My spaniel is driving me mad....

[kippered]

My Kipper, i hate to say it is driving me up the wall with his behaviour. He whines soooo much, he whines when i am preparing his dinner, he whines when we have food because he wants some, he whines and howls on car journeys, he whines if i stop in the park and he doesn't want to.

He is greedy - sooo so so greedy. He is bare faced about it and will get on the table within full sight and steal whatever is there, i have to put him in his cage when my son is eatting or he will annoy him by sniffing about him trying to pick up any morsel and try to take things from him.

The whining, howling and greediness, if i can do something about these things he is a lovely dog - very neurotic but cuddly and gentle. He is very high maintenance and i don't remember him always being so bad but i guess i may have been able to avoid it more before my son came when it was just the dog and I.

I am dreading taking him to my family at Christmas, both the 5 hour car journey and the food issue when we are there, because there is always food either being prepared or eatten and Kippere is relentless in his greed.

I don't know what to do, i have very little time to train with him as i am a Mum and work part time also. I keep thinking 'is it so bad to rehome him? but my partner wouldn't hear of it. If he went to a good home with someone who had more time for him he could probably be a much calmer and better behaved dog, I think, no i couldn't rehome him, he is problematic but i do love him, but maybe he could be happier in another home. I just keep thinking i can't keep goiing on with Kipper being like this and getting worse, I need to do something. 
 

Advise in any form welcome.

[jaybee]

With regards dinner times and your son etc., if you use a crate, use it at meal times consistently. If he ever achieves the desired reaction as a result of his whining then to him it works.
Bingley used to mither us when we were eating, so he was crated for all our meal times. If he is wandering about sniffing, begging, whining, and being told 'no' or given scraps by someone  then he achieves the desired reaction. If you know he is likely to do this then it is setting him up to fail a little bit.

I've noticed Bingley has become more whiney lately, but i think this is my own fault. I started responding to it, and as a result he does it now because it gets my attention. I've just started ignoring it completely again, and i think that's what you have to do. I know it can be frustrasting and tiring, but i think it is the only thing that really works.

Do you have to travel to your family for Christmas? It sounds like you are worrying about it and it will be stressful to you and Kipper, not what you want! It sounds like you could do with a little break too! 

[piph]

With regards dinner times and your son etc., if you use a crate, use it at meal times consistently. If he ever achieves the desired reaction as a result of his whining then to him it works.
Bingley used to mither us when we were eating, so he was crated for all our meal times. If he is wandering about sniffing, begging, whining, and being told 'no' or given scraps by someone  then he achieves the desired reaction. If you know he is likely to do this then it is setting him up to fail a little bit.

I've noticed Bingley has become more whiney lately, but i think this is my own fault. I started responding to it, and as a result he does it now because it gets my attention. I've just started ignoring it completely again, and i think that's what you have to do. I know it can be frustrasting and tiring, but i think it is the only thing that really works.

Do you have to travel to your family for Christmas? It sounds like you are worrying about it and it will be stressful to you and Kipper, not what you want! It sounds like you could do with a little break too! 

Agree totally with jaybee - we have to put Ozzy in his puppy pen when we eat because he is greedy and jumps up and scrounges all the time.  It's far better than getting cross and agitated.  Our big problem is his constant jumping up - drives us crazy.  I sympathise with how you feel, I'm sometimes at the end of my tether, and I have no children at home and no job to go to (must seem like paradise to you!).  Having said that, things would have to be a hell of a lot worse before I ever considered re-homing him. 

Has he been like this since your son arrived?  You don't say how old your son is, but I suspect he's a toddler.  Perhaps Kipper is jealous, and the whining is a way of taking your attention from your son.  Have you spoken to a behaviourist?  It might help.  And, as for Christmas, why don't you look into putting Kipper in kennels for a few days to give yourself a break.

