17 week old puppy

[Superchef]

Hello

I’ve just joined this group and have read quite a lot already. Sounds like there’s some great advice out there.

We are first time dog owners and to be honest it’s all been a bit over whelming and exhausting. We knew it wasn’t going to be a walk in the park but gosh it’s been hard. Sometimes to point I’ve been in tears!!!! (I know, all over a puppy) . I wish I would have found this place before getting him but never mind.

Well I have loads of questions, not sure where to start. Well let’s start with the negative/bad things

Teething/ biting - I have read that this is standard but god I can’t wait for it to stop!!! He’s chewing everything from my dining chairs to my bose speakers. We have toys and chews but sometimes he chews everything but.... I hoping this will pass in a few months time.

Then there’s the eating every in sight in the garden. He absolutely loves being outside but I find it stressful because all he does is eat the grass,mud,Moss,lavender,leaves,stones !!! You name it he eats it!!! We have sectioned offthe boarders but he still finds things.

Next thing ( probably discuss this with our trainer) but we have zero recall with him in the garden. He doesn’t even look up when his name is called. Not even chicken will bring him in!!!! He is fairly good with recall on his park walks it’s just in the garden!!!! Help !!! We are thinking of mussling him, what are your thoughts please?

Sorry to bombard you with all these things. I just hope and pray that things get better soon.

Thanks for reading. 
A very tired cocker momma and poppa

[Pearly]

Hello and welcome!

Yep!  Sounds like you have a typical cocker spaniel puppy on your hands!

Well done though as you are almost out of the biting phase    and rapidly heading into the teenage phase

My best advice is a) do not let your dog have any free time in the garden until he is obedient
start with basic obedience - sit, stay, walk at heel (or close by given he is so young)
C) stock up on wine and chocolate - you will need it
D) add a photograph to the ouppy page (we all like to see the demon sweet puppy)
E) use meal times for training - feed by hand, reinforcing sit (bit of food) take a step away and if he stays still go back and feed again - sit should mean “put your bottom on the floor and dont move until I give permission”
F) also at meal times or randomly with treats, tell him to sit and “look at me” raising the food to your nose - if he makes eye contact let have the treat
G) if all else fails resort to gin...

[bizzylizzy]

Hi and welcome! Glad you found us, I also joined quite late into the game, Humphrey was 6 months and I so wished I‘d had access to all the wonderful help, advice and support on here in the beginning.
So, first and foremost, your little one (what‘s his name?) is quite normal and all of us who‘ve had our charges since they were pups have been through the same things Good news is, they‘re all phases that he‘ll grow out of  - eventually!
Teething and biting can be a real pain, for you and him! Kongs filled with yoghurt and popped into the freezer are great for soothing sore gums. I bought a wooden tree root chew for Humphrey, they‘re not cheap but last for a long long time, they‘re hard enough to chew on but not so hard as to cause damage to the teeth. I tried spraying the furniture with an anti chew spray which I bought at the pet shop but it wasn‘t very effective, the only sure way is to deny unsupervised access to anything of value. Its amazing how tidy the family became all of a sudden!
The garden problem was my nightmare! Again, it does get somewhat better but it is difficult to drive home the idea of borders vs. grass! We put up a cheap wire fence for the first summer so he had the run of part of the garden but I didn‘t have to watch every second.
Recall from the garden I solved with sheer bribery! Even now, at nearly 3, I‘m often to be heard calling „Biscuit“ as that‘s the only way he‘ll come in, although outside on walks his recall‘s good. You‘ll find he‘ll probably want to go out more often, just so he can come back in, -they‘ve clever little so and so‘s but yoz can sort that problem out later!  I don‘t let Humphrey wander around in the garden on his own too much anyway,  he goes out for a wee and a bit of a sniff but onl for a couple of minutes, - if they’re allowed too much „freedom“, especially when the’re little, I find they get a bit too independant. I  don‘t think I‘d muzzle him, you could take him on a long lead and train a recall that way necessary but supervision is a better alternative really.
There‘ll be lots more advice coming your way I‘m sure. In meantime, good luck, keep us posted!

[Digger]

Hi Superchef
Just thought I'd chime in as I too had a pup that would eat EVERYTHING in the garden. She especially liked things that were particularly dangerous like snails and little bits of gravel. It's like having a baby that can crawl. It is a dreadful time because you are also trying to house train so have to be outside a lot for that. I just caged round the worst bits and watched her like a hawk. It was exhausting but It gradually got better over time. I think by about 5 months I could relax!
  From what I have read, I have deduced that cockers can be very bitey pups. Mine certainly has been horrific! She is getting better but it's much slower going than our other dog. It seems that you either get a normal biter (all puppies bite) or one that really drags it out.
  Recall- I reckon Pippa Mattinsons method is pretty good. She has written various books and specifically seems to work with labs and working cockers. There is also a 'top barks' recall link on this site.
  As a first time dog owner I can imagine you are in shock! I've had dogs before and am finding my working cocker quite trying at times, but as lots of others have said, because they are such a pain and hard work when they are young, you end up with a really close bond long term. My little pooch has almost reduced me to tears on several occasions but I do love her and am just starting to see glimpses of the future dog through the haze of chaos she has brought so far!!!
I am not an expert and am new to cockers but not new to dogs. These are not like other dogs.

