bonkers dog

gags89

hey fellow boardies,

Ive got a about 6 month old cross breed spaniel and the thing is nuts...


never walks, always runs,
chews everything,
kind of bullys our other dog(its a little smaller than it and this nutty woofer literally jumps on it the everytime it gets attention and not her.

still whizzing with excitement from time to time on the kitchen floor to the dismay of my mother!

she gets brought on walks almost every second day and we have a huge back garden with loads of space for her to burn up energy but she seems to be constantly full of energy!


any advice from any dog whisperers out there?

XxXciaraxXx

My dog is the exact same! She's just after finishing around 6 laps of every room in the house and up and down the stairs! She is a jack russell and 7 months old. I used to think she was bored so I started taking her for walks more frequently but nothing changed!

I asked he vet about her peeing everywhere when someone new came into the house and he said she would grow out of it! But everything after that, Im afraid, I am in the same boat as you! I just try to tire her out as much as possible every day!

andreac

Sorry but walked almost every second day? no wonder shes mental, the poor dog is bored, a dog needs to be walked EVERY day and sometimes twice a day.

An exercised dog is a happy dog, free running in the back garden is not the same as being walked daily.

Mental stimulation will also tire the dog out, so try some basic training and obedience and it will help to tire the dog out.

Spaniels are bred to work so will need a lot of exercise and mental stimulation to get rid of all that energy,so that means being walked everyday and would split that into 2 walks, morn and eve.

You could also try agility classed too which would help burn off that energy.

XxXciaraxXx

andreac wrote: »

Sorry but walked almost every second day? no wonder shes mental, the poor dog is bored, a dog needs to be walked EVERY day and sometimes twice a day.

An exercised dog is a happy dog, free running in the back garden is not the same as being walked daily.

Mental stimulation will also tire the dog out, so try some basic training and obedience and it will help to tire the dog out.

Spaniels are bred to work so will need a lot of exercise and mental stimulation to get rid of all that energy,so that means being walked everyday and would split that into 2 walks, morn and eve.

You could also try agility classed too which would help burn off that energy.

I thought my dog was bored so I started taking her for a walk twice a day and when I could get home on my lunch hour I would take her then aswell but nothing changed!

Is it possible that dogs can get ADD?? Thats what my mam reckons she has!

Little A

she gets brought on walks almost every second day

I'm no dog whisperer & I'm still trying to deal with my own VERY active pup, but I'd say a big part of your problem lies here. You really need to get her out every day for the best part of an hour (3 x 20 mins or 2 X 30min would be best as she's still young). If you jog or run....all the better. She's probably too young to leave off the lead, but if you get a good long rope you could play fetch (even in the back garden)

My 10mthsold collie mix is full of energy & even with this much walking and big plays with the kids and running after every bird that dares to venture within sight.....she still has her "bonkers moments" of just going loopy & literally bouching off the walls.

Another thing that does help to tire out a pup is training (I know I need to do alot more)....but because they have to concentrate so much it really helps to sap their energy. Also, loads of toys.

Another thing to look at is her diet.....make sure she is getting a good quality food & no human treats (as in no tins of food & no sweets or biscuits). I've started (after a fair bit of research) giving a mix of good quality kibble and raw food (at different times...morning kibble & evening raw chicken wings, legs, mince, eggs etc). She loves the raw food & I do think its been a help with her temperment.

These are some things that have helped me with my "mad missie"....I'll be very interested in any other advice you get as it's all a learning curve.

(PS - if anyone can suggest how to stop my pup from "guarding the garden" from the birds, I'd appriciate it as I reckon the barking is going to get to the neighbours, who have so far been very tolerant)

Little A

Also ment to say, Gags & XxX.....also remember they are still pups & pups are prone to "moments of madness", chewing, peeing & general mayhem....training & exercise & time will help

Wexford Girl

XxXciaraxXx wrote: »

My dog is the exact same! She's just after finishing around 6 laps of every room in the house and up and down the stairs! She is a jack russell and 7 months old. I used to think she was bored so I started taking her for walks more frequently but nothing changed!

I asked he vet about her peeing everywhere when someone new came into the house and he said she would grow out of it! But everything after that, Im afraid, I am in the same boat as you! I just try to tire her out as much as possible every day!

Caira i also have a 8 month old jack russell and find her the very same as yours, no matter how many walks she has she's still as hyper as anything.

Sigma Force

Spaniels and their crosses can be a bit barmy at that age you really need to get some proper professional training, as spaniels..I presume you mean springer spaniel? are high energy working dogs and certainly need more than a walk every other day that isn't enough for your average dog.

The dog will need walks a few times a day and to be kept busy with some training as well, see what your dogs in to if the dog likes sniffing around perhaps hide food, toys etc in areas and get the dog to find them, have some fun with the dog it takes a lot to tire them out.

Also some say the high protein in some dog foods can make them a bit hyper so a good quality food is important.

If you can get into training perhap agility classes they are fun for owners and great for the dog, use a trainer who only uses humane methods of training.
Clicker training is also great if you can't get to classes, you can buy the clicker with a booklet in most pets shops and vets now it gives you all the instructions in it.

The Sweeper

+1 on the exercise.

Spaniel cross needs to be walked every morning and every evening, and played with in the garden during the day in between times. See if you can find a secure area near you where you can allow her off the lead.

If she pulls on the lead because she's mental, that's not an excuse for not walking her - buy a head collar instead, then every time she pulls she'll pull her own head around so she'll stop pulling.

You shouldn't really start agility training with a dog under 12 months old, because it's best if such intensive running and jumping isn't taught until all of the relevant joints and ligaments are fully formed.

Peeing with excitement - the dog needs to be reassured more. The people in your house should try ignoring her when she's mental. If you come home and she hits you at chest height, ignore her and move past her and completely blank her until she's calm, at which point you greet her and praise her (but not in a way that stirs her up).

With a dog like this, admonishing her is difficult because she'll take any attention she can get, negative included. She won't care if you're giving out to her, because it's still attention. You may have to work on a system of blanking bad behaviour, and praising good.

leadinglady

+++on the walking. Get her a little backpack to carry! Put sme bits in and that will give her a job and tire her more. Hard to get them here though, I was thinkin of makin one, but my dog may end up being the laugh of the laugh of the canal if I do:D.

The peeing thing goes with the age like everyone said, but watch if it continues into adulthood. Our shep. RIP, always peed when my husband came in from work and he got so paranoid and upset about it. She had developed a fear of him/authority figures. Sometimes with me too. She was not over diciplined ar anything, so we were at a loss.

We worked on her confidence and it improved, but still happened occasionally!

sadhbhc15

Backpacks are a great idea for any active dog - an hour's walk wearing a backpack is equivalent to 2 hours without. They can be got at www.countryhounds.ie Also I bike a lot with my dog, which is a huge help in tiring him out. Your dog is a little young for such high intensive exercise, however, so if you are going to try the backpack / biking just keep it in short bursts for now!

Good luck!

leadinglady

Thanks for that!! I will be getting a backpack for my retriever as soon as, he is so energetic. I have been advising loads of people to get them and I never knew where. (Might skip the boots for now though!).

gags89

yep i +1 that, the backpack is a very good idea and will most certainly look into that!


Also ive began being stricter with the pup, i know shes young and we have a young family so she does get alot of attention but i have noticed she does repsond quicker to 'SIT' when she gets ignored for jumping up on you!


Ps. Found out today as i dont live with the family, up in dub at college she jumps the fence does laps around their gardens and hops back over when she hears the backdoor.love dogs, Such chancers!