Author Topic: Salty AKA the Piranha-Cockerdile hybrid  (Read 10044 times)

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Offline Lobo do Mar

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Re: Salty AKA the Piranha-Cockerdile hybrid
« Reply #30 on: February 05, 2020, 02:43:54 PM »
Hi Digger,

Definitely a guarder, but he's getting there - he pretty much gives stuff back to me now when I tell him 'that's mine'. I also have been giving a small puff on his nose to help things along. If he really doesn't want to give it back and its dangerous / valuable then I swap with treat, but trying to avoid reinforcing stealing things with being given treats  :lol:

"Inca is now 2.5 and really starting to grow up in the last couple of months" - two and a half!!!! Are you trying to make me feel better?!?!  ;)

We had a friend visiting from UK with his dog Harry who always comes back last weekend, and I took the opportunity to let Salty off of the lead on the beach with him - he came back and didn't hassle anyone too much, but mostly because Harry came back.
There were a couple of dogs roaming around on their own, probably fisherman's dogs or strays and one a husky type thing the size of a small horse, and one bit another pet dog so I wasn't that relaxed.

However, I do agree with you we have to let him off more, but it's not easy around here - the forests now have the dangers of pine processionary caterpillars http://www.mythankyoupage.com/pets-and-animals/dogs-and-killer-processionary-caterpillars-in-portugal/ for the next couple of months, weather dependent.

Salty gets two 40 mins walks a day and until recently a half hour or more run round the garden (100m by 100m) with me, chasing balls and pine cones etc and zooming around. But then after the windy weather recently (which blows down caterpillars) I stopped that.
I have restarted that now though, and taken a new bite at the 'come back' training, now using a whistle and his favourite dental sticks broken up into little pieces - and it is going really well :)

I will, after a few more days return training, go to the beach on our own and let him off, I will use a couple of m long rope left on him in case he comes back but keeps just out of reach - wish us luck  :D
 

Offline Digger

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Re: Salty AKA the Piranha-Cockerdile hybrid
« Reply #31 on: February 05, 2020, 11:05:32 PM »
Agh it must be a nightmare having to deal with things like those caterpillars!!!
We take it for granted here that we never have to consider anything like that!

Didn't mean to depress you with the 2.5 years thing hahaha! I suppose these dogs are always a bit of a work in progress but someone once said to me..'Oh she'll be fine by the time she's three'.  THREE?????? I thought, in despair..but time flies and really in the grand scheme of things, even if it did take 3 years to get your dog round, it would mean that you'd then have about 12 years of pain free dog ownership........

If it makes you feel better, our little darling got in the chicken run on Sunday and had one of our chickens by the throat. My husband had to cuff her round the head to get the chicken out (she wasn't letting go of that for anything) and I told him to just go and dump her in the house in solitary and shut the dog flap, which he did.
So annoyed was she, at being excluded that a few minutes later she was back up the garden.
She had got out of the CAT flap.  I would've loved to see how she did that!

There is never a dull moment..!

Offline Jaysmumagain

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Re: Salty AKA the Piranha-Cockerdile hybrid
« Reply #32 on: February 06, 2020, 12:34:09 PM »
Umm - do they ever get better with age unlike a fine wine a fine cocker just matures into a older bundle of mischief.....Ollie is 12 years old and has only ever brought me his toys, always hubbies socks(manic) but on sunday he brought me a dead mouse........at the moment the mouse dropped on the kitchen floor I had a roasted chicken I was pulling out of the oven, me thinks the sight of the chicken was more important than the mouse. :shades:
Cocker kisses and cuddles just make my day!


You are always with me darlings Jaypup and my precious Oliver you are so missed

Offline Dimples

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Re: Salty AKA the Piranha-Cockerdile hybrid
« Reply #33 on: February 06, 2020, 12:43:02 PM »
If its any consolation I was ready at 6 months to drop Robbie off outside the vets and hope that someone had him !!! How bad was that. But he used to jump up at my clothes, swing from my dress. Run a spaniel wall of death every evening and then attack the kids!! So basically what you are experiencing is all normal!!!

