More Training

Brattina88

Active Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2004
Messages
12,958
Likes
6
Points
38
Location
OH
#1
I have an almost two year old Cocker spaniel. Dispite what you may have hear, or experianced with this breed she is a great dog. I just have one problem - When she gets super bored she becomes distructive. We can't give her any extra chewies or treats because shes on a restricted diet and the other dogs might try to steal them from her and result in a squable. Any other sugestions?

She went through Puppy and Basic training classes like breeze. She's so smart and eager to please - it took my five minutes to teach her how to shake consistantly without any previous training. I could go on and on on the list of commands/tricks she can do. When I'm training her, she's less bored and consiquently less distructive. Thing is, I'm fresh out of things to teach her. Does any body have things I could teach her, that would take some time to teach her fully? I taught her to shut doors, cabinent doors ect like an assistance dog, maybe some thing like that???
 
Joined
Dec 20, 2003
Messages
94,266
Likes
3
Points
36
Location
Where the selas blooms
#2
Have you tried a puzzle ball? I understand about the restricted diet, but they take only small treats, and most of the time larger pet stores or your vet will have treats that would be okay. Maybe your vet has some vitamin treats you could use. The puzzle balls are great fun for the dogs, and allow them to use their problem solving abilities. I got one for Bimmer when he was a very inquisitive puppy. The only problem was that he watched me load it and figured out how to just remove the stopper instead of solving the puzzle! I gave one to my sister for her Jack Russell, but they never got the chance to load it with treats - he snatched it and worried it up and down the hall until his tongue was hanging out. They all got belly aches laughing at him!
 
Joined
Dec 26, 2003
Messages
280
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Californa
#3
AWWW! I HAVE A COCKER TOO! LUKE!

My dog usually carries the mail key when my mom goes to get the mail, try that!
 
Last edited:
Joined
Dec 20, 2003
Messages
94,266
Likes
3
Points
36
Location
Where the selas blooms
#4
I don't know why I didn't think to mention this in my earlier post. My best friend has an adorable black Cocker. Carter, too, is very, very bright and has scads of excess energy. He's got a "toy box" full of toys that he takes out and plays with - and puts back! There is a good variety of chew toys, rope toys and squeakies, but Carter's favorites are the stuffed squeakies. I think they satisfy his natural urge to hunt. He also has fun playing with his toys when other dogs come to visit, since he's an "only dog." He's at home alone during the day while she's at work, and the toys keep him happy and amused - and undestructive.

Toys also shouldn't cause the same kinds of arguments as treats. Inter-family dog squabbles over treats and toys often sound worse than they really are. We've made it clear to ours that arguing will be tolerated, but bullying and hurting each other won't, and we don't have to worry when they "yell" at each other. They're very much like kids in a family. They're going to disagree and squabble once in a while, but have no real desire to do each other any real harm. If the disagreement lasts more than a few seconds they get called down and then it's funny to watch them make up with each other. Occasionally you'll come across a dog that really does want to hurt, but usually they don't tolerate other dogs in the family anyway.
 

Beast

New Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2004
Messages
1
Likes
0
Points
0
#5
Have you looked into agility training? Pup parties? Take her to the play ground and try her on some of the equipment, walking the teedor todder, slide, balance beams etc. Teach her to turn left and right. She is obviously a highly intelligent dog meant for a higher purpose in life. I once saw a dog that recycled. He picked up cleaner trash and cans, brought them back to his faithful food handler and deposited it in a bag. He could also pick up coins off the floor and deposit them into a piggy bank. For a quick 5 minutes peace, instead on putting my Jack Russells dinner in her bowl, I put it in a plastic margarine type container. She can now open that in under 2 minutes to eat her dinner. She likes to play with it for 3 minutes first. Loves the rattle. Treats go under blankets or in towels and she has to find them. Sometimes I wonder who's smarter, me or the dog. Good luck! ;)
 

Brattina88

Active Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2004
Messages
12,958
Likes
6
Points
38
Location
OH
#6
I didn't relize Luke was a Cocker! I'm slow *lol*
Thanks for all of the ideas guys, but I hate to say that I've thought of most of them already. Maddie does agility; We had two little agility competitions last summer (in our backyard and at the campground we practically live at in the summer) Maddie won ! :D Its nothing professional or anything, nut we have fun and she's a quick learner. We tried switching 'handlers' at the campground, where we all tried to run somebody elses dog and she wasn't as good without me - that made me feel kinda good :eek:
The recycling thing sounds cool, but I'm trying to get Maddie to stay away from the trash...
Maddie, too, loves squeakies! The louder the better, she thinks. Her favorite squeaky is so loud and annoying that we only give it to her when we are not home. Her second favorite is a stuffed squirrel. I bought a whole pack of replacement squeakers to put in this thing because she squeaks it to death. Our dogs never really raised a stink about sharing toys. There have been some stealy looks, but thats all it takes. They know that I won't tolerate it, but I don't want to give them a reason to when I'm not home to watch them.
I went out and bought a puzzle ball after reading your post Renee... I already have to put it on the hardest setting. I talked to her old trainer and she sugested measuring how much food I put in it and take that away from her actual meals I give her in a bowl. This seems to be a win/win situation. :D
On another dog forum I go too someone suggested Spaniels are natural gun dogs, why not find your local gun dog club and try training her for that. Does anyone have any experiance in this? I would never really shoot a live thing, but...
 
