Spaniel Puppy Advice/Vent

If OH is the one who pushed for getting the pup, when it wasn't a breed you wanted/had considered (with good reason), is he taking the lead with trying to find workable solutions?

Agree with comments about cat proofing - my terrier has a very high prey drive and WILL chase cats, but has also been trained to not chase "our" yard cats, and lived with an ex's cat for a short time. If they are nervous cats that will run, it's more difficult, as run = chase. But again, food drive is your friend here...

Even if you don't get a behaviourist specifically (which I agree 1:1 is expensive!), puppy training classes (with professionals who can see your pup on the ground) will be hugely helpful. They can help advise on coping mechanisms. The training you do there, is as much about training you as owners - training you to be trainers - as it is about training the dog.
 
ponyparty said:
If OH is the one who pushed for getting the pup, when it wasn't a breed you wanted/had considered (with good reason), is he taking the lead with trying to find workable solutions?

Agree with comments about cat proofing - my terrier has a very high prey drive and WILL chase cats, but has also been trained to not chase "our" yard cats, and lived with an ex's cat for a short time. If they are nervous cats that will run, it's more difficult, as run = chase. But again, food drive is your friend here...

Even if you don't get a behaviourist specifically (which I agree 1:1 is expensive!), puppy training classes (with professionals who can see your pup on the ground) will be hugely helpful. They can help advise on coping mechanisms. The training you do there, is as much about training you as owners - training you to be trainers - as it is about training the dog.
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It's actually the other way round! I wanted this breed and trying to find solutions.
 
ponyparty said:
If OH is the one who pushed for getting the pup, when it wasn't a breed you wanted/had considered (with good reason), is he taking the lead with trying to find workable solutions?

Agree with comments about cat proofing - my terrier has a very high prey drive and WILL chase cats, but has also been trained to not chase "our" yard cats, and lived with an ex's cat for a short time. If they are nervous cats that will run, it's more difficult, as run = chase. But again, food drive is your friend here...

Even if you don't get a behaviourist specifically (which I agree 1:1 is expensive!), puppy training classes (with professionals who can see your pup on the ground) will be hugely helpful. They can help advise on coping mechanisms. The training you do there, is as much about training you as owners - training you to be trainers - as it is about training the dog.
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I don't think the pup is chasing the cats is he? I think they're just scared of the new 'being' in 'their' house.

I'm actually not sure what the pup has done wrong 🤔

Agree with training though, the right classes are a great way to socialise him in the right environment and he'll come home shattered. Eta he's foodie he'll be easy to train! Our pup wasn't food or toy driven.
 
Hopefully what is becoming clear is that a spaniel needs a lot of input - they’re not (generally) content with snoozing on the sofa all day. That hard-wired to do stuff means a lot of work from the owner, and it honestly may be some years before you have the dog you possibly hoped to have, and you might always have a dog that constantly eyeballs you with a ‘what’s next!?’ attitude, no matter the day or night!
 
Bellaboo18 said:
I don't think the pup is chasing the cats is he? I think they're just scared of the new 'being' in 'their' house.

I'm actually not sure what the pup has done wrong 🤔

Agree with training though, the right classes are a great way to socialise him in the right environment and he'll come home shattered. Eta he's foodie he'll be easy to train! Our pup wasn't food or toy driven.
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He does chase them if we've been caught off guard and not distracted him away quick enough. He also gets extremely excited when he sees them and wants to pounce or get to them, another thing we've been stopping and distracting/praising for not going. They're obviously scared as well. He hasn't done anything wrong, it's just whether his personality can fit in this new life with us.
 
I know I have nice easy labs, but they are working bred and very fit right now as the season is about to start. They’ve had 3 walks today, none very long as I’ve been out. They’ve also been with OH outside while he did Stuff and Things. The four older ones are now asleep in their beds, Scout is throwing his goughnut in the air and catching it. He’s bored. He knows if he persecutes me in this way I will give in and play hide the goughnut for 10/15 minutes which will be enough for him to settle. If I wasn’t laughing at him he would also know to go and lie down if told. He’s 3 years old and not a spaniel.
 
GrassChop said:
He does chase them if we've been caught off guard and not distracted him away quick enough. He also gets extremely excited when he sees them and wants to pounce or get to them, another thing we've been stopping and distracting/praising for not going. They're obviously scared as well. He hasn't done anything wrong, it's just whether his personality can fit in this new life with us.
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Ah ok.
I think in terms of personality, if he doesn't fit in, no puppy will. I know there's a lot of talk about his breed but I think at the moment it's his age that is the issue. You might be better looking at an older dog that's lived with cats previously but there'll always be a transition period where the cats will be scared as it's 'something' in their home.
I am sorry it's not worked out. We've all made mistakes.
 
