Help with 1 year old english springer

vax2002

I think my Spaniel would pull if you put a harness round his nuts, they really are that stupid at the best of times.

Lifeisbutadream

kjmtidea wrote: »

The 10 miles on lead is the school and playschool run! 2 hours off lead is at the heath so the kids can run riot too. It's stuff we would be doing anyway, we just involve the dog now too .

Lucky you - I would love to spend that much time and and about!!

I only get half an hour in the morning, an hour in the middle of the day then up to half an hour later on. Less on a weekend sometimes if I am up and down the country with the kids, but he is obviously content otherwise I presume he would wreck the place!

Lifeisbutadream

vax2002 wrote: »

I think my Spaniel would pull if you put a harness round his nuts, they really are that stupid at the best of times.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

I just spat coffee all over my screen!!

Fire_Fox

Lifeisbutadream wrote: »

My children are 8 and 12 - they cant even walk him to the field nearby as they just get pulled along.

I would love to show you what he does with the halti - I promise he pulls on it!! it is not pleasurable to walk him on it at all as the whole walk is just loads of grunts and pulls and stops.

Lifeisbutadream wrote: »

Dog classes cost a fortune, so I dont really want to do that. I dont really have time either as classes tend to be on an evening and the kids are either at swimming/football or athletics every night.

He loves to fetch a ball - in fact he could do that for hours and that is what we tend to do most on walks - he also loves swimming, although I dont generally encourage that - as his only choice is a very muddy river!!!

To be honest the walking thing is the thing that bothers me - the others bits I think are just irritations stemming from the resentment that I cant even walk him to the shop without being dragged down the road.

Lifeisbutadream wrote: »

I dont think the dog walker is the problem as she drives either 2 or 3 dogs to a river walk. SHe is quite tiny (in fact smaller than my daughter) so I dont think she would be standing up long if she walked him on the lead!

I dont know what to think about the children - he belongs to all of us, not me - my husband works 14 hours a day so he can walk him during the week, but in our house we share the jobs between us - walking the dog is one of the jobs and the children want to do it - the field near us is quite close with only one quiet road to cross.

I have taught the kids about what to do if he got attacked (i.e. dont try and help him - run off and get help), but anyway they cant walk him at the moment as he is too strong for them. We live in a very quiet village with lots of dog owners (who all know each other) so I have not really worried about the safety of the children and the dog - I will have to give that some thought.

Why don't your children give up one of their other activities and replace that with dog agility classes, as have been suggested as beneficial to this breed? That way your kids, dog and yourself are all getting exercise, the dog is getting trained, the kids are learning to keep tight control over the dog and there is only one lot of travelling and one cost. :j It might be you (plural) need to do a short 'refresher' course in basic training beforehand, this time ensuring that you (plural) reinforce this on at least one walk each day. If you really don't want to be involved in the agility, sit on the sidelines with your Kindle or whatever you normally do when your children are at activities. I would also have your children research clicker training on YouTube and start working on that at home and when on walks.

I think people are suggesting you consider handing the dog back but not children because
a) there isn't anyone to hand children back to, a good breeder will always take their dog back
b) you admit you are not enjoying the dog
c) you don't have the time, money or mental energy for the ongoing training this dog clearly needs
d) it's possible the dog is sensing and feeding off your stress levels.

There is no point in getting offended, we are able to suggest this with the benefit of hindsight and not being personally involved in the situation. Those who have made that valid suggestion have also made others, we haven't said you are a terrible person who should be banned from keeping animals as you seem to have inferred.

Lifeisbutadream

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Why don't your children give up one of their other activities and replace that with dog agility classes, as have been suggested as beneficial to this breed? That way your kids, dog and yourself are all getting exercise, the dog is getting trained, the kids are learning to keep tight control over the dog and there is only one lot of travelling and one cost. :j It might be you (plural) need to do a short 'refresher' course in basic training beforehand, this time ensuring that you (plural) reinforce this on at least one walk each day. If you really don't want to be involved in the agility, sit on the sidelines with your Kindle or whatever you normally do when your children are at activities.

I think people are suggesting you consider handing the dog back but not children because
a) there isn't anyone to hand children back to, a good breeder will always take their dog back
b) you admit you are not enjoying the dog
c) you don't have the time or money for the ongoing training this dog clearly needs
d) it's possible the dog is sensing and feeding off your stress levels.

There is no point in getting offended, we are able to suggest this with the benefit of hindsight and not being personally involved in the situation. Those who have made that valid suggestion have also made others, we haven't said you are a terrible person who should be banned from keeping animals as you seem to have inferred.

I am not offended, I just find it odd that someone would suggest handing a dog back.

Its not an option to change the kids activities - my son has signed for his football and they both swim for a club -its not 'just' a hobby, they have to train a certain amount of times per week or they would have to leave. Also I have tried the classes and I (or the dog) didnt gain any benefit from it.

I am not enjoying being pulled along by the dog, which is why I drive to the walk rather than get pulled there, but I would not say that I am not enjoying having him. I dont see him as someone I could just give back, we got him, we need to work with him.

I have had some great suggestions from here and am going to try a couple of collars that I hadnt tried before. My dog is most certainly getting enough excercise and attention as he is very well behaved in the house - unless we get the pulling thing sorted we will just carry on as we are (i.e. driving to where we want to be or dropping the kids off with the dog in the field then picking them up again etc.)

