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[Dilly]

Firstly Hi to everyone, great site and so glad i found you.

Well we are the owners of a Cocker Spaniel, he is 5.5 months old and a real pain in the neck!

He has been to all sorts of puppy training but we are really struggling with him now

The OH has been thinking that we should rehome him but it will break my heart, time is running out.

His main problems are:

Toilet training, sometimes goes outside sometimes not.

Jumping up at Guests, really went mad the other day and frightened all our visitors.

Jumping up in the Kitchen or at the table to scroung food.

He has chewed most things, demolished his toys.

We put him in the Laundry when out and he has taken all the paint off the door down to bare wood.

He has a mad hour everynight where he bites my OH.

He has a few good points:

He comes when called.

He will sit on demand, laydown and stay for a short time.

He's great in the car and sits still.

We feed him twice a day on Advance, he's not a hungry feeder and would prefere to graze but i remove it untill next time.

The vet suggested Barkbuster training but we really cannot afford the $450.00 for 2 hrs training.

To date he has cost $2,000 in repairs!!

Oh and if anyone could lend me a crate, we are in Perth.

Any help greatly recieved

[Jed]

Forget Barkbusters, too expensive, and not very good.

Ask your breeder for help, or for the name of a good trainer. Or try your local obedience club.

He is a teenager - they do behave badly, but a lot of these problems can be easily eradicated by training. It's up to you to provide the training - he wong suddenly become a good dog. He is only a baby too, what you do with him in the next couple of months will decide whether he is a lovely, responsible, loving member of your family, or just another bit of pound fodder to be put down because he is so badly behaved.

If he is eating the laundry door, he has some separation anxiety - and you need to work on this.

You could also try giving him a big bone in the laundry when you go out. To keep him occupied.

He already knows "sit" and "down" - when he goes to jump on people, give him the sit command, give him a treat, and maybe keep him on lead when people come - ensure that he remains quiet when they are there. Don't get him too excited, or "razz" him when visitors are there. No pats or attention until he is sitting, and remains sitting.

Jumping up in the Kitchen or at the table to scroung food.

Uh, tried shouting at him in a growly voice - EVERY single time he does it?

He has chewed most things, demolished his toys.

He's a puppy - that's what they do. Stop him demolishing your things - and if he is demolishing his toys, get him more/others. Try those big ropes with knots in them, try proper dog fluffy toys, which are hard to wreck. Balls, kongs etc.

He's only a baby = you arent going to get him obedient and like a staid older dog for a few months yet, but by being consistent, and steady with him, and making sure he knows what is acceptable and not acceptable you will have a good dog.

Cockers love people, are not hard to train, and are generally obedient.

He has a mad hour everynight where he bites my OH.

And that would be because your oh is razzing him, flapping his hands, making funny noises, rough housing the dog, would it not?

He needs to stop. Play at present should be restricted to the dog sitting/lying still, and you talking quietly to him or stroking him. Other play should involve chasing and retrieving balls or other toys, not mouthing your oh.

He will only be as silly as you make him

[KOE]

sorry to laugh my old Vizsla used to eat the door frames, but only if she was not inside with us, I am sure she thought she should go everywhere we went.

[Tonymc]

Dilly to keep it brief, read Cesar"s Way or Jan Fennel"s Book "The Dog Listener" Tonymc

[poocow]

What you've described is all just puppy behaviour. I went through similar things with my cocker at that age - in fact he even managed to dig through a wall. I persisted with training him - he learnt not to jump up - use deep growly voices and turn your back on him. The destroying behaviour is boredom/seperation anxiety - make sure you leave him with lots of toys to interact with and a meaty bone to chew. Alternatively try crate training him at night - I personally don't use it but a lot of DOLers swear by it. Cockers are people dogs and just love to be around you, very willing to please.

With the toilet training to get this right make sure you take him outside and give a command and praise him everytime he goes to the toilet in the correct place. Key toileting times are just after waking up and after eating.

Good luck with your pup, I really hope you don't have to rehome him - with proper training cockers are great little dogs - I'd be lost without my daily cocker cuddles.

[shoemonster]

hehehe we have a chewed door from puppyhood too

I would strongly recommend starting regular obedience classes, you will find you enjoy spending the time with him and it is great for them to be learning all the time

Whats his name? Andhave you got some pics?

[Teebs]

ohh, i have a chewed wall, but not door

His main problems are:

Toilet training, sometimes goes outside sometimes not.

Ok, ask you mentioned, go get a crate, you can get them cheap on Ebay, and if you spend $2000 on repairs a crate is cheap!

