CockersOnline Forum

Cocker Specific Discussion => General Cocker Spaniel Discussion => Topic started by: LisaB on February 10, 2009, 03:56:55 PM

Title: Your attention seeking cocker
Post by: LisaB on February 10, 2009, 03:56:55 PM
Angel is always attention seeking.  Sometimes I can't move for her.  She'll be up on the sofa, nudging me under my arm for cuddles, or there's a head on my knee, or a leaning against me and licking my hands or she offers me constant nice sits for attention, or gives me her paw or offers a belly up for rubbing, or brings me toys.

Does anyone try to stop this behaviour?  Should I make her go to her bed more?  What does everyone else do with this constant love?  Do you try to curtail it, or count your blessings that you live with a lovebug?
Title: Re: Your attention seeking cocker
Post by: Angels of Fur on February 10, 2009, 04:03:49 PM
I think that my cockers are also very attention seeking! and to be honest i havent really noticed that it bothers me that much!!
Because they used to shut away all day ( with one visit at lunch) i would always fuss them and ensure i made a big deal when i was in the house on the evenings and therefore just accept the attention seeking.

I dont very often get the nudging, but i suppose that they know when im in a loving mood or in a i dont wanna be disturbed! most often 99% im just all for the love ! If it becomes too much ( but i love affection) then i just ignore and after 5 mins they get the message, i did try from the start to ensure i didnt have a cling on!!! although there is a difference i think between needy and attention seeking loving!
Title: Re: Your attention seeking cocker
Post by: allylou on February 10, 2009, 04:06:39 PM
definitely count my blessings  :luv:  :luv:
Title: Re: Your attention seeking cocker
Post by: supergirl on February 10, 2009, 04:06:54 PM
Misha does this too, especially when I'm working, she'll start nudging me with her nose - usually it starts just before we're due to go out for a walk or just before teatime, otherwise its simply because she wants to sit on my knee.  Not the easiest thing to do whilst working at a computer.  Most of the time I ignore it, or if it becomes too distracting I send her to bed.  Generally after that she will leave me alone.  Guess its up to the individuall, but I have read somewhere that its not good to keep giving them attention when they demand it, which is why I try to ignore if I can - most of the time she'll go to bed anyway.
Title: Re: Your attention seeking cocker
Post by: emilyjw on February 10, 2009, 04:15:36 PM
Bracken can be a bit like this and never saw it as a problem until the health visitor came round and Bracken kep trying to give her her paw.. i think the appointment took twice as long as it was suppose to  :005:

Some visitors she seeks attention from and some just don't seem to interest her...

Jasmine our other dog will just come and lay her head in your lap and look dolefully at you...
Title: Re: Your attention seeking cocker
Post by: Nicola on February 10, 2009, 04:15:54 PM
Mine are all over me at times and that's fine but I don't want it all the time and I don't want them jumping all over and harassing visitors to the house. If I point to their bed or their sofa and say 'bed' they'll settle down there with a toy or just go to sleep. Generally though if I'm busy or not in the mood to have my face licked I just ignore them and they wander off and amuse themselves, they're actually very good like that. At the moment I'm sitting at the computer in the bedroom and Tilly is snoozing on the sofa behind me and Rodaidh is pootering around the place annoying the cat :005:  We did only get back from a 2 hour walk about 40 minutes ago though. Much as I love playing with and cuddling them and we do plenty of it I wouldn't want them constantly hassling me for attention, it would drive me nuts and I think it's important for them to know how to chill out without me as well.
Title: Re: Your attention seeking cocker
Post by: Linz13 on February 10, 2009, 04:25:06 PM
Murphy is a nudger!  Maddi is starting to, I don't mind really unless it's the arm in holding a glass of wine with!!

With visitors Murphy sits on their feet until the pet him  :luv:
Title: Re: Your attention seeking cocker
Post by: woodlander on February 10, 2009, 04:51:15 PM
Sweep has a couple of very endearing traits! :shades:

If you are sitting reading the newspaper she will go up onto her back legs and then "bat down" the newspaper with her front paws as if to say "you are not paying me enough attention - pay attention to me dont' read that silly newspaper"! :005: :005:

She will also climb on top of you when sitting on the sofa and go "eye to eye" and "nose to nose"with you just to make sure you haven't forgotton her  :luv: :luv:
Title: Re: Your attention seeking cocker
Post by: SkyeSue on February 10, 2009, 05:05:04 PM
Chloe isn't too bad really. If I just ignore any unwanted demands on my time she soon gets the message and settles down, or amuses herself. She can be a bit OTT with visitors, but again, if I insist they ignore her, she soon settles. The trouble is, some visitors ignore my requests  >:( (sometimes I feel like banning said friends from the house - its just so annoying when I'm working so hard to get her to be calm  ph34r :005:)
Title: Re: Your attention seeking cocker
Post by: LinzHenz on February 10, 2009, 06:54:08 PM
If I'm sat at the kitchen table on the laptop and henry wants attention he will get on his back legs, put one paw on the chair and with the other he will tap me on the shoulder!!! Like a human! It's so cute/annoying but it makes me laugh  :005:
Title: Re: Your attention seeking cocker
Post by: Sarah.H on February 10, 2009, 06:57:01 PM
Millie puts her front paws up on my lap so her head is blocking the tv  >:( >:( :005:.
Title: Re: Your attention seeking cocker
Post by: Cob-Web on February 10, 2009, 07:03:48 PM
One of the reasons (there were many) that Bonnee was rehomed to us was that she was attention-seeking; and she sure does demand to be fussed in a way that Molo never has  :005:  She pulls at our hands with her paws, shoves her head under our forearms and hurls herself on her back across our laps, demanding that we tickle her tummy or stroke her ears  ::)

