Could scream :-(

[YvonneC22]

I think I just need a hug, 

Alex at the moment is beginning to become really hard work, he isn't listening to any commands AT ALL!

E.g He goes on the veg patch and when he is told to get down he just looks at me, then when I go to get him off he barks and growls!!
He has eaten all my sons sweet peas and pumpkins so really need him to stay off there as he is getting upset.

I bring him in, then when he goes out again a little later and goes straight on there and it all starts again 

He has dug holes under bushes, and wrecked some of the plants but just doesn't listen and continues to do it, even when we have just retrieved him from the area and stand and watch him he just runs straight back over there!! 

I feel I am constantly punishing him at the mo and really getting stressed.

[Chocolate Hero]

i feel your pain im having a day like that. Jethro refused to come back when we went to field tonight, would rather run round in circles. My gardens got a big hole in it & he attacked my pots this week. Hes on the furniture & shouldnt be. To top off today he stole OH steak off his plate! Dont know where my well behaved dog has gone tonight. 

 

[JeffandAnnie]

Can you fence off the veggie patch with some chicken wire for the moment? When you are giving "commands" are you giving him a reason to come to you rather than stay on the patch (e.g. yummy treats, more interesting toy) and praising him when he comes to you? You need to make getting off the patch more interesting and fun than being on it. Same for digging - distract him with better stuff. Each time you sense he's about to go out and dig/chew plants distract him as early as possible. It'll take a few goes, and you need to be consistent and be there every time, but at his age it shouldn't be too long before he forgets how exciting chewing plants is and how much more rewarding and fun it is to be with you  

[YvonneC22]

Alex has been like this a few weeks.. The hubby has lost total patience with him now and we just seem to be argueing over it as he isnt listening to anyone. He just barks and growls
 
Am I doing something wrong??

[JeffandAnnie]

What do you mean by "not listening"? Is he not responding to any treats/rewards at all? That is really all a dog understands - desired behaviour = reward; undesired behaviour = ignore. He can't "listen".

[YvonneC22]

Hi jeffandannie
I give treats etc but as soon as he eats them hes straight back out on there. I think he's doing it just for treats.
Its cover over the best we can but hes getting in at the gaps
 

[Toni-UK]

Don't leave him outside unsupervised.Make yourself more interesting and fun to be with,make his outdoor time playtime and training time.
Practice recall with treats,play ball,tuggy anything other than him occupying himself which will only result in his style of gardening 
You could even have him on a longline and if he approaches the veg patch gently pull him away and occupy him with something else,though as Jeff&Annie said you will be better off blocking it somehow. 

How are you punishing him ?
 

[Ruby Tuesday]

Spaniels do have a tendency to enjoy 'gardening' in my experience. We've lost several plants between our two! Alex is still young and just doing normal puppy things.
It can be very frustrating at times but you need to be patient and consistent. Reward good behaviour and ignore bad.

[MaggieR]

Don't leave him outside unsupervised.Make yourself more interesting and fun to be with,make his outdoor time playtime and training time.
Practice recall with treats,play ball,tuggy anything other than him occupying himself which will only result in his style of gardening  
You could even have him on a longline and if he approaches the veg patch gently pull him away and occupy him with something else,though as Jeff&Annie said you will be better off blocking it somehow.  

This is great advise, as is that from Jeff&Annie... Alex is a baby still and he doesn't understand commands... he will more quickly learn what are good things to do than what are bad things to do.  Patience is the key here, patience and consistency. Is it possible for you to fence off a section of the garden that he can go in for those times when you can't supervise him?  

[Jonnydog]

Oh dear, I feel your pain. I think most of us have been there at one time or another.   You don't say how old your pup is, but it seems to me he needs to have some clear idea of where he is<\b> allowed to go. Can you fence off a part of the garden for him to play? My dogs are not allowed in the front garden because they wreck it in just the way you describe. I have the veg patch fenced in with chicken wire as well. Dogs will be dogs. you have to find a way to contain him. Maybe you could even keep him on a long line when he's outside.

You can't be constantly nagging him, otherwise your patience will snap and that's not constructive. Try to stay positive.  ;)

[kalami]

Generally what's his 'leave' like. Is this something you can work on

Bella my 5yr cockers loves sweet peas, she loves them more than biscuits and would pinch the lower ones, when I had them she'd run straight over and sit looking at them. If you want to save them I'd temporarily fence them off

[Jonnydog]

Sorry about all that bold - did't mean to shout  formatting's not that easy on the iPad when you have one arm out of action because a cocker's sleeping on it!

[YvonneC22]

Thanks guys,

The area is blocked off the best I can, it's the first thing I did but he climbs over and under to get what he wants.
I've just blocked off any way he can even attempt to get there with folded garden chairs etc   he went over while I was watching him, sniffed the area, took a running jump and legged it to the veg patch and sat there looking at me like "ha, nothing is going to stop me!"

I make him lie in his bed with no toys as punishment, he does stay there and doesnt move until i call him.

I'm obviously doing something wrong as everyone is giving me common sense advice, I'll just have to spend more time (if its possible) supervising him.  

[fenby]

We ended up having to put the chicken wire flat across the veg patch as Harvey was always digging their  We didn't get much veg growing but it did stop him digging 

[Ruby Tuesday]

I don't think he will understand that getting him to lie in his bed is a punishment for going on the veg plot. By the time you get him to his bed, he won't have a clue why. You've only got about one or two seconds to get to them if they are about to do something wrong.
Getting him to lie in his bed is fine as a time out to get him to calm down though.

Keep at it, I was in tears a few times with Jem but they do get there in the end