Author Topic: What is happening??  (Read 2417 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline rubyduby

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 685
What is happening??
« on: October 25, 2019, 09:02:55 AM »
eel like I am going in ever decreasing circles, a bit of History Amber is now 10 months old and as proved the most difficult of all our previous dogs, all Cocker Spaniels, all bitches. She is travel sick, took ages to house train?, chews anything and everything, eats rubbish, etc etc, none of these have ever been a problem to us in 40 yrs of Cocker ownership, but currently she has decided to poop in house at night, despite going in the garden last thing, she has left her little gifts on our house rug several nights , in one night she left two....on one occasion she peed as well, if it was just urinating I could assume maybe she has a urine infection etc, also she isn't keen on going out in rain...but she is fairly restless at night and never sleeps thro.....???? anyone had a similar problem, any ideas. We have taken her out 7-8 at night for a walk and she has still done it. Don't know if it makes any different but she is on raw diet, and is STILL scratching, after eventually coping with a long aggravating flea/worm issue . No sign of either now but yes still scratching....getting rapidly to our wits end


Offline IonaD

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 126
  • Gender: Female
Re: What is happening??
« Reply #1 on: October 25, 2019, 01:18:41 PM »
Hi, I’m only on my first cocker so I’m not sure I’m best placed to give you any advice...Just wanted to say that I hope someone can shed some light on the situation for you and that it gets better soon.x

Offline aliceandlouis

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1392
  • Gender: Female
Re: What is happening??
« Reply #2 on: October 26, 2019, 10:29:26 AM »
Its been some years since I had a bitch puppy, but I wonder if the change in behaviour might be associated with her coming into season for the first time? I do know that hormonal changes can wreak havoc with 'usual' patterns of behaviour so it might be worth considering that?
Good luck - it certainly sounds like Amber is pushing buttons, as only energetic young cockers can.

Offline Digger

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 218
Re: What is happening??
« Reply #3 on: October 26, 2019, 04:11:08 PM »
Hi there.

Just wanted to prop up someone else who is experiencing a randomly difficult dog!
I feel for you. Ours is now 2 and has been the most difficult dog ever.
Won't go on (I could bore you to tears) but just a quick idea about the night time toilet trouble.
 I would try containing her a bit more overnight-at least then you won't ruin your rugs. We always contain our dog at night - I just don't trust her not to get up to mischief. ( she has the area under the stairs with an open bar gate on the front- her bed, some safe toys and a bowl of water). We did this from day one and when she was having accidents-She too took ages to toilet train- she could at least get away from her bed and do it, but not all over the place. I'm not a lover of cages but this relatively spacious area is a good compromise and she doesn't mind it at all. She never gets contained in the day but she's quite happy to get in her little den with a bedtime biscuit at night. I think she feels she can relax and doesn't have to patrol the house in there.
Our dog always goes out for last wee at 10pm..later if we're up late. I just think if I'm getting up anyway she might as well go out. Last night we were up til midnight, so she went out then, and happily laid in her bed til quarter to nine this morning!!!. (She's usually out by 7). 8pm is quite early for last chance, and also, if she's able to get up and move about a lot that will stimulate her to go. I bet the overnight poos are actually done in the morning.
Ours had her first season just after 1 yr old and did have a few wees indoors prior to that (she was also very sick the day before), so it is possible yours is connected to her season.
Like you, I have been shocked at how different dogs can be. Our other spaniel was so easy in comparison. This one has an opinion on everything-nothing is simple! I suppose they are like people- no two the same.
I reckon the toilet trouble is a phase that will pass though. Realistically I don't think I felt completely confident on the house training until ours was well over 1. She is fine now though-no problems.
I have a general theory on our dog- I think she is very immature. She still displays a lot of behaviour where if you said she was 6 months old, it would look quite normal but when you say she's two it looks wrong. Maybe they are similarly slow on the uptake! Let's hope so or we're done for...  :o!

Offline IonaD

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 126
  • Gender: Female
Re: What is happening??
« Reply #4 on: October 26, 2019, 04:40:14 PM »
I have just had a thought...very similar to Diggers suggestion.

When Bella was having accidents at night I brought her dinner forward and was feeding her around 4 in the afternoon. This meant we could have multiple pees before bed including the last one at about 10pm. I then let her out as soon as I got up around 6am and we appear to have the situation under control.

Best of luck with everything!!

x

Offline rubyduby

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 685
Re: What is happening??
« Reply #5 on: October 27, 2019, 07:51:27 AM »
Hi Digger sounds like your dog is very similar to Amber, the other issue I forgot to mention is that she was very fussy with her food and sometimes wouldn't eat all day , nd our other Spaniel is 9 and is on 4 sml feeds a day( a Pancreatitis issue) so it makes meal times a bit chaotic as they re both on different food and it has taken till now to get Amber to eat sensibly twice  day and I admit to having given her the odd 'supper' so she wouldn't feel left out as Topaz has to have a late meal at 9- 9.30 pm, tho this hasn't nes corresponded with her pooping. She also seems to suffer a lot with flea bites , we had a nightmare summer with her eating half the garden and its occupants, and of course getting fleas/worms . I struggled with ever natural treatment I could find to no avail and ended up getting meds from the vet, this was all excaserbated by my reluctance to use chemicals on my other dog because of her Panc issues( I think this illness was brought on by the use of a flea treatment much earlier)I am again finding the odd flea on her and she has a number of lumps on her body and she does too much scratching so am now back to square one. The first thing I thought of was her 'season' but having had entire bitches most of my life I have had urine issues due to this but never poops. Anyway she is now being locked in the bedroom wit me every night and I go out with her till she has done whatever, she is a beggar for coming flying in nd then when taken out, gone for  wee, so a bit more organisation required, then just need to sort the fleas...suggestions welcome, and the lead pulling ….etc …..lol

Offline Digger

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 218
Re: What is happening??
« Reply #6 on: October 27, 2019, 12:06:11 PM »
Ah yeah-another fussy eater..Ours would start off on a food and then gradually go off it so she wouldn't eat it. We have been through various foods of varying expense but the eventual combo that she really likes (a result financially!) is half a tin of Aldi's own brand meat in jelly with a small handful of their Langham's complete dry food tipped on top. She loves this and Wolfs it down twice a day.

I put my husband out for a wee at night as well-that seems to do the trick for her going! Hahaha!

Don't get me started on the lead pulling.
Or today's walk where she had a go at every dog she met fir some reason.
I don't know...

Offline Gazrob

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 270
  • Gender: Male
Re: What is happening??
« Reply #7 on: November 01, 2019, 10:45:50 AM »
When I first got my dog I crated him at night or when I was not at home for a year or so. He wasn't house trained when I got him at seven months old. He won't pee or poo in the crate. And it kept him out of mischief. I did this from day one I'm not sure if your dog will take to it but that's what I would do.