Fire_Fox

Lifeisbutadream wrote: »

I am not offended, I just find it odd that someone would suggest handing a dog back.

Its not an option to change the kids activities - my son has signed for his football and they both swim for a club -its not 'just' a hobby, they have to train a certain amount of times per week or they would have to leave. Also I have tried the classes and I (or the dog) didnt gain any benefit from it.

I am not enjoying being pulled along by the dog, which is why I drive to the walk rather than get pulled there, but I would not say that I am not enjoying having him. I dont see him as someone I could just give back, we got him, we need to work with him.

I have had some great suggestions from here and am going to try a couple of collars that I hadnt tried before. My dog is most certainly getting enough excercise and attention as he is very well behaved in the house - unless we get the pulling thing sorted we will just carry on as we are (i.e. driving to where we want to be or dropping the kids off with the dog in the field then picking them up again etc.)

People are suggesting considering handing the dog back because there is nothing wrong with admitting you make a mistake. Breeders and rescues specifically write in the contract that the dog is to be returned not sold on because they recognise not every match works out, even with the best will in the world. You have said you don't have the time, mental energy or finances to take your dog's training as seriously as you do the childrens. Furthermore in the OP you gave every indication you are not enjoying having him, see emboldened

Lifeisbutadream wrote: »

I have a one year old English Springer Spaniel.

I have never had a dog before (we got him when he was 4 months old).

I have a number of problems, which is basically ruining my enjoyment of having him:

1. He pulls so hard on the lead that my children cannot take him out and i hate walking him so much I now just drive him to a field/river so that I do not have to walk him on the lead. I have tried everything (different collards, training etc.) - he does it for so long and then just 'forgets' (or doesnt care) I walk to places several times a day and if this didnt happen he would have absolutely loads of walks!

2. He is only allowed in certain areas in the house (i.e. not on carpetted areas) - he has done this beautifully almost since day one, but over the weekend I found out that as soon as we go out, or go upstairs, he goes into the not allowed areas. I feel really upset that he obviously isnt trying to please us as I had thought, and feel as though everything we have trained him to do is irelevant as he will just do the opposite when we are not there???!!!

3. As above I trained him to wee and poo in certain areas in the garden - the minute my back is turned he goes in the middle of the lawn (not good when I have children who play on the grass)

These may seem petty to some and basically he is a good dog, but at the moment I am feeling very indifferent to him and am not sure how to handle my feelings and how to change things.

Caroline_a

If it helps.... my GSD was a real pain in the rear from the age of 6 months until he was 2. I had him neutered at around 14 months, made a slight difference, but not so much that you'd notice, but I didn't want him careering after people if they had a !!!!! on heat, or trying to escape.

He'd been to Good citizen classes, got all the certificates, behaved like a dream when he was there (once I'd walked him with his pal for an hour beforehand to get rid of the 'fizz'), then came home to be a proper idiot.

Then... he had his second birthday. It was like a switch being flicked! Suddenly he remembered how to sit, stay, heel, wait... he stopped being a pain and became a lovely calm dog. He was just the dog I'd always wanted him to be!

Mind you, then 2 months later I went looking for another puppy.... we never learn!

asharon

As someone else has said it is important to remember he is not doing things to annoy you. He is a dog.

With regards to pulling on the lead, I had a choc labrador and it took me a long time, months or more, to get him to walk to heal. You start walking and every time he pulls you stop, get him to sit and wait then start again. Ok it is frustrating and takes a while depending upon the dog but the long term rewards are there.

Lifeisbutadream

Fire_Fox wrote: »

People are suggesting considering handing the dog back because there is nothing wrong with admitting you make a mistake. Breeders and rescues specifically write in the contract that the dog is to be returned not sold on because they recognise not every match works out, even with the best will in the world. You have said you don't have the time, mental energy or finances to take your dog's training as seriously as you do the childrens. Furthermore in the OP you gave every indication you are not enjoying having him, see emboldened

I often feel the same way about the kids!! I dont consider handing them back!! also he is a year old, I have had him 9 months, I doubt the breeder would accept him back now.

Sorry but no, I dont take his training as seriously as my children's, he is a dog.

Lifeisbutadream

Caroline_a wrote: »

If it helps.... my GSD was a real pain in the rear from the age of 6 months until he was 2. I had him neutered at around 14 months, made a slight difference, but not so much that you'd notice, but I didn't want him careering after people if they had a !!!!! on heat, or trying to escape.

He'd been to Good citizen classes, got all the certificates, behaved like a dream when he was there (once I'd walked him with his pal for an hour beforehand to get rid of the 'fizz'), then came home to be a proper idiot.

Then... he had his second birthday. It was like a switch being flicked! Suddenly he remembered how to sit, stay, heel, wait... he stopped being a pain and became a lovely calm dog. He was just the dog I'd always wanted him to be!

Mind you, then 2 months later I went looking for another puppy.... we never learn!

I was just talking to someone with two springers whilst out walking this aft - one is 5 years old and still pulls, she has also tried everything - the other one did pull and she stopped after classes and training etc. - I think it is just the luck of the draw - I am sure that if I trained him 24/7 then I might be able to break it, but as that isnt going to happen I am just going to have to learn to live with it!

Knowing/thinking about the reasons behind them helps (i.e. the going on furniture etc!), but I am baffled with the pulling one, I really am!