Im not sure how long a 5 month old dog can hold it for? But take him out after EVERY meal, after EVERY nap, after EVERY play. If he is inside and starts to cry, take him out - At was shocking for crying, so i made it that whenever he cried, and whatever time, i would go outside and sit (not play at all) untill he went to the loo - it did not take him long to realise that if he wanted out, he cried.

Praise dog for going outside, give treats, lots of cuddles. If caught inside, said in a firm Voice NO - Take him out to where you want to pee - IF you DO NOT catch him in the act, but you find a mess inside, ignore it - it is too late to tell him off, he will not know what you are yelling at!

Is he desexed? Is he cocking his leg?

Jumping up at Guests, really went mad the other day and frightened all our visitors.

Been through this one and once again going through it with Kaos - When i had At he would jump on anyone, so he was ALWAYS on lead when someone was around. OR outside. He got pats if he sat or dropped, but not while jumping around. He was 2 years old before i would let him inside without a lead.

I am doingthe same with Kaos now - I dont get many visitors, so it is a bti harder for me to train!

Also get your visitors to ignore him, give them treats, and when he has 4 paws on the floor, then give him a treat and a pat. He will learn !

Jumping up in the Kitchen or at the table to scroung food.

This is a good use for the crates. Put him in there with a bone or a toy and ignore him, my dogs do the same and are not allowed inside while food is getting ready, or being eaten.

He has chewed most things, demolished his toys.

What else are toys for?

Do a search on my dog Atlas, you will be speachles at the things he has destroyed! (mirrors of the side of the car was one of the worst!) He is a puppy! That is what they do, you need HEAPS of toys for him, my guys still kill their toys, and they are 18 months and 3 years old! have you got a kong for him? You fill it with food and it takes a while for him to get out, great to keep him busy!

We put him in the Laundry when out and he has taken all the paint off the door down to bare wood.

How long are you out for? IF not too long, this is also another crate moment, if all day, maybe it is worth building a dog run in the yard?

does he have things to play with? Bones to chew?

He has a mad hour everynight where he bites my OH.

When ever pup does something or gets hyped up and you cant stop himn with the word no. Just get up and ignore the dog - No more playing, no attention at all - Leave the room, give him a few mins, he is starts again, leave the room again. No means No (man i been watching Me or the Dog a bit tooo much!)

Best of luck with your pup!! Just put some time into it and you will have a great family member!

[Guest Pandii]

Great post TB

Can we have photos please

[Dilly]

Many thanks for all the sensible advice,

His name is Dylan, he's not desexed yet as the Vet advised to wait untill he is 6months old.

He is also currently being treated for gloopy ear?

He sleeps in our room at on a bean bag and we dont have a problem during the night, he manages to sleep all night, i take him straight out when he wakes and he goes to the toilet and we give him lots of praise.

He goes in the house during the day and its not easy to catch him in the act despite the fact we put him out every hour.

Well today we went out for an hour or so and we let him have the run of the house, closed the bedrooms off

He was a little star He was asleep on the bean bag in the lounge when we came in, lots of cuddles and praise and straight out for a pee

I hope this is him proving he can be good if not locked up, we turned the electrical things off in case he chewed anything.

Keep your fingers crossed for us as he really is a lovely dog.

Will post a pic when i get some

Many thanks

[Cosmolo]

If you are after a good trainer, Kathy Koppellis McLeod runs Kathy's Private dog training- RSPCA should be able to give you her number if you can't find it in the White Pages. Much cheaper than Bark Busters and much more effective. Let her know Tamara from Underdog in Melbourne recomended you.

[Dogs4Fun]

He sleeps in our room at on a bean bag and we dont have a problem during the night, he manages to sleep all night, i take him straight out when he wakes and he goes to the toilet and we give him lots of praise.

He goes in the house during the day and its not easy to catch him in the act despite the fact we put him out every hour.

Putting him out is not the same as going out with him. He may well not be toiletting if you just put him out the door, as he probably wants to get back in.

You need to take him to the spot you want him to use, wait quietly until he goes, then praise / reward him. This means every time, not just when it is fine, daylight, convenient. This will give him a positive association with being outside and a positive association with toileting outside.

Be patient. When I got my last puppy, it was a little local drought breaker, and it rained all day for days. So I got wet, he got wet, the toys and treats got wet, but he learnt to toilet outside, quickly, on command, ever time I ask him to.

[Dilly]

He sleeps in our room at on a bean bag and we dont have a problem during the night, he manages to sleep all night, i take him straight out when he wakes and he goes to the toilet and we give him lots of praise.

He goes in the house during the day and its not easy to catch him in the act despite the fact we put him out every hour.

