Sonny's Behaviour

[VictoriaSonny]

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Hi Guys,

Sonny is now 15 weeks old and training is going well! Fully house trained, no accidents in weeks now! He can sit, down, stand, touch, paw and stay - (stay is had work)!

The few problems I am having with him follows;

Lead training. He is a puller! I have tried many techniques as guided by my puppy class trainer but none seem to be working. We have tried, one tow three steps (treat on three-doesn't want the treat, stopping every time he pulls (this makes his flip and bite the lead and my shoes), holding the lead round the back of me so he can't pull my arms out of their sockets, heel - he just does not get! Is this normal for a 15 week old puppy? My friend has a 17 week old and she can walk so beautifully - it makes me think I'm failing miserably. Any more techniques that could help?

Growling and barking. When we get back from walks or after he has finished his meal and had a poo he gets so barky and just runs around the house like a mad man. It's scary! He gets really bitey in this stage and we end up putting him in the crate for a time out where he just wails and wails. Eventually he falls asleep so I kind of think he is just really overtired and gets himself worked up. Any advice or reason why he does this?

Napping. I work 9-5 but come home at 12 for an hour and my partner gets homes at 4 so Sonny is in his crate for 3 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the afternoon. Neighbours have heard nothing from him so I assume he sleeps and chews while we are not there - which is great! However, I know puppies still need alot if sleep at this age and I fear he doesn't get enough. When he's out from 4pm - 9pm he does not stop. He's chewing, playing, running around, sometimes bitey so we crate him for 15 seconds. He doesn't stop unitl we got to bed at 10/1030pm. Should he be wearing himself out and crashing on his own? Or should we be putting him to nap for an hour or so at 8pm? Need help!

Thanks for reading, look forward to the advice!

V x

 

[JudyN]

I'm not knowledgeable on lead training, but it would be worth checking out some of Kikopup's videos on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=kikopup+loose+leash+walking

The growling and barking - quite normal, he has so much excitement he doesn't know what to do with it, so his brain goes into silly mode. to a certain extent you just have to ride it out. For the actual biting, have a read of this thread: Puppy biting I'm unsure about putting him in the crate for timeouts as you don't want him to see his crate as punishment - and I'd try to avoid leaving him to cry, even if he is overtired. But it's a difficult balance - he's like an overtired toddler come home from a party where he's eaten all the blue Smarties...

Six hours alone in his crate every day is A LOT. I'd at least be tempted to rig up a video camera to see if he is totally relaxed, or shows any signs of anxiety. It's not surprising that he has wild moments the rest of the time. Even if he seems fine in the crate, he might be better in a bigger area, such as a large playpen or whole room, depending on how destructive he is when left to his own devices. Assuming he's sleeping for much of the time, I'd say he's getting plenty of sleep.

 

[merlina]

Your spaniel puppy looks gorgeous- but they all are! I've have four and they were all beauties. (IMO) I'm glad the general training in going well which suggests he's a smartie as well as a looker.

I agree with JudyN six hours in a crate for a spaniel puppy is a lot. Too much I'd say from experience with spaniels. I'll be honest- I hate crates and would never use one. Twenty years ago to put a dog in a crate unless for bed-rest post operation or injury would have seemed unnatural. In some countries crates are illegal for that reason. Is there somewhere you can puppy proof and give him more freedom? A utility room or kitchen? Leave him with lots of chewables and toys. I see it like this: if you have to clear up and even repaint- or even buy a new cupboard door it's worth it. I've had working and show cockers- they really need to move particularly when young. As to the 'zoomies' I'd be worried if he didn't! Oh and pulling on the lead...every gene in a spaniels body tells it to run ahead of its person and find and flush game for them. They pull because they have this imperative hard-wired in- unlike a shepherding type dog. All of mine have pulled. Getting the best harness so they can't hurt themselves is always my priority. I put up with the pulling till we get where we're going and the fun bit starts.

 

[VictoriaSonny]

I'm not knowledgeable on lead training, but it would be worth checking out some of Kikopup's videos on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=kikopup+loose+leash+walking

The growling and barking - quite normal, he has so much excitement he doesn't know what to do with it, so his brain goes into silly mode. to a certain extent you just have to ride it out. For the actual biting, have a read of this thread: Puppy biting I'm unsure about putting him in the crate for timeouts as you don't want him to see his crate as punishment - and I'd try to avoid leaving him to cry, even if he is overtired. But it's a difficult balance - he's like an overtired toddler come home from a party where he's eaten all the blue Smarties...

