CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Specific Discussion => Behaviour & Training => Topic started by: Pam501 on September 11, 2011, 09:41:10 AM
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Well hopefully not me, but Toby! He seems to have mad moments, first thing in the morning which is understandable but also early evening. He was so bad last night that he ripped holes in the sleeves of my top. I'm not sure if I made it worse as I was playing with him (I thought I'd burn his energy off before bedtime) but he seemed to get more and more excited and eventually got hold of my sleeve and got quite aggressive, tugging, crowling and pulling at it when I tried to get him off of. I gave him a telling off and shut him in the kitchen although I don't think I handled it at all well.
This morning he was going like a mad thing stealing everything he possible could and racing around but I ignored him and after about an hour and a half, he calmed down.
I've never had a cocker spaniel before and it's many years since I had a puppy. My previous dog was a German Shepherd but I don't remember her being that crazy. Any thought please?
Pam
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Sounds like normal crazy cocker puppy behaviour i'm afraid :005: I don't have any advice as Freya wasn't too bad but many others have been through it and will have some tips for you on how to handle it
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Cockers are pretty crazy :005: :005:. But it could be worth you looking into what he's fed as they can react to different foods, especially if it's full of additives.
Millie can get a bit over excited when we rough play. If she bites me too hard then I go 'OW!' and stop playing with her for a bit.
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Mollys 16weeks and the same, I just chuck her outside for 5 minutes. Bella 4years used to as a pup but only does it on a few occasions (usually when mollys wound her up) again out she goes for 2 mins.
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We give ares a time out if gemma gets to the biteing tugging pulling stage and going crazy..... And back in the kichen behind the baby gate until she calms down....
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Welcolme to the world of Crazy Cockers :005: :005: Diesel is 4 and Olli is 3 and they still have little flips usually about 6pm, where they run around the perimeter of the garden, seems a few colrs dogs to the same, there is a post on it on the forum (sorry im not able to find it)
Swop your sleeve for something Toby likes :005: :005: :005:
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Sounds about it Liz - thanks. Racing like a maniac around the garden. I thought I was doing something wrong! I've been putting in the kitchen behind the baby gate when he has got out of hand but wasn't sure if that was the correct way of handling things. This is a big learning curve for me.
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Sounds about it Liz - thanks. Racing like a maniac around the garden. I thought I was doing something wrong! I've been putting in the kitchen behind the baby gate when he has got out of hand but wasn't sure if that was the correct way of handling things. This is a big learning curve for me.
As to my post(above) gemma is only 13 weeks....and the re son she has time out ..As she gets older and stronger she will have more time to train and play...
Gem ma being a field spaniel they are when young, look like a bit like mike Tyson with there short stocky front legs...And you have to be care with them when young like gemma is...
This breed has a tendency to go down on the front legs with to much exercising
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Thanks Seaangler. I try to remember that but not sure how much they should run around. I know that you aren't suppose to walk them for more than about 5 minutes. Toby is 13 weeks old is that about right?
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I see so Meany people over exercising there puppy's..
Both are puppys are 13 weeks...
Your pup will be getting enough exercise in your own back garden...But i would say if you take him/her out no more than ten minits..extending a bit longer each day as the weeks go by...Does not sound a lot i know...
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Thanks again for the advice. Can they run around too much? I know, I'm a bit green as far as cocker puppies are concerned and have a lot to learn.
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When we had Willow at 8 weeks I was gob smacked at just how much energy she had. Although we had researched the breed and was aware of this I still couldn't get over it in reality. When she was having 'a mad one' her eyes would seem to glaze over and there was no reasoning with her. She was worse with OH as he seemed to wind her up more than I did. I would then have to hold her to calm her down and rub her chest and her ears to relax her. Its like they go in a 'zone'. She is 8 and half months now and it does get easier I promise you although thats no comfort at the mo for you.
Willow reduced me to tears some days and I had a few days where I though I had bitten off more than i could chew!! She drew blood a few times whilst getting over excited during play and once OH had a huge nick taken out of his nose. I had a few times where I was at my wits end.
Willow is 8 and half months now and she is so much calmer. I found after a few months of having her she would have her energy times, a walk then eat and then sleep, she soon got into a good routine that we both understood. At first when we had her the first 3 hours after waking were awful and there were times where it was difficult beyond belief. Once Willow got to 6 months we changed her from puppy food to junior food and that made loads of difference. She did get easier before then to.
She does still have the odd made 5 minutes, but I feel more in control of calming her down, she is still quite challenging when she plays with my mums dog and goes in the 'zone' when she is there.
I found mentally stimulating games like hiding treat and balls for her to find would wear her out more than physical play.
