Dog Owners

[furrybean]

Eh up, not been on here in a while so howdo.

Been offered an 18 month old Springer that the owner can't look after any more (change of circumstances) and just wondered if anyone has any experience of them here or had any joy training a dog to a whistle? He's called Sparky and I'm an electrician :thumbdown: and dont want to shout his name all the time lol.

http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/5591/dsc00056fa7.th.jpg (http://img119.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00056fa7.jpg)

[husky03]

take the dog then buy another for company for him,build a huge set of kennels at your garden ,buy some more dogs and then give them your full garden and half your garage,then spend your entire life getting moaned at by the mrs cause she has the cheek to imply that the dogs are the first thing on your mind all the time--hhmmmm-pattern developing me thinks!

[hovis]

they are very energenic

[furrybean]

And breathe.....!

Would love a couple of dogs but lack of garden limits me. Got a massive park behind my house though!

[Samnooshka]

He looks lovely, and well done for wanting to take him on :) there are so many dogs in rescue no days as the owners get them as puppies then when they get older they become unmanagable. I have mainly seen dogs in Malamute rescue and not surprisingly they are mostly boys as they get so big and boistrous that the owners just didn;t research what they would turn out to be when they reach a year to 18 months.

These dogs are very bouncy, you'll want to try and get rid of some of that energy. Make sure he goes to training classes, they are not just for puppies :D See what he likes to do, they are fantastic dogs for agility as they are springy and intellegent and will quickly work out what you want them to do.

As for training to whistle, this is fantastic, the best way to do it, especially to recall which is the most important command you can teach a dog if he doesn't already know it is to attach a long training line to his collar, you can get these from pets at home and are about 30ft long (well we have that one for our boy). Holding on to the other end, get him to sit infront of you, once he is doing that nicely, holding your treat hand above your head blow the whistle and bring your arm down to your side and give him a treat, this must be instant, keep repeating this, he will soon realise that when you blow the whistle he will get a treat and will soon think it is a great game that as soon as he sits you blow the whistle and he gets fed... he is training you really well ;), also this also reinforces to him that your arm is in the air if he doesn't hear the whistle and as soon as you lower your arm there is a treat there :). Then with him sitting walk away, and blow the whistle and lower your arm again do not introduce calling command yet as this will confuse the dog, if he comes to you great give him the treat.

I personally dont use the whistle, i use the clicker, its the same but not good for recall as its hard to hear but he knows what it is about :).

If you need any help with any training give me a shout as i am in the middle of my dog trainers certificate.

Also another great rule for dogs is the NILIF or Nothing In Life Is Free... this should be applied to teenagers too :p. Basically if he wants to do something he must work for it, i shall dig out the article for anyone interested. Also never ask twice... if you say sit, the dog must sit, but never ask twice, say the command in a firm voice and if he doesn't do it make him do it by lightly placing your hand on his bum and lifting your hand up under his chin, but do not put any weight over the hips as this can cause joint problems, do this and say "No, Sit" dont just say No as you will say this a million times a day, say no and then tell him again what you wanted him to do whilst making him do it.

Sorry for waffling, but want to give as much advice, if you need anymore then pm me :) more than willing to help :)

Sammy

[Tomcat]

He looks lovely, and well done for wanting to take him on :) there are so many dogs in rescue no days as the owners get them as puppies then when they get older they become unmanagable. I have mainly seen dogs in Malamute rescue and not surprisingly they are mostly boys as they get so big and boistrous that the owners just didn;t research what they would turn out to be when they reach a year to 18 months.

These dogs are very bouncy, you'll want to try and get rid of some of that energy. Make sure he goes to training classes, they are not just for puppies :D See what he likes to do, they are fantastic dogs for agility as they are springy and intellegent and will quickly work out what you want them to do.

As for training to whistle, this is fantastic, the best way to do it, especially to recall which is the most important command you can teach a dog if he doesn't already know it is to attach a long training line to his collar, you can get these from pets at home and are about 30ft long (well we have that one for our boy). Holding on to the other end, get him to sit infront of you, once he is doing that nicely, holding your treat hand above your head blow the whistle and bring your arm down to your side and give him a treat, this must be instant, keep repeating this, he will soon realise that when you blow the whistle he will get a treat and will soon think it is a great game that as soon as he sits you blow the whistle and he gets fed... he is training you really well ;), also this also reinforces to him that your arm is in the air if he doesn't hear the whistle and as soon as you lower your arm there is a treat there :). Then with him sitting walk away, and blow the whistle and lower your arm again do not introduce calling command yet as this will confuse the dog, if he comes to you great give him the treat.