Joined
Dec 20, 2003
Messages
94,266
Likes
3
Points
36
Location
Where the selas blooms
#7
I seem to remember, vaguely, something on Animal Planet on the show they do with two teams of dogs, running agility, obstacles, and usually one specialty task, where the special task involved using gun dogs and lures with guns shooting blanks to key the dogs. Wish I could remember more of it; maybe someone else out there does?

Maybe Maddie just needs a cat to play with her! Gomez kept Bimmer VERY busy when he was a puppy! (lol)
 

Brattina88

Active Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2004
Messages
12,958
Likes
6
Points
38
Location
OH
#8
Renee750il said:
I seem to remember, vaguely, something on Animal Planet on the show they do with two teams of dogs, running agility, obstacles, and usually one specialty task, where the special task involved using gun dogs and lures with guns shooting blanks to key the dogs. Wish I could remember more of it; maybe someone else out there does?

Maybe Maddie just needs a cat to play with her! Gomez kept Bimmer VERY busy when he was a puppy! (lol)
lol! :D
We rescued a Siamese mix from a Petland ( :mad: @ that store) that had upper respritory infection and was so close to dieing... the doc gave him steriods as a last hope thing, and I think that's why he's the hugest cat anyone has ever seen in his life! He lived with us for over a year, he and Maddie wrestled like crazy, they were best buds. That cat could whoop my dog, sad to say, lol. He had his front claws declawed even...
We were gonna keep him, but Mom is alergic :(
Maddie just started wrestling with Minnie when he left instead
 
Joined
Dec 26, 2003
Messages
280
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Californa
#9
:) It's okay, now you know.
I've always wanted to save a pet. But my mom said she wanted a purebreed dog that was healthy. :mad: Mixes are cuter! :) Not all are sick ...and they get healthy over the years and love you for healing them.
:( It's okay. You can't keep all your pets.
Hmm... There's a lot of things you could teach Maddie, you could teach her to bring you things when you ask. Dogs are very useful.
 

Brattina88

Active Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2004
Messages
12,958
Likes
6
Points
38
Location
OH
#10
soccerwoofer said:
:) It's okay, now you know.
I've always wanted to save a pet. But my mom said she wanted a purebreed dog that was healthy. :mad:
Purebreds are more likly to have problems such as hip displayshia [sp!], ear problems (espacailly in Cockers) and other things like this. Of course if you get them from a rep. breeder you're Mom may be right. With a purbred you know exactly what your getting and how big the dog will get. I remember a certain small puppy at our local animal shelter that ppl fought over bcz they thought it was a Chihuahua mix... turns 2yrs old and is the size of a german shepherd. Ha! :D

Does Luke have a submissive urination problem?? j/w
 
Joined
Dec 26, 2003
Messages
280
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Californa
#11
Luke seems to be scratching his ear a lot, but we clean his ears often. I don't really mind what kind of dog I get. I just care if they take to me. Luke seems to be taking to my mom (even though she spanks him when he goes inside or when he bites my sister.(*gasp* Meanie!)) most. But we're good friends and he doesn't hate me, that's good.

It's okay and YES! The rumors are true, Cockers pee when they're excited! :eek:
 
Joined
Dec 20, 2003
Messages
94,266
Likes
3
Points
36
Location
Where the selas blooms
#12
You Mom's probably the one who's around more of the time. Wait until you're off for summer vacation and you can spend lots more time with Luke; you'll see a difference when he figures out how much more fun you are than your Mom!
 

Brattina88

Active Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2004
Messages
12,958
Likes
6
Points
38
Location
OH
#13
lol... not ALL Cockers do, so I was just wondering. How does your Mom react when Luke does it? My mom gets all embaressed and she won't let me take Maddie places that much :p
How old is Luke again?
 
Joined
Dec 26, 2003
Messages
280
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Californa
#14
Yes, Renee, I know. She is with him more becuase when I go to my dad's house for a week, I'm only there on week days for two hours after school. But when I'm with my mom, I'm there all the time except for when I go to school.

Luke is 3 months and 4 on March 9th. My mom doesn't notice because he never does it on her. He gets excited when people who he hasn't seen for an hour or longer come and take him out of his crate/kennel, I don't exactly know what it's called. Then he pees on them. I hardly get peed on because my friend who carpools with me always take Luke out. My mom never gets peed on because my sister always goes to see Luke first.
 
Joined
Dec 20, 2003
Messages
94,266
Likes
3
Points
36
Location
Where the selas blooms
#15
That's what they call submissive urination. It might help sometimes if whoever is going in to Luke talks to him before they actually get to him. Shiva used to do that - talk about ridiculous! Imagine seeing a puppy SO HUGE doing that! I'm sooo glad she's grown out of it.
 

Brattina88

Active Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2004
Messages
12,958
Likes
6
Points
38
Location
OH
#16
I'm glad Maddie isn't that bad. She never urinates when its people she knows. My uncle used to come up to our house every other weekend, so she got used to him about the second time he came over and stoped. He hadn't been here for about a month, but when he came back she still didn't. There for a while I thought she had grown out of it, but this winter we took her to Pets Mart and she was so excited, when someone bent done to pet her it was automatic. Its wierd because she'll do it once, and then won't do it the rest of the time we're there. Like her bladder's empty or something. She's NEVER urinated on me, my mom, my brother or my dad. I don't think my dad would tolerate that, but my mom gets embaressed when she does it to other people when we walk her or take her to pets mart for example. :rolleyes: :confused:
 

Members online

Top