English cocker spaniel training from 2 months. How to raise a reliable friend from a cocker spaniel puppy. Stopping your pet from chewing things

It often happens that a newly made household member, namely, an English Cocker Spaniel puppy can cause great inconvenience to its owners. Trouble arises when the puppy is still recovering in the house, but cannot do so in a particular place.
First you need to find a place for the mandrel and cover it with plenty of paper or newspapers, which will absorb the unpleasant smell of excrement. It is important to toilet train a spaniel from the first minutes of his stay in the house. When you notice that the puppy is sniffing and fidgeting, place him on newspapers and check that he recovers. In order for the puppy to get used to the toilet in the right place as quickly as possible, carefully monitor his behavior and try to bring him to the toilet after sleep, before and after eating. And after the cocker has done his business, sincerely praise him and remove the dirty newspapers so that unpleasant odors do not repel the little spaniel.

Under no circumstances should you punish your puppy for this. that he recovered in the wrong place, because it is difficult for small cockers to endure and then, due to fear of punishment, they will look for an inconspicuous place to recover.
But if the puppy is so accustomed to newspapers that he can no longer recover on the street, take his soiled newspapers out into the yard to help him understand what exactly is required of him. Also, try to take your three-month-old puppy outside after every meal and after sleep.

A five-month-old puppy will need 4-5 walks a day. During the daytime, newspapers can be removed so that the cocker asks to do business outside, but at night you will have to take them out again. If you still want to keep your puppy awake at night, try taking him for a walk later in the night and then early in the morning.

The time it takes for the puppy to get used to the new environment and stop getting dirty in the house is depends only on its owner. If a ten-month-old cocker continues to recover in the house, but is healthy, the owner is to blame. Of course, at this age it is possible to wean a spaniel from a bad habit. To do this, you need to limit him to easily digestible food and water before bed or treat him to a piece of salty cheese, which will retain fluid in the body.

As a general rule, small cocker spaniels are considered very clean puppies. Problems with toilet training can only arise with those animals that are mentally unhealthy and recover in any place from emotional arousal. In addition, if the owner often scolds and punishes the dog, it may get dirty in the house out of fear, and even an accidental loud sound may frighten it. In both the first and second cases, the cocker spaniel will need the intervention of a veterinarian.

We invite you to watch a video about How to toilet train an English Cocker puppy?…

Spaniels first appeared in Spain, hence the name. Like the British Beagle, the breed was bred for hunting. The dogs were then brought to England. All spaniels have floppy ears and thick, short hair. The color can be any, classic colors are red, black, chocolate.

Breed variety

All representatives of this breed are smart, loyal, sociable, and friendly. They are easy to train. There are many subspecies of spaniel. But the most common are English, American and Russian cocker spaniels.

English

The first Englishmen were distinguished by their larger size. They were crossed with Japanese spaniels brought as a gift to the Queen of England. The hybrid turned out to be an English Cocker Spaniel. This is an agile and hardy hunting dog with a developed sense of smell.

It differs from the American and Russian spaniels in body proportions, head size and shape. It has a dense muscular build, a short body, strong strong paws, the head is curved in front and slightly flattened. The eyes are smart and kind. Height at withers – 34–41 cm, weight – 12–16 kg.

The English Cocker has a long, silky and thick coat of various colors. She requires constant care. A purebred spaniel does not have curls, curls, or curly waves. He is friendly towards people and other dogs and loves to play with children.

American

The English cocker spaniel is the ancestor of the American one, they are similar in appearance. The American is inferior in size and weight to the English and Russian. Height at withers – 35–39 cm, weight – 12–14 kg. American Cockers have large, expressive eyes, a shorter muzzle and a clear transition from forehead to muzzle, hair is longer, thicker and more luxuriant, ears, belly, and chest are decorated with curls of wool.

The color is colored, black, black and tan, any other solid with or without tan. The American Cocker has developed hunting qualities, but now it is a decorative dog.

Russian

The Russian Cocker Spaniel is a cross between different types of spaniels. Soviet breeders wanted to get the most suitable dog for hunting. The Russian Spaniel's body is slightly longer than the American and English Spaniel's, and its legs are also long, which makes galloping easier in difficult places.

Height at withers – 36–44 cm, weight – 13–18 kg. The head is light, slightly convex at the sides, the profile is almost rectangular, and the upper lip is slightly rounded. The coat is medium length and thick. It is forbidden to cut it. In addition, the Russian Cocker is a good watchman.

Price of puppies

For a purebred dog that will hunt or participate in exhibitions, contact a kennel. The price depends on the pedigree; the rare color also increases the price. An English Cocker Spaniel puppy from ordinary parents costs between 7,000-10,000 rubles, from titled parents - 10,000-35,000 rubles.