I personally dont use the whistle, i use the clicker, its the same but not good for recall as its hard to hear but he knows what it is about :).

If you need any help with any training give me a shout as i am in the middle of my dog trainers certificate.

Also another great rule for dogs is the NILIF or Nothing In Life Is Free... this should be applied to teenagers too :p. Basically if he wants to do something he must work for it, i shall dig out the article for anyone interested. Also never ask twice... if you say sit, the dog must sit, but never ask twice, say the command in a firm voice and if he doesn't do it make him do it by lightly placing your hand on his bum and lifting your hand up under his chin, but do not put any weight over the hips as this can cause joint problems, do this and say "No, Sit" dont just say No as you will say this a million times a day, say no and then tell him again what you wanted him to do whilst making him do it.

Sorry for waffling, but want to give as much advice, if you need anymore then pm me :) more than willing to help :)

Sammy

Good advice!! Just to add .... as soon as you get the dog, set out your rules and stick to them!! They are a lovely breed, but very very clever, and if you give an inch they will take a mile! The spaniel loves to retreive, keep him busy and he will be happy. All he will want is to please you, so make it clear what you want and you will be fine!

Like kids, if they know the rules they are happy. All dogs need a leader, and if he thinks you are not worthy (firm enough) he will think it is his place to become the leader, and that is not good !

ps: nice to see you back furrybean, I have been wondering where you have been hiding! :o

[K]

I can only echo the good advice above.

Spaniels as a whole are very devoted dogs. If you put in the effort of good training and discipline he'll pay you back in spades.

Have a look round for agility clubs etc, but if he shows any real apptitude for search and retrieve then see if you can find a gundog training club. Working breeds are at thier best when working (or 'pretending' to work at least).

[Shellywoozle]

Aww what a lovely looking dog.

I have a 7 months old Springer, Samson. We had him when he was 7 weeks old. THey are FULL of life, never tire out.Springers love to play and run and love water.

When I first had Samson I wanted to give up on him cause he took up alot of time but I am glad I didnt. He is wonderful and the house would be quiet without him.

I found this forum which is great help, log on and see what you can find, I can only imagine it will talk you into taking Sparky on.

PM me if you need any more advice, I will try to help.

http://springthing.3.forumer.com

Shell

[Samnooshka]

Samson is gorgeous Shell :) good idea to joing some dog forums we are on Icebay Malamutes and they have provided us with no end of advice. However do be careful and do a load of reading for yourself before you commit to the advice given :) you'll work out quite quickly who's advice is worth listening to ;)

Another good forum is http://www.dogsey.com/ i am on this but don't really post, but loads of advice given here :D

[neio79]

i have a springer 4 yr old called Coco.

They are very very energetic, mine will go running for miles and miles, taken mine out for 5-6 miles before, he probably does 10 time he has finnished running off and after 10 min back home he wants to go again.

They are very loyal and clever dogs. took no time to teach mine the basics.

He goes working with me in the winter at a shoot, loves it and it comes naturally to them. He has caught 5 phesants on the ground before they got up now!! not exactly what you want but hey ho, he is just so good at what he does.

that is an other way to train him , volonteer to be a beater at a local shoot, however you should be able to recal him for it otherwise you will **** a lot of people off if he just goes off and puts up the birds before the guns are ready.

If you have kids they ae probablt the best dog for it, they put up with anything and want to play all the time.

one point dont get his balls cut off of if female newted thet have a tendancy to get fat anf hairy if that is done to them. mine isnt but my friends is and his is lazy fat and hairy in comparison.

