CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Specific Discussion => General Cocker Spaniel Discussion => Topic started by: Lily Freya on February 11, 2010, 09:44:00 PM
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We have always had female cockers, and so owning boys is a new thing for us.
Anyway, just got back from a walk with Luis (15 months old). My husband came back with him originally and said he'd had enough. He couldn't get him to walk very far, he just sniffed and circled, sniffed and circled. So off I went, in the hope I could get him to walk, and to do his usual night time toileting.
I didn't have any luck either.............but he has been strange for a few days now. Sitting by the door, howling loudly.............and he is off his food too. Even on his off-lead walks.....where he usually runs like a crazed thing...he has been doing this sniffing and circling.
Does anyone know what it is? He is still intact..................could it be that he is looking following the scent of female dogs? I just don't know what to make of him. He is just acting totally out of character.
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bitch in season on the walk you do is very likely ph34r
All the things you describe - the howling, the going off the food and the incessant sniffing are all symptoms of a boy in lurve ph34r :luv:
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There could be a young lady in season in the area :-\
sorry posted at same time as livercake
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Sounds like there could be an in-season bitch around and he's picking up her scent.
Also posted at the same time!
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I've never known him like this..............he is howling at the front door as I am writing. He is normally a really contented boy in the evening, curled up asleep somewhere. He was one last November, which makes him about 15 months....would he be interested already?
No problems yet with Ollie (who is 1 next month), and no difference in their behavior towards each other.
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sorry, but yes he would be mature enough to notice the girls ;) It is really hard to handle and they are clearly in a world of their own and nothing really gets through to them when they're like this.
It does pass ;)
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sorry, but yes he would be mature enough to notice the girls ;) It is really hard to handle and they are clearly in a world of their own and nothing really gets through to them when they're like this.
It does pass ;)
Am I ok still letting off lead then Helen? I usually let him off on the tops....for a good run.
I feel so sorry for him. Does it last very long?
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A cheeky lady was my first thought - Murphy goes his food and off his head.... :005: Walking is a nightmare, contant sniffing and licking and panting and whining. Lrdy - no wonder i got a bitch as a second dog! BloominMen :lol2:
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Personally if he is picking up a scent then no I would not let him off lead as there is a chance he will take off and ignore you possibly putting himself in danger to reach the bitch. Can you pop him in the car and take him elsewhere for an offlead run ???
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Personally if he is picking up a scent then no I would not let him off lead as there is a chance he will take off and ignore you possibly putting himself in danger to reach the bitch. Can you pop him in the car and take him elsewhere for an offlead run ???
Yes, I can do this. Do you think that would be ok? Would there not be the same problem where ever I go? So to sound so stupid......
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Personally if he is picking up a scent then no I would not let him off lead as there is a chance he will take off and ignore you possibly putting himself in danger to reach the bitch. Can you pop him in the car and take him elsewhere for an offlead run ???
Yes, I can do this. Do you think that would be ok? Would there not be the same problem where ever I go? So to sound so stupid......
no - if the bitch has been scent marking on your normal walk then this is what your boy is picking up. If he goes somewhere where there is no temptation then he should be back to normal - they're very driven by their hormones.
It usually lasts a few days - now we know his symptoms - manic sniffing, frothing at the mouth, chattery teeth, a glazed look and complete deafness (....and that's just the OH :lol2:) we change his walk to somewhere else for a couple of weeks ;)
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:rofl1: :rofl1:
Well at least I know what I'm dealing with now.....thanks so much.
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Sounds like my lot the first time the neighbours bitch came into season ::)
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Sounds like my lot the first time the neighbours bitch came into season ::)
Isn't it awful. I thought he was ailing with something. He is never off his food, but he just turns his nose up at the moment. And, when he goes into the garden to relieve himself, he just sniffs then comes back indoors and waits to be taken out.
OH is really patient usually, but he brought him back from the usual evening walk, last night..............and said 'that's it, I've had enough....he's done nothing but circle and sniff.' He feels a bit guilty now though............our poor little boy has a reason for his behaviour. Hope it doesn't last too long.
