CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Specific Discussion => Behaviour & Training => Topic started by: Leonardosgirl on March 30, 2012, 04:42:15 PM
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Hello everyone,
I've been on this site reading through the messages for a while now and so far haven't had a problem pressing enough to need to post myself, until today...
I've had my seven month old blue-roan show, Flora, since she was eight weeks old and she's always had the sweetest, most tolerant temperament. This has been important because I have three children, the youngest of whom is only twenty months old. The last few days though, and today in particular, Flora has been behaving unusually. The old play-biting, which had disappeared, seems to be back with a vengeance. She's goes for my hands every time I try to stroke her and today she really hurt me, biting me in quite a determined way. Later on, she actually jumped up and nipped me on the leg to get my attention. She's the first dog I've ever had (although my folks always had dogs) and I've worked really hard training her and spending loads of time socialising her and playing with her, so I'm hoping that there's another reason for her behaviour other than bad temper. Could she be teething again, is she just stroppy because she's getting ready to come into season, or is this just normal puppy behaviour? Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Jayne
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She could be coming into season, about the right age, but if it is out of character i would be tempted by a visit to the vet, esp if she is biting when you go to touch her.
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In Germany we call this age the 'spooky period' :blink:
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Hi, thank you.
Perhaps I am over-reacting and making it sound worse than it is, it wouldn't be the first time! Perhaps it would be more accurate to say she mouths rather than bites. She doesn't growl and then go for me or anything as bad as that. Like I said, it's like she's an eight week old pup again and thinks i'm one of her litter mates.
Spooky? Interesting phrase!
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Could be coming into season, it could also be secondary teething - when the adult molars embed :-\ all combined with the enthusiasm and exuberancen of an adolescent cocker ;)
I would return to basics with her, just as you did when she was a little puppy - I am sure she will soon get the message :D
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Thanks,
I really appreciate that. Feel a little reassured. She seemed to know she'd hurt me actually, and looked rather sheepish. Then again, hard to tell as she wears that expression a lot!!
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Thanks,
I really appreciate that. Feel a little reassured. She seemed to know she'd hurt me actually, and looked rather sheepish. Then again, hard to tell as she wears that expression a lot!!
Oh yes, they know just how to tug our heart strings with that practised sorrowful look ! :005:
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Hi she could just be testing you to be top dog. My girl is very keen on being the boss. Establish that you are the leader, calm assertive energy as the dog wisperer says. Have you got Natinal geographic channel or look on his web page Cesar Milan
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Hi she could just be testing you to be top dog. My girl is very keen on being the boss. Establish that you are the leader, calm assertive energy as the dog wisperer says. Have you got Natinal geographic channel or look on his web page Cesar Milan
Noooo >:D >:D
please don't follow Cesar Milan's advice. If you want to know why do a quick search on him in this forum. I'm sure she will grow out of it, again! Ours did, as mentioned probably secondary teething or coming into season/
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Hi she could just be testing you to be top dog. My girl is very keen on being the boss. Establish that you are the leader, calm assertive energy as the dog wisperer says. Have you got Natinal geographic channel or look on his web page Cesar Milan
This sounds like the old myth of dominance and pack-theory... :-\
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With apologies to Bobcat, I can only strongly echo the sentiments of Ebbysmum and Uli !
Your little girl is NOT trying to dominate you ;) she is just being a puppy ;)
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it is not a agressive meothod it is the behavior they use it is not cruel or agressive i am very much in favor of this and horse wisperer also whose methds i have sucsesfully used. She is young I would look at personal advice for her age my little bitch is increadly bossy
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It does sound like she is just going through another puppy phase that will hopefully pass over the next few weeks. :-\
As others have said it could be her second stage of teething that is causing the biting. :-\
If her behaviour escalates it would be an idea to get the vet to check her over. :shades:
I would def. not recommend any of Cesar Milan's methods >:(
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Would also like to echo the other posters concerns re: Cesar Millan. The guys an unqualified pretty face using completely discreditted and often cruel methods. Steer well clear
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it is not a agressive meothod it is the behavior they use it is not cruel or agressive i am very much in favor of this and horse wisperer also whose methds i have sucsesfully used. She is young I would look at personal advice for her age my little bitch is increadly bossy
I'm sorry but I do find his methods 'aggressive' stringing dogs up by their lead and collar until they are nearly passing out, putting shock collars on dogs, alpha rolling dogs, kicking dogs, jabbing dogs. Nah I'd rather not be top dog if that's how you get there!!
Puppy's do go through a second teething stage so it may be that's why she's biting or like others have said maybe she's becoming a grown up and about to have her season. :lol:
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I remember Flo having the same behaviour at the same age, and I got a trainer in for a couple of sessions, but she reassured me that Flo was lovely and being a normal puppy, and at that age you often have to go back to basics, she even asked me for the breeders details because she had a client who wanted a cocker and she thought Flo had such a nice temperament.
Flos 20mths now and fab, she still mouths a little when she's very excited (never hurts, no pressure).
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how do you know about those things is there proof they are true :police:
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how do you know about those things is there proof they are true :police:
If you want to champion cesar milan, why not introduce yourself properly and start (yet another) thread on the subject in the general dog discussion area... better still, search for the previous threads first.