A spaniel puppy from hand, at the market or in a pet store costs 2000-5000 rubles. But here they can sell you a mixed breed or a sick dog obtained as a result of inbreeding. Americans cost a little less, the price of a puppy from titled parents is up to 30,000 rubles. The price of Russian cockers is approximately the same.

How to choose the right one

It is better to adopt a puppy at 2 months, when his psyche and immunity are stronger. The dog breeder will give you a document with his name, information about pedigree, vaccinations, deworming.

When visiting a breeder, pay attention to how the bitch and puppies are kept. Observe all the puppies of the same litter. None of them should be lethargic or look sick. The puppy's area should be dry and clean. Mom looks cheerful, well-fed and healthy.

Watch how puppies eat. A bad sign is if they eat poorly, they approach the bowl sluggishly or turn away. Puppies must be healthy, moderately well-fed, clean, and active.

At 2 months they stand firmly on their paws, play a lot, run, and jump. They are cheerful and curious. Healthy puppies have smooth, shiny fur, a moist nose, clean ears and eyes, without discharge. They should not have physical defects - umbilical or inguinal hernias, visible consequences of birth or postpartum injuries, or symptoms of rickets.

The bite should be a scissor bite, like that of an adult dog. The number of incisors in both jaws should be 12, 6 in each jaw. More or less of them indicates a tribal marriage.

When choosing a puppy, pay attention to the proportionality of build and movement, and whether there are any visible deficiencies in the position of the paws.

Cocker spaniel puppies are future hunters. They are characterized by playing hunter and prey. The “hunter” sneaks up and attacks the “prey”. Then the roles change, the “prey” becomes the “hunter”. In this game, puppies develop their instincts. As for gender, this is the personal choice of the owner. Spaniel breeders note that these dogs are docile and calm.

Bitches are more obedient and balanced, they quickly get used to their owner, but during fights between dogs, bitches behave more aggressively. Raising a male dog is more difficult.

Care

Your pet's thick coat needs daily care. Brush your spaniel every day. Pay special attention to the ears, belly, fluffy “skirt” and “pants” on the hind legs. You will need a long-toothed comb, scissors to remove tangles, and a small massage brush. Wash your dog with long-hair shampoo once a week. Soap and regular hair shampoos will not work. After washing, dry the wool with a hairdryer.

Cocker spaniels need trimming and haircut, this will be done in a grooming salon.

The spaniel needs long walks and active games in the air, but do not forget to protect your pet from fleas and ticks. Take him for a run, take him out into the countryside, let's go for a swim - spaniels love water very much.

Examine your pet's eyes and ears every day. If you notice discharge from the ears and your dog is shaking his head and scratching it, take him to the vet. If wax builds up, clean it with a damp cotton swab.

Spaniel nails can become ingrown; trim them once a week with dog clippers. Deworm your animal twice a year.

Newborn puppies

Caring for a newborn spaniel puppy is not difficult. The bitch will feed, lick and protect the cubs. In the first hours of life, they independently find their mother's nipple. If you have motherless puppies at home, choose a milk replacer for them. It is sold in pet stores in powder form.

While you are looking, give the puppies condensed milk, take four parts of milk and one part of boiled water. Do not give cow's, goat's milk or baby food. This is not suitable for puppies.

In the first days, babies sleep and suck, and rapidly gain weight. If they don't squeak, it means they're full. In the first week of life, they do not have a proper thermoregulation system. They will not shiver in the cold. Normal body temperature for a newborn spaniel is 34.5–36 °C. Monitor the temperature in the bed if they are growing separately from their mother. If the bed is colder than +30 °C, there is a chance that the puppies will freeze.

You can place an electric heating pad in the bed. Do not install it over the entire area of ​​the bed. Around the eighth day, trim your puppy's nails to prevent him from scratching his mother's nipple. Trim nails once a week, cutting off only sharp edges.

Puppies open their eyes from the 11th to 15th day of life. The rumor appears a little later, on the 18th day. In the third week of life, babies walk and explore the territory in the bed and beyond. They become cute, playful and active. They begin to get out of their corner and go to the toilet. In the fourth week of life, the first teeth, first the canines, begin to emerge. From this time on, complementary foods can be introduced.

Before bringing your spaniel, prepare the necessary things.

Cloth

Protect your pet from dirt during walks. A spaniel will need a knitted hat with an elastic band to protect its long ears from dirt and water. For the off-season, your dog needs a waterproof overall. For the summer, choose light clothing - it will protect the thick coat from leaves, dry branches and small debris. Winter clothing is not needed - thick wool will protect well from the cold.

