So, I’m picking up a spaniel this week.

Goose twirls once or twice when food is being made, then sits quietly. Definitely pent up energy/excitement which is surely normal at food time. Bear likes to rear if treats are discussed, but we have created an excitable response to certain words over the years.
 
druid said:
My best two don't spin....I'll try get a video of the trial prospect 6 month old this afternoon and pop it up here. It'll give people an idea of what I like. Low head, low tail, a lot tail action and snakey movement. They should look like they have an engine. I feel spinning is a sign of pent up/explosive energy
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I think Pep’s hasn’t been helped by being always kennelled. It’s the fact she actually hurts herself by hitting the stone wall that’s not ideal. You’ve seen a video of Pep, sadly I can’t upload them onto here, but when she’s hunting she doesn’t spin. In fact she spins all the way to the training ground and then doesn’t once she’s focussed.
 
Spinning is a stress/boredom/drive leaking thing IME.
Both mine and a litter brother chased tails when they were puppies which is highly highly highly HIGHLY undesirable. I watched mine like a hawk and told her to knock it off any time she even looked like doing it and she seems to have grown out of it and I believe the brother is OK but I could see how it could develop into a problem in a home with less stimulation.
I've seen dogs that have been allowed to develop an obsession and it is very sad.
 
CorvusCorax said:
Spinning is a stress/boredom/drive leaking thing IME.
Both mine and a litter brother chased tails when they were puppies which is highly highly highly HIGHLY undesirable. I watched mine like a hawk and told her to knock it off any time she even looked like doing it and she seems to have grown out of it and I believe the brother is OK but I could see how it could develop into a problem in a home with less stimulation.
I've seen dogs that have been allowed to develop an obsession and it is very sad.
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Spingle (as she is known) will chase shadows or light reflections. I ignore the spinning but any obsessive chasing stuff and it’s instant no way. I only found out about the light as my watch made a little light point and she locked on to it. Not with me you don’t. Had to edit as too many watches! ?.
 
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Just came to this thread because SIL has gotten a Spaniel and they've had said Spaniel for a few months now. Her and OH chat a bit and OH thinks their Spaniel is "cooler" and "smarter" than our Labrador ? I don't know what he is basing this on, and I fear that he's being converted.
 
CanteringCarrot said:
Just came to this thread because SIL has gotten a Spaniel and they've had said Spaniel for a few months now. Her and OH chat a bit and OH thinks their Spaniel is "cooler" and "smarter" than our Labrador ? I don't know what he is basing this on, and I fear that he's being converted.
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I’ll never have another. Exhausting. Not much fun as you are always on duty. Labradors are best!
 
CorvusCorax said:
Spinning is a stress/boredom/drive leaking thing IME.
Both mine and a litter brother chased tails when they were puppies which is highly highly highly HIGHLY undesirable. I watched mine like a hawk and told her to knock it off any time she even looked like doing it and she seems to have grown out of it and I believe the brother is OK but I could see how it could develop into a problem in a home with less stimulation.
I've seen dogs that have been allowed to develop an obsession and it is very sad.
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I’ve seen it in collies usually in a kennel environment with not enough to do and when they become bored/stressed, as you say. Very sad.
 
Clodagh said:
Spingle (as she is known) will chase shadows or light reflections. I ignore the spinning but any obsessive chasing stuff and it’s instant no way. I only found out about the light as my watch made a little light point and she locked on to it. Not with me you don’t. Had to edit as too many watches! ?.
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Do you think she made her own entertainment in her previous home because she was left alone a lot? Or was she mistreated so used chasing shadows/light and spinning as a displacement behaviour to stop her feeling anxious? Hopefully all the extra attention and training she’ll get with you will help her. She seems so sweet and eager to please.
 
Moobli said:
Do you think she made her own entertainment in her previous home because she was left alone a lot? Or was she mistreated so used chasing shadows/light and spinning as a displacement behaviour to stop her feeling anxious? Hopefully all the extra attention and training she’ll get with you will help her. She seems so sweet and eager to please.
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I may be speaking out of turn, and apologies if so. I think you may have a point on both counts. Bo came from the same place, they may even have been kennel mates at some point? He does fixate, but that’s also a collie thing, I think? I 100% think he was abused. Just little things make me think so.
 
druid said:
Right I give up, how do you upload a video?
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Or if you have FB, copy the link and paste on here.

My bil’s springer runs in endless circles, it’s quite distressing. Bear would fixate on lights-I’m another with a shiny watch-but he’s not allowed. Mitch is currently obsessing over flies, but I think that’s pretty normal, he’s happy once he’s eaten it.
 
Moobli said:
Do you think she made her own entertainment in her previous home because she was left alone a lot? Or was she mistreated so used chasing shadows/light and spinning as a displacement behaviour to stop her feeling anxious? Hopefully all the extra attention and training she’ll get with you will help her. She seems so sweet and eager to please.
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I think she was left alone. I don’t think she was abused. May be the odd boot but not abuse as I would call it.
 
We have a Lab whose stress/adrenaline response, especially on the lead, is to spin. We don't allow her to do it but you do have to be quick to nip it in the bud. She sometimes gets worried in traffic and tries to spin, she used to spin when we started a lead walk but we have trained that out.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
We have a Lab whose stress/adrenaline response, especially on the lead, is to spin. We don't allow her to do it but you do have to be quick to nip it in the bud. She sometimes gets worried in traffic and tries to spin, she used to spin when we started a lead walk but we have trained that out.
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That’s interesting, I’ve never known a lab do it, although I’ve had a couple that would chase their tails when young.
 
