new puppy..........does it get better?

[murphyslaw]

Have had an English Springer Spaniel(13 weeks old) for just over a week now. Also have 3 kids aged 6, 9 and 12. I am really struggling and constantly in tears. Breeder messed up with jabs and we have had to restart the whole course consequently he cant go out walkies! for another 3 weeks. So kids are off - dog is peeing everywhere and I cant go far because hes on 3 meals a day and dont think it very fair to keep him locked in the kitchen for long periods of time. Am really questioning if I have done the right thing? Has anyone been in a similar position? and does it get any better?

[Fauve]

Oh, we're about to get a puppy for our 10 and 14 year olds. Poor you. No advice I'm afraid but will watch with interest to see what others say. Have you got a 'cage' thing for the puppy? at the dealer for screwing up

[Fauve]

Have just spoken to a mum who has to wash crap out of her springer spaniel's ears. Blardy hell.

[youknownothingofthecrunch]

You're in the worst bit at the moment - having a dog but not being able to enjoy it.

It does get better!

I always said I wanted a dog but not a puppy.

[youknownothingofthecrunch]

I have a 1 year old cocker spaniel who is now adorable, but a pain in the neck at first. Try to play with him as much as you can to get rid of some of that energy.

Is there anywhere you could take him where no dogs have been (so there is no risk of infection)?

[murphyslaw]

Well we have quite a large garden in the country but its unfenced so we are taking him for walks on a lead in the garden. At what age do dogs settle down a bit? I am trying to leave him alone in a fenced area of the garden for approx 1 hr per day to get used to it but he sits outside the back door and howls!
I must be madddddd!

[tink123]

I have gone through moments of hating my springer spaniel esp when he was cooped up due to injections. He would pee and poo when he fancied. It does get better. i was lucky cos we got through worst part when dd was at school.

He is now 17 weeks and is part of the family, and I would never part with him, although he still has his moments. Our srpinger did not start holding his pee properly til about 15-16 weeks. Have you got a crate, if not get one

[WorzselMummage]

It does get better but it'll be a while.

When we got our labrador i spent the first year swinging between love and hate.. The mess, the nipping, the POO the weeing on my plants and killign them, the being under my feet all the time,the chewing and the worst thing was the fact that he constantly watches me

he's 2 how and lush but i had no idea when we got him how much dog ownership would change our lives.

i'll never ever have another puppy.

sorry if thats put a downer in it all.. it will get better, it will end up great but its likely to do your head in a lot before then.

[Backgammon]

At what age do dogs settle down a bit? Most dogs, about 2. English Springer, honestly? More like 5 or 7.

I've got 2 - they're 2 and 3 and they are a lot more maneagable than before but springers are generally very daft and their puppyhood lasts a long time.

Things like toilet training and the like don't take long to conquer though, you will be over the worst in a couple of weeks. Persevere with it, they have the loveliest personalities, really affectionate. They just tend to be daft as a brush

[youknownothingofthecrunch]

Settle down? Agree with Backgammon on ages. Although your puppy's main problem is extreme boredom, so once that is cured there will be an instant, noticeable difference (although he will still be nuts, because he's a springer - lovely, but still nuts ). Just make sure he gets at least 2 long walks a day to get all that energy out, once he has his injections. That will make all the difference - but he will still be a puppy with all the issues tht comes with.

Most dogs settle down as they get older, although this does depend on training too. You'll be surprised how like small children they are - the more consistent you are and the more firm you are with your boundaries, the more sensible (and enjoyable) your dog will be.

[forevercleaning]

english springers dont settle down from their manic ways ever IMO !!!

You just get used to them!

We have them, yes they are nuts, but we adore them. He will give you and your family years of love and affection. Can't beat them.

good luck - oh and get a nice strong lead and lots of ralgex for your shoulders - they pull like crazy. Or is it just me that has mad ones?

[welshlinz]

no forever cleaning, I have 2 springers. one who's 2 and a half and the other 10 weeks.
They are all mad lol so it's not only you.

murphyslaw, don't worry, you are not alone and your pup will be so much better when you can take it out for walkies as they have ALOT of energy.

