Getting a puppy - advice needed!!

B

bumblebeez

Member
Joined
14 April 2007
Messages
14
Visit site
We are getting a working cocker spaniel pup in a few weeeks and as first time dog owners would appreciate any advice your willing to give. We are planning on getting a crate to put pups bed in as we have to big, fat cats who rule the roost and the downstairs of our house is very open plan with out a single door
shocked.gif
blush.gif


If any one has any advice specificly about crate/toilet training please let me hear it! Oh! and also about who to introduce pup to cats and visa versa
wink.gif


Just to tempt you all heres the little monster we're hoping to get
laugh.gif

DSC00254.jpg


DSC00243.jpg


We are hoping he'll turn out to be just as lovely as his dad!
127-2751_IMG.jpg
 
Looking forward to seeing the answers you get as v similar to our situation (though have a few more doors)!!

Love the photos.

Fiona
 
How lovely! Are you going to be working the pup when it grows up? The dad looks quite srpinger like, but then again could be the angle of the piccie!

I saw a gundog demo a few weeks ago and the guy used sroingers, labs and cockers as workers. He said if you want something easy, go for a lab, bit more of a challenge, go for a springer. A big challenge go for a cocker! He said they are very intelligent, but don't like to be proved wrong
grin.gif
(bit like my dog!)

Don't have any crate advice as we didn't use them and we also are very old fashioned in training dogs that I know many a people wouldn't agree with so I won't go into them on a open board!
 
When we got our pup I got a book from the library called "After You Get Your Puppy" by Ian Dunbar. I found it really useful and it has excellent information on using a crate, house-training, socialisation etc. It is geared towards dogs that are destined purely to be companion pets rather than working dogs.
 
We'll hopefully do some agility when he's older but his main purpose wil be as a family pet! His dad has only just started training as when they started him younger he got a bit depressed but loves it now. His mum is just a family pet, but they're both such lovely friendly dogs with plently of energy!

His dad does look a bit like a springer in the pic but he is actually a lot smaller and finer!

Here's another pic of him with my mum!
127-2742_IMG.jpg

and one with pups mum too!
pepperandhosi.jpg
 
That black one is gorgeous!

I would advise you go to puppy classes too. Great way to get pup socialised and also give good training tips.

We actually have a retired working springer in our family. Pure nutter even at the age of 12. We've never worked cockers though, but I would love one but I don't think my Beastie would be impressed!
 
I have had 3 dogs 2 terriers and 1 labrador. All I would recommend is that you spend as much time as poss with the pup while he/she is young as that is when they learn everything. My terriers were porrty trained in weeks and my labrador in days. Everytime they have a sleep its out for a wee, everytime they have a meal its out for a wee etc.. I never hardly ever put my dogs on leads either, therefore they are never a problem to catch. My lab comes out riding on main roads with me, running with me and is only 14 months. Its just time you need to spend with them. If you work full time as I did with my first two dogs, I took 2 wks hols, then my partner took 2 wks off and so they had a lot of time spent training, but boy it paid off.
Hope all goes well.
 
Hi!

We are kinda first time dog owners and have just got a 10 month old pointer, she was a rescue so we had to use a create but she has been fine with it - they don't seem to mind as much as you would think.

Also, all this stuff about gun dogs being hard work - Star isn't at all! She is well chilled and much easier than I though, we haven't had her from a pup though.

Good luck and i hope you love her as much as we love our forst doggy!
laugh.gif
 
We crate trained our puppy and it worked really well - he has been really good and never had an accident overnight.

You just have to make sure that the crate becomes a nice place to be - and a safe place for the puppy - ours still sleeps in his, but we don't shut the door any more!

There is some good advice on crate training and introducing to other animal in the 'sticky subject' section here

Good luck - look forward to loads of puppy pictures
grin.gif
 
buy/steal or borrow a copy of 'The Perfect puppy by Gwen Bailey -
grin.gif
- it's just about the most down to earth sensible and most effective book on rearing and training a new pup - I always include a copy in every puppy pack that we give to new owners of our pups.

Mind you my first piece of advice for anyone looking for a family pet is NOT to get a working strain spaniel - or indeed springer ( and I have to say that dad looks like a springer/spaniel cross
shocked.gif
) - like working collies they can be totally mental if they don't have enough work to do !
 
It is definitely important to be with your puppy as much as possible during early house training. If you make sure you take him outside everytime he looks even slightly as if he might wee you will soon crack the house training. I have to agree with milor that working lines are quite hard work, and that dad does possible look like a springer/cocker cross. I may be wrong but can you get liver and white cockers? Anyway that is irrelevant and pup looks gorgeous so have lots of fun with him.
 
[ QUOTE ]
All I would recommend is that you spend as much time as poss with the pup while he/she is young as that is when they learn everything.

[/ QUOTE ] I agree with that advice wholeheartedly - try and clear your diary as much as possible in the first couple of weeks. You don't want to go out and leave it for long periods of time during this period as it will almost force the pup to 'go' in the house which is exactly what you don't want. If you can get them 'going' outside right from the start they learn so quickly, but it does mean you have to spend lots of time with them and be alert to all the cues.

Plus I also think it is unfair to take a very young pup away from its mum and littermates and then leave it home alone for long periods of time - in my personal opinion that is bound to lead to problems of separation anxiety.
 
The dog forum looks very interesting, but can't see the post on crate training that you mentioned. Any chance you could find a direct link to it for me (maybe its just too late at night)!!
Sorry
FIona
 
[ QUOTE ]
buy/steal or borrow a copy of 'The Perfect puppy by Gwen Bailey -
grin.gif
- it's just about the most down to earth sensible and most effective book on rearing and training a new pup - I always include a copy in every puppy pack that we give to new owners of our pups.
Mind you my first piece of advice for anyone looking for a family pet is NOT to get a working strain spaniel - or indeed springer ( and I have to say that dad looks like a springer/spaniel cross
shocked.gif
) - like working collies they can be totally mental if they don't have enough work to do !

[/ QUOTE ]
Thanks will definatly look in to getting the book!
laugh.gif


Both mum and dad are registered cockers, and she had a springer staying whilst we were there and she was much bigger and a lot chunkier than the cockers!

Also we are very aware about how energetic the working cockers are! And although he won't be "working" a such, he will definatly not be a house dog as dad plans to take him to work when he's older ( he does matenance on a large outdoor site with lots of footpaths,woods ect.) so that along with lots of long walks on the moors will keep him occupied!!

Spending time with him as a pup will not be a prob as i will have just finshed my exams and have the whole summer off!
grin.gif


Thanks again for the advise, it is greatly appreaciated, keep it coming!
tongue.gif


Also does anyone have any tips on how to introduce pups to cats
shocked.gif
wink.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top