Collar

It is needed for both a puppy and an adult dog. Buy leather, about 2 centimeters wide. Attach a sign to it with your address and animal's name. Make sure your finger fits between the collar and the dog's neck. This will ensure that the animal is breathing freely.

Leash

Buy a leash made of durable leather. Length from 1 to 2 meters, width approximately 0.6-2.5 centimeters. There is a loop at one end for you to hold it comfortably. At the other end there is a carabiner clasp.

Do not go for a walk without a leash to avoid unpleasant incidents.

Muzzle

All muzzles are made of soft leather. Wear it when you go outside. The dog may try to remove it at first. Over time, the pet will get used to it.

Toys

Spaniels are playful and active, buy toys for your pet; pet stores have a large selection of toys made of plastic or durable rubber. Don't buy small toys so he won't be able to swallow them.

Bowl for water and food

The water bowl should be in one place and accessible to the dog. Bowl with food - only during feeding.

Prepare for the arrival of a new family member. Remove wires from equipment, household chemicals, small and sharp objects, and all things that the dog can ruin or swallow from the floor.

Diet

Follow the feeding schedule. Remember that the dog must eat at a certain time, do not give kibble between feedings. Spaniels should not be overfed; they tend to become overweight.

If you refuse the offered food, do not replace it with another, remove it and offer it next time. If you replace the food at least once, the puppy will quickly learn that he can beg for something more tasty. Under no circumstances force you to finish what you are given.

In the first months, the puppy actively grows and gains weight.

If your puppy's weight varies greatly, consult your veterinarian.

Feeding mode:

• up to 2 months, the puppy is fed 6 times a day every 3.5 hours;
• from 2 to 4 months, feed 5 times a day, every 4 hours;
• from 4 to 6 months – 4 times;
• from 6 to 10 months – 3 times;
• from 10 months – 2-3 times a day.

Natural food

Natural food should be balanced. Choose nutritious foods every day that contain the nutrients you need for growth and development.

Meat

Give your puppy up to one year old 50 g per day for every kilogram of weight. Give an adult dog 200-250 g of meat per day. Include boiled liver, kidneys, heart, and udder in the menu. Add finely chopped vegetables to the meat.

Dairy

Give a puppy up to a year old calcined cottage cheese. You can cook it yourself. To do this, add 2 tablespoons of 10 percent calcium chloride to half a liter of boiling milk. Throw away the curdled cottage cheese. Give the remaining whey to the puppy to drink or brew oatmeal. You can give good hard grated cheese, add it to porridge and vegetable mixtures. Milk is good for puppies, but can cause a laxative effect. Give the puppies kefir and yogurt.

Eggs

Nutritious and beneficial for dogs. From 4 months of age, feed raw yolks mixed with dairy products or porridge. Crude protein is not digestible. Give eggs soft-boiled or in the form of an omelet. With a meat menu, one or two eggs per week is enough.

Cereals and bread

They diversify the puppy's diet. In first place in nutritional value is rolled oats. Soak it in kefir, whey, broth, milk. Steam the porridge, and generally give almost raw flakes to an adult dog. Cook rice and buckwheat porridge in milk, add carrots, pumpkin and other vegetables, except potatoes.

Offer an adult dog and a teenage puppy to chew on rye crackers and crusts from fresh wholemeal loaves.

Vegetables

Give carrots, pumpkin, bell peppers, zucchini finely chopped or grated. Beets - only boiled. Add raw chopped greens to the main dish as a vitamin supplement. Raw berries and fruits, dried fruits are good for a puppy. Boiled pumpkin with porridge is good as an anthelmintic.

As a reward, give your puppy dried fruits and cheese. During the teething period from 3 to 7 months, give the puppy 2-3 tablets of calcium gluconate or calcium lactate per day. You can grind them in a coffee grinder and add them to food.

What not to feed:

• too hot and cold food;
• spicy, salty, fatty, sweet, smoked foods;
• river and raw fish;
• do not give bones;
• pasta;
• legume products and potatoes;
• white bread;
• sausages and sausages;
• candies and chocolate;
• pork and fatty lamb;
• raw chicken meat;
• food from the table.

Sample menu for a puppy 2–3 months old:

6.00 – cottage cheese + warm milk;
10.00 – rice porridge with boiled meat and grated carrots;
13.00 – finely chopped raw meat or boiled fish with crushed boiled vegetables;
17.00 - cottage cheese + warm milk;
20.00 – rolled oats with whey with meat and vegetables;
23.00 – boiled meat and milk porridge.

