Cocker Specific Discussion > Puppies

Trainer/behaviourist diagnosis - feeling very down

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Poppy123:
So we had our first training session with our 13 week old cocker bitch today. To cut a long story short, the trainer told us our girl is completely hyper with through-the-roof energy levels and zero bite inhibition. None of this surprised us particularly, as my shredded hands and arms will attest to, but it’s left me feeling very deflated. Apparently there is quite a lot to work through before we can really start with a training programme. Not sure how much longer I want to put my family through this. The children are already scared of her to varying degrees. Could do with a kind word and virtual hug!!!

JohnMcL:
Hi,
Peanut was exactly the same and it was tough going. But she’s 15 months now and wonderful! Distraction was our way of coping, keeping toys in our pockets to clamp her sharp teeth into worked very well. Enforced naps in her crate helped as she was worse if not getting enough sleep and from memory that’s about 19/20 hours at 13 weeks.
Things got FAR easier at around 5 months when the needle teeth start to go.
A good routine with crate naps got us through.
Training through playing will tire her out, it’s a great time to be getting the basics strong.

Keep wine nearby, for you! 🙂

phoenix:
My cocker drove me to tears as a puppy . That’s why I’ve stayed with Col forever.
One thing that helped was lots of short sharp fun and tricks training. I was amazed at how fast he learnt.  I used a clicker followed by immediate treat . You can let him follow your hand with a titbit. As he’s a bitey pup,  use a touch stick, which can be a wooden spoon with a squidge of food on it, like soft cheese, meat paste etc. First job was eye contact. ‘Look at me’ click and treat.
He could catch on to any trick in five goes. So you’ve got sit, stay, lie down, come, spin, crawl, roll over, and tricks with a touch stick that you can Google.  Then doing instructions across the room.
You need to feel you can have fun with him .
Bobby couldn’t cope with classes at first and had to stay behind the furniture till he calmed down and joined in at a distance from the other dogs. He was soon the star pupil. Our  trainer really understood him and gave us all his own  A4 sheets of lessons and homework which had to be practised.   It is well worth asking around for a trainer that you respect.  Small classes are better for excitable dogs.
I don’t know how old your children are, but they need  to be shown how to react with him.

Most cockers are very intelligent but also very sensible and rewarding .  Puppies are exhausting. Since Bobby passed away, I deliberately adopted adult rescues, which is a different story.

vixen:
I have to endorse what john and phoenix have said.
Lots of ‘general’ dog trainers don’t understand the traits of cockers and too easy to label them as hyper.
My present dog is 11 months and she has been the most challenging of all my dogs  but as I have had cockers before, I knew she would improve in time.
She can still be a little bitey but when I tell her no, you can now see her considering her options  :005: and then doing the right thing  :luv:
When she turned into a monster, she went straight in her crate, not as a punishment but as a time out session as she would never voluntarily go in when she was tired.  She would then come out a totally different dog.
At 13 weeks your little girl is still only a little baby and if she isn’t being shown how to behave, she will find her own way.  Phoenix has given you lots of good advice.  The most important and first thing I teach my dogs is a recall.  It was taught from the first day home and even when my Maisie was being a little monster at home, I knew that I could rely on her coming back instantly to the whistle.
If you look on the puppy board you will find lots of posts similar to yours which shows you are not alone and may be comforting to you. 
The first year of dog ownership  IS hard work, but if you put the work in, you will have a dog that will hopefully live over 13 years and will give you so much love, loyalty and devotion.
I read an article the other day that says lots of new puppy owners get “puppy blues” when they suddenly realize that this cute little bundle they got is going to be much harder work than they thought.
You are not alone, just keep telling yourself that she WILL get better because it is true  :luv:

ips:

--- Quote from: vixen on May 29, 2022, 07:51:44 PM ---I have to endorse what john and phoenix have said.
Lots of ‘general’ dog trainers don’t understand the traits of cockers and too easy to label them as hyper.
My present dog is 11 months and she has been the most challenging of all my dogs  but as I have had cockers before, I knew she would improve in time.
She can still be a little bitey but when I tell her no, you can now see her considering her options  :005: and then doing the right thing  :luv:
When she turned into a monster, she went straight in her crate, not as a punishment but as a time out session as she would never voluntarily go in when she was tired.  She would then come out a totally different dog.
At 13 weeks your little girl is still only a little baby and if she isn’t being shown how to behave, she will find her own way.  Phoenix has given you lots of good advice.  The most important and first thing I teach my dogs is a recall.  It was taught from the first day home and even when my Maisie was being a little monster at home, I knew that I could rely on her coming back instantly to the whistle.
If you look on the puppy board you will find lots of posts similar to yours which shows you are not alone and may be comforting to you. 
The first year of dog ownership  IS hard work, but if you put the work in, you will have a dog that will hopefully live over 13 years and will give you so much love, loyalty and devotion.
I read an article the other day that says lots of new puppy owners get “puppy blues” when they suddenly realize that this cute little bundle they got is going to be much harder work than they thought.
You are not alone, just keep telling yourself that she WILL get better because it is true  :luv:

--- End quote ---

Great post 👍

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