Training for a 9 week old cocker spaniel

ashisback

We have just decided to buy a 9 week old cocker spaniel and would like any advice we can get on training, feeding etc

thanks

ash:)

Magenta

How long is a piece of string....?

Did you do any research before buying the puppy?

spurscormac

There was a recent thread here about advice for a new puppy, and there's plenty more of them if you do a search - the same questions are asked every couple of days...

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055693150

Good luck with the cocker, I have one myself and he's adorable.
You'll have to post a pic - oh and as per advice on the thread above take plenty of pics, they grow up amazingly fast.

Lemlin

Magenta wrote: »

How long is a piece of string....?

Did you do any research before buying the puppy?

The OP was pming me previously about Cockers so I gave her some information.

OP, be prepared for a fairly boisterous puppy who'll be full of energy. Cockers are just like Springers and they love being cheeky. I'd suggest a few chew toys such as kongs because my cocker loves these.

She also loved the odd toy to chew on and a walk really helps. Be careful not walk her too much when she's a puppy though.

funkyjebus

google puppy training like everyone else

cosnochta

funkyjebus wrote: »

google puppy training like everyone else

Not really a helpful idea as there is plenty of terrible training information out there as well as good info and it can be hard to know which is which, if you're an inexperienced dog owner.

kildara

funkyjebus wrote: »

google puppy training like everyone else

Not really a way to encourage people to help you should you come on looking for advice in the future.
People ask for advice to get a wide variety of real-life scenario's, not just the thoughts on one persons experience - which is mostly what you get if you go on to the majority of websites when you do a search.
If everybody googled their questions, Boards would be a pretty dull place (imo).

OP - start as you mean to go on. If you dont want your fully grown dog up on the couch / bed etc then dont let them up there while they are small. It's very easy to fall into bad habits because its funny or cute when a pup does it - try to be firm from day one.

Make training fun and interesting (for both of you).

And enjoy it - they grow up pretty quickly!

funkyjebus

and asking random people on boards.ie is ok?? Think about that logic for a sec there. I did as I advised above, collaborated the information gathered and made a a decision on what was said most, like use a clicker, don't punish - reward, etc.

Then again just buy a book, or go to a professional if you are that worried about unsound advise.

I reject your evaluation of my post as unhelpful.

And the same to kildara, maybe i put it across wrong, but a new owner, it is the best may to gain free impartial advise.

cosnochta

funkyjebus wrote: »

and asking random people on boards.ie is ok?? Think about that logic for a sec there.

I'm not saying that asking here is the best way either. But at least on a forum, you have input from a number of people, so if bad advice was given other people could come along and point that out.

For example: many websites advise that it is good to rub a dog's face in their own mess as a method of toilet training, and an inexperienced or new dog owner could take that as fact. At least, on a forum other people would be able to point out better ways of housetraining.

kildara

funkyjebus wrote: »

...it is the best may to gain free impartial advise.

Which is what you get on Boards. Nobody here has an agenda (at least they shouldn't). You wont get impartial advise if you go onto most websites. They want you to buy their products or use their methods, thats not impartial.

At least here if somebody suggests something, another person may have used that method and found a flaw in it.

For example, you mention clicker training. I bought the clicker, and book on how to use it but I never did. Why? - somebody said that a clicker is not going to stop your dog running across a road to get to a ball/dog/person etc. I thought about that and decided against using it (still doesn't mean my dog wont run across the road to something more exciting though!)

funkyjebus

I see what your saying, and agree, but to dismiss googling puppy training??

I'm sure it was just a quick example, and i'm not nit picking but i read online puppy training for months before buying and never did anyone say to rub its face in it, all warned never to do that, so purhaps they are a little more trust worthy than you think. Anyway for teh sake of inputting something to this topic;

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/
http://www.clickerlessons.com/ (if you use a clicker, higly recommended)
http://www.dogstardaily.com

I used these websites and would swear by them. My wheaten is five months old and waves goodbye to you, speaks and sings and dances on two legs by himself. Therefore I can only signe prasies for online traing manuals. but of course use common sence.

funkyjebus

kildara wrote: »

Which is what you get on Boards. Nobody here has an agenda (at least they shouldn't). You wont get impartial advise if you go onto most websites. They want you to buy their products or use their methods, thats not impartial.

At least here if somebody suggests something, another person may have used that method and found a flaw in it.

For example, you mention clicker training. I bought the clicker, and book on how to use it but I never did. Why? - somebody said that a clicker is not going to stop your dog running across a road to get to a ball/dog/person etc. I thought about that and decided against using it (still doesn't mean my dog wont run across the road to something more exciting though!)

you seem to have missed 'collaborated the information gathered and made a a decision on what was said most, like use a clicker, don't punish - reward, etc.' quite important, you cant just take my last sentence out of context.

You of course have to use common sense, or you should have a dog.

But anyway, why are we arguing. I believe that google is a great resource of the information required, you won't convince me otherwise.

Btw, the point of a clicker is association, I helps the dog associate the reward with the good dead betting than anything else, that is just a scientific fact. I would recommend it 100%

cosnochta

funkyjebus wrote: »

http://www.clickerlessons.com/ (if you use a clicker, higly recommended)

Great site! I'm a huge fan of clicker training. I had a lovely little foster dog for four months last year. She had never had any training before, but was so anxious to please that I did some clicker training with her. By the time she moved on to her forever home, she could sit, lie, beg, stand on hind legs, high five, wave. She absolutely loved it too....you should have seen her tail go when I took the clicker out!

Seemingly, it can be used on other animals too, so planning to try it out on our new kitten (when she finally arrives.).

funkyjebus

ps. sorry for all the spelling mistakes, trying to write quicly in work before someoen see i'm not working!!

also the clicker training website has all lesson in downloadable pdf's...handy!