very odd behaviour!!

[BillysMum]

I have 2 problems with Billy 

We just got back from probably the longest walk Billy has ever had, we thought we'd take them somewhere different and thought a one off longish walk wouldn't harm Billy. Anyway we was amazed at how Billy was still full of energy and running about when we got back even though my lab was knackered 

Billy started whimpering and couldn't settle in his crate or on the bed with Alfie so i let him into the lounge and thought it was because he doesn't like having wet legs even though i'd tried to dry them  anyway he got in the lounge and was running from one chair to the next and trying to dig on the sofa, then he'd lay down for 2 seconds and start to whimper and cry and then he'd get up and run about all over the place again  and then start digging and this went on for a while so i checked him all over incase he was in pain or hurt himself but didn't feel anything odd and so i gave him a chew to try and settle him down which seemed to work, he laid down happily to chew it.

Then i let Alfie into the lounge too and i usually put a blanket on the sofa for Alfie to lay on but Billy was laying on it so i went over to move Billy to get the blanket and was sooo shocked when Billy snarled and growled at me, i think he would've even bit me, he did try to  obviously he thought i was going to take the chew away but i hadn't even touched the chew.

PLEASE help with this, its really worrying me that i'm going to have a vicious cocker 

The strange behaviour that Billy was doing prior to the chew incident, could it have been that he was actually tired? I know Alfie use to have mad moments when he was a pup and was tired 

Sorry for the long post but i would really appreciate some advice on this!!

[Aggie]

Did you walk anywhere with nettles? (don't even know if they are out at this time of year)

Poppy reacted this way after being stung by nettles, I bathed her paws in cool water.

Sorry can't help with the other bit, unless he's just grumpy and saying back off.

Hope all returns to normal soon.

[Cob-Web]

I expect he was just very, very tired and probably bit achy and sore if the walk was longer than he has been used to - it must have been a long way to have tired out a Labrador 
He probably didn't want to be messed with by anyone  It sounds like he was trying to get comfortable by digging on the sofa and then once he was settled with his chew, you went to move him; I think I'd be grumpy too 

"Vicious cockers" are very rare, and what you describe sounds like pretty normal behaviour under the circumstances, to me 

Don't expect puppies to self-regulate their exercise; they usually want to carry on forever - but it's not really that good for them 

[debbie321]

Ben is like this after some walks.  He acts as though his skin is on fire and rushes round the furniture throwing himself against things .................... a complete loon that we have come to accept    It's as if he is so wound up after a long energetic walk that he can't switch off?  We ignore this as much as possible or pop him in his crate if its too much (as in 'mouthing' when we try and stop him).  Once in his crate he calms down and will acts fairly normal (for Ben) and just run round until he's dry     I'm beginning to wonder if it's something in the river water that he swims in?  It's a safe area that has no chemicals at all but the water seeps in for somewhere so god knows whats in it 

[PennyB]

He probably didn't want to be messed with by anyone  It sounds like he was trying to get comfortable by digging on the sofa and then once he was settled with his chew, you went to move him; I think I'd be grumpy too 

Ruby makes a terrible fuss and noise when she's wet and does a lot of running aorund and digging on the sofa, but thats normal for her

For your pup it could be a mixture of tiredness and being wet --- sends mine completely loopy/overexcited so they charge at each other and do wall of death thing and make lots of noise as if they're fighting with each other but its just noise)

[PennyB]

Ben is like this after some walks.  He acts as though his skin is on fire and rushes round the furniture throwing himself against things .................... a complete loon that we have come to accept    It's as if he is so wound up after a long energetic walk that he can't switch off?  We ignore this as much as possible or pop him in his crate if its too much (as in 'mouthing' when we try and stop him).  Once in his crate he calms down and will acts fairly normal (for Ben) and just run round until he's dry     I'm beginning to wonder if it's something in the river water that he swims in?  It's a safe area that has no chemicals at all but the water seeps in for somewhere so god knows whats in it 

A lot of dogs go loopy like this when wet, don't ask me why

[Joelf]

I expect he was just very, very tired and probably bit achy and sore if the walk was longer than he has been used to - it must have been a long way to have tired out a Labrador 
He probably didn't want to be messed with by anyone  It sounds like he was trying to get comfortable by digging on the sofa and then once he was settled with his chew, you went to move him; I think I'd be grumpy too 

I would agree with Rachel; I have found myself that Domino takes a while to wind down from an exciting walk & wants to run around the garden as soon as we get home whilst Spike is quite happy to get on the sofa & sleep for the rest of the day.