My current lurcher would spin if very stressed when I fist had her and would bounce too.
The first one started spinning on crate rest after cruciate surgery she was going mad within 4 to 5 days and would spin on the lead coming out of the crate.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
We have a Lab whose stress/adrenaline response, especially on the lead, is to spin. We don't allow her to do it but you do have to be quick to nip it in the bud. She sometimes gets worried in traffic and tries to spin, she used to spin when we started a lead walk but we have trained that out.
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I’ve already mentioned it, but Goose collapses into a puddle when we open the front door. If the car is involved, he is a liquid spaniel on the floor. Once he’s in the car, he is ok now, but clings getting out. He’s ecstatic when we get to the car park in the woods. If he thinks he’s done something wrong, he cringes, but we’ve never physically disciplined him, we are not into using force, I’d rather persuade them with positive reinforcement. He is a funny boy. His latest thing is to lie on the lawn so he can see me in the kitchen when we’re watching a film in there. I do wonder if we should put up a structure for him out there!
 
Cinnamontoast said:
I’ve already mentioned it, but Goose collapses into a puddle when we open the front door. If the car is involved, he is a liquid spaniel on the floor. Once he’s in the car, he is ok now, but clings getting out. He’s ecstatic when we get to the car park in the woods. If he thinks he’s done something wrong, he cringes, but we’ve never physically disciplined him, we are not into using force, I’d rather persuade them with positive reinforcement. He is a funny boy. His latest thing is to lie on the lawn so he can see me in the kitchen when we’re watching a film in there. I do wonder if we should put up a structure for him out there!
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Of course, he needs a viewing platform!

We keep to a very strict routine so that ours know exactly what will happen next on our walks, which basically involves treats for every stage putting the lead on, opening the gate, etc etc. We took them to the beach yesterday and despite great excitement, sticking to the routine, meant that everything went well. Ours love going anywhere in the car.:D
 
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Pearlsasinger said:
Of course, he needs a viewing platform!

We keep to a very strict routine so that ours know exactly what will happen next on our walks, which basically involves treats for every stage of putting the lead on, opening the gate, etc etc. We took them to the beach yesterday and despite great excitement, sticking to the routine, meant that everything went well. Ours love going anywhere in the car.:D
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I think that’s very sensible, especially with larger dogs. We have routines, so they have to wait when the leads come off before they can fly down the path. I’m hoping we haven’t got to keep them as focused as we did Zak, I’m really appreciating being able to have ‘normal’ walks. I was paranoid on their first few woods walks, now I’m relaxed and I don’t hassle them as much to come back-they do it naturally, really willing to please. I honestly think it’s the difference (for spanners, at least) between working/non-working dogs.
 
Not really feeling the spaniel love.
She cannot accept another dog having a retrieve. I’ve taken advice and dragged OH out to help and worked her at a distance but she just cannot hold her own retrieve while seeing another dog do anything. We have progressed past her actively attacking the other dog, she now just face launches and harries them. This can be with them 50m apart. She drops her own dummy to go, as well, which would be a lost bird if it happened on a shoot. And mugging is a red card offence.
I’ve booked a training session but it’s rather last chance saloon. I hate being hard on her, my training style is all stern looks and a pointy finger, not bellowing or scruffing. I come back from training g her feeling despondent.
On her own she’s a cracker
 
Have you tried keeping her on a short lead at your side while all the others are retrieving?. I would do that and make a huge fuss of her when she doesn't go off after them, which of course she won't be able to. It make take a bit of organising because you would need to start a good distance away from the others to avoid sheer frustration for her.
 
Clodagh said:
Not really feeling the spaniel love.
She cannot accept another dog having a retrieve. I’ve taken advice and dragged OH out to help and worked her at a distance but she just cannot hold her own retrieve while seeing another dog do anything. We have progressed past her actively attacking the other dog, she now just face launches and harries them. This can be with them 50m apart. She drops her own dummy to go, as well, which would be a lost bird if it happened on a shoot. And mugging is a red card offence.
I’ve booked a training session but it’s rather last chance saloon. I hate being hard on her, my training style is all stern looks and a pointy finger, not bellowing or scruffing. I come back from training g her feeling despondent.
On her own she’s a cracker
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She shouldn't be getting the chance to get to the other dog....! Placeboard (yes, I'm going to keep saying placeboard) and she is behind and slightly left or right of you. Toss dummy in front. OH sends his dog to pick and you make sure she stays on that board and massive praise when she does, toss her a tennis ball, treats whatever works. Work up to her going out for a dummy just as other dog is returning theirs to hand so she's focused on that new dummy thrown (rabbit ball, whatever you need to keep it higher value) and not what is in Ffee's gob. It's not even a week since we talked about this issue - give her time, you wouldn't expect a kid to have a new skill down by now.

ETA - no scruffing needed, we use "the hand of shame". Walk out, catch dog and place hand calmly over eyes while repeating whatever command is needed (leave it, stop whistle etc). It seems to defuse the situation and calm them down slightly...it came from a Ben Randall training day originally I think
 
Pearlsasinger said:
Have you tried keeping her on a short lead at your side while all the others are retrieving?. I would do that and make a huge fuss of her when she doesn't go off after them, which of course she won't be able to. It make take a bit of organising because you would need to start a good distance away from the others to avoid sheer frustration for her.
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She is on a lead when others retrieve, it’s when I take it off for her to retrieve. She will now go and find a dummy if the others sit still but drops it in her way back as she’s worried what they are doing.
 
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