Spaniel Puppy Advice/Vent

planete said:
Regarding toileting. You need to stay with him and if you reward him every time he performs, he will soon learn what you are expecting and should take less time making up his mind to do it. You can also associate a word to the action which you will eventually use as a command so that he will perform on demand.
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Thank you. We do have a word for him to go to the toilet. Currently he won't because it's raining and he absolutely refuses to get wet.
 
MurphysMinder said:
Just looked at your previous post and you’ve only had him a couple of weeks , so he’s hardly had time to settle , particularly as you are his 3rd home. If you want to persevere you really need to find space for a crate . I’m not sure how far you are walking him but he doesn’t need much at 4 months , he may be totally over stimulated . If you really feel you aren’t able to follow the advice given I’d contact a spaniel rescue , although they’re probably over run with them 🙁
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We will have another think if there is something we can move to accommodate a crate, although we have done this already. We've spent a small fortune on him, we had every intention of making this work. He gets the recommended amount of exercise for his age. I know he would lose the plot in a crate if he can see us so that will take time.

It's hard because I feel so awful and guilty for the cats too. I didn't think they'd hate it this much.
 
Nail on head with feelings vs solutions - where are you honestly at? If you're looking for permission to rehome a full-on adolescent dog whose needs you don't believe you can meet, you can have it, there's not many of us here that would think badly of you for admitting it. If you do want help to make it work, buckle up, take on board everything above and be prepared to implement solutions rather than dwell on what feels like insurmountable obstacles.

My dogs live in a two-up, two-down terrace with a tiny garden that's unusable for six months every year and previously without a garden at all, but you have to want it to work. A young working bred dog is a lifestyle commitment.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
If there is room for a bed, there is room for a crate, just put the bed in the crate.
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He would need a crate that is no wider than 60x60cm both ways. He'd likely grow out of it but maybe not. Is that not too small? He fits on his bed that size with plenty of room though but never thought about replacing it with a crate of that size as I thought it would be too cramped.
 
what happened to having him on a house line all the time? This wouldn't be happening if you'd done that.

Honestly, send him back now. He wasn't what you set out to get and is a bad choice for your lifestyle. Its nothing to do with the size of a the house though, I raised a sharp as hell working bred puppy on a 30ft x 7ft boat. But I dedicated myself to it 24/7 for months. I could do that, and for all my moaning about what a git he was, I enjoyed it, and I'm now reaping the rewards of the best dog I've ever owned. This is an easy time and will get worse once he hits adolescence.

Send him back and I wouldn't want to think about another dog.
 
The reason I’m advocating rehoming is it really doesn’t sound you are keen on complete lifestyle modification. I have taken on many rescues and it’s a brilliant thing to do but it’s always a PITA sometimes.
if you want to try harder then block off the stair gates so he can’t eyeball the cats through it (cardboard and cable ties), get a small crate (loads around second hand) and sign up with a gundog trainer.

You could make the cardboard higher than the gate, save you buying a new one. Don’t let him get stressed or stimulated enough to jump (or to bite).
If he was a private sale you are stuck with him, at least for now, so set him up to succeed and you might find you like him.
 
GrassChop said:
He would need a crate that is no wider than 60x60cm both ways. He'd likely grow out of it but maybe not. Is that not too small? He fits on his bed that size with plenty of room though but never thought about replacing it with a crate of that size as I thought it would be too cramped.
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Our fully grown Sprocker has a medium size crate, just looked at dimensions 76cml L x 53cm W but would of thought a 60x60 would be enough for a pup. I don't see how you can't fit a crate in the space where the bed is, the crate should be small while they're young its a safe place. Spaniels are extremely clingy and need to learn to settle in their own space, he will probably go mental at first but give him a Kong and build the time up he's in the crate for.

Have to say, fixing the fencing so he can't escape is pretty standard once you get any puppy, a secure garden is a must.
 
I'm Dun said:
what happened to having him on a house line all the time? This wouldn't be happening if you'd done that.

Honestly, send him back now. He wasn't what you set out to get and is a bad choice for your lifestyle. Its nothing to do with the size of a the house though, I raised a sharp as hell working bred puppy on a 30ft x 7ft boat. But I dedicated myself to it 24/7 for months. I could do that, and for all my moaning about what a git he was, I enjoyed it, and I'm now reaping the rewards of the best dog I've ever owned. This is an easy time and will get worse once he hits adolescence.

Send him back and I wouldn't want to think about another dog.
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The previous owner won't have him back. We aren't at home all the time to be training 24/7. We both work full time and whilst my partner is flexible due to having his own company, he can't be there solidly all day. The plan was for him to go to work with my partner but he's proving too difficult at the moment. He's taken a lot of time off work already. Having him on a house line isn't going to stop the obsession and lack of space.
 