[Backgammon]

So nice to hear of other people with 2 springers. Everyone in RL thinks we are crazy! Agree you can't beat 'em for personality.

[youknownothingofthecrunch]

Cocker spaniels

[forevercleaning]

they are gorgeous. We have 2 liver and whites.

One always has such a worried look on his face, and we had to trim his ears as they were so long, and my DH made him look like he had a neat bob and he looked extra worried as he knew we were laughing at him lol!

I hear they go from being juvenile delinquents straight into senile dementia and if you are lucky, you may get a year of sanity between the 2.

[Fauve]

Killing plants, Worzsel? Don't like the sound of that [worried look like Forever's spaniel]. Does dog pee kill plants? Or is it just Springer Spaniel dog pee?

Crate is what I meant when I said cage, BTW.

[TheOriginalXENA]

You need to throw yourself into the next few months. Constant training etc etc... then you'll be able to sit back and reap the rewards of dog ownership

[MuffinMclay]

My current springer took ages to 'get' the toilet training thing, but once he did he never had any accidents at all in the house. Hang on in there - this is the worst bit!

Springers don't really settle down though. I still make ecuses for mine (he's just a puppy etc), but he is coming up to 6 years old.

[JamInMyWellies]

I have a 7mth old basset/cocker and he is bonkers. I have to say the the first 2mth were the hardest he peed and pooed everywhere. When we got him we were still living in a flat in central London 12wk old pup and 11mth old DS carzy moi. At the end of the first wk I had put him in the kitchen while I bathed DS he went mad, by the time DS was bathed milked and in bed the kitchen and puppy were awash with pee and poo. MY DP came home from work to find me covered in poo on my hands and knees trying to clean the floor.

After a very hard couple of months where I found out I was up the duff again adn we moved to a house inthe country things settled down and he is now fantastic my DS is in love with him they follow each other around playing games and he is pretty much toilet trained bar a few accidents.

I would recommend getting a crate and going to puppy training lessons, aslo we found that his food played a huge part in how he behaved if he was on a cheaper food it was like he had had blue smarties we switched to a more expensive food with less additives etc and his behaviour changed for the better.

[Fauve]

What do they cover in puppy training lessons, JamIMW?

[JamInMyWellies]

We have been learning basic commands, sit, stay, down, retrieve lots of lead work. Also we have talks on things like toilet training, biting, grooming. Pretty much do all the things you would like a puppy to learn.

[LazyLinePainterJane]

HAHAHAHAHAHA! You were me, a year ago. It was like having another baby. Worse, possibly. I called my Mum and said "what have I done?"

It does get better. But I have to say, only recently. I mean, the toilet training doesn't take that long and that heps, but it takes Springers a LONG time to lose that tiny puppy obsession with you, or stop chewing everything. Mine is much better now.

Personally, with the toilet training, I found the newspaper a mistake, and went straight for the going out side route.

I also couldn't take mine out for ages, she had to have an operation which meant she couldn't have her jabs and I thought I was going to go mad!

[Fauve]

Thanks. Does a Springer Spaniel get life membership?

[hatwoman]

get this book asap. it's brilliant and will really help you understand your dog better.

re house-training and the mess - take him outside every hour. don't wait for him to wee in the house. say something like "do wee" and give him a dog treat as soon as he does.

re energy - enlist the kids! get them all out in the garden playing and training him - several times a day.

are you absolutely sure about the vaccination thing? many vets will ok them before they've completed the course and if he doesn;t go out of the house for another 3 weeks he's going to miss his crucial socialisation period - it's important for them to meet other dogs, strangers, people on bikes, everything life will throw at him and people say upto 14 weeks is the crucial period. I'm not saying go against your vet's advice but I really would double check it.

and get yourselves signed up for classes as soon as you can.

[hatwoman]

just seen that he's not getting any time off the lead - is there really nowhere you can do that? the poor thing must be going nuts! do you have a long line so he can have a bit of a run? or can you not fence your garden? tbh, knowing springers it would make your life a whole load easier - not just now but in the long term.

[Fauve]

Hatwoman, is that you, whom I met in a lift once? I do get the MN hats a bit mixed up sometimes.

You sound like you know a lot about these things...we are choosing our puppy tomorrow; no, actually today, Saturday.