Current situation here. Two of those are 1yo extremely fit "crack weasel" field trial spaniels. They had a 10min swim today, thats all. They know inside means settle. They have chew toys available and get a filled kong, woofsicle etc when they come in from kennels where they are 9-4.30 (with bathroom breaks and a training session).

They are trainable but you have to commit to it, no grey areas, use crates/kennels and work their brains.

You've got lots of advice here to sift through.
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GrassChop said:
He does chase them if we've been caught off guard and not distracted him away quick enough. He also gets extremely excited when he sees them and wants to pounce or get to them, another thing we've been stopping and distracting/praising for not going. They're obviously scared as well. He hasn't done anything wrong, it's just whether his personality can fit in this new life with us.
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The one thing about spaniels is they are trainable and generally cat friendly. So if you can train him and provide safe access/space for the cats my money will be on them getting along ok eventually.

I’ve got a Mannie who is quite hyper. He is/was full on about cats from the outset (although not aggressive). One of mine wasn’t particularly scared and was (too) tolerant. The other, like yours, was very wary/scared of him. I installed an upstairs cat flap so she had alternative access and when he learnt to jump the stair gate, I used a full height door instead. It’s just what you do. I kept him on a harness and long line in The house if the cats were around and just kept removing him if he was getting OTT.
He’s not perfect 2 years on, but both cats will come on the sofa while he is loose and I can get him to leave them with a warning tone.
 
Spotherisk said:
Hopefully what is becoming clear is that a spaniel needs a lot of input - they’re not (generally) content with snoozing on the sofa all day. That hard-wired to do stuff means a lot of work from the owner, and it honestly may be some years before you have the dog you possibly hoped to have, and you might always have a dog that constantly eyeballs you with a ‘what’s next!?’ attitude, no matter the day or night!
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In fairness, mine will happily chill out and snooze most of the day if needed. I am on my own so was very aware there would be days I might be ill or work might be very busy and so have always had ‘off days’ in our schedule and he is a pro now. When he was younger, 15-30 minutes of scentwork in the house would work to settle him. That said, any movement or doing anything and he is still absolutely always “what’s happening? Can I help? Are we doing something fun?”. It’s like having the world’s most optimistic, enthusiastic, gregarious, extrovert of a personal assistant.

Today I have a migraine and the spaniel is a wonderful angel while the 18 month old wirehair dachshund is the one harrassing me to do something. She was an easier puppy, but has her own quirks and personality that make her challenging in different ways. They all do and always will.
 
druid said:
Current situation here. Two of those are 1yo extremely fit "crack weasel" field trial spaniels. They had a 10min swim today, thats all. They know inside means settle. They have chew toys available and get a filled kong, woofsicle etc when they come in from kennels where they are 9-4.30 (with bathroom breaks and a training session).

They are trainable but you have to commit to it, no grey areas, use crates/kennels and work their brains.

You've got lots of advice here to sift through.
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This is lovely.
If you've taught them to settle indoors, are you unable to play or do scent games indoors? Just trying to figure out how I can do this whilst also doing mind games inside. Thank you.
 
GrassChop said:
This is lovely.
If you've taught them to settle indoors, are you unable to play or do scent games indoors? Just trying to figure out how I can do this whilst also doing mind games inside. Thank you.
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These guys don't work inside because they're being trained to be field trial gundogs. However, they absolutely do get "brain games" inside in the form of kongs with a frozen meatball inside, pupsicles (great toys!) and food puzzles. With one dog it's easier to do games indoors.

Settle is taught here by each dog (puppy) having a place - initally a crate, where they are taken to and given the food chew/toy and told "settle". If they move off the bed/crate they are gently placed back with the food toy and settle repeated. This is only for a few mins initally and then given "break" command which means they are free to move around. They tend to get to work on the chew/treat anyway and naturally stay there.
 
GrassChop said:
Thank you still everyone.
Can I have ideas for scent work/hunting please?
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It’s super easy to start:

1. Base level - scattering and then hiding food around the room - learn to use your nose
2. Toy hiding and finding - get him super interested in something, let him see you hide it, and then big parties when he goes to get it. Progress difficulty to unseen and difficult hides as he gets enthusiastic. This translates really well then for walks and hunting outside with you
3. For actual scentwork there’s lots of subtle variations on how to train - but essentially you condition that the scent means good things by rewarding any interest in a container or object with the scent, then shape an indication (essentially starting with the smallest moment of freezing before rewarding) and get searching - all through incremental raising of difficulty and making it the best game in the world. This YouTube seems as decent an intro as any from a quick look (no idea who the trainer is) - but you’ll find plenty.

