FAO the Spaniel Owners Support Group: I need advice please.

Llewellyn

Llewellyn

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Hi, already typed this once and it disappeared.
I have been offered a spaniel ( I know offered is a bad sign generally)
So my family.
I have a three month old baby who has been exposed to most animals, I work from home, I jog 40 mins pm and partners jogs 45 mins am. I take baby for an hour walk at lunch. We live in a two/three bedroom house with a garden half a mile from Cannock chase. My OH and I have had dogs before his a GSD and mine a GSDx with whom I did agility and obedience and also looked after a lurcher for three years and taught her obedience from scratch.

Now the dog is a two year old bitch definately working stock by the look. She excitement/submission urinates so at the moment is kept on a kennel and only human contact is being let out into the (four acre) garden. The family have 4 children ranging from between 17 and 6 months who she is fine with. I am house sitting for them and today found out she can sit/lie down/come/ fetch. and having read up on the urinating have tried ignoring her for the first five minutes, not patting her head and back and not leaning over her she seems to be urinating alot less.

So questions are: is the dog and lifestyle compatable? could it be that games and mental stimulation are reducing the urinating? and finally I promise is there anything I need to know about cocker spaniels that isn't going to be advertised by the breed associations?
Any advice grately appreciated even if it is a dream on. :)
 
Your lifestyle sounds idyllic for a dog - although I'm not sure whether I would cope with a young child and a dog, but plenty of people do!
How old is the spaniel and is it just the urinating that's the problem? If the spaniel is still young, there is a good chance she/he'll grow out of it. My 7 month springer still urinates when meeting new people out of excitement! We are hoping she will grow out of it!

ETS: I've just re-read and realised she is 2! That is still young but I'm sure with careful socialising she will get more used to meeting people and the excitement will lessen!
 
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OK we took on a rescue cocker who also had limited socialisation, she lived with a very elderly chap who kept her in a cage in his car or locked in the bathroom.

I once read a piece in H&H which described Cockers as "busy little dogs who enjoy life to the full" I have to say I have never read such an understatement in all my life!

That said LB has turned into the most loveable fun little dog we could ever wish to own and because of her I now go running everyday. I would say your lifestyle seems to suit this type of dog perfectly, LB and I often do 10 mile runs at the weekend, she is great company for me and seems to really enjoy being out. She is now seven and half.

I have no experience of the urinating but would say our friends Springer does this and we are currently looking after her while they are on holiday and if you keep calm when greeting her it doesn't appear to be an issue.

Finally, I have twins and although they are 20 now I still remember shutting our rescue Lab out of the nursery and getting a scolding from my midwife who said, children are good for dogs and dogs are good for children. With that she let him in the nursery.

If I were you go for it.

Good luck

JDX
 
your lifestyle is ideal :)

as long as the dog is ok with your child then yeah - go fo rit :)

i have a spaniely thingy x collie (nutter)..... and wouldnt be without her, i want a full spaniel next so go for it :)
 
I think you have answered your own question about the urinating - she is kept in a kennel and only let out to run round the garden. Spaniels are sociable dogs and love nothing better then being part of the family - once she has a routine including lots of excercise and mental stimulation and human contact I am sure she will quickly stop.:)

My old cocker was 5 when I was 'offered' her - she had been kept in a flat and not walked - was weeing and pooing in the flat and on the balcony - within a week of having her and being walked twice a day she had almost stopped and then was completely house trained shortly after.:)

When do we get to see a picture of her in her new home??:confused::D:D
 
Reason I wasn't sure about whether having some interaction was stopping the urination was whether she has 'run out' of fluid but even better tonight. She is very keen to be loved. Will properly introduce her to OH this week hopefully she won't pee on him and win him over!
Will give him a breifing on the need for calm.
Have discovered her recall is hindered by birds but a sharp whistle seems to get her back including when she is trying to round up the ducks. Been looking into doggy classes will def give me a chance to escape baby a bit so OH can babysit while I go meet doggy people. Will see if I can catch a picture of her at some point if she will stay still long enough.
Thank you so much for your comments.
 
for the recall.......my spaniel x loves birds - chases them - goes deaf etc.....

i keep her on an extendable most of the time unless its safe to let her off - normally winter is ok to let her off as swallows? that dive bomb us are horrific :/

lunge lines help for confidence - but dont be afraid of using an extendable lead with them, mine gets plenty of *safe* exercise (yes ive trained her very well - obedience and agility compns) shes just agit when it comes to birds n rabbits :/
 
You sound like you're pretty on the ball about it all, so I say - go for it! Haven't had any experience of having a working-lines spangle but classes of any sort are a good idea, you want to tire that mind out (because you'll never tire the tail out!) Good luck if you decide to have her - we'll all be here for when you need an understanding ear... :p :D
 
You sound perfect for her, and you are going about the urination as you should, most submisive/excited dogs will urinate so in either case it's basically keeping all excitement to a minimum and a few body language adjustments from you, as you already know, no bending down, direct eye contact or stroking the top of her head, go for under the chin, this will always be less dominant, the greeting, basically ignoring her attempts to roll submissivly or jump around and hence begin to pee, instead release her and walk off encouraging her to do he rbusiness then catch up with you, or when arriving home, release her outside without touch, speaking or giving her eye contact, when paying attention to her do it swiftly and maybe a quick stroke and treat then walk away and catch her off guard rather than giving eye contact and walking straight for her, rather than bend over and make a huge fuss of her, any time she ets over selous, break contact and walk off.