Putting him out is not the same as going out with him. He may well not be toiletting if you just put him out the door, as he probably wants to get back in.

You need to take him to the spot you want him to use, wait quietly until he goes, then praise / reward him. This means every time, not just when it is fine, daylight, convenient. This will give him a positive association with being outside and a positive association with toileting outside.

Be patient. When I got my last puppy, it was a little local drought breaker, and it rained all day for days. So I got wet, he got wet, the toys and treats got wet, but he learnt to toilet outside, quickly, on command, ever time I ask him to.

No, I stay with him, sometimes for 30 mins or so.

He likes playing outside during the day and sometimes does not seem interested in going to the toilet untill we get indoors!!

I suppose he will learn.

[Guest Pandii]

Sometimes they think that outside is play time and forget to go to the toilet because they are playing, then when they come inside the settle down then pee.

Keep been consistant in taking your pup outside and take him to where you want him to go and then stand quietly until he goes, this can take 1/2 hour or so then when he goes give a command word and praise ehaps. this time you invest now in your dog will reap you years of benifits

[Dogs4Fun]

No, I stay with him, sometimes for 30 mins or so.

He likes playing outside during the day and sometimes does not seem interested in going to the toilet untill we get indoors!!

I suppose he will learn.

Don't play with him when you take him out UNTIL he has been to the toilet. He'll soon work it out.

[Muttaburra]

TB

Been through this one and once again going through it with Kaos - When i had At he would jump on anyone, so he was ALWAYS on lead when someone was around. OR outside. He got pats if he sat or dropped, but not while jumping around. He was 2 years old before i would let him inside without a lead.

The use of the lead as described by TB is one of the best strategies for lots of things. When you want him to actually go to the toilet, try taking him out on the lead (after meals, naps etc.), and when he goes to the toilet say the word "toilet" then give him a reward and make a big fuss over him. With this constant "behaviour conditioning" it will only be a matter of time and he will learn to go to the toilet on command. Also you can keep him on the lead until he toilets, and part of the reward is being let off the lead after he has gone to the toilet. He'll soon learn.

It is definitely time to take this pup to dog obedience, this will help you understand the way commands are learned, and will give you the support you need to help your dog.

[chicko]

Where abouce in perth are you?

[Dilly]

Where abouce in perth are you?

Somerly, Clarkson.

Dylan is being Desexed on Monday, The vet thinks it will help with his dominance :D

We have started to read the dog wisperer, good advice.

Di

[sas]

Damn you're in Perth, if you were in Sydney, I would have been more than happy to take the dog for you to show you that with consistency and leadership (rules & boundaries) the dog can do a complete 180 in just a couple of weeks (granted the exception of typical puppy behaviour that's not over the top).

I reccomend you implement NILIF methods asap and also TOT as per the K9 Force website.

I haven't read all the thread so I don't know why you're keeping the dog in the laundary whilst you're out....what a boring lonely place for the dog, no wonder he has become destructive.....backyards with interactive toys and activities are best.

I would also suggest you take the dog for a walk before you leave the house and an afernoon/evening walk as well.

Excercise = a tired and calm dog.

Edited November 11, 2006 by sas

[Dilly]

Damn you're in Perth, if you were in Sydney, I would have been more than happy to take the dog for you to show you that with consistency and leadership (rules & boundaries) the dog can do a complete 180 in just a couple of weeks (granted the exception of typical puppy behaviour that's not over the top).

Oh i wish you were in Perth, Fancy a holiday

Di

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

I actually saw Jan Fennell speak in Sydney last night - she was inspiring. Her book costs $25 or the DVD is $35.

There are quite a few things there that would help you train your dog.

As for toilet training, I didn't realise it but I use her method (all about kindness and reward) and have housetrained 40 foster dogs of all ages in the last 3 years. Except for 2 dogs (females), it took only 2-3 days to achieve with each dog!!

I also manage foster carers for my rescue organisation and this is the info I give them:

Ok - first thing to do is decide on the command (I call it “do wees”) you will repeat over and over. You have to really focus on the dog for about 2-3 days to be successful. You have a pocketful of special treats on hand all the time for the first 2-3 days.

Walk the dog several times a day and every time the dog wees, you get very excited and keep saying “Good boy/girl, do wees, do wees” – give the dog treats every time.

First thing in the morning, last thing at night and every time you see the dog eat or drink (both precursors to weeing) whisk the dog into the garden and repeat the command “do wees”. Get very excited and present treats every time dog goes.

The dog’s aim in life is to please you. If the dog should have an accident inside the house – say NOTHING at all. The dog soon gets the idea that when he/she goes outside you are really, really pleased and he/she gets rewarded.