Just seen your comment about settling in the house too - just have a clear start and end cue for stuff in the house (it could be verbal or something contextual like getting the equipment out and putting it away), they understand context very well. As an example, my dog is WILDLY different as soon as his search dog vest goes on for people searching, and then switches back off again when I take it off at the end of a search.

If interested here is a patchy history of mine starting with scentwork from about 10 weeks old (used a method scentwork uk suggest with socks, which wouldn’t be my first choice now, but it worked): https://www.instagram.com/s/aGlnaGx..._id=2510460155033099914&igsh=NDJpYzJ0YWVsNjFt
 
Thanks everyone.
When we do some training with him or play and we're done but he gets bitey and boisterous, what is the best thing to do?
 
Pearlsasinger said:
BUT the crate isn't the naughty step, so if you can catch the moment before he gets over-excited to pop him in the crate, so much the better.
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I was thinking that when we've stopped playing and he's getting himself over excited and worked up, to pop him in the crate with a Kong and tell him to settle. If I've understood the advice correctly!
 
Clodagh said:
L

i remember your post, but can’t remember what I said and hope I didn’t pile on. I remember telling you you were nuts getting her though 🤣
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I remember that 😂 I also am deffo on record agreeing with you. Still absolutely delighted with her and the dog she became even though I agree it was an unhinged choice for a first dog. didn't help I took ill after getting her.

You didn't pile on at all, it was people who basically accused me of doing the opposite of what I had said I had done- ie 'I'm sitting with her now to help her settle ' 'Omg I can't believe you would leave her alone while she's upset' (I think because I said I left the room after she settled and then after a while she whinged again so i went to be with her,again).

In case anyone was wondering in the end it turned out she was protesting because her Dad was away, all worked through now.

Anyone who knows me knows I'm soft as butter with my dog and it really pissed me off that people accused me of being cruel.
 
I haven’t read all replies as been working all day but puppy blues is a real thing OP. I have a vivid memory of driving down the motorway in tears when I’d finally escaped the house for an hour after we got Bess.
We hadn’t had a pup for a few years and I’d completely forgotten how much they completely take over your life initially. But it will settle (even if it doesn’t feel like it!)

As for the cats thing. Please do take time to introduce them properly and in a way that the cats feel safe and can get to safety of their own accord. My friends cat left home when she introduced a dog badly (she knows my feelings on this!) and basically lives as a feral neighbourhood cat now.
Please ensure the cats don’t feel pushed out or unsafe in their own home.
 
Rew was my second lurcher puppy - he was exceptionally easy except a few land shark moments, my worry was always his sharp claws catching my elderly mother - and he did one day, it was a complete bloodbath in seconds when he clawed her papery forearm, I felt terrible. Im always glad when the baby teeth have gone!
 
TheresaW said:
Of the 4 dogs we have, only Luna was from a pup. She’s 7 now, but no, never again.
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I do think they are harder to deal with when they have had another home post breeder. We have had adult rehomes before and another youngster but we knew her before she came to live with us permanently. 8 week old pups are more of a blank canvas than those who have got used to another home.
 
Just want to say so sorry you are in this situation GC - the 'oh god, have we done something disastrous?' feeling is a hideous one.
A crate is a godsend in the early days (though I am with Theresa on 'never again' over a puppy, lol) .

If you do decide to persevere with your guy, you may find solace in the 3-3-3 theory: https://www.adoptapet.com/blog/adoption/3-3-3-rule-for-dogs

And if you don't and decide to ask a reputable breed rescue to step in and help rehome, there's no need to write off the idea of a dog completely. Puppies can be/are a huge ask and require a lot of sacrifice/pretty drastic readjustment whereas older dogs with the basics instilled can be a significant amount easier. Obviously all dogs need to adjust to a new home though.

Not sure if this has already been mentioned but could you get in touch with his breeder for help - either in training/aiding settling or in finding a new home if you need?

Chin up and best of luck with whatever you decide to do.
 
Please, if you do not keep this dog, do not get another one. Until you move to a house big enough to accommodate a crate, a securely fenced garden prior to getting the dog and a breed you have researched, you are not really in a position to offer a home to a dog imo.
 
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