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| We get asked dozens of questions during the course of a normal week! Below is a sample of some of the more frequent, they are not in any order of importance. If you don't find an answer here then please do feel free to contact us You may also like to visit our Puppy Information page where you will find additional information. |
Where are you located?We are in Herefordshire (please click here for a map) which is centrally located in the Country. We are within easy reach of the M5 motorway (J7) & other major routes. We are happy to supply detailed travel directions. Please ask if you require them. |
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The Dog Breeding DiplomaAs a conscientious dog breeder, I have studied the Animal Care College Dog Breeding Diploma course. The aim of the course is to encourage ethical good breeding practices and to understand the hereditability of canine diseases, genetics, whelping, canine anatomy/structure, the Kennel Club Breed Standards and a dog’s movement & balance. For more information about the course, please click here! |
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About UsWe are a small hobby kennel of parti-colour Cocker Spaniels. We have enjoyed living with and showing this lovely breed for many years and we are proud of our dogs and their achievements. All our dogs live in the house with us and are much-loved companions. Likewise our puppies are born and reared in the house and are well socialised. We are Kennel Club Accredited Breeders and as such all our dogs are health tested with KC/BVA Eye Certificates for CPRA/GPRA & Glaucoma. They are also OptiGen prcd-PRA tested, OptiGen or Antagene FN tested (or from two clear parents) and hip scored with scores below the Breed Mean Score for the breed. We are pleased to say that no puppies bred at Powerscourt will EVER develop prcd-PRA or FN. Our dogs are sweet natured, have outstanding temperaments and are confident and sociable. In addition to this, they are typical examples of the breed that win well at all levels of competition. |
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Vetting Potential Puppy BuyersAll potential puppy buyers are vetted as to their suitability so do not be offended! We want our puppies/dogs to go to permanent, loving homes where the owners have the time & commitment to offer to a lively new member of the family. As reputable, caring and conscientious breeders, we aim to ensure that our puppies go to permanent, loving homes where the owners have the time & commitment to offer to a lively new member of the family. We also want to ensure that new owners gain as much pleasure and enjoyment as possible from their new family member. We believe that the exchange of information works both ways, we will require information from you to help us assess your lifestyle in relation to puppy ownership, but likewise we are also happy to tell you about us, our dogs and their puppies and answer any questions you may have. |
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What age do your puppies leave home ?Our puppies leave home at approximately 8 weeks old. They are fully weaned by the age of 6 weeks. They still have contact with their mother but are no longer relying upon her as a food source. There is some flexibility about when our puppies leave us, we do occasionally keep puppies longer in order to fit around people's existing holiday commitments etc. However as all puppies go through a further socialization phase it is preferable if owners can collect their puppy at 8 weeks of age so that he/she can adjust to their new home environment during this important developmental stage. |
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Are puppies wormed, micro chipped & vaccinated?Puppies are wormed upon the advice of our Vet. This is carried out at 3, 5 & 7 weeks of age. Details of dates etc. are contained in your puppy pack. All our puppies are micro chipped & registered in the new owners name at no extra cost to the owner. Their details are held on a national database administered by the UK Kennel Club. All our puppies routinely receive their first vaccination whilst still at Powerscourt. A further vaccination will be required approximately 3 - 4 weeks after the first vaccination (when the puppy is 10 weeks old). |
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Do you sell puppies that have been docked?A ban on docking came into force on the 6th April 2007 (in England) therefore all traditionally docked breeds will now have full tails unless breeders can demonstrate they comply with the exemption to the ban. There are exemptions contained within the Act and Powerscourt are able to meet the strict requirements, therefore we are able to continue to have puppies LEGALLY docked under the new Animal Welfare Act 2006 should owners wish to have a docked puppy. Powerscourt reserve the right to determine whether, in their opinion, any puppy they sell is likely to be worked in the future & a decision regarding docking will be based on this opinion. Any owner who buys a Powerscourt puppy, which has a docked tail (docked legally after the enactment of the new AWB 2006), will be provided with a certificate to prove that the puppy has been legally docked. Please see here for notes. Please note that that under Scottish law there are no exemptions. It is very important that if you buy a docked puppy you ensure that the procedure has been carried out legally and that the breeder provides you at the time of sale with the DEFRA approved certificate. The certificate should be on a veterinary surgeries' headed paper, signed by a vet and stamped with the practice stamp. Breeders and owners of illegally docked puppies/dogs will face prosecution and will be subject to substantial fines and possibly a term in prison. Please note that puppies/dogs docked after the enactment of the Act cannot be shown in England (except to prove their working abilities) at any event where the public are charged an entrance fee. This regulation does not affect pet/working puppies. |