Going to try a different walking place today.................but, I am still wondering whether it will be the same for him............what if other bitches have been there and left their scent.
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why don't you have him castrated,
then you will never have this problem again, and your dog will be much more relaxed
with his hormones under control
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why don't you have him castrated,
then you will never have this problem again, and your dog will be much more relaxed
with his hormones under control
I don't think that is entirely true - my entire dog is completely relaxed and this only happens a couple of times a year with him - and only when in-season bitches are paraded in front of him if I'm perfectly honest. Now we know his reactions we can usually stop it before it starts and this year he had one day when he was a bit off and that was it. We went to completely different walks and he was back to normal very quickly.
Neutered dogs can and do react to bitches in season - in fact Jarv's friend Alfie (neutered) will often be the first to realise there is a bitch in season and does take 'action' :shades:
....and hormones are not just for sexual purposes - I don't think my dog would be half as confident with other dogs without his testosterone...that doesn't mean he throws his weight around but I strongly feel it adds to his maturity and confidence when meeting other dogs.
I'm not anti-neutering - and if anything changed (behaviourally or physically) with Jarvis that meant I should neuter than I would. I just believe it should be a well considered choice and if you do have an entire dog than as a good owner you accept this comes with added responsibilities :D
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I sympathise, poor boy. We went to training this morning and just as we were arriving one of the usual members of our group left rather hurridly. It transpired that her bitch had come into season and she hadn't noticed ph34r. Our training sessions are held on a farm out doors and she had only been there a few minutes but nearly all the male dogs, entire and neutered were a nightmare this morning - have to say the training session turned into a bit of a humping fest!!!! ph34r ph34r :005: :005:
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I lost Dave after an in season bitch - she was on lead and I kept him on lead for half an hour after he'd clocked her (walking in the opposite direction), he duped me into a false sense of security and the second I let him off... he was gone like a rocket ph34r Fortunately the woman with the bitch remembered seeing him earlier and which direction I'd gone in so she put him on a lead and walked back to meet me. I was a little caught out at quite how obsessed he was - I had a male before him that wasn't in the slightest bit interested in the ladies so it was new to me :lol:
I'd have thought the bitch in season must be very close to where you live if he's reacting like that in the home though so he should be ok if you're walking further away from home..... in theory anyway :lol:
PS. Just to add Dave is now nearly 3yrs and castrated and he's still pretty interested but not quite as bad as he was, although he's not had thaaaaaaat much opportunity of late I have to admit.
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why don't you have him castrated,
then you will never have this problem again, and your dog will be much more relaxed
with his hormones under control
I have all sorts of concerns with the castration idea. Firstly, I don't like the idea of elective surgery...............I lost my dearest dog, Lily, after allowing her to have surgery which was elective.
Also, I just can't get my head around the idea of 'mutilation'. This sounds awful, I know, and I don't want to offend anyone who has had their dogs castrated. It is just a personal thing.
I honestly do know that there are good things, and bad things about castration. But, it is just something I can't bring myself around to considering at the moment.
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why don't you have him castrated,
then you will never have this problem again, and your dog will be much more relaxed
with his hormones under control
I don't think that is entirely true - my entire dog is completely relaxed and this only happens a couple of times a year with him - and only when in-season bitches are paraded in front of him if I'm perfectly honest. Now we know his reactions we can usually stop it before it starts and this year he had one day when he was a bit off and that was it. We went to completely different walks and he was back to normal very quickly.
Neutered dogs can and do react to bitches in season - in fact Jarv's friend Alfie (neutered) will often be the first to realise there is a bitch in season and does take 'action' :shades:
....and hormones are not just for sexual purposes - I don't think my dog would be half as confident with other dogs without his testosterone...that doesn't mean he throws his weight around but I strongly feel it adds to his maturity and confidence when meeting other dogs.