If you want any more advice although Im no expert please PM me as we were new to cockers and puppy ownership when we had Willow we did struggle, however she is so good now and hardly any trouble at all. There is light at the end of the tunnel for sure :005:
Maddy ;)
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A very heart warming story...
I am glad to say not all cockers are as bad as one another...
Are peggy has been as good as gold all her life..But very very mardy at times...There are times like at chatsworth last week when she wonted to clime onto my lap every time i stop... >:(
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I see so Meany people over exercising there puppy's..
Both are puppys are 13 weeks...
Your pup will be getting enough exercise in your own back garden...But i would say if you take him/her out no more than ten minits..extending a bit longer each day as the weeks go by...Does not sound a lot i know...
Agree with Seaangler, stick with the 5 min rule and dont overexercise especially on hard ground :luv:
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Glad im not alone badger is a crazy cocker lol great temperment but last night he had a crazy moment. i just stood back and watched let him get it it all out :)
1st time ive had a cocker..im used to labs and border terriers.
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Another crazy cocker here too Pam. Pebbles seems to be worse first thing in the morning (understandable) but then again in the evening. She runs full speed round the garden and house (if I can't catch her >:() also all over the flower beds which is really annoying. Then she finally flops down and goes to sleep. The cat is decidely unimpressed and just sits out of her reach with a look on her face as if to say 'what do you think you are doing?'
She is 20 weeks tomorrow and no sign of getting much calmer. Hopefully will come with age :luv:
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Millie was stir crazy when she was an infant she had at least 4 zooms a day!!
I found out it was down to diet and her hyperactivity got less and less especially when i stopped giving her Pedigree chum products. I switched to wainwrites and she does the one time when mum comes home or about a half hour after
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Mine too! Sweep is 2 in December and still has her "moments". Generally, right from being a puppy, she would have certain times a day when she was completely crazy and then it was best if I just gave into it and went and stood in the garden and threw lots of balls for her. Alternatively, massaging the back of her neck and her shoulders has always worked a treat - three rubs and she is yawning, about five rubs and she's a floppy heap! By far the worst "crazy" times for her are when she is overtired and just will not give in to it, she is so like a human toddler at those times - whites of her eyes go red, she can't or won't hear me etc., etc. Have found that the best thing to do is what I would have done when my children were toddlers - I will sit at the table with a book, or in at the computer, shut her in there with me, then she will come and sit at the side of me (wherever I stand or sit she will be at the side of me anyway) and within a couple of minutes of her actually being still and quiet she just completely flakes out - out like a light and has a good long deep sleep - and then once she is rested she is her usual gentle calm self again. give it a try.
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Thanks for your posts. I know it probably sounds stupid but I've noticed that Toby races round and round the garden just before he poos :lol2:.
He is still terrorising my grandchildren though. It was so bad over the weekend that I had to keep telling him off and eventually shut him in the kitchen with the baby gate closed. I don't know what to do with him. He's fine with adults but he won't leave their feet alone and really bites hard. My grandchildren are so afraid that they won't put their feet on the ground. I can't let him out with them.
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Just keep them apart for the time being Pam,if you look up ""Hurtwood Dogs" she has made some excellent posts on puppies and children and how to manage them.
A baby gate is an absoloute must with a puppy and there is nothing wrong with using it for time out ;) :D
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Thanks for the advice Toni, I'll look Hardwood Dogs up.
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Thanks for the advice Toni, I'll look Hardwood Dogs up.
Ermm,it's "Hurtwood" :005: :005:
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:005: Ooops! Maybe wishful thinking! Put it down to lack of sleep.
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Sounds very familiar Pam! We had a huge shock to the system when we bought Alfie home, we knew it would be a learning curve as neither of us are very experienced with any dogs, let alone cockers, but it was so much harder than I thought it would be. I also had no idea about the cocker zoomies and was pretty stunned the first time it happened, I actually thought we'd got a 'bad' dog!
We have young children and had exactly the same problem with Alfie and their feet as you have with your grandchildren. My poor son was terrified about walking in his own house and would spend most of his time with his feet up on the sofa or Alfie would go for them. I just assumed dogs and kids would be fine together! I can definitely recommend Hurtwood Dogs posts. We spent a lot of time in the early days trying to distract Alfie or the kids would go and play upstairs, or Alfie would be in his crate and I felt VERY guilty all round. Having read Hurtwood Dogs posts I now know that keeping Alfie in his crate a lot of the time is not a bad thing at all as it means he gets the sleep he needs, and already at almost 18 weeks the difference in their relationship is amazing. He doesn't mind being in his crate but gets very upset at not being in the room, and now they can spend the odd 5 or 10 minutes together and no biting will occur (unless he's having a bad day with his teeth but that's another story! :005:).
He's still very much crazy but now that he can go for slightly longer walks he seems to use up his craziness running around the field and seems to be much calmer at home.
