Any spaniel experts? Update page 5

[toots82]

Originally Posted by marypoppins38

Gorgeous! Is she an orange roan? I have one too!

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Thank you. I dont really know tbh, shes not got any white other than the tip of her tail so I dont think so? We kind of just ended up with her and had no knowledge about spaniels. Still dont really but we just love her. We have a yellow lab too and they're inseparable.

[MinniMouse]

Originally Posted by fl-veteran

Depends on what kind of Spaniel...

Springers - utterly bonkers, especially when young
Cockers - partially bonkers, usually calm down a lot as they get older
Cavalier King Charles - run the range from slightly bonkers to borderline comatose

The fact is that most 'crazy' dog behaviour can be cured by plenty of exercise and a consistent / correct approach to discipline.

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Spot on!

MIL had a springer when DH was a youngster. She walked it in the morning, lunchtimes and after tea and it never tired. It had too much energy and it ended up getting re homed.

We had a working cocker, who sadly passed away in December last year. Cracking family dog. So affectionate. He was full of beans, not overly though. He needed a good hours walk minimum daily and would walk more. My dad walked him every morning and I would take him out most afternoons and any time it rained! DH did try and train him when we first got him as DH went on occasional days shooting. We have friends who are either gamekeepers, rear pheasants, beaters so got a lot of good advice, most have gun dogs, however whenever DH got him close to where the pheasants were released he would go bonkers. His recall wasn't great. It was like he had this switch in his head and when he got the scent of pheasants or a deer he was off. DH spent hours with him and eventually gave up. He also was never 100% happy going on shoots and has given it up altogether, though he loved the walk and the crack that went along with it. Anyway, we had a whistle for training (bought from a fishing/shooting shop), and his lead was a rope slip lead, no collar (he was chipped). Perseverance and a lot of patience is what you need.

He had a great nose and loved you to "hide" his toy (stuffed pheasant) around the house. He would sit whilst one of us hid it, then tell him to "fetch it up" and he'd race off to find it. He always found it by sniffing it out. He was even playing this the night before we took him to vets to be put down. He was old and just couldn't stand up in the morning. Vet reckoned he'd had a stroke. We all still miss him so much Enjoy your spaniel, they are great family dogs, full of love and affection and a great pick me up when you're having a crap day!

Have a look on youtube. A lot of good training videos on there especially for spaniels.

[sotagals]

I just thought I'd do a quick update as thanks to some excellent advice on here progress is being made. Slowly, but progress.

I now just ignore him when I go in the garden and turn my back when he starts jumping up. He still has a mad moment but we are down to a couple of minutes rather than 10 before I put the lead on.

The other thing was giving him something to carry. He's got a duck toy and gets it to carry for the last part of the walk. It seems to make him a bit calmer and more focused.

A long way to go but I think he'll get there.

Apparently his original owner got him at 8 weeks (too young!) and never walked him or socialised him so it's no wonder he's got problems.

[mitch84]

Originally Posted by sotagals

I just thought I'd do a quick update as thanks to some excellent advice on here progress is being made. Slowly, but progress.

I now just ignore him when I go in the garden and turn my back when he starts jumping up. He still has a mad moment but we are down to a couple of minutes rather than 10 before I put the lead on.

The other thing was giving him something to carry. He's got a duck toy and gets it to carry for the last part of the walk. It seems to make him a bit calmer and more focused.

A long way to go but I think he'll get there.

Apparently his original owner got him at 8 weeks (too young!) and never walked him or socialised him so it's no wonder he's got problems.

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So glad you are making progress!

I think for a lot of puppies 8 weeks is right. I got my pup at 7 weeks and 1 day. It was supposed to be 8 weeks, but he was one of 13, and the Mum couldn’t feed them all, so they weaned the stronger pups early and the breeder phoned and asked if we wanted to take him (or not). He was full of confidence and completely ready to start training. I had a sit and a paw at 8 weeks old!
Obviously it’s not right to not walk or socialise them though. My lab would have been a right ruffian if kept with 12 siblings til 12 weeks 😂