I find it rather suspicious that someone would join up and make 3 vague posts supporting cesar milan in a thread where it really wasn't even relevent advice, without joining in any other area of the forum, introducing themselves and any dogs they might have or actually doing anything other than try and get people to disagree with you. :shades:
If you actually want to discuss training - welcome to the site. :D
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it is not a agressive meothod it is the behavior they use it is not cruel or agressive i am very much in favor of this and horse wisperer also whose methds i have sucsesfully used. She is young I would look at personal advice for her age my little bitch is increadly bossy
I'm sorry but I do find his methods 'aggressive' stringing dogs up by their lead and collar until they are nearly passing out, putting shock collars on dogs, alpha rolling dogs, kicking dogs, jabbing dogs. Nah I'd rather not be top dog if that's how you get there!!
Puppy's do go through a second teething stage so it may be that's why she's biting or like others have said maybe she's becoming a grown up and about to have her season. :lol:
You have not watched his new series then??? He seems to have changed his methods
Leonardosgirl - I agree with the others this sounds like normal behavior for either second teething phase or coming into season,I to would go back to some basic training & also get her checked by your vet
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I have just googled him and no I didnt know anything of the new work he has done. I was talking about very basic pack leader as he has done in the past I know this training works- ok it was in another type of animal but it is natural leader work they have in built in their history. I didnt have the full picture but as I said I am talking of the basics not any cruelty
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I have just googled him and no I didnt know anything of the new work he has done. I was talking about very basic pack leader as he has done in the past I know this training works- ok it was in another type of animal but it is natural leader work they have in built in their history. I didnt have the full picture but as I said I am talking of the basics not any cruelty
Pack or 'dominance' theory has been thoroughly discredited - it's a really out of date theory and what is worse, is damaging.
Also on COL we do not agree with any aversive ways of training and do not champion nor recommend following these forms of so-called 'training' which are based on no more than bullying and instilling fear.
http://k9domain.org/alpha_theory.aspx (http://k9domain.org/alpha_theory.aspx)
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think this is getting a bit out if controll i am going from exrerience my horse was totally out of controll untouchable and dangerous the ideas to train her before i got her were to tie up her leg beat. her The horsewispering was very gentle sending her away from me the herd till she stopped the agression then letting her approch me. I have a very bossy cocker she is lovely but is very dominant I just make sure that she always knows i am the leader I always go through doors first eat first have only coming to her when I want her to ignoring her bad behavior sending her away when she is being naughty I claim areas she decides she owns none of this is cruel but behavior exibeted in a pack
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think this is getting a bit out if controll i am going from exrerience my horse was totally out of controll untouchable and dangerous the ideas to train her before i got her were to tie up her leg beat. her The horsewispering was very gentle sending her away from me the herd till she stopped the agression then letting her approch me. I have a very bossy cocker she is lovely but is very dominant I just make sure that she always knows i am the leader I always go through doors first eat first have only coming to her when I want her to ignoring her bad behavior sending her away when she is being naughty I claim areas she decides she owns none of this is cruel but behavior exibeted in a pack
If this method works for you and you dog that is great. Personally I think it is the consistency of what you are doing that give her the boundries that 'control' her behaviour, not what you are doing 'supressing' her 'dominance'.
Please read Helens excellent link ;)
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Going back to the original post:
Don't worry, it all sounds 'normal', although it doesn't bloomin feel that way! If you look through my previous posts you will see I had the same issue with my blue roan, Molly, a few weeks ago (she's now 8 months so would have been the same age as your Flora at the time). She was doing the nipping to get my attention, sometimes really hurting me! But we are slowly getting over that phase, and it is always when she's tired, so it's in her crate for a nap and time out. Can you put her in a crate/on her bed when you think it's going to happen? Try not to worry, and don't go down the Cesar Milan route!
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Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply to my post. I don't get on here very often (three kids plus pup!), so was surprised just now to read that my post seems to have stirred up a bit of a hornets' nest. I don't know who this Cesar Milan guy is; I've been raising Flora with help from the Cocker books (Jane Simmons & Derek Shapland) and The Perfect Puppy, by Gwen Bailey. I'd recommend all three to anyone, and I wouldn't argue with any of the principles. I'm sure there are times when Flora THINKS she's the boss, but then my one year old, three year old and seven year old THINK they are sometimes too! For the record, ALL of them mistake the matter, but pups and children will try it on. Also, I'm happy to report that Flora has behaved impreccably since so I think she was just grouchy because of teething.
Thanks again all,
Jayne
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You have mighty fine taste in books! There are lots of COL dogs in photo's in Derek Shaplands book (including my boy Jarvis), and Jane Simmonds is our very own Admin JaneS on here ;)
I think pup rearing shares the very same psychology principles as child taming :lol2:
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You have mighty fine taste in books! There are lots of COL dogs in photo's in Derek Shaplands book (including my boy Jarvis), and Jane Simmonds is our very own Admin JaneS on here ;)
I think pup rearing shares the very same psychology principles as child taming :lol2:
here, here Helen ......never a truer word said :013: :005:
Sounds like you're doing just fine Jayne & can't go far wrong with the information resources you're using .......... & COL too of course :angel: :lol2:
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I think pup rearing shares the very same psychology principles as child taming :lol2:
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Yes indeed! Shame I can't use a crate for the kids though, although my one year old tries to get in there with Flora if we allow him!
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Hi, thank you.
Perhaps I am over-reacting and making it sound worse than it is, it wouldn't be the first time! Perhaps it would be more accurate to say she mouths rather than bites. She doesn't growl and then go for me or anything as bad as that. Like I said, it's like she's an eight week old pup again and thinks i'm one of her litter mates.
Spooky? Interesting phrase!
teenage years also present similar problems to 8 week old pups - my own pup is begining to mouth now she's 6 months old - in her case she will grab my hands sometimes especially when she gets overexcited.