Hormonal Filly said:
Our Sprocker has a medium size crate, just looked at dimensions H63 x W58 x D93cm. I don't see how you can't fit a crate in the space where the bed is, the crate should be small while they're young its a safe place. Spaniels are extremely clingy and need to learn to settle in their own space, he will probably go mental at first but give him a Kong and build the time up he's in the crate for.

Have to say, fixing the fencing so he can't escape is pretty standard once you get any puppy, a secure garden is a must.
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58cm width is fine but depth can't be anymore than 60cm due to space between where the bed is and the walkway in front. He's not interested in his Kong or filled bone, he gives up when he can't get the treat out. 🙈
 
GrassChop said:
We are losing the will to live really. When he's good, he's amazing but it's few and far between. He's caused an immense amount of stress and upset between us all.
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That’s puppies for you….

At 4 months old, I wouldn’t expect him to toilette alone.

Use food to train - he’s hungry so use that hunger.

Cat food is delicious to dogs. Shut him away at cat feeding time.

He escaped the garden, so obviously you had to re-proof it.

He sounds great, just a puppy - and puppies aren’t for everyone.
 
You need to make space for a crate or a pen .
There’s no can’t about it .
You have to get ahead of these issues and you need a crate or pen to do this .
You have got a damaged dog from breeds that need work and training to focus their minds and calm them it’s not going to be easy .
I am worried about your cats as well it’s not fair on them .
He’s not old he’s been through a lot if he needs you to watch him go to the loo he needs you to watch him , that’s a simple fix you need to accept it .
Young dogs are hard work and it can be very challenging finding the way forward.
I think you need professional help on the ground there will be people locally who can help.
 
I love having puppies making the adult from the pup is a magic experience.
But it’s hard graft, it’s all consuming ,no holidays ,missing nights out, getting up at night during house training which I do as often as every hour for some dogs and to get it cracked quickly .
Doing it right is not easy .
OP I think I would talk to one of the specialist spaniel rescues you are in trouble you need support .
 
No one can wave a magic wand and give you more space or make him the dog you want overnight so I think this post is about feeling better about passing him on/sending to dog rescue. Genuinely pass him on now ..two full time wage earners just don’t have enough time to get the puppy through these potentially frustrating months through to the other side.
I haven’t posted about our new puppy but he s a gun dog, arrived at 8 weeks and I spent the first few weeks sleeping with him in the kitchen…made him a safe space with a pen with a bed and toys in it and blanket covering it. Whenever he woke up I took him outside, quietly stayed with him whilst he toileted.. 2 or 3 times a night then when he could go all night I went back to my own bed and he now chooses to sleep on landing or with daughter or me/OH. Now he lets us know when he wants to go outside..if doors are open he takes himself. There are 3 of us at home and we come and go all the time and we don’t make a fuss about it. We haven’t had occasion to leave him completely yet but I close doors on him and he ll happily be in his bed as I do other things and he will chose to take himself off if he wants to. It’s like having a toddler and I accept there is an amount of change in my lifestyle I have to accommodate in order to have a confident happy companion in the future. If having this puppy is causing you stress he will pick up on it and be anxious…it might be kinder to you and him to part ways.
 
You won’t be the first or last person to be swayed by a cute puppy wearing rose tinted specs about what it might entail for your life.

You either go into it 110% and invest in both lifestyle adjustments and get training help. Or you rehome before you have real trouble on your hands.
 
I'm Dun said:
I think the only reason I ever get another puppy is I leave it long enough to forget how horrid they are and how they take over your entire life. I cant imagine doing it when I didn't have tons of time to dedicate to it.
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I guess we were stupid and didn't envisage it being like this. We didn't want a puppy when we were looking but we felt optimistic about making it work. We have made loads of adjustments already until he finds a way for that adjustment to not work. I feel immense guilt for the poor cats who are stuck out in the pouring rain because they won't come in. They haven't even been able to sleep on their beds in the living room since we got him as they are too scared. :(

I'm aware it hasn't been much time. I'm genuinely torn about giving it more time and just saying this isn't for us. We love having him around when he is behaving and taking him out for walks or watching him playing and being silly. Today he's gone backwards by going to the toilet indoors even after taking him outside regularly to see if he needs to go but he goes when he's brought back in so we are going to have to get the carpets professionally cleaned now. He hadn't had any accidents indoors until today and yesterday. He learns so quickly and then goes backwards. Neither of us want to let him go but the stress is so much as well and it's hard when you're trying to do things in a small place and can't move around.
 
Goldenstar said:
I love having puppies making the adult from the pup is a magic experience.
But it’s hard graft, it’s all consuming ,no holidays ,missing nights out, getting up at night during house training which I do as often as every hour for some dogs and to get it cracked quickly .
Doing it right is not easy .
OP I think I would talk to one of the specialist spaniel rescues you are in trouble you need support .
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He's perfect during the night! No accidents at all, sleeps all the way through.
 