Buld a bond (as you are) training her and exercising her rather then lavishing attention on her, she will eventually settle and should eventually stop the urination the more interaction she has on a low key level.
 
Sounds good! If my springers are completely ignored when someone walks in, they're much calmer and retreat to their bed until invited to join in. It's no wonder the poor girl does wee occasionally if her only stimulation has been the garden, no matter how big. Agility would be fab with a spaniel.
 
She sounds undersocialised and over excited.

In a sensible home with the calm loving attention that spaniels seem to need to soak up almost constantly I think you will have a lovely dog. And she will have a super home. You and OH sound ideal - go for it, it sounds as though you will be doing the dog a big favour.

At 11 months our cocker does still occasionally pee very slightly(one or two drips) on greeting her many friends and all the others we have had in the past have done this to an extent until they become less manic about meeting people!

If she is working strain I suspect she is clever and will pick up on body language and voice tone so you will need to be aware of how you behave around her to start off with but they really do make the most wonderful pets as long as they have the right balance of entertainment and love in their lives.
 
Just thought I would give a quick update. Met OH properly today wee'd everywhere when he got here :eek:. (not a good start). But having met him and done a few recalls absolutely no weeing :D. Got to the point tonight standing oppersite ends of the garden taking it in turns to call her (doing it so she comes up and sits square infront of you) her retrieve is also getting sharper and coming back! Another good couple of hours spent with her today.
OH said 'we will see' :rolleyes: his heart set on a Lab (you know pipe, slippers, armchair) and a weeing mad wocker isn't what he had in mind but he said he will consider her, two weeks to turn him around (he is already showing signs of softening). showed him the thread and he was very impressed. Also found trainer in my area who is ex RAF dog trainer so hopefully experience with spaniels and army types (OH forces) so will call him on monday to ask questions re:prices etc.

So Thank You SO much will keep you updated.
 
Sounds promising!!:)

I think the more time she spends with you/people the better she will become - it is like socialising her with other dogs - the more she meets the less exciting it gets!:)

I'm sure your OH will fall for her ;)- everyone loves a spangle(even CAYLA has one called Pancake...;):D:D)- how could they not??:confused: I'm sure once he sees how fast they learn and how tough they are he will be wrapped around her paw!!:D:D:D I mean she is a working cocker so a 'proper' dog....:D
 
Llewellyn said:
Hi, already typed this once and it disappeared.
I have been offered a spaniel ( I know offered is a bad sign generally)
So my family.
I have a three month old baby who has been exposed to most animals, I work from home, I jog 40 mins pm and partners jogs 45 mins am. I take baby for an hour walk at lunch. We live in a two/three bedroom house with a garden half a mile from Cannock chase. My OH and I have had dogs before his a GSD and mine a GSDx with whom I did agility and obedience and also looked after a lurcher for three years and taught her obedience from scratch.

Now the dog is a two year old bitch definately working stock by the look. She excitement/submission urinates so at the moment is kept on a kennel and only human contact is being let out into the (four acre) garden. The family have 4 children ranging from between 17 and 6 months who she is fine with. I am house sitting for them and today found out she can sit/lie down/come/ fetch. and having read up on the urinating have tried ignoring her for the first five minutes, not patting her head and back and not leaning over her she seems to be urinating alot less.

So questions are: is the dog and lifestyle compatable? could it be that games and mental stimulation are reducing the urinating? and finally I promise is there anything I need to know about cocker spaniels that isn't going to be advertised by the breed associations?
Any advice grately appreciated even if it is a dream on. :)
Click to expand...


We were in the same position over a year ago, she was about 14 months when we had her, I am SO glad we took her, we were also OFFERED her !

Your routine sounds fine, as long as she gets enough exercise she will be fine.

When I told people we were having a springer they thought I was mad, oh they're mental they are, she is not

Good luck, pics please when you get her

Edited to add IF she is excitable, then you need to do the no touch, no talk no eye contact, it worked for us and use the word off if she jumps up no down as I think they get confused with when you say down to lay down
 
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If its any help my OH was won around to cockers and wockers VERY quickly and now says that they are the perfect dog!! This from a 'big' dog man....springers and the like.

Tell your OH he wont regret it, they are the sharpest most clever little workers and so loving and loyal so not only fun for a bloke but wonderful in the house as well!
 
To share the spaniel related fustration. More to have an outlet than to be read.
We were doing so well and yesterday complete collapse when its comes to otherhalf first peeing right next to him obviously because he is sooo gorgeous or because he made eye contact! And then he did some recall in the garden but instead of going to him she came to find me (in a seperate building) so he's convinced that she doesn't like him I think. And while you can call her back in the sheep field or in with the chickens (private land) she has definate bird deafness. And of course the more he yells to get her back the more she runs away and the deafer she gets!!!
I teach recall by putting one hand in the air and calling come so when she eventually looks over she sees the hand up and comes over. Saves my voice but he just tries to yell. So now she looks like she will only respond to me. :mad:
I know patience only tenish hours of training done.
 
Well she is a submissive so OHs style of training maybe isnt the way to go .... sounds like YOU have got yourself a lovely dog though!!

I find a whistle and hand signals work much more than voice with my wocker too.
 
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