It's still hard work, but I can see a chink of light at the end of the tunnel!!!
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I have the same problem with my Dex.
Early evening he'll start trying to play bite, and he just generally gets more and more aggressive. Eventually his facial expression will change and we will look very aggressive.
I've tried everything, and all we do now is put him in his crate to calm down.
But he still does this nearly every evening, being hyper isn't a problem. Its the aggressiveness he shows towards us.
The rest of the time he's perfectly behaved.
Any suggestions?
EDIT: He's 7 months.
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I'm a complete novice with Cockers and have had German Shepherds years ago when my kids were young and didn't have half as much trouble with them, but I do wonder if these pups do it when they get overtired. I've found with Toby that he gets much more bitey and sometimes gets completely out of hand when he's really tired. Dont know what anyone else things?
Oops, I meant thinks :D
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Yes, biting can get worse when they are tired...
Luke - It's *not* aggression.... it's perfectly normal (though does need to be dealt with). You say it's generally in the evening - is this during the "wall of death" time? ...as generally it's best to just let them run about madly for a while (in an appropriate place) rather than try to calm them down.
It would be a good idea for you to read the recent threads on "mouthing" and "adolescent behaviour" in this same section of the forum as there was a lot of advice given there. :D
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I have the same problem with my Dex.
Early evening he'll start trying to play bite, and he just generally gets more and more aggressive. Eventually his facial expression will change and we will look very aggressive.
I've tried everything, and all we do now is put him in his crate to calm down.
But he still does this nearly every evening, being hyper isn't a problem. Its the aggressiveness he shows towards us.
The rest of the time he's perfectly behaved.
Any suggestions?
EDIT: He's 7 months.
I think you are doing the exact right thing with putting him in the crate! It gives him a chance to calm down and switch out of the crazyness.
Also, what I don't think anyone has mentioned here: puppies need a lot of rest and if they don't get any, they get very tired and with that often very crazy. So it is important that if your puppy doesn't voluntarily rest during the day, to enforce a couple of rest periods for them; e.g. an hour after each meal, a couple of hours at lunch time etc.
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I'm sure that lack of sleep is a lot of the problem. I work Monday - Wednesday and have a pet sitter come in twice a day and Toby is lot calmer when I get home from work than when I am at home all day. He gets his excercise and his rest. The problem with me is that I have to stay out of the room when he's in his crate as he is up the minute I walk in and won't rest at all. It's OK if you have a large house and can put the crate in a quiet room, but Toby's crate is in the kitchen so it's difficult. Normally when I'm at home I put him in his crate and go upstairs on the PC for an hour or so in the morning, but I can't stay out of the kitchen on other occasions, it's just not practical. I suppose the amount of sleep they need varies from pup to pup. Toby is 4 months old and whilst I am at home probably has a sleep twice a day and that's only if I am out of the way and he's in his crate or if I sit on the sofa with him. Maybe he's just completely spoilt :-\ .
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Pebbles is definetely far, far worse when she's overtired. Just like an overtired child. I really, really never realised what hard work a puppy is and yet have had dogs nearly all my life (never a puppy). I know it will be worth it in the end but wow it's difficult. :D
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I am so glad I found this post!
Just when you think you have a horror, turns out so many other Cockers do the exact same thing! Phewwwwwee we're not evil/untrainable/damien dog child from hell!
I was wondering if Roddy had his 'happy hour' (ahem) >:( because I wasn't exercising him enough or if I was relying on too much time in the crate.
He gets very bitey about half way into the mayhem, I have started using the time outs in the kitchen which work for all of 30 seconds once he's out again. Just have to ride it out. Block yourself with chew toys.
I'm not sure it's good or not that we don't have a garden. If we did there wouldn't be much of it left, but without it the skirting boards/sofas get the full bitey wrath before I can wrestle in with a towel or toy...
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Aw Amy how could
you think that Roddy :luv:is
"damien dog child" :005:
he's a sweet puppy but you
made me laugh!
steffxxx
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Hi guys
Well, I just want to say to all you fellow cocker puppy owners that there definitely is an end to the nightmare :lol2:. Toby is now 5 months old and I have to say I'm rather proud of him and all the hard work is beginning to pay off. Can you believe it?????
He is getting to be rather lovely and I never thought I'd hear myself saying that. The puppy trainer was well impressed last week and my doggy sitter says he is SO GOOD when she is out with him and she loves him to bits. She takes him out with other dogs (grown up ones) and apparently he is very well behaved. So, all I can say is don't despair but be consistent with the rules and training.
Pam
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I havre another crazy cocker pup, here she just has those moments we call it looney ruby time.. I tend to chuck her out in the garden, or put her in a crate to calm... Seems to work she then just gets that innocent wasn't me look