It does get better I promise and they are quick learners.  I got lots of advice off here. Great bunch.
Denise - lucky mum of gorgeous (and cheeky) Robbie xx

Now 9 years old

Offline Lobo do Mar

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Re: Salty AKA the Piranha-Cockerdile hybrid
« Reply #34 on: February 10, 2020, 04:27:05 PM »
Chickens, mice, kids, they aren't fussy are they? :lol:
Salty suddenly lunged at something during one dark winter's morning walk along the road on the lead and then turned his head back to me with a dirty great big thick rat's tail poking out the front of his mouth. That was lovely, removing the rat from his mouth at 7 am before breakfast, yum yum.
And, just this last weekend, he found a decomposing mouse whilst off-lead in the garden which obviously went the same way as the rat ... BUT - I blew my whistle and he came running back to me, sat down, dropped the remains of the mouse and waited patiently for his treat.
I was so proud, for a minute or two till he did something else daft - I cant even remember what it was, there have been so many things since :)
Never a dull moment

Unfortunately found some caterpillars in the garden again so no more off-lead running there for a few months, have to get to the beach more often

Offline Lobo do Mar

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Re: Salty AKA the Piranha-Cockerdile hybrid
« Reply #35 on: March 24, 2020, 06:14:16 PM »
In the sense of giving hope to those who will no doubt be searching for reassurance on this type of behaviour:

Salty is now the best dog in the world ever, with sugar on Amen! :)

He will be 1 at the end of the month and has calmed down so much, but is still so much fun  :lol:

He is usually to be found lying on his back in someone's arms having his tummy scratched with his back legs akimbo and snoring
Or else he is running around like a lunatic, trying to get us to play with him, or stealing something, or just generally being adorably mischievous  :D :D :D

He still tries it on every so often, snapping too much, usually when tired in evening, but a sharp word and being led outside to his kennel for a few minutes is enough for him to sheepishly return and be on best behaviour again.
He still thinks my daughter is his sister but hopefully that will change and my daughter cant resist cuddling him when he is not in the mood ....
He also is still mouthing a lot, but no aggression at all, although he has perfected the 'extremely painful bum nip' technique if we ignore him for too long :lol2:

I have no idea what made the difference, probably a mixture of the following:
1. Continually using forced separation (i.e. outside to his kennel) when bad behaviour / biting happened. And I mean continual, for months and months, and months.
2. Ensuring enough sleep (I read 16 hrs a day). Just like a kid, I would put him in bed during the day, this seemed to help lots
3. Having a 2m simple thin (5mm) rope house lead put me back into control - he couldn't lead me a merry dance around the house - and he knew it; as soon as I put it on each day he calmed down
4. A visit to the vet for the chop (he is less aggressive since this time, but could be age too?)
5. He has been an inside pet dog, but always slept outside at night. We changed to sleeping inside in feb due to nocturnal processionary caterpillars, and since this he has been much better. I read somewhere that making him sleep outside might 'confuse' him as to being 'punished'  with separation for no reason. He is still not aloud upstairs tho.
6. Getting older (and loosing those needle milk teeth  :lol: )

I think that the most immediately effective ones were 2, 3, & 5 (and maybe 4?). But what do I know?

Of course, I am beginning to realise that all dogs are different and these worked for our particular 'problem' doggy, so YMMV :)

W.r.t. the guarding of bones etc behaviour, this is also much better now and he lets me have back what is in his mouth, and even to open his mouth and let me put my fingers in to remove dangerous things. Its easier with things he knows are ours. I used the 'swap a treat for the thing' method which gradually worked

He even comes to me  from outside when I whistle now, knowing he will get a treat. I started to let him off the lead on the beach and this was going reasonably well and would no doubt have improved once the free beach running novelty wore off, but then the beach was closed due to the coronovirus

I even go jogging with him now on the end of a lead tied around my waist (I am so out of shape that I don't have a hope of over stressing him) I think this helped w.r.t excess energy too actually

What a dog!!
He's my boy!!  :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Thanks so, so, so much to all the advice on here that was so much help, and also to the 'I'm not alone' moral support in realising that this type of biting behaviour was common for Cockers :D :D :D :D

Offline Poi

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Re: Salty AKA the Piranha-Cockerdile hybrid
« Reply #36 on: March 26, 2020, 01:56:12 PM »
We have (or at least were meant to have been having before Covid) a new pup (red & white sproker boy) come home in a couple of weeks and reading some of this has really helped me remember what having a pup is like... What have we done  :lol:

Lola is 5 now so is either out walking or running with us, having a chew in the garden or asleep somewhere, little does she know about the chaos that is about to come her way...