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Are your dogs tested under KC/BVA Health Schemes ?There are two KC/BVA health schemes for Cocker Spaniels, one is the Eye Scheme, the other is the Hip-Scoring Scheme. All our dogs are examined by a veterinary ophthalmologist under the eye scheme. There are two tests available, Glaucoma and PRA. We undertake both tests and our dogs are tested at the age of 12 months. We are pleased to say that all our dogs are unaffected with either condition. The KC/BVA eye test for PRA is a clinical examination, it is not possible to determine whether clinically clear animals are carriers, clear or whether they will become affected at a later date. Because of the limitations of the scheme we also DNA tested our dogs in 2004 using the new OptiGen DNA test for prcd-PRA. All our dogs are DNA tested (or are from "Normal/Clear" parents) & we are pleased to say that we have no affected dogs. "Clear/Normal" dogs will never develop the disease and are not carriers of prcd PRA & cannot pass this disease onto their offspring. "Carrier" dogs will also never develop this disease & provided they are mated to "Normal/Clear" dogs, none of their offspring will develop the disease either. We also take advantage of the KC/BVA Hip-Scoring scheme and our dogs are X-Rayed at the age of 12 months. ALL X-Ray films are sent to the BVA for scoring. We are pleased to say that our dogs have scores which are below the Breed Mean Score (average for the breed). For details on our health testing results please click here! |
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What is OptiGen PRA testing?OptiGen is a DNA-based test that helps breeders avoid the most common form of Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA). PRA refers to a group of diseases that cause the retina of the eye to degenerate slowly over time. The result is declining vision and eventual blindness. “prcd” stands for “progressive rod-cone degeneration” Prcd-PRA is inherited as a recessive trait, which means that for a trait to develop the dog must inherit two mutant genes responsible for the trait. One gene is inherited from each parent (thereby making two genes in total). A “Carrier” dog has one mutant gene and one “Normal” gene and is known as “heterozygous” for the trait/disease. A “Carrier” dog will NEVER develop the disease but can pass it onto their offspring (if they are mated to another “Carrier”. A “Normal” dog has no copies of the mutant gene and is termed “homozygous clear” for the disease meaning both copies of the gene normal. The will NEVER develop the disease or be able to pass it onto their offspring. A dog carrying two copies of the mutant gene is termed “homozygous affected” – both copies of the gene are abnormal (mutant). “normal/Clear” dogs are statistically normal for prcd-PRA and will not develop this disease or pass it to offspring. No known “Normal/Clear” dog has developed prcd-PRA or produced prcd-PRA-affected offspring. Source OptiGen For details on our health testing results please click here! |
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What is
OptiGen/Antagene Familial Nephropathy testing? Autosomal Recessive Hereditary Nephropathy is another term for the fatal kidney disease known as FN (Familial Nephropathy). Familial Nephropathy (FN) is a recessively inherited renal disease that has been recognized in the English Cocker for more than 50 years. FN is inherited in the same way as prcd-PRA. Both are recessive conditions and for the disease to occur both parents need to be “Carriers” or “Affected”. A new DNA test for FN became available in December 2006. We were the first UK to test ALL our dogs and we were delighted to discover that all results were “Normal”. This means the dogs are not carriers of FN, they will never suffer from FN and neither will they be able to pass the disease onto their offspring. The American company OptiGen hold the license to perform DNA tests for FN on US & Canadian resident dogs. They are also able to test samples belonging to none resident dogs provided they were previously prcd-PRA tested by OptiGen. The French company Antagene hold the license to perform DNA tests for FN on European dogs. "Significance for breeding: Genetically Normal dogs can be bred to any dog and will produce no pups affected with FN." Source OptiGen /Antagene For details on our health testing results please click here! |
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Are puppies given a health check by a Vet prior to leaving ?Yes. All our puppies are examined by our vet prior to leaving for their new homes. Puppies are examined thoroughly, particular areas of examination are: -
Bottoms - the check for soiling (an indication of a possibly ill puppy)
Abdomen - to check for umbilical hernia & that organs are correctly placed
Testicles (in males!) - to check that the testicles are descended into the scrotum
Legs & feet - to check all toes are present
Coat - to check for fleas & mites (there shouldn't be any infection/mites!)
Respiration (using a stethoscope) - listening for crackles (chest infection etc.)
Heart (using a stethoscope) - listening for heart murmurs
Temperature taken (a raised temperature is an indication that infection is present) |
| The full health status of the puppy is declared to each owner & is also contained in the Puppy Sales Contract. Our Vet is always willing to discuss his examination with owners. |
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Do you supply a Contract of Sale?Yes. Our puppies are sold with a Contract stating:
Any potential Purchaser(s) will be supplied with full terms prior to purchase. |
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Are your puppies registrations endorsed by the Kennel Club?Yes. All our puppies kennel registration documents are endorsed. As responsible breeders we take the future welfare of our puppies very seriously. We have no objection to lifting the endorsements providing the dog concerned is a good example of the breed, healthy and health tested with good results. Full details relating to the endorsement and any terms regarding the lifting of endorsements are contained in each puppies contract of sale. |
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What information comes with the puppy ?The puppies will be supplied with:
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Do you sell puppies to working households ?Every request for a puppy is treated upon its own merits & this applies equally to working households. Depending on the number of hours worked, the number of people in the household, the working times/pattern of the owner &/or whether there are suitable alternative arrangements in place, then we will consider the request without immediately dismissing it. Young puppies need attention every 1 - 2 hours throughout the day (all day!). This includes frequent toilet trips, feeding, playing with & some general training. Cockers are 100% people orientated, they need social interaction in order to be happy. A lonesome Cocker is a very unhappy person who will get up to all sorts of mischief (i.e. be almost impossible to house train, be noisy & be destructive). This will be a miserable existence for a puppy/dog & will tarnish your enjoyment of your new pet. If you're working hours are long and/or you are going to be away from the house for more than two hrs at a time we suggest that you wait for a puppy until your circumstances alter. I'm afraid it's not sufficient to leave a puppy all day even if you plan to visit him during your lunch break, neither is it feasible to take a puppy to work with you or rely on the goodwill of neighbours to take the time & responsibility to care for YOUR dog. |
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What are your views with regard to families with children ?We are generally happy to sell puppies to families with children. Every request for a puppy is treated upon its own merits. As part of the vetting process, we seek to identify many factors, which will confirm the suitability of the potential owner. Their home lifestyle is one area & this includes their relationship with their children. In most situations, it is easy to see if the family are respectful of each other & that children are well behaved. In a happy, loving, courteous & disciplined household, there is no particular reason why a puppy/dog should not be well cared for & loved. However, we will not sell a puppy to a pregnant or newly delivered mother or to a family with very young children (i.e. under 5's). As a mother myself, I know how tiring these times are! |
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Are your puppies home reared?
Yes our puppies are home reared. All our dogs live
in our home & our puppies are born in
the study & stay there until
they are four/five weeks old. After this they move into the kitchen were
the environment is more stimulating!
Once the puppies reach 6 weeks of age, they join us (& the adult dogs) in the sitting room for brief periods in the evenings. Here they get ample chance to socialise with the other dogs and to enjoy a cuddle from us! |
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When viewing the puppy is it possible to see the pups Mother?Yes, you can meet Mum. We actively encourage new owners to meet Mum as we believe it's important for you to meet the mother of a pup you are considering for adoption. |
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What sort of support can we expect from you?Having a new puppy in the household is always an enjoyable & fun time. However, puppies can be hard work at times & you can expect to have a few "ups & downs" from time to time. We will support you with advice at any stage of your puppy's/dog's life. You are welcome to telephone us or email with any worries or queries you may have (night or day). We will be happy to share our experiences with you & help you resolve any areas of concern. We will also take back any of our puppies (regardless of how old they are) should the need arise. We also have Discussion Forum. The majority of our puppy owner's are active participants of the forum & you have the facility to discuss the joys (or not on occasion!) of puppy/dog ownership. Many of the members will have been through similar experiences & owners can support each other via this area. If you would like access to this facility, please email us. When you set out to purchase a puppy you may feel that support, help & advice are not necessary & perhaps these areas will not be a priority when searching for a puppy. However, please don't under estimate the value of choosing a breeder who will support you. It won't be until you have a dilemma that you will realise that lifelong support & commitment from your puppy’s breeder can be invaluable and perhaps save you a lot of distress/heartbreak! |
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