[stewie]

Good one mate, Ive never had a spaniel, but I have got a rescue dog who is now 13 and is going deaf but is just the best regardless. Treat him right with a lot of love and respect and you will get it back in spades. Personally I dont use a whistle or clicker method preferring instead you use voice commands such as 'get off me fecking borders ' or 'stop peeing on me patio set ya furry bat##rd' or the old favourite 'will you stop licking down there when the vicars here' and it seems to do the trick ;) .
Seriously though, good luck, I,m sure you,ll do o.k.
Stew

[Samnooshka]

one point dont get his balls cut off of if female newted thet have a tendancy to get fat anf hairy if that is done to them. mine isnt but my friends is and his is lazy fat and hairy in comparison.


Most dogs put on weight after being newtered or spayed...

Cut back the food or feed leaner food, easy for us as Lupo is fed BARF (bones and raw food) so he gets raw chicken wings, deer carcass which he has been working through in chunks, and various other meat stuff, but not beef as this is quite fatty. But as we know what goes in his food it is easier for us to cutr back certain food groups if he needs it :)

Also increase exercise and don't use fatty treats, or use in moderation, remember that the more treats you give you will have to take off there dinner amount as it all adds up to there food intake per day :)

Also if you are not breeding why not nueter them... sorry to stray the thread. We are getting Lupo "done" when he reaches 18 months as he will be at his full size by then, plus wanting to get a little sister for him we don't want too many paws padding round :p. It tends to settle the more hyperactive dogs too. Its all a personal choice, both Lupo and future girlie will both be spayed and chopped when they are the right age, the girl will have her first season.

here is a few benefits of neutering dogs

Your male dog can smell a bitch in heat from a very long distance away, and some dogs will do anything to reach her -including scaling tall fences or digging underneath. These dogs are liable to become lost, or be involved in road traffic accidents.
Often, male dogs become very frustrated. They may try to mount cushions, or even people's legs. Some become snappy. Others become very dominant, and constantly attack other dogs. Un-neutered male dogs may also scent mark by urinating about the house.
The risk of testicular cancer is completely removed by neutering. Many older male dogs develop prostate enlargement, leading to urinary problems, constipation and the possibility of prostatic cancer. Because prostatic cancer can be hormone dependant, these dogs have to be castrated when they are getting on in years and therefore present a greater anaesthetic risk.
Neutered dogs tend to live longer.Also see here http://www.stclairvet.co.uk/vetalk_word_with_vet_neuter.htm#male%20dogs

sorry for waffling again lol

[Luckypants]

and un-neutered males may decide to make babies in the road outside your house, causing a local traffic jam, much merriment to the local farming community and a very happy puppy............. or so I hear! :-dd

[neio79]

Your male dog can smell a bitch in heat from a very long distance away, and some dogs will do anything to reach her -including scaling tall fences or digging underneath.explains why coco f**ked off for a walk on his own for 1/2 hour one night a few weeks ago.

[Samnooshka]

Lol yeah, we were on a walk with Lupo a couple of weeks ago and a bloke with a husky we usually see saw us and came over and started talking to us, it was only when Lupo started getting a bit more playful than he is with his mates that he mentioned his bitch was in season!!! i could have thumped him one, Lupo was practically screaming when we walked in opposite directions... have avoided him since, just to make sure she has finished her season as they last for 3 weeks.

He also barks at the gate if a bitch in season walks past. He goes mental. Just added stress for him. Still 9 months to go, have got the vet warming up the bricks :) Would get him done sooner but as i will be working him i want him at his full size and strength before he is done.

[stewie]

Lol yeah, we were on a walk with Lupo a couple of weeks ago and a bloke with a husky we usually see saw us and came over and started talking to us, it was only when Lupo started getting a bit more playful than he is with his mates that he mentioned his bitch was in season!!! i could have thumped him one, Lupo was practically screaming when we walked in opposite directions... have avoided him since, just to make sure she has finished her season as they last for 3 weeks.

He also barks at the gate if a bitch in season walks past. He goes mental. Just added stress for him. Still 9 months to go, have got the vet warming up the bricks :) Would get him done sooner but as i will be working him i want him at his full size and strength before he is done.

Warming up the bricks ?:smt087 :smt120 :smt119 :smt010

[neio79]

Coco is not too bad really, he will go over to see a bitch in season. The only things he wont really return for are in season bitches and if he is on the scent of a pheasant.

He has never showed any signs of frustration like snapping etc, maybe he sneaky little sod has sloped off and sewn his oats without me knowing? ?