[Ruby Tuesday]

Sounds like you are having a rough time. Kipper sounds stressed too. Don't feel that you have to spend hours training him, you can fit training into your every day life. We very rarely think, 'right I'm going to spend 15 minutes training' we just do it in every situation at home. What do you do when he whines? Do you ignore him, or tell him off? Unless you ignore him, you may be inadvertantly rewarding him for whining. If he does go calm, even briefly, then you can quickly reward him. It needs to be within 1 or 2 seconds so that he understands that that is what you want him to do.

My other thought is does he get enough exercise? If he doesn't he may be frustrated.

I hope you can work things out. Have you ever looked at the Dog's Trust training videos? They are really clear and helpful.

[Ninasmum]

With the whining in the car, a friend recently gave me a tip that works for our Nina 
All we do if she does get very vocal is stop the car, give her a very, very short walk (just a min. works) & then just carry on your journey.    Peace 

[bracken]

Could you maybe put him in a crate at mealtimes...covered if necessary and when in the car try putting a chew in the crate or place where he sits.

How much exercise does he have in a day ?

[lindseyp]

My Kipper, i hate to say it is driving me up the wall with his behaviour. He whines soooo much, he whines when i am preparing his dinner, he whines when we have food because he wants some, he whines and howls on car journeys, he whines if i stop in the park and he doesn't want to.

He is greedy - sooo so so greedy. He is bare faced about it and will get on the table within full sight and steal whatever is there, i have to put him in his cage when my son is eatting or he will annoy him by sniffing about him trying to pick up any morsel and try to take things from him.

The whining, howling and greediness, if i can do something about these things he is a lovely dog - very neurotic but cuddly and gentle. He is very high maintenance and *i don't remember him always being so bad but i guess i may have been able to avoid it more before my son came when it was just the dog and I.I am dreading taking him to my family at Christmas, both the 5 hour car journey and the food issue when we are there, because there is always food either being prepared or eatten and Kippere is relentless in his greed.

I don't know what to do, *i have very little time to train with him as i am a Mum and work part time also. I keep thinking 'is it so bad to rehome him? but my partner wouldn't hear of it. If he went to a good home with someone who had more time for him he could probably be a much calmer and better behaved dog, I think, no i couldn't rehome him, he is problematic but i do love him, but maybe he could be happier in another home. I just keep thinking i can't keep goiing on with Kipper being like this and getting worse, I need to do something. 
 

Advise in any form welcome.

Hi Kippered - going by the info you've given us, I would say you've pretty much answered your own questions ..... * in particular 

Please correct us if wrong but it sounds like your son is quite young & Kipper has had to adjust to some changes with his arrival. If his behaviour has altered then perhaps it is due to these changes & he's not getting the attention needed to help him through & adjust to it all, leading to inappropriate behaviour, as you see it.

I would also question his diet for him to be so food obsessed - is he getting the right diet for him, to satisfy him & his metabolism? 
I too have food mad cockers, so understand how troublesome this can be but to be 'relentless in his greed' does sound very extreme, so perhaps his diet isn't meeting his needs?

Spaniels can be 'high maintenance'as you put it but also love companionship from their humans ...perhaps he is feeling a little out of sorts or even a little lost with the adjustments being made for your new family -  he might need more consistency in routine & time dedicated just for him again 

It is sad to hear for you all, that poor Kipper is so unsettled & sounding quite unhappy - there are ways of helping but most take time & commitment - if you truly feel that you aren't going to be able to provide this for him then perhaps re homing may have to be considered ...but not as away of failing in anyway but more as doing what is right for Kipper.

Really hope you can find a solution for you all 

[kippered]

Thank  you all for your helpful posts. Kipper does ok for excercise most days. When i am at work he goes to a local dog carer and walker who is terrific and has had Kip since he was a puppy and she gives him 2 good walks. I always walk him in the morning but with the short days it is not always possible to walk him again what with having to contend often with the weather, and a 3.5 year old, also i have to balance his excercise with activities with my son i.e. groups, trips, visiting etc. I try to take him out as much as possible but i concede that he can get frustrated and bored if in for too long.

We do use a citronella bark collar to control his whining - which does help. I am thinking of putting Kipper in the front of the car and sitting in the back with my son, maybe Kipper will feel less anxious which leads to the whining.