[BillysMum]

ohhh thank you all so much, i'm so pleased that this is normal  I was really worried that he was in pain or something was wrong 

He's slept most of the evening so far so i think he was just over tired. I'll make sure i keep to his usual short walks from now on. 

He's always such a softie who always wants to be with me so him turning like he did over a chew was a real shock 

Thanks again!!!

[Nicola]

Alfie has always gone nuts when he's wet and is drying off, drying him with a towel makes it even worse. He has never growled at me but he runs around like a thing possessed flinging himsef on and off the sofa and doing walls of death around the kitchen skidding into all the units then he'll lie down and start chewing at his legs and grumbling to himself... he's a strange wee man! 

[MaxG]

Don't laugh but he MIGHT have had either cramp or pins & needles in his legs/feet. The only reason I say this is that we've experienced it with our Max - the first time, he was only about 8 mths old & he seemed so distressed that we took him straight to the vet & she diagnosed it & he's had it a few times since - funnily enough, including today!! (H'es over 18 mths old now)

He gets back from a long, sometimes cold & wet walk, seems ok at first but then can't settle & frantically darts around the place trying to get comfy & then tries chewing his feet & seems a bit wobbly & shaky & generally slightly distressed & uncomfy. Occasionally, you can see his legs sort of spasm'ing too - very slightly. The vet reckons it's quite common & advised that we just keep him warm & try massaging him & just 'riding it out' basically - all of which works usually after a short while - including today!! Poor little thing!!

I panicked the first time but now I just wrap him up in a blanket, massage his legs & then settle him nearby & leave him to sleep it off - he's always fine after a short time. He had it a bit this afternoon after a mammoth swimming session in some nearby flooded fields but he's just gone out again with hubby for his evening walk, having done his usual 'excitement wall of death' round the kitchen while Steve put his coat etc on, so he's definately back to as normal as he ever gets!!

 

[Jan/Billy]

Ben is like this after some walks.  He acts as though his skin is on fire and rushes round the furniture throwing himself against things .................... a complete loon that we have come to accept    It's as if he is so wound up after a long energetic walk that he can't switch off?  We ignore this as much as possible or pop him in his crate if its too much (as in 'mouthing' when we try and stop him).  Once in his crate he calms down and will acts fairly normal (for Ben) and just run round until he's dry     I'm beginning to wonder if it's something in the river water that he swims in?  It's a safe area that has no chemicals at all but the water seeps in for somewhere so god knows whats in it 

A lot of dogs go loopy like this when wet, don't ask me why

Billy does this 

[Annette]

First thing I thought of was this is just like how crabby toddlers get when they are overtired!

Maybe it was just a bit too long for him today, but I'm sure you can build him up to VERY long walks gradually, but not till he's over a year old.

[BillysMum]

he did act like an overtired toddler 

It does sound very much like how you described Max though when he had cramp or pins and needles 

I have to say i thought he was chewing his feet because he'd hurt them and thats why he was whimpering and whining, i was ready to phone the vets but i thought i'd try feeding him and i knew if he refused food then there was definately something wrong 

ohh thank goodness for COL, i've never had a cocker spaniel before so its so reasuring to hear from other owners whats normal and whats not 

[PippaMattinson]

was sooo shocked when Billy snarled and growled at me

This is not normal behaviour for a dog that is not in pain.   The running around,  digging etc,  is however quite likely to have been from nettles or something similar.  Cockers running through undergrowth are susceptible to nettle stings and unusually for this time of year,  nettles are still growing and quite viscious.

If he was distressed or in pain because his pads were sore then the growling might be a result of this.  However,  I do hope that anyone reading the responses to this thread will not think that growling is normal behaviour for a cocker.

I have been keeping cockers for over 30 years and have never been  growled at by one of my dogs, except when administering first aid for  a severe injury.   In my opinion, growling or other signs of a aggression in a dog no matter how small,  should always be investigated and if necessary, treated. 


Pippa

[Jan/Billy]

I have been keeping cockers for over 30 years and have never been  growled at by one of my dogs, except when administering first aid for  a severe injury.   In my opinion, growling or other signs of a aggression in a dog no matter how small,  should always be investigated and if necessary, treated. 

wow 30 years !    So you like cockers then  

So do you see growling as a bad thing? rather than them just communicating? Billy growls at us now and then, he's very vocal  , I just accept it but I know lots of people who wouldn't