I'm not anti-neutering - and if anything changed (behaviourally or physically) with Jarvis that meant I should neuter than I would. I just believe it should be a well considered choice and if you do have an entire dog than as a good owner you accept this comes with added responsibilities :D
I agree 100%. Milo is only interested in an in-season bitch when they're right in front of his nose, once they're out of sight he forgets all about them. He's entire for the same reason Helen's Jarv is entire. ;) Unlike Jarv though, he can be a bit grumbly with other entire male dogs, but it's only grumbling and he would never act on it, he's too much of a wuss. We did give him a Tardak injection some months ago to see if that changed anything so we had an indication of what effect neutering might have, but it didn't make the slightest bit of difference. Hence he's still entire and will remain so unless anything significant changes.
A good friend of mine had a rescue crossbreed who was neutered young as he became inconsolable when there was a nearby bitch in season, plus he only had one descended testicle. Even when neutered and aged 12+, he was far more interested in in-season bitches than Milo has ever been. ;)
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I wonder if I should be worried that Duggie isn't interested in girls?! :005: We met his Husky friend, Reilly, the other day, they normally play rough and tumble for ages and have so much fun together, but this time Reilly was onlead. Duggie ran up to her as usual, tried to engage her in a bit of play, and then just walked off to find someone else (he always does that if a dog won't play), I asked her owners why she was onlead, and they replied that she was in her first season. :o Duggie didn't even take any notice! :005:
Long may it continue, no one is good enough for my boy. ;)
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I wonder if I should be worried that Duggie isn't interested in girls?! :005: We met his Husky friend, Reilly, the other day, they normally play rough and tumble for ages and have so much fun together, but this time Reilly was onlead. Duggie ran up to her as usual, tried to engage her in a bit of play, and then just walked off to find someone else (he always does that if a dog won't play), I asked her owners why she was onlead, and they replied that she was in her first season. :o Duggie didn't even take any notice! :005:
Long may it continue, no one is good enough for my boy. ;)
depends how far into their season they are - Jarv is pretty disinterested until mid season when he's mean t to be interested ::)
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I didn't ask how far in she was, but so far, apart from a little humping at the puppy class we got chucked out of, he has never done anything. He must be a late developer. :D
I probably shouldn't have said that, I bet he now starts to hump everything in sight and everyone he meets. ::) :005:
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Can I ask- how old my boy should be before he gets the snip? Also if I get another cocker would it be alright to have another boy- apparently they are more loving and loyal? Is that true?
Thanks
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Erm no...how loyal and loving they are is not dependant on their sex but more on their personality. Of my two my girl is definitely the more loyal and loving and she completeyl adores her dad and will sit for hours and hours being cuddled. My boy is very loving but loyal....erm depends who has the food...I guess you can say he is loyal to his belly ;) :lol2:
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Can I ask- how old my boy should be before he gets the snip? Also if I get another cocker would it be alright to have another boy- apparently they are more loving and loyal? Is that true?
Thanks
The general perception is the opposite which is why girls are in more demand and often slightly more expensive to buy as pups. But really its a personality thing. I think there is probably a greater incidence of problems in adding another boy than adding a bitch if you have a boy already, neutered or not. Perhaps someone with more experience will be able to advise – I’ve only ever had one at a time.
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Although I have girls now, in the past I have had male dogs and they were left entire. I never had a problem with them humping or being aggressive.
I had only one occasion when my GSP got the scent of a bitch and was offfffffffff, at the time I was quite scared but I then learnt to notice the signs and take the necessary precautions :005: (take him on another route).
I think a lot of vet practices (particularly the large ones) encourage owners to get their males castrated early as it makes financial sense for them.
My vet (a one man practice) said to leave it and see how the dog copes with his sexuality. As your dog is re-acting to a outside stimulant I can see no reason to have him 'done', particularly as you are quite opposed to it. The bitch's season will end and if you are no exposing him to the scent he should be fine.
When I have another cocker it will be male and I have no plans to have him castrated ( unless there are medical or other problems).