We always crate him at mealtimes - I use food as bribery, he won't do anything unless there is reward. I know i need to ignore the whining, howling as it is the only way, but it is SOOO hard, it drives me crazy and my son as it is so insistent and loud.  I wish i could afford a behaviourist and we did use someone for a couple of sessions. The thing is i know that with patience and good consistent training Kipper could turn this behaviour around, I just wish i had some help. Kipper is at his happiest when he is being stroked by me on my knee in the evening when my son is asleep  - trouble is he used to have more attention and of course it been a big period of adjustment going down in the pegging order when Alfie came along that sometimes he doesn't get the time he wants - which has probably led to his worsening behaviour. 

[jaybee]

First of all, please read this
http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php?topic=47409.0

If food rewards work for him then continue to use that. It sounds to me like he is a little stressed, and then you are getting frustrated which he is picking up on and its a vicious cycle. I don't really have any other advice for you  i hope someone will be along who will   

[YvonneC22]

I have this same problem with Alex at meal times, jumping up and trying to sniff plates etc while we eat.

I have started putting his basket in the dining room a few metres away from the table, he happily gets in that and lies down, He is still staring at us which probably still isn't the correct thing to do either but he's not jumping etc while we are eating.

I don't have the whining problem as such unless the kids go out of the room and he can't follow, but I'm sure if its ignored he'll learn that there is no point in him doing it 

I hope it is sorted for you soon, it is very frustrating

[Cockertime Blues]

HI, sorry you're going through this bad patch and I've no advice to offer other than what's been suggested.  It just sounds like you've a lot to cope with at the moment.  You said your partner wouldn't hear of rehoming him, but where does he come into all this?  Does he take some of the workload from you in terms of Kipper's exercise and training?  Perhaps he can do more so you can recharge your batteries a bit?

[beanbag]

HI, sorry you're going through this bad patch and I've no advice to offer other than what's been suggested.  It just sounds like you've a lot to cope with at the moment.  You said your partner wouldn't hear of rehoming him, but where does he come into all this?  Does he take some of the workload from you in terms of Kipper's exercise and training?  Perhaps he can do more so you can recharge your batteries a bit?

This is a good idea What does your partner think of it all and is he helping take Kipper out? I wouldnt get our pup if i didnt think my husband would help or take on his fair share

[Cockertime Blues]

I'm really sorry if I implied partner might not be helping, as we don't know.  I'm sure he is, but was just asking as OP already has a full-time job (being a mum to small child) plus a part-time job.  Plus a clingy cocker with needs to be addressed - sounds like a total of 2 full-time jobs at least.

[kippered]

My partner unfortunately works long hours so cannot help with Kipper during the week. I do have help sometimes from a neighbour who walks Kipper if I can't get out if child is ill etc. It is or can be really hard, but also having a dog makes us go out which, when it is fine weather is not a hardship at all as we have lovely places to walk but it can be a very real tie when it is just me trying to juggle small child and activies with looking after the dog and all the other domestic stuff as well. Some days it's great, it's just that it would be so much easier if Kipper was was less whiney and greedy. Thank you for all your suggestions, some of which l already do like the crate at mealtimes (hey! there are some perks - he saves me a lot of time hoovering up the floor after mealtime with a toddler!! Today has been better - he has been well excercised - i have noticed that he is so much calmer when well walked - trouble is i can't always make sure of that.  I don't think I can seriously think of re-homing him, we all love him and would miss him (most of the time) if he weren't here.

[Ruby Tuesday]

Just a thought but have you tried anything like putting some of his food in a kong, or something like this?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Good-Boy-Treat-Ball-Puzzle/dp/B003676B5C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352224496&sr=8-1

It might occupy him for a while, and also wear him out a little bit.

Also, what are you feeding him? It might even be that his food is making him a bit hyper. Bakers is known for it because of all the additives.

It sounds to me like you do pretty well by him considering you've got a little one as well. I hope you can work it out.