Darien

You have some great suggestions there LP and I'll bet all your girl really wants is to be with you :) She is no doubt depressed and who can blame her, so some TLC for as long as it takes and all the other suggestions should see her through. Good lick :)

The behaviour is average and to be expected :) Some people put it down to SA. I dont think that it is "average". I know this breed very, very well. As well as working in general rescue, I am a cocker breeder of over 40 years experience, run Cocker Rescue for our club and act as a referral point for Club members with adult dogs to rehome. Over the years I have seen this pattern in many cockers that have been rehomed from a multiple dog and kennel raised situation to an unfamiliar environment and new rules which have perhaps not been fully or adequately explained to the Cocker. Initial uncertainty soon becomes anxiety which can unfortunately be reinforced with inappropriate responses from the owner. Please remember that this dog is not a "rescue" but a rehome and having been a kennel dog, this cocker is likely to have a very strongly developed pack bond, which now is not being satisfied. Being from a kennel environment, there can be issues with a different form of socialisation which can modify a dog's response to its situation. This dog is clearly not suffering from the sort of lapsed house training that is seen in some rescue dogs. It also has possibly never had access to such an intensity of human attention if she has come from a large breeding establishment or even from one with a moderate number of dogs. Her new-found human attention and the break in her pack bond has probably resulted in initial uncertainty which is now on the way to becoming anxiety. The owner certainly perceives the dog to be anxious, to the point where they have sought to medicate her. Many cockers, particularly those in this situation, are prone to develop separation anxiety and will insist on being with their person. This can happen quite quickly and the OP has already stated that the dog's level of "anxiety" is increasing. I feel that the OP is seeing a problem that will escalate in intensity and duration unless they are able to get some expert intervention. This dog's behaviour, although it may seem "average" to some under the circumstances, is probably the beginning of separation anxiety and for the sake of the dog and the new owner, needs to be addressed adequately and quickly. Simple patience is often not enough. Medication, without behavioural modification training also rarely works. Edit for spelling. Thank you Wundahoo for understanding the anxiety problem. I had a great talk to my vet today and Misty is now using a collar with pheranomes, that will hopefully take the edge off her anxiety. She is used to having a pack of dogs around her and not necassarily a lot of human contact and sadly my BC is recovering from cruciate ligament surgery and tonight has hurt her leg again I have taken advise and have crated Misty, so far so good. Sadly I will not be able to call dogmad tonight Hopefully tomorrow. As for photos, I can't seem to work out how to add photos like I used to be able to do. Not to worry, I'll sort it out. I am starting from scratch with my little girl and she will be toilet trained and anxiety free, I worked hard for years on my Kiska, who was a rescue, but Misty is not a rescue, a totally different environment is all. The breed and intelligence can and does make a difference to their 'sensitivity' of a situation, cockers are people dogs, which is another reason I wanted her. I grew up with cockers, so I am not entirely ignorant of their temprament :)

I must add here that she does go out for toileting sometimes and the mats have been removed :) It's just odd the way she does toilet inside and believe me, she does know not to do it inside as she is not silly at all....not as smart as a BC, but then no other dog is :D I have to address her separation anxiety from me as she will not stay outside unless I am there, she will not stay in any room that I am not in I have had her on Canine Tranquility meds from the petshop, but as this anxiety appears to be getting worse, it's time I think to talk to my vet. To be honest, at this point and with thinking on it, I doubt I will fully toilet train her until this is addressed. I had her in a crate last night ans she put out first thing this morning with no mess inside, but that will often happen anyway. I could leave her outside on her own, or with Kiska and she will scratch at the backdoor the whole time until I let her in....that could be hours...and she come in and pee.

