help....out of control cocker????

[tterrii]

hello,i urgentley need some advise,i own 4 cocker spaniels.3 males and 1 female who is 9 months,(she has just recentley finished her season).but the problem is with her,more or less from as soon as she could go walking,she barks at everyone and everything.people,male or female.and every dog she sees,she bares her teeth,barks non stop,until they go out of sight, :oops: i do get somewhat embarressed by this,people thinks she is agressive,but if they came near her she would run a mile,or hide behind my legs.she also hates feathers,feathers reall spook her ,if she sees them on the ground..she has never been attacked by another dog,i share my love equally with all 4 dogs,(which with the cocker that is very hard)as i normallly have all 4 getting up on my lap ,they have 2 good 1hour walks a day,and have a large garden,any every toy going for them,they are let off the lead for a good tennis ball chase,i can not understand,why she is like this,but latley 2 of my 3 males are now staring to bark at people and dogs,and when you get 3/4 cockers all barking at once,people are frienghted by it.any advise greatley appriciated.                    

[Jane S]

It sounds like you need to start socialising, training & exercising your young bitch separately from your male dogs for a while to avoid them picking up on her behaviour & also to build up her confidence. It sounds like she is a nervous dog & is barking at things/people because she is afraid of them - nervous dogs bark to make the scary things go away. I would advise you to try & find an experienced trainer perhaps on a 1-2-1 basis who can observe your girl's behaviour & advise you on what techniques you could try - have a look at www.apdt.co.uk to find a trainer or a class in your area. The fact that your bitch has just finished her season has probably not helped as hormonal changes in the body can also contribute to "spooky" behaviour but as you say she's always been like this, then it's obviously not the sole cause.

Good luck

Jane                    

[Sue H]

I agree totally with what Jane has proposed - it's easy to think, that when you have had 2 or 3 dogs of the same breed that they will all react the same - not so !  Treat her as if she is your first and you are introducing her to two new, strange dogs...  Respect the hierarchy and PLEASE go to a respected behaviouralist (you Vet could probably push you in the right direction...)

If you aren't sure about your dogs' hierarchy, please go to a behaviouarlist -it does not have the same stigma as, let's say, one of us having to go to a psychologist (although, let's face it , we would all like to know what makes US tick !!)

I have recently done the Dog and Cat ABA Introductory Course and I found it SOOOO helpful - going back to the wild, and how they react and how that translates into domestication ...  Actually BEING a dog so that you have to try and please your trainer by responding to stimuli !! Wow!!

If there is anyone out there who is looking for a dog (or a cat, or other companion) DO go on the Blue Cross website - all of use who work at the Centres are poor, but very user-friendly !  Our main aim is to re-home the animals we have with us, BUT to the best possible owners ... If you want to call in at any of the Centres and say 'COL' then in some cases you may have to explain yourselves (but not at Burford if I am on rota!)

Pleae go on the BX site and gibve some feedback - this is what they want!!

Sue H