My top tips would be
.1).Decide what you're doing / saying and stick to it. They love routine
..2)Keep giving the same consistent commands even though your dog is looking at you like you have three heads. It is probably going in even if it looks like it isn't..for a month..I think cockers learn better through conditioning type training.
3) Once you have given your pup the opportunity to learn not to bite on you too hard, start with the no bite at all by gently and silently putting him out of the room for a minute (or you leave the room for a minute). I fell into the trap of negotiating with my pup and I think that has made it last longer. Bite... out. No noise.
4) Dont let him get away with anything but don't be harsh. These little dogs are very SENSITIVE. Train with treats. Blank the bad behaviour.
It would break my heart to see a spaniel with a muzzle on personally/ and I would worry about all the additional problems that it could give rise to.
 If you can develop an interest in a ball or some sort of game with your dog and make yourself the most interesting thing in the garden I bet his ears will prick up when you call his name then!
Most things do pass as they get older and things will get easier as your relationship builds.
There is nothing more joyful than watching a happy spaniel romping in the fields. Enjoy that heartwarming sight every day- it is good for your soul!!

[Leo0106]

Welcome to the forum! Not going to add much except reiterate what had been said previously regarding meal times as training times. Leo rarely gets given a bowl of food and left to eat it. 1. Because he will just stare at it and walk away. 2. Because he LOVES working for his food. That might be trick /obedience training or it might be popping it in a treat ball and letting him run around the house with it.
It's a fab way of obedience training and also wearing him out!

Good luck and look to this forum for help before you tear your hair out. I came across this forum when we'd already had our pup for 4 months and it all began to get better when I confided with the lovely people on here

[Superchef]

Hello ..... thank you to all of you for your advice. Sorry it’s taken me so long to reply I’m not very good with technology, it’s taken me days to find the reply button!! I forgot to mention that his name is Chester and he’s a liver and white.

To those that responded Leo0106, digger , bizzylizzy and pearly how old are your dogs???

Another few questions if you don’t mind. During the earlier evening after our tea he really struggled to settle, he fidgets and is restless. He NEVER takes himself off to his bed in his crate (even though he sleeps in there very well at bedtime) we have to physically put him in there but that makes me feel bad.

[bizzylizzy]

Humphrey‘s coming up to 3 now. He doesn‘t put himself to bed until we go, he follows the same little routine more or less every evening, i.e. about an hour squeezed in his little self made den between OH‘s armchair and the sofa, from there he goes to the sofa and snuggles up to me, then he has another hour on the other side of the lounge. When the television goes off, he asks to out out, then its in the kitchen for a biscuit and only then does he take himself off to bed!
This routine has developed over time however, Chester‘s still a baby and not many human children will take themselves off to bed voluntarily!  . We try not to give much attention to Humphrey after he‘s had his evening meal, no more games etc and he‘s come to realize that the evenings are quiet time, whether he‘s in his bed or in the lounge is for us irrelevant, main thing is he‘s quiet!
I‘m sure chester will settle in time. 

[Barry H]

I got Jack at 8 weeks (now 3) and waited to get a puppy until I took early retirement so that I could be at home all the time with him.  Even though I'd had dogs before (Bassets) in my 20s/30s the amount of sheer hard work with a new puppy still came as a bit of a shock.  The highs far outnumbered the lows, though.

For a first puppy, it's going to be a question of trial and error and you'll need lots more patience than you think you have.  He's very young, excited, curious, interested, full of the joys of life and probably thinks you exist solely to pander to his wants.  The key is both of you learning what works and what doesn't - firm but fair.

Rather than suggesting lots of things and writing a mini thesis, I'm going to recommend a couple of books which could be considered a starting point for new owners and should be on your bookshelf (if not already).  Both are classics and both are worth their weight in gold...

Stick with it.  The hard work does pay off (eventually!)

The Perfect Puppy by Gwen Bailey
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfect-Puppy-Take-Britains-Number/dp/060061722X/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

All You Need To Know About Your Cocker Spaniel: An Owner's Guide by Jane Simmonds
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cocker-Spaniel-Owners-Guide-About/dp/1906305293/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1520587641&sr=1-6&keywords=cocker+spaniel

[Digger]

Hi again.
Ours is 7 months old. She doesn't volunteer to go to her bed either, preferring day naps on the sofas. I do put her in her bed area (end kitchen cupboard with bed in and area to front) after her morning walk for about an hour, so she can dry off and hopefully sleep.  She is often restless in the evenings too. The worst of the biting attacks would usually happen between about 8and9pm. These are finally decreasing but it has been a long haul and were not in the clear yet!
At night we have a very rigid routine. She goes out for last wee at 9.30/45 (I go out with her), then I go into the area and say 'bedtime' and she normally trots in for her bedtime milky bone. She eats that then I tuck her in with her teddy like a proper little pooch and she's good as gold till the morning.
They really do love a routine, so whatever you want to be the thing, just keep doing it, then it will become the thing..!