[furrybean]

Well I picked him up yesterday and went for a long walk with him. He seemed to settle in fine but once I left him to go to bed be went mental. He barks like mad when someone walks passed the house and I've got to leave him for work in a minute.

I really hope he settles in better than this but it is still very early days!

[Shellywoozle]

Well I picked him up yesterday and went for a long walk with him. He seemed to settle in fine but once I left him to go to bed be went mental. He barks like mad when someone walks passed the house and I've got to leave him for work in a minute.

I really hope he settles in better than this but it is still very early days!

Samson id the same, still barks at people passing by cauise he cant go out and play with them probably.

I found that his yarping and crying stopped after 2/3 nights, it was constant and I felt cruel just leaving him, but thats what I did and he stopped.

Sure you will both be fine, good luck.

Shell

[K]

you may find that with noone in the house he'll settle more easily - no 'pack members' to protect. Either way, make sure he has planty of toys to keep him interested and perhaps even leave a radio or the TV on.
If your garden is secure you may find he is more comfortable outside when left with access to a dry/warm/shady kennel.
Some advocate the use of hiden food treats, but if you can settle him without and just using plain toys n stuff it can be better in my opinion. If only because it means you don't have to rely on them in strange places and the like.

Either way - the barking is an alarm call, so don't tell him off for it, he thinks he's performing the essential duty of defence. Even more so as he's just moved home and may feel the need to be overly protective of this new one incase it gets taken away too.
Try calling him to you as soon as he sets off, make sure you got his attention, make strong eye contact and praise him. Hold his muzzle if he's still grizzling until he's calm. Then go with him to the window, door, wherever he set the alarm call off and make a show of checking the terretory border with him. If he stays quiet praise him - if he barks, a sharp NO and hold his muzzle until he settles again.
Then give him an 'All Clear' signal or command and fuss him a bit - then settle yourself back down.

Basically you need to convince him that he's done his duty, you've investigated and as 'Alpha' you've OK'd the situation. This can work, but it needs repeating and reinforcing so stick with it.
If you just keep telling him off or refuse to 'investigate' he'll just keep on trying to draw your attention to whatever it was that set him off - even if it's gone. The Alpha hasn't seen it off so it must still be out there somewhere kind of mentality.

Though not guard dogs per se, spaniels are known for their loyalty, so they will do their best to alert you to danger.

The above works with mine - apart from with hot air balloons, and the moon when it can be seen during the day. :roll:
They both haven't got 'wings' so obviously shouldn't be in the sky - and no amountof convincing him that I think it's OK will settle him - unfortunately Northampton is host to a hot air balloon festival - so in August it's a loud month. ;)

[Tomcat]

In my opinion, if you dont like the barking (and if your neighbours dont!) you need to deal with it sooner rather then later .... whatever his instinctive reasons for barking.

He is intelligent so he will soon realise that as the leader you dont want him to bark. Be firm, with your voice (use whatever word you like, he cant speak english!..... just always use the same word) If this isnt enough, use whatever you think is fair and obviously not unkind ..... but make it very clear. I personally use splashes of water, it shocks them, and they don't like it, but it doesnt hurt. (obviously dont doose them with the hose pipe!!)

I work at a kennels, and we often have over 40 dogs, they DO NOT bark. The odd one will start, we will say 'quiet' and they stop ..... simple as that. But you HAVE to start now, dont let him do it and then decide weeks down the line that is bugs you.

I personally cant stand barking dogs!!!!

[K]

I agree wth constant barking - it's uncontrolled, lacks discipline and shows that there are often other reasons for the dog not being happy.

But one or two alarm barks - allows for natural expression as well as owner control.

Dogs bark. If there's a reason for it, they why curb a natural tendency? Control it yes, but I don't agree with instilling human perceptions on what is socially acceptable in a canine - you are living together so there has to be some level of give and take: for me anyway. ;)

That said - if you want a dog that doesn't bark, get a Basenji. interestingly they are incapable of barking - though they do seem to have a slightly wrinkled brow/worried expession all the time...

... I wonder why? ;)

[Pedrosa]

I have nice dog, it be an (E)spaniel.:D

[Tomcat]

I agree wth constant barking - it's uncontrolled, lacks discipline and shows that there are often other reasons for the dog not being happy.

