Help needed with training cocker spaniel

Hi Everyone,

I joined a few weeks ago and I'm not too clever with a computer. Still not sure where to find the best place to ask my question! Oh! dear!

I would like some advice regarding training my male, orange roan, Cocker, Bailey, please. He's 8 months old and I'm his second owner. The first couldn't cope with him being so hectic!

I have another spaniel, golden cocker, Abbie and she is 14 months and the most adoreable little lass I've ever had. I took her to obedience classes and thought that would help with training young Bailey. I've followed the same route, but it's not working this time. The problem is with barking excessively, nipping poor Abbie's ears, (enough to make her squeal), and jumping all over visitors. Walking on a lead was difficult, but I found a secure area and was amazed how quickly he understood the "heel," command. So, one prob out of the way. I walk them both together twice a day, for about 20 minutes each and then Bailey and I have up to an hour for one-on-one training. Abbie doesn't mind! I think he still insists on seeing himself as the alpha, despite ignoring him; making him go through doors last, etc.

I took him to the vets again, just to check him over. He found Bailey to be hyperactive and in his words, "a lunatic," but sweet-natured and not aggressive. That's how I see him too. I know he's playing with Abbie and he doesn't mean to hurt her, but he does and I must try hard to stop it.

Any ideas please?

Greetings and welcome from Orkney, a.k.a."the Twilight Zone", and from the Twilight Zone Border Collies (TZBCs), who were born on an Orkney farm, the results of farmyard hanky-panky amongst the working dogs! Oh dear, now I will have to wash my mouth out with carbolic, for mentioning the word "working" in their hearing..............!

Sorry I can't really be of much help, even though my Mum did breed these lovely dogs - seems we never had a lunatic!



Snorri

Hi Snorri,

Thanks for the welcome. Also to lovezois. Owned a tri-colour sheltie once. Most affectionate, loyal friend for 12 years.

Hi there.

Just a couple of comments/suggestions

what are you feeding him?

Some foods have lots of additives in and can make some dogs hyper (like E numbers with kids - doesn't affect them all, but the ones it does, boy it does!).

Do you do any 'work' with him.
As a working dog, he should love search and retrieve games - do you play anything like this with him? It should wear him out mentally.

I agree with Hali, it sounds like he's looking for constant stimultion but this is a breed with boundless energy. Mental exhaustion is probably the way to go. Look how tired kids come home from school because of all the brain work they've been doing. When you're doing his training, do you have your other dog there watching? It might be something to try so you've got a slight distraction that you can teach him to ignore, you could also use it as an opportunity to teach him to leave poor Abbie alone.

Welcome to Dogsey as well, it's always lovely to meet a new member.

Heidi

Hi and welcome

I have two cocker spaniels (working strain, but they are pets) my girl is just over 2 and the pup is just turned one on Monday

I also ask what food do you feed as this can (not always) have some bearing on the situation

My two are different in nature from each other and I have taken them both to dog obedience training seperately.

I think you should look at taking the youngest to training classes and not just try and do what you did at classes with the first dog

my youngest is more vocal and barks alot - I'm working on teaching him to speak and also teaching the quiet command

You should imo give Abbie one to one attention / training as well as Bailey

Good luck I'm sure you will get there

edited to add - have you done clicker training as this is great for tiring the dogs brain

Hi To You All,

Many thanks for the warm welcome and interest in my beauties. Much appreciated. I feed Bailey on Pedigree Chum, with Bakers complete food too. This was the diet the previous owner had used and I must say, he thrives on it - physically, that is. Maybe therein lies the problem?

I'm at home all day and both are spoilt with time I spend with them. I hadn't intended having another pup, but Bailey urgently needed a home and that was mine! I was ignorant of the differences between working and show pups. No excuse! It's good advice also to take him to obedience training and I'll arrange it. When fired-up he's a very fast learner, but very stubborn with other commands.

He isn't too interested in the toys I've bought him. I've tried everything. Sticks are refused. The only things he'll play with are balls, occasionally and Abbie's ears! I'm having him neutered in July, at 10 months, and wonder if this may help?

As there's two of us, we make sure both get plenty of attention; together and separately. Abbie is inclined to be jealous and possessive, but that is gradually improving. It's a love match for Bailey, but shot-gun do for her.

Anyway, I never mean to write so much! Sorry if I've droned on. It's just so good to chat with people who love and understand dogs, so well. My thanks to the moderators for shifting my question to an area better suited.

Many thanks to you all again.

I think food might be part of your problem
Bakers is about the worst thing to give to a hyper dog - friends of mine have a hyper collie pup and it did get a lot better taking off bakers. Also other people I know run a GSD in agility and a top trainer spoke to them once and said she was good but she thought there was something wrong with her diet - again bakers - the trainer could see it in how the dog trained
full of additives

Personaly it dosent sound like you have an alpha problem, you have an excited pup who wasnt taught manners so thats up to you now
Classes can be a great help - even if you know how to train something
Like the stopping jumping up at people - I knew how to train it but when we have a class of 20 people comming up one after the other to the dog and ignoring it for jumping and treating it for sitting calmly the dog learns v quickly new person=sit=treat
clicker work is great - and it sounds like your dog is really smart. From what I have seen of cockers they are smart but everything is at a million miles an hour
Doing things like getting him to wait to go out doors and things is great - not for dom issues - but to teach impulse control - so they learn that if they want something sometimes they have to wait for it

As for the toys
some dogs dont come with the manual
play with your other dog and he will watch and learn
Play with the toy yourself, play bow to it, run around with it, make it the most fun thing in the world but dont let your boy have it, put it away out of reach and do that every day till he rreally really wants that toy

Welcome to Dogsey
I used to do junior handling with a friend's CS as a teenager...many moons ago. I love the roans!

I would def support others who have mentioned the food. The other point I would make is that you maybe need to go back to basics with him, ie crate training to give quiet time/time out and especially one-to-one time with both. I note you walk them together. Do you have time to do them one at a time? This will help both dogs adjust to the new situation.

Good luck

Mary

Agree with what Ben Mcfuzzylugs has said

definately change the diet - I would also add ( this might not be 100% correct and I'm sure someone will put me straight) that it is best not to feed tinned dog meat with a complete dry food

Please make sure you change the diet over a week or so as not to give the dog/s an upset tum

My youngest is getting better and i train them daily seperately (just 10 min each) I leave the other dog with a treat of a kong, sometime frozen kongs if i want to walk the other into town to do one to one training in the busier enviroment

I have a little chart that I made up on a spread sheet it includes -

Sit, down, watch, stay, leave it, wait, lead training, playing with your dog, handling your dog (mouth, eyes ears etc) - you can make your own up or if you like I could email you the ones I have made up

I found a great book and easy to read is 'The complete Idiot's Guide to positive dog training' by Pamela Dennison

Good luck and I'm sure by taking them both to training and doing 5 / 10 min each at home everyday will really help

If you think you never get time to train then how about (example watching Corrie ) and in the adverts do training with one dog - a little bit like that every day goes a long way and you find you can get it into your routine

posted same time as MaryS - agree if you can do one daily walk on a one to one basis that is good too - I walk all my 3 together in the morning and then before the kids come home from school do a one to one walk (yep 3 times I go out but this is just a 30 min walk each) then they all get walked together again later