[Leo0106]

Hi again,
Ours is 16 months now, and as many people on here will know, settling to sleep in the evenings when I want to relax has been the absolute mare of my life!!
Leo wouldn't fidget when I sat down with a glass of wine to watch tv.. oh no... He would lunge at me, teeth out, claws out.  the lot! I was at my wits end most nights and it has taken a huuugggeee amount of work to get him to where he's is now.. I've done loads of things to help the situation (I've had a behaviourist in for a number of things  ) and I can finally now sit down in the evenings and within 30 seconds I have a dog on my lap sound asleep..

You may not need to go to the extent I went to with behaviourist and all different things to try etc because yours is so young but the best thing I could advise is when its your time to sit down, chill and do your own thing, pup needs to know that. I have a rule. No more play after 6.30pm. That basically means Leo is effectively ignored by us unless he comes for a cuddle..  some nights he brings me his tug, then his ball, Then his kong etc etc and, as harsh as it sounds, I just ignore his invite to play. Very quickly he understands that mum wants to drink wine and watch eastenders and he follows suit. When we have guests we also ask them to ignore him after a certain time.. Leo will look longingly into anyone's eyes just to get a teeny bit of attention and ofcourse, a little ginger fluff ball staring at you is going to make you want to stroke or talk or play etc.. But we've found it's just really important he knows there is a time and a place for him to have all the love. And then there's not

[Gazrob]

Welcome to the wonderful world of cocker spaniels. It's not going to be easy my dog is two now and he's still in training. It's been tough at times I've also been close to tears and thinking I've made the biggest mistake of my life. Just be consistent and with repetition it will come. I basically learned as I went along knowing nothing at the start. I do recommend training stay and recall with a whistle he's much better with the whistle as he started to completely ignore my verbal commands he's not 100% but it is a big improvement.

No need to muzzle your dog unless he's a danger to other dogs or people. Try tiring your dog out so he rests at home. I recommend teaching a place command. I also don't play with my dog indoors just outside. My dog didn't chew the furniture so not sure about that one.

[bizzylizzy]

Welcome to the wonderful world of cocker spaniels. It's not going to be easy my dog is two now and he's still in training. It's been tough at times I've also been close to tears and thinking I've made the biggest mistake of my life. Just be consistent and with repetition it will come. I basically learned as I went along knowing nothing at the start. I do recommend training stay and recall with a whistle he's much better with the whistle as he started to completely ignore my verbal commands he's not 100% but it is a big improvement.

No need to muzzle your dog unless he's a danger to other dogs or people. Try tiring your dog out so he rests at home. I recommend teaching a place command. I also don't play with my dog indoors just outside. My dog didn't chew the furniture so not sure about that one.

Hi Gazrob, I found your last remark, re playing indoors, interesting. I‘d never really considered it but imagine your reasoning is, that your dog is quieter and not so demanding in the house but more attentative to you outdoors? Does it work? Sounds like it might be a strategy worth thinking about, for some dogs with problems .......?

[Gazrob]

Hi bizzylizzy yeah it does work. When he's indoors i want him to relax. I've teached him a place command when I dont want to be disturbed I tell him to go to his place mat he still can be manic at times in the house however but the toys never come out in the house I want hi to associate the house is for relaxing and outdoors is playtime. Give it a go it might be worth a try.

[Londongirl]

I think it’s great advice to be in control of playtime, in whatever way suits you. I work from home and was driven mad by Henry bringing me toys and demanding to play. He doesn’t really ‘play’ with toys on his own, apart from chew toys, which is a different thing.

We transferred play to outdoors only and that helped a lot, except that then Henry expected us to play with him every time we were in the garden with him. So now play is completely under my control and I use it as a training reward. I break up training sessions with games of tug. Then the toy gets put away. When I get the toy out, Henry gets super excited because he knows play time is coming, but he also know he has to ‘work’ for it (which he also loves).

With reference to sleep: it might seem like overkill, but I had Henry on a pretty regular nap schedule where I’d put him in his crate for a sleep at set times. I taught him to run in on command, which he still does! And he’d invariably be asleep within moments. Kept us all (semi) sane. He’s 2.5 years old now and puts himself to bed by 8:30 every night, but I think that’s a bit unusual as most like to hang out in the evening with their humans, even if that’s just to sleep on the sofa or in front of the tv (I think that applies to both the dogs and the people!).

[Gazrob]

Luckily Marley isn't really into toys very much although he does play sometimes. He likes a game of tug best. When out for walks he's not interested in playing with balls etc he likes to sniff around and chase things.