Thank you for your suggestions and will start the regime today :) Will call you tonight. Also thank you everyone else for helping, I feel guilty as I haven't been here for years and yet you still took the time to advise

Thank you :)

Have you asked the breeder you got her from if she does this? I would also ask the breeder if they used a toilet command. If she'd been shown I think most showies do. I would keep her confined to a single room if you can't watch her & go back to basics. Outside after eating, sleeping, playing & every couple of hours in between. She may also be used to being crated at shows etc. Your BC's gorgeous by the way, if that's Kiska in your avatar. The breeder just advised the basic training, like taking her outside etc. Which is exactly what I have been doing....she knows she shouldn't do it inside, she can't be that silly :) She hasn't been shown for quite a few years which is why they wanted to find a good home for her. She is such a sweetie, I'll try and put a photo up of her. No that isn't Kiska, that is my very first BC that I bought back in 1985, she was my first show and breeding bitch :)

Thank you, will try contacting dogmad now :)

How will crate training help? I am not a great believer in crating dogs, but if you can explain HOW it would work, I will try anything. Even when we are watching her she will either urinate of do a poo until take her outside and stay with her until she finishes it out there and then gets lots of praise (the neighbours must think I'm mad :) ) She is such a sweetheart and her and Kiska, my Border Collie, are getting along well.

I need some advise here as I am getting quite desperate. 5 weeks ago I bought a beautiful 6.5 year old Cocker Spaniel from a breeder, she is an ex show dog and has been living in kennels, they were good ones though. I just can't seem to be able to toilet train her and believe you me, I have tried everything the books etc tell you to do. For example putting her out after feed and allowing access to outside at all times, apart from the night time. I have shown her where she needs to go and praised her when she does do it on the grass outside. She has been outside all day today and when I just let her in, she went into the bathroom and peed on the bathmat!!! She peed on the inside doormat this morning....sigh. I have tried the enzyme sprays to eliminate the smell, even removed the main mat she was using......brand new one too!! Please help me before I go insane!!! I also have issues with her constantly needing to be with me, that is a another work in progress

I am looking for pet sitters on the Central Coast NSW. Is there anyone here that reccommend someone for me? I have a 12 year old Border Collie, who is a sweetie. I need to know she would be well looked after and I prefer a pet sitter to a kennel.

That's great, he was having a ball

Good bye our beautiful boy, we didn't have you for long. After some family dumped you at the RSPCA at eight years of age, we fell in love with you and brought you home to us. We made sure that you would always have a loving home and you would be always be happy. I hope so much that you enjoyed your time with us. There was no warning of losing you, you just staggered out to us to tell us something was wrong, we raced you to the emergency vet and prayed the whole trip that you would be alright. But you time had come, a massive stroke had rendered you paralysed and there was nothing we could do for you. So we gave you our ultimate gift to you and set you free. You died in my arms with me telling you how much I loved you and that my Jenna would be there for you. Oh Hamish, we miss you so much beautiful, gentle boy :cry:

I have had Border Collies for 25 years now, first 4 were breed and show dogs. Jenna was my heart dog and I still miss her 11 years after she went to the rainbow bridge. I now have two rescue BCs, but I find they are now too full on for me, as much as love I the breed. Mine are now 13 and 10 and when the time comes for them to go I think I will get a cocker, my dad used to breed them many years ago. Not too sure if I'll go rescue or breeder as yet. I would love to have a frenchie, but they are out of my price range I also love clumber spaniels and Italian Greyhounds.

Kiska is a 7 year old rescue BC who form the time we got her at age 3 has had incontinence. She will flood, usually while asleep. We had her on propalin for a while, but that didn't agree with her at all, so I shied away from meds and while inside she wore a nappy. It eased for a while, about 12 months and then came back with a vengence. She is now on stlboestral, 1 tablet every 4 days now and it works a treat without any side effects. According to the papers we got with her, she was desexed at 6 months. She is my 4th BC bitch and all have mine have been desexed, but at a much later age and she is the only one I have had with incontinence. However, to be honest, I have just thought it was bad luck on her behalf.

I have a Fugi Finepix S1000, I love it. These were taken while I was in England in October, I was sitting at a pub having lunch and saw these two

Brilliant show, I enjoyed it. Of course it was a Border Collie that was the smartest

Thanks for that will set it for record

:D

I am so very sorry for your loss, and for the others who so tragically lost their babies recently. The pain does ease, even though you feel as though it won't. One day you will look around and smile at a memory, without the tearing pain you feel now. Just know that they are always here with us, giving us their unconditional love now and always. RIP dearest friends.

Is that true???

Poor little thing I don't understand why the witness didn't stop them My first instinct would have been to run to the aid of the puppy.

It's so good to know that you are on the mend and all your babies are being well looked after

Kiska has the theme from Cops...Bad Boy, but I change it to girl

I finally saw it the other night.......good one bec