But one or two alarm barks - allows for natural expression as well as owner control.

Dogs bark. If there's a reason for it, they why curb a natural tendency? Control it yes, but I don't agree with instilling human perceptions on what is socially acceptable in a canine - you are living together so there has to be some level of give and take: for me anyway. ;)

That said - if you want a dog that doesn't bark, get a Basenji. interestingly they are incapable of barking - though they do seem to have a slightly wrinkled brow/worried expession all the time...

... I wonder why? ;)


:D

My lurcher doesnt bark .... Only in his sleep!! out of interest he never has, I havent had to stop him!!!

Just to touch on what you said, I kind of disagree in that we already have domesticated them, so it is up to the individual owner to decide how far to take that, the point being that so long as the dog is happy, I dont think not being allowed to bark is a big deal! Dogs also like to roam, p*ss everywhere, and hang around in gangs, but we dont let them!

But only my opinion ;)

[Samnooshka]

Good posts about the barking, it is natural for a dog to want to defend his territory. It will tke a couple of days for him to settle in to his new home :)

If you are worried about leaving him during the day, set up a kong http://www.doggiesolutions.co.uk/erol.html, we set our up the night before using tuna, varios treats and or kong paste and we pack it all in and freeze it overnight so when he has it it takes a while to get through. It keeps him occupied so he doesn't notice when we leave the house and it is a good workout for him so he usually sleeps after, the odd occasion he will bark at the windows but for a cat or the postie.

We sometimes leave him with a nice meaty marrowbone to work on, this is also good for occupying him, also good for working out their jaws and cleaning teeth.

Make sure as Tomcat has said that you use the same commands and make sure everyone in the house uses the same command, for example, if you say down, and your partner says lay he will not know what you mean.

Remember if you need any advice at all give me a shout :) i'm more than happy to help :)

I might also add that we taught lupo the "speak" command as by doing this it is easier for us to teach "quiet", but Alaskan malamutes are talkative breeds and although when researching it said that they are a non barking breed, no where did it say quiet lol, they woo... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrANm1B1PtQ which is quite funny but can get very annoying after a while.

[K]

:D

My lurcher doesnt bark .... Only in his sleep!! out of interest he never has, I havent had to stop him!!!

Just to touch on what you said, I kind of disagree in that we already have domesticated them, so it is up to the individual owner to decide how far to take that, the point being that so long as the dog is happy, I dont think not being allowed to bark is a big deal! Men also like to roam, p*ss everywhere, and hang around in gangs, but we dont let them!

But only my opinion ;)

Good point well made.
I kind of agree in that we've tailored and designed various natural instincts and abilities anyway - so why not continue to. I guess I'm a bit of a hippy really. ;)
Our first collie never barked - ever - until we moved house, then he would always give about half a dozen barks to anyone who walked past. Luckily it was a cul-de-sac. He was about 7 and it was the first time he'd moved house. Go figure.
We both agree on the point being that the dog needs to be happy though. ;)

I fully understand your last point though. :cool: :salut:

[K]

I might also add that we taught lupo the "speak" command as by doing this it is easier for us to teach "quiet", but Alaskan malamutes are talkative breeds and although when researching it said that they are a non barking breed, no where did it say quiet lol, they woo... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrANm1B1PtQ which is quite funny but can get very annoying after a while.

Prime example of a working pack ancestry - doggie conversation.

As an aside, did anyone else see that programme about the 'Wolfman' on some channel (sorry, I'm poo) a few weeks ago. Guy pretty much lived with a pack of three hand reared wolves to teach them and learn from them. Awesome - espescially his work abroad in harmonising wild packs needs and those of the local farmers.

It was heartbreakingly beautiful when they filmed them as little pups though and he was teaching them to howl properly. Soooooo cute.

[Samnooshka]

Prime example of a working pack ancestry - doggie conversation.

As an aside, did anyone else see that programme about the 'Wolfman' on some channel (sorry, I'm poo) a few weeks ago. Guy pretty much lived with a pack of three hand reared wolves to teach them and learn from them. Awesome - espescially his work abroad in harmonising wild packs needs and those of the local farmers.

It was heartbreakingly beautiful when they filmed them as little pups though and he was teaching them to howl properly. Soooooo cute.