Six hours alone in his crate every day is A LOT. I'd at least be tempted to rig up a video camera to see if he is totally relaxed, or shows any signs of anxiety. It's not surprising that he has wild moments the rest of the time. Even if he seems fine in the crate, he might be better in a bigger area, such as a large playpen or whole room, depending on how destructive he is when left to his own devices. Assuming he's sleeping for much of the time, I'd say he's getting plenty of sleep.

Hi @JudyN

I have taken your advice and set up a camera last night. Totally addicted to watching it now! it records sound and movement. Sleeps like a baby angel through the night. At least we’ve got one thing ticked off. (I knew he did anyway but the camera reassured me!)
I am picking up a plan pen today and I’m going to put it in the kitchen so he has more room. Will be interesting to see if he does any toilets in the pen. I’ll put the crate in there too so he can come and go as he pleases. We didn’t crate him last night until bed time. He had ALOT of bitey and barky times during the evening and even bit me hard with a little blood drawn from those sharp teeth. I’m considering getting a corrector spray. I did the it’s yer choice video with him and that was very good, but still bitey afterwards though he did catch on very quickly. Thanks always for your great advice. You keep the forum afloat! X

 

[VictoriaSonny]

Your spaniel puppy looks gorgeous- but they all are! I've have four and they were all beauties. (IMO) I'm glad the general training in going well which suggests he's a smartie as well as a looker.

I agree with JudyN six hours in a crate for a spaniel puppy is a lot. Too much I'd say from experience with spaniels. I'll be honest- I hate crates and would never use one. Twenty years ago to put a dog in a crate unless for bed-rest post operation or injury would have seemed unnatural. In some countries crates are illegal for that reason. Is there somewhere you can puppy proof and give him more freedom? A utility room or kitchen? Leave him with lots of chewables and toys. I see it like this: if you have to clear up and even repaint- or even buy a new cupboard door it's worth it. I've had working and show cockers- they really need to move particularly when young. As to the 'zoomies' I'd be worried if he didn't! Oh and pulling on the lead...every gene in a spaniels body tells it to run ahead of its person and find and flush game for them. They pull because they have this imperative hard-wired in- unlike a shepherding type dog. All of mine have pulled. Getting the best harness so they can't hurt themselves is always my priority. I put up with the pulling till we get where we're going and the fun bit starts.

Thank you for the advice. Much appreciated. I can’t cope with the pulling so will have to do some more research with it. I used to dog walk a lot of spaniels and they weren’t pulley at all so it’s doable, I just have to find the right technique. Lol. Play pen being picked up today to give him more movement. Xx

 

[JudyN]

Please don't use a corrector spray - it's an aversive, if it does work it's only because you have done something to scare your dog. And it won't help him learn to calm down - quite the opposite in fact.

 

[JoanneF]

I’m considering getting a corrector spray

Please don't. Aversive tools like this do more harm than good. They may interrupt the behaviour you don't want but they do nothing to resolve it (which has to be based on working on the root cause, not the symptom). So some problems just manifest another undesirable behaviours.

This is for the biting/barking? Your puppy is trying to engage you in play. Just not the kind of play you want. Please don't punish him for playing, that would be very unfair.

 

[VictoriaSonny]

@JudyN @JoanneF

I didn't get a corrector spray in the end. We'll stick with putting him in another room or leaving the room when he barks and bites excessively. I just want a quick fix to stop the biting as it's not good! We have stopped crating him for time outs as you are right, he doesn't go in there himself now apart from bed time in the evening. I have checked the camera during the day and he just sleeps, no whining or digging or any sign of anxiety. We have tried the play pen and he whined and cried. Think he feels safer in his crate maybe? Unsure.

Thanks for the advice

 

[Hemlock]

There are no quick fixes because this is a puppy thing, and he has to grow up in his own time. Meanwhile keep tough toys (disable the squeak in squeaky toys by putting a skewer through it) up high in every part of the house your pup goes into. When he gets That Look, give him the toy to chew.

 

[merlina]

Also you've given up on the pen very quickly...he may appreciate it given time. Young dogs that 'just sleep' do it as coping behaviour because nature hasn't equipped them for a restricted, un-stimulating environment that is unchanging for hour after hour. Like children they're not meant to be still! Babies were once 'swaddled' and they would sleep too- but not in a good way. I'd really try to make his life more puppy-friendly- things like biting may decline then if he's less frustrated.