We have been quite tough on her; she does get loads of fuss and cuddles, but on our terms, and we decide when it stops and make sure she leaves us alone when we ask.  She whines pitifully when we ignore her, or stop fussing her and tell her to get off - but it is a lot less incessant than it was 18 months ago, and she will curl up, huffing, after a few minutes and watch you with puppy-dog eyes in the hope you will change her mind  :005:
Title: Re: Your attention seeking cocker
Post by: mcphee on February 10, 2009, 08:01:38 PM
All Rufus's cocker girl friends do what you describe. His mother does too. When I was researching, before I brought Rufus home, I read a description about this behaviour in cocker bitches which some people find too much. Rufus seeks attention strictly on his terms. When he wants to be stroked or fussed, which is not that often, he uses a paw. If you stop before he wishes you to, he paws you, and occasionallly puts in a whine. The only time he has ever sat on my lap since he was a puppy is when we were round at a friend's and her large chocolate labrador tried to perform an unnatural act on him. He jumped up onto my lap and rammed his bottom against me! Each evening he sleeps downstairs in the lounge or his crate and then comes upstairs and jumps on the end of my bed. In the night he gets further and further up the bed so when I wake he is next to me. At present he is very fragrant in a cockerish way after several wet days, so I am quite pleased he is in an independent mood and sitting on the sofa opposite me.
Title: Re: Your attention seeking cocker
Post by: joanne_v on February 10, 2009, 08:09:31 PM
One of the reasons (there were many) that Bonnee was rehomed to us was that she was attention-seeking; and she sure does demand to be fussed in a way that Molo never has  :005:  She pulls at our hands with her paws, shoves her head under our forearms and hurls herself on her back across our laps, demanding that we tickle her tummy or stroke her ears  ::)

We have been quite tough on her; she does get loads of fuss and cuddles, but on our terms, and we decide when it stops and make sure she leaves us alone when we ask.  She whines pitifully when we ignore her, or stop fussing her and tell her to get off - but it is a lot less incessant than it was 18 months ago, and she will curl up, huffing, after a few minutes and watch you with puppy-dog eyes in the hope you will change her mind  :005:

Ditto for Lily. Krum aint too bad andf the lurchers demand FAR less attention thank god!
Title: Re: Your attention seeking cocker
Post by: Roslyn McConnell on February 11, 2009, 10:37:18 AM
Awwww I loved when Dill did the nudging thing, he was soooooo cute! He would also wiggle his head under my arm so he was kinda getting a cuddle, one thing that would annoy me tho, is if I fell asleep infront of the fire I would wake up with him laying ontop of me drooling......not so nice!!!  :005:

If I was busy working and couldnt give him any attention he would stare at me for AGES then finally give up, walk to the other side of the room and throw himself down with a big hump, sigh loudly, then glare at me!  :005:
Title: Re: Your attention seeking cocker
Post by: Kimberley on February 11, 2009, 10:53:34 AM
Breeze has these tendencies and when I'm on the telephone its a me, me, me situation ,to the point she springs off the floor onto my lap. Coco comes for a proper cuddle, like a baby, head under my chin job  :luv: when we are settled down watching TV, he'll sit there flicking his tail until I say you want a love, thats it he's the side me  waiting to be picked up.
Title: Re: Your attention seeking cocker
Post by: JackieD on February 11, 2009, 10:56:22 AM
Maddy was very demanding, she still can be, though she has learned that if we don't respond to her "requests" for attention immediately then we are not going to "this time" she ususally jumps up onto the settee and throws herself down in one corner with a humph and long weary sigh as though her world has just come to an end  :005: :005:
Title: Re: Your attention seeking cocker
Post by: Rats and Dogs on February 11, 2009, 10:26:49 PM
Gari is all over everybody who comes in, he just loves cuddles and attention, he can't believe it if someone ignores him, and he cries! :005:

At home with us, he launches himself on top of us for a cuddle with his paws round our necks, or else lies in my arms for a cuddle or a belly rub. Occasionally it gets a bit much as he wants to lick my arms, neck, shoulders, any part he can reach, so I then have to be strict and tell him to get off - he can't believe it! :lol2:
Title: Re: Your attention seeking cocker
Post by: Gilly on February 11, 2009, 11:52:50 PM
Buttons isn't too bad, it's on her terms and when she does want attention she ether head buts you or claws the skin off your arms  ::) Can't say the same for Gracie and Lola, they never leave me alone with both of them normally trying to climb on my knee at the same time  ::)
Title: Re: Your attention seeking cocker
Post by: minimoo on February 12, 2009, 06:50:05 AM
One of the reasons (there were many) that Bonnee was rehomed to us was that she was attention-seeking; and she sure does demand to be fussed in a way that Molo never has  :005:  She pulls at our hands with her paws, shoves her head under our forearms and hurls herself on her back across our laps, demanding that we tickle her tummy or stroke her ears  ::)

you are decribing ella exactly, we had her in july , shes 3 in april and she is an absolute cuddle monster she will also lie across me to try and stop the other 2 having fuss, no growling or anything she just gets in their way, i just ignore her and carry on as i was but she looks so mortally wounded (spaniel eyes) ive just got to laugh .  all 3 of mine follow me everywhere and i dont mind at all but they are demanding  :D :D 
Title: Re: Your attention seeking cocker
Post by: cerinrich on February 12, 2009, 11:17:46 AM
Cuddles with Hattie are very much on her terms and she's got to be tired to really want one but I think she'd happily condescend to let me rub her tummy/ears all day long
Title: Re: Your attention seeking cocker
Post by: dizzymare on February 16, 2009, 09:53:00 AM
ellie does this too -but the worst thing is that she keeps batting you with her paw - this can come sharp (nails) especially when its on the top of your head when you are trying to have a lie in  >:D