That program was amazing :D although it looked like our house at meal times lol. Lupo is fed after us and never before, we are the Alpha's therefore we eat first and Lupo likes to try it on by nudging his head under our arms to reach the plate, but he is met by growls from me, or being thrown out into the garden lol, and yes i have learnt how to growl lol.

I thought it was amazing how they had accepted him as Alpha and how interesting it was when he came back from his travels to Europe and was at the bottom of the pack.

This is shown in domestic dog behaviour too. When an Alpha leaves for work the pack order changes, when the Alpha returns it is up to him or her to regain the Alpha status by there behaviour, which is why Lupo is never greeted first. When i get home i pretty much ignore Lupo until i am ready to say hello to him. This is usually when he has stopped fussing at my feet and has gone to lay down, only then will I call him over to say hello, never going to him to say hello. When James gets home he says hello to me, then if i have a friend over they will get a hello then once Lupo has calmed down and gone away he will again be called over and given a hello. Which is why when we have people over, we always tell them to ignore the dog and say hi to us first. Also simple things like who goes through a gate or door way first, might mean little to us but means loads to a dog, and we have to really enforce that in our household due to Lupo being one of the most basic breeds and he is such a dominant character that rules have to be set firm :) and often reminded ;).

Also cute little film of a malamute howling here (i am yet to catch Lupo howling on film he hears me get the camera out :( )... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B__CEI29cxM

[K]

Wow, first time I've actually searched for something on you Tube and I found it - HERE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuS3oRSqowQ&mode=related&search=)

The howling lesson is about 6min 30secs in.

[Tomcat]

That was really interesting.... will watch more at home some time! What a cute wolf pup!

[Biker Biggles]

Sorry to add a downer,but my old Spaniel died today.Nearly 14 and been ill so not unexpected,but still agreat loss after all that time.

[Pedrosa]

aaaah Mr.B that very sad be hear.Poor perrito.:(

[Samnooshka]

Sorry to add a downer,but my old Spaniel died today.Nearly 14 and been ill so not unexpected,but still agreat loss after all that time.

Sorry to hear this :( It's so sad when they go, but at at least he/she is not in pain any longer :)

[K]

Sorry to add a downer,but my old Spaniel died today.Nearly 14 and been ill so not unexpected,but still agreat loss after all that time.

You have my sincere condolences. I hope he/she passed peacefully.
It's not the loss of a pet, it's the loss of a friend - may good memories carry you through.

[stewie]

Sorry to add a downer,but my old Spaniel died today.Nearly 14 and been ill so not unexpected,but still agreat loss after all that time.
Sorry to hear the news mate, our den is 13 now and we can sympathise totally with how you must be be feeling.

[furrybean]

Sorrt to hear that BB.

Quick update on the hound. Last night he did the same. Started barking at about 11 and so I tried to ignore it for a while. It got to a point though as I live on a main road terrace and my neighbours will be getting annoued, not to mention me!. At about 2 I had to go down and stay with him. When I went down to see if he was okay he would stop barking and seem happy enough but once he was left he would be barking within 5 minutes so I bit the bullet and kipped on the couch with him. Even then when someone walked passed the window he would bark a bit. I'm shattered today, 2 nights without sleep!:smt015

I'm been working today so got a chance to think things through. I'm getting worried that such an energetic dog needs more space than I have. All the space at the back of my house is a shared drive and a parking space, with the drive leading onto the main road and the footpath on the road right in front of my living room window. The previous owner, a friend of my sisters, lived on a cul-de-sac with a garden etc so he isn't used to the comotion and he was able to just go for a wee in the garden. I took the dog on with the proviso that I'll take him on if he is happy. I'm getting worried that he will be with me, especially if I am working for 5 but usually 6 days a week minimum 8 hours per day. Someone else could give him a better quality of life perhaps?!

Shame though as I have a barn and 2 acres waiting for planning permission that I've been fighting for years. That would be perfect for us as there is the room to let him run, and I wouldn't be so nervous he'll get hurt.

Oh what to do!

