On lead for life

[Dora26]

I’m on my fourth springer spaniel - I adore the breed - got her when she was 10months old and completely clueless. Long story short she has gone for a dog while loose running ie completely unprovoked, nowhere near her etc. I absolutely grovelled - as I should have. This can’t happen again so she will be on a shorter lead - per usual- for path walking, and a longer one for rough terrain. Those of you who know the breed know how much running and water and muck is for them - but there really is nothing I can do is there? She is an affectionate obedient fantastic family dog.

Yes teach her how to be around others dogs ie ignore them.
Highly recommend you do gundog training. Not only will that teach you how to train her but it will stimulate her brain. Gundog have to get on with, but ignore other dogs and just focus on their owner/their job.

I feel your pain. My git is on a lead permanently. Used to let him off but he was a bloody nightmare. Rescue and past training. I simply didn’t enjoy walks anymore with all the angst he caused. Disappearing, stealing things, eating random shite resulting in two expensive operations, on and on.

He was 8 though so had had plenty of freedom.

What do you mean by 'gone for another dog' ? Did they attack / bite ?

If this is a new behaviour the first thing to do is get a vet check.

What do you mean by gone for?

You can always look at what dog fields are available near you and do that a couple of times a month etc . There are some excellent ones near us including one with natural water / a wood .

What do you mean by 'gone for another dog' ? Did they attack / bite ?

Wondering the same.

Our Springer Spaniel has 'gone for' a dog before - a lab that just would not leave her be, despite her completely ignoring it. After several minutes of it bothering her intermittently and a couple of warning growls she snapped and caught it on the face. Enough to make it yelp and withdraw, not enough to mark.

It taught ME that she has a limit and will not continue to ignore a rude dog with no social skills indefinitely - so in future I'd recall her and leash her sooner until annoying dog buggers off. But I continue to have her offlead because I don't blame her one bit.

Plenty of dogs (lots of sighthounds!) can’t be off lead unless in a private enclosed space. Ours will never have a cat/rabbit/squirrel proof recall for example and could end up lost or hurt having zoomed off in hot pursuit of something furry.

There are loads of private fields you can hire out because of this. We go once or twice a week to give some freedom alongside usual walks on the lead. One of the ones we use has loads of agility stuff and tunnels, the other has a stream for dogs who like to splash around.

Hi OP - my boy is nine months and he's now having days where he's a right testosterone-fuelled grumpy sod. I had a panic and thought he was becoming an aggressive bully and we could never go for a relaxed walk again, but for the last few days he's been fine, so maybe he took a while to recover from a rotten stressful car journey we had. His ears have also broken, and I can no longer let him run off lead, even though I know that's what he loves the best.

Short version - he's a bastard teenager. As soon as I (really) accepted I had to manage him for a while it all got much easier. He's getting better on a 10m long line and he still has a lovely time on our longer walks, and I don't have to worry about him trying to eat a seagull and disappearing. I can distract him from other dogs when he's on a short lead by dangling a treato under his nose, and he can even socialise and go for a sniff on a 5m long line and I don't have to worry about getting him back through a hedge.

How old is your girl now? I read everything I could about adolescent dogs and your girl sounds like she's being pretty normal, a bit grumpy and moody and unsociable. As long as it was all handbags and she didn't draw blood I wouldn't panic. She's just maybe a bit more dog-selective and you might want to keep her on lead where other dogs might be unless her recall is spotless. It sounds like it was pretty scary for you though, and I really do completely understand, but it doesn't mean she can never have joy x

Sorry “went for” in our neck of the woods means attacked. She eats stones resulting in thousands of vets bills and vet recommended we use a basket muzzle - I feel that was all that prevented real damage to the other dog. Thank you all for your replies

Best to keep your dog on a lead, short or long, it’s under control.

Definitely for now yes keep her on lead but I would firstly have a vet check just to rule out any illness or pain.

Then I would really recommend a spaniel specific gundog trainer (if you’re in Sussex I have just the one for you!) - mine is amazing. I’ve seen her help so many dogs and totally transform their and their owners lives. Even if you do need to use a long line long term there’s so many gundog style activities you can do to tire her out physically and mentally.

Also hiring secure fields for a decent off lead run, I also have a springer so I really empathise with the thought of no off lead time as they do absolutely love to gallop about don’t they?!

I agree, keep her on the lead for now so you can get your confidence back.

I also wonder if she might be coming into season and just feels a bit grumpy.

I never would suggest a longline but you could get one and play some hide and seek games with her favourite to wear her out. Eg, chuck it into the bushes when she's not looking and encouraging her to go find it!

And yes, yes yes to more training. If gun dogs isn't for you, try a local dog training club. Good Citizen Dog Scheme, Obedience, Agility, ... as long as its in a formal setting with other dogs around.

Try this to see what is available in your area:
www.thekennelclub.org.uk/search/find-a-club/

PS: see the dog training as a hobby/ long term commitment. It's about building trust and confidence in each other as well as that all important bond. That takes time and there isn't a quick fix.

I just wanted to say thank you for taking it seriously. My dog was set upon by two dogs last year and it really knocked his confidence despite not being injured. The two that went for mine have had multiple incidences in the past and the (very stupid) owner still lets them off lead and interact with other dogs. I hope you find a solution for your girl. I agree with a vets visit to start with as it was out of character for her.

Did you see what happened?

I'd work on recall and ensure you can get on the lead if there's other dogs about.

I was going to suggest a basket muzzle as although unpleasant, running off lead more important, but I see she was already wearing one? In which case I would just alter where I walked her. Keep the muzzle, go further into countryside away from people.