If OP wants permission to rehome, then we can grant that. There is no shame in admitting they've made a mistake and rehoming is better than persisting with a situation where both the family and the dog are going to be unhappy

I'm Dun said:
Send him back and I wouldn't want to think about another dog.
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She wouldn't be the first person to rehome a dog and then go and get another.


@GrassChop It doesn't mean don't get another dog but don't be in such a rush. Get a dog that's going to fit in with your family, home and lifestyle. It doesn't sound as if a Spaniel fits the bill.
 
A few friends have rescued dogs from www.spanielassist.com and have only spoke highly of them. It might be worth contacting them.

GrassChop said:
I feel immense guilt for the poor cats who are stuck out in the pouring rain because they won't come in. They haven't even been able to sleep on their beds in the living room since we got him as they are too scared. :(
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That's very sad, the cats need a safe place where they know the dog can't get to them. Sometimes puppies do go backwards in toilet training, the wet weather won't help. I can't imagine having a puppy without a crate though.

Really hope it works out, whatever you choose to do.
 
Midlifecrisis said:
No one can wave a magic wand and give you more space or make him the dog you want overnight so I think this post is about feeling better about passing him on/sending to dog rescue. Genuinely pass him on now ..two full time wage earners just don’t have enough time to get the puppy through these potentially frustrating months through to the other side.
I haven’t posted about our new puppy but he s a gun dog, arrived at 8 weeks and I spent the first few weeks sleeping with him in the kitchen…made him a safe space with a pen with a bed and toys in it and blanket covering it. Whenever he woke up I took him outside, quietly stayed with him whilst he toileted.. 2 or 3 times a night then when he could go all night I went back to my own bed and he now chooses to sleep on landing or with daughter or me/OH. Now he lets us know when he wants to go outside..if doors are open he takes himself. There are 3 of us at home and we come and go all the time and we don’t make a fuss about it. We haven’t had occasion to leave him completely yet but I close doors on him and he ll happily be in his bed as I do other things and he will chose to take himself off if he wants to. It’s like having a toddler and I accept there is an amount of change in my lifestyle I have to accommodate in order to have a confident happy companion in the future. If having this puppy is causing you stress he will pick up on it and be anxious…it might be kinder to you and him to part ways.
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Thanks.
If I'm honest, speculating what to label my post as is the least of my worries. I came here to vent and look for options, whatever the outcome was. It's not an easy situation for anyone and not something I ever considered would happen.

ETA: it wasn't just aimed at your reply. It's nice you managed to make it work with yours.
 
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skinnydipper said:
If OP wants permission to rehome, then we can grant that. There is no shame in admitting they've made a mistake and rehoming is better than persisting with a situation where both the family and the dog are going to be unhappy



She wouldn't be the first person to rehome a dog and then go and get another.


@GrassChop It doesn't mean don't get another dog but don't be in such a rush. Get a dog that's going to fit in with your family, home and lifestyle. It doesn't sound as if a Spaniel fits the bill.
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I don't want another dog if he goes if it's not him to be honest. It's also pointless getting another dog if we can't make this one work in the space we live in.
 
GrassChop said:
Thanks.
If I'm honest, speculating what to label my post as is the least of my worries. I came here to vent and look for options, whatever the outcome was. It's not an easy situation for anyone and not something I ever considered would happen.
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My spaniel, who I sold, was the first dog I have ever given up on. It took ages for me to get my head round it and I felt awful. But we really were just making each other miserable. I got sent a photo of her the other day, by the man that bought her. He adores her and her, him. He’s had her years now.
 
Don't want to sound like a broken record but another here who would strongly advise making a crate work in any way you can. It was invaluable when Purdey was a puppy and she absolutely loves it in there. Yes, we had to build her time up in there gradually when she was tiny but she very quickly learnt it was her safe space/bedroom and that there was always something yummy or exciting waiting for her inside.

You may have already tried these so sorry if I've missed it. A couple of things that we did when she was young and clingy that sprung to mind as possibly being helpful were the "flitting" game and also place boards? With place boards (we actually used a tea towel) it would get him out from under your feet when trying to get through stairgates/manoeuvre doors etc. Just "release" him when you're ready for him to come with you (we do this at every gate we get to on a walk too - Purdey now waits until we are all through the gate before being allowed to follow us - great for checking if she needs to go back on lead for any reason etc rather than her just blasting through). Then incorporate the flitting in and out and gradually build up.

I actually never really thought about it until you mentioned as didn't see it as a problem but its only fairly recently that Purdey will go for a wee/poo in the garden without one of us in sight and she is 16 months now...
 
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