[Samnooshka]

We like you do not have much space, a small back garden, which was large enough when he was a small puppy but not large enough for hi to run round now. We just take him for long walks as much off lead as possible but we have had to stop this now as he is no longer scared of horses and thinks they are big dogs to play with and his recall is no longer reliable, which, unfortunately is a sign of the breed. However, we play a lot of mental activbity games. Find it is a favourite where i get him to sit and stay then hide a treat and tell him to find it. I also use 3 cups which i hide a treat under one and he has to find which one the treat is under. Also play hide and seek with him go hide some where in the house then call him, he'll love it, i hide under the duvet and he comes and digs me out of it lol :D.

The barking may just be a bad habbit he has picked up and never been corrected for. There are ways of correcting it, you just have to be patient and before your neighbours get too ****y with you go and buy them a bottle of wine and pop round and explain the situation and say you are doing the best you can and he is a rescue dog just if they can bare with it for a little while and see how he settles in.

As you said it has only been 2 nights, when we brought Lupo home he was scared and howled for the first few nights and James ended up sleeping next to him on the couch. So when you are getting ready for bed, switch the lights off and watch tv in the dark for a bit, get him to settle by your side, and then set the tv on a timer for 1 hour and then leave the room, and leave him with a marrowbone (not the cooked ones you can pick up raw ones from the butchers or local market) or a kong.

The trouble is with the barking at strangers it is a warning for them to leave the territory, and as they are walking past the barking to him acheives its purpose, therefore it is a hard situation to crack. I will do a bit of research for you and if you are willing to stick it out i can help you.

It would be a shame to see another dog in rescue when so many are waiting there already, although i completely understand where you are coming from having to go through the sleepless nights and worry about neighbours, we have already been through this with our boy, and no doubt will go through it again when we get our 2nd.

[Samnooshka]

I might also add that dogs love routine and once he has settled i'm sure things will be fine :) our routine for Loopy is:

Switch lights off and leave TV on.
Get Lupo to do his "busy"
Set the tv on timer for 40 minutes to 1 hour
Put kong in his crate
Tell Lupo bedtime and once he has his kong we leave the room and leave the tv on.

although this routine has been modified greatly since when he was smaller it makes life so much easier when going to bed and because he gets his kong full of tuna and prawns, biscuits and other lovely stuff :) he runs to his crate as soon as we say bedtime :).

Good luck anyways :D

Sammy

[furrybean]

Cheers Sam' for the help.

I'll see how we get on tonight, I think I'm a little bitter because I was supposed to see my gf tonight but I told her not to come round. Its not fair two of us not sleeping. If the dog doesn't settle there is a lady who has a springer already who would like another who is eyeing him up. It would b more disruption for him though.

Cheers for all this help though

[phil24_7]

They are wonderfull, loyal and very easy to train. They are very energetic though and need serious excercise time (2 decent walks/runs a day).

Is it from good breading?

[stewie]

Stick with it , its never easy to start off with, but you must have something about to take it on in the first place. Thing is, it doesnt know you yet either so give it a bit of time, you,ll be fine.

[Samnooshka]

Any news? how are things going now?

[furrybean]

Well its a bit of bad news. My gf came round last night and she had a bad reaction to him and had to sit upstairs so she could calm her eyes and breathing down, so it looks like he'll be going back to his owners.

I feel like a bit of a knob trying to help the owner out and sending him back but there are too many things that arent right with him and I hope the owner can find someone that will look after him and give him more time than I can. He doesnt want to take it to a rescue centre as he wants to know who has his dog and so he can check he is allright every now and again.

I'll talk to the owner again tomorrow and talk it through with him :( :(

[rigor]

That's a real shame, but if your GF has had a bad reaction to him, then it's really not going to work out.

Hope it all ends well for the little chap :(

[stewie]

Thats a shame mate, still at least you tried.

[phil24_7]

:-(

[Pedrosa]

I was once have very nice dog, he was my bestest friend. But now old shep he has gone where the good doggies go.:mad:

[dirtydog]

:( :( that's a real shame that is :( :(

he looks such a lovely dog as well

lots of good advise in this thread though

[Samnooshka]

Such a shame but could not be helped :( I hope he finds a good home soon, best of luck to the little lad :)

[K]

You'll receive much by way of doggy karma just for trying - and allergies are just one of those things that can't be helped.

[dirtydog]

Couldn't you just get shot of the gf and keep the dog? ;-)

[furrybean]

Na its got to go, too expensive and not loyal enough.

Hang on...