I think my biggest takeaway from reading this is how much sleep they need, it took us ages to realise that with Lola and things got so much better when we did and secondly, that the puppy phase will end eventually ha!

Thanks for the reminders and tips!

Offline phoenix

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Re: Salty AKA the Piranha-Cockerdile hybrid
« Reply #37 on: March 29, 2020, 01:20:53 PM »
This is a great read for a lockdown day,  a salutary warning for new owners,  but full of encouragement.   He’s certainly dominated your lives for the last year,  and I’m sure will give everyone fun and exercise if he calms down with maturity!
My experience ;   Labrador matured at six years and giving me a dislocated shoulder,  the clingiest springer spaniel  with expensive medical condition,  a cocker from hell who I adored,  now terriers with attitude.
RIP Marti  the EPI springer age 12,  and beloved black cocker Bobby, 8 yrs old, too soon, from PLN.
Now owned by TInker, tiny hairy grey poodle/terrier rescue from Greece and Jack, local rescue,   scruffy ginger terrier mutt.

Offline Lobo do Mar

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Re: Salty AKA the Piranha-Cockerdile hybrid
« Reply #38 on: January 04, 2022, 02:26:20 PM »
Just as an update for anyone at wits end needing some sort of indication that there is actually light at the end of the tunnel (since I know that feeling) ...

Salty is now 2 and 3/4 and is THE best dog in the world. No arguments! If you dont agree you are wrong :D

He has calmed down (not difficult :D) but still has his nutty times to make us laugh
Is not the best behaved dog but knows who is boss
Its impossible to sit down without a cuddle dog flomping belly up on your lap for tummy rubs within nano seconds
Howls if I give my wife a cuddle
Licks rather than nips
still growls if you try to take his favourite toy away, but lets you do it
etc etc

He is my best mate!

Never, ever gonna get anything other than Cockers, Amen!


Offline Joules

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Re: Salty AKA the Piranha-Cockerdile hybrid
« Reply #39 on: January 05, 2022, 08:46:07 AM »
What a lovely update!  :luv:

You are so right - cockers are definitely not generally an easy breed and can be very challenging. Every day can be a battle of wills, but they are never ever dull and absolutely brilliant company and, without doubt, the best dogs in the world.  :lol2:
Julie and Watson

Offline bizzylizzy

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Re: Salty AKA the Piranha-Cockerdile hybrid
« Reply #40 on: January 05, 2022, 02:05:46 PM »
Absolutely agree - I gave up the battle of wills long ago as I never win  :lol: and so just accept Humphrey’s who he is!! During a nail biting stay in the doggy clinic in September I swore that if he pulled through I would never ever lose patience or get cross with him again. He‘s now getting better and I do admit to getting a weeny bit cross now and again  :shades: :005: but he still rules the roost and I wouldn’t have it any other way!! They are THE best breed in my book!  :luv:

Offline Lobo do Mar

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Re: Salty AKA the Piranha-Cockerdile hybrid
« Reply #41 on: January 05, 2022, 05:54:06 PM »
hope humphrey is ok now
what a great name ....
watch out, watch out there's a Humphrey about  :lol2:

Offline ips

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Re: Salty AKA the Piranha-Cockerdile hybrid
« Reply #42 on: January 05, 2022, 06:49:25 PM »
hope humphrey is ok now
what a great name ....
watch out, watch out there's a Humphrey about  :lol2:

Showing your age.......me too 🤣🤣
Muddling along in the hope that one day it all makes sense.

Offline Lobo do Mar

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Re: Salty AKA the Piranha-Cockerdile hybrid
« Reply #43 on: January 05, 2022, 06:50:52 PM »
something my dad always says to me - I have no recollection of it ......

Ahem!

Offline bizzylizzy

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Re: Salty AKA the Piranha-Cockerdile hybrid
« Reply #44 on: January 06, 2022, 06:37:25 AM »
hope humphrey is ok now
what a great name ....
watch out, watch out there's a Humphrey about  :lol2:

Showing your age.......me too 🤣🤣

 :lol: :lol: - that‘s a real blast from the past, and yes, a reminder of how old we are!  :lol2: :lol2: