm and the book is an essential guide for anyone who has, or is thinking about, one of these sterling sorts as either a home or working companion. -- Alexandra Henton * The Field * This is a really useful book for all cocker spaniel owners, whether you're on your first cocker or your tenth. It is perfect for first-time cocker owners. It has sections on getting started with your pup, as well as information on the breed and its health, which are detailed yet easy to understand. At the time of reading Janet's book, I had a litter of cocker pups. When they went to their new homes, I recommended it to one of the new owners who wanted a bit of direction. I've had feedback that it has been invaluable in helping get the whole family on the right path. This book has a useful section about the use of cockers in sport, covering a variety of disciplines such as agility, heelwork to music and, of course, shooting. I found the 'A-Z cocker problem solver' section to be the most valuable. This section covers the traits, trials and tribulations that are experienced in any household home to a cocker and offers a comprehensive insight into the specifics of the breed. It made me realise that I was not alone in having extremely smart and persistent dogs. Because of this last section, Janet's book will stay on my bookshelf for as long as there is a cocker spaniel in my life. -- Jan Chesters * BASC * Janet Menzies has, on this occasion, absolutely hit the nail squarely on the head. The book is very obviously aimed at the new owner who wants to work their spaniel and she delivers on every aspect, from the preparations you need to take before bringing your puppy home to competing in field trials. Each chapter is well structured and she has covered each topic in detail. A lot of training books make the assumption that the reader has some understanding of the end goal or that they have been a previous dog owner, which is often not the case. Janet makes no such assumption and covers everything that the new owner needs to know step by step. Not every new working Cocker owner wants a peg dog, or even to take their spaniel shooting, so the inclusion of other activities such as heelwork to music and obedience competitions are a welcome addition. Probably one of the most helpful sections of the book is at the back and this is the A-Z problem solver. Covering everything form attention seeking to yapping, she has some very innovative ways of solving any problem that may occur during and after training. Overall, it is probably one of the best books I have read for the new working Cocker Spaniel owner. -- Nick Orr * Bailey's Hunting Directory * Even cocker spaniel experts will pick up a tip or two - an all-round excellent read that will have your dog walking to heel in no time. I would recommend this book to anyone who has recently acquired, or intends to acquire a Cocker Spaniel. It is ideal for a person who is looking for guidance to take them through puppyhood, basic training and even on to the dizzy heights of advanced training, competitions and field trials.