Dry food

Dry food contains all the beneficial substances a dog needs. Start feeding your puppy canned food. Add dry food to the canned food, so you will gradually switch to it completely. Using the same principle, switch to dry food from natural food. Consider premium and super premium food.

The main thing is that the dog likes the food and does not cause allergies or eating disorders. We sell food for pregnant and lactating bitches, for aging dogs, dietary and medicinal food.

Vaccination

In the first year of a dog's life, 4 vaccinations are required. Before each vaccination, the dog is dewormed. The schedule is like this:

• at 1.5 months a vaccination against enteritis (hepatitis) is given;
• after 10-14 days - repeat;
• at 2.5 months a vaccination against plague is given;
• at 7 months - repeated;
• after 8 months - rabies vaccination.

Dogs are vaccinated every year throughout their lives. Do not vaccinate if she appears sick, is in heat, or is pregnant. Put a mark in the veterinary passport with the date of vaccination and the seal of the veterinary station. An official seal is needed if you plan to travel anywhere by train or plane. After vaccination, the dog does not need to be washed for 10 days, make sure that it does not get wet, and do not overcool.

Veterinary

Spaniels are prone to certain health problems. Do not forget to carefully examine your pet and, if necessary, show it to the veterinarian.

Ears

Long ears protect the dog's ear canal from foreign objects. But due to insufficient ventilation, increased humidity is created, which affects the development of inflammatory diseases. If you notice discharge and an unpleasant odor from the ears, the dog scratches its ears, shakes its head, contact your veterinarian as soon as possible. Check your pet's ears every day to remove excess wax. Do not allow water to enter. When bathing, protect your ear canals with pieces of cotton wool in vegetable oil.

Eyes

Spaniels are prone to eye inflammation. Wipe your eyes with a cotton pad; if signs of inflammation appear - purulent discharge, lacrimation, the dog is afraid of light - contact your veterinarian. Before this, wipe your eyes with chamomile infusion.

Allergy

If your pet itches or irritates the skin, these may be signs of an allergy. Alternately change foods from your pet's diet or replace dry food. Observe what places your dog is scratching; these may be flea bites.

Training and education

Cocker spaniels need attention. They quickly adapt to the new home, lifestyle, and habits of the owner. Start raising a puppy immediately, until its psyche is formed. Teach respect and proper attitude towards the owner. Dogs of this breed are smart, but do not expect the dog to learn order instinctively.

The Cocker Spaniel is affectionate with family members and strangers. Teach him not to be distracted by every passerby, not to sniff or jump on strangers. This can cause discomfort to strangers and be dangerous for the animal itself.

When keeping a cocker spaniel, use affection and persistence. They are sensitive to punishment, do not punish them verbally or physically. If you notice that your dog is trying to go to the toilet at home, try to interrupt it and take it outside to the appropriate place as quickly as possible. If you notice that your dog is constantly trying to shit, consult a veterinarian; perhaps the reason is the pet’s health.

The following recommendations will help in training a cocker spaniel:

1. Timeliness. You can start training from the age of 5-6 months. It is easier to teach a six-month-old puppy commands than an adult dog with an established character.
2. Regularity. Reinforce each command; the animal tends to get distracted and forget. Conduct training daily.
3. Sufficient load. The Cocker Spaniel is primarily a hunter and bloodhound. Physical activity is mandatory for him. During training, teach the spaniel the necessary and active commands (trot, “fetch”, etc.).
4. Tolerance. Praise and reward the puppy for following the command. Do not punish for failures, do not raise your voice or ignore your pet.
5. Game approach. Try to turn training into an entertaining game, the results will not be long in coming.
6. Personal contact. Do not entrust training to other family members, friends, etc. To establish contact with your pet, train him yourself.

Raising and raising a Russian Spaniel puppy is a very responsible, but rewarding task. If you want to raise your pet to be obedient, clean, and cheerful, spare no time or effort. Start raising a puppy should be done as early as possible, since at an early age the dog perceives commands better and learns faster.

Each puppy has not only certain character traits characteristic of the Russian Spaniel breed, but also individual characteristics, which should be taken into account when starting training and training.

During the period of growing up, a spaniel puppy goes through several stages of development, which occur at different times in dogs of different breeds. Each stage is characterized by certain characteristics in the puppy’s behavior, which should be taken into account when training and raising it.

The socialization stage of a Russian Spaniel puppy is a period of its active acquaintance with the outside world. It occurs between 8 and 12 weeks of age, which is exactly the time when it appears in your home. At this age, puppies are very active and curious: the kids persistently explore and test the strength of all the new furnishings in the owner’s house. The puppy is very interested in various sounds: voices coming from a TV or radio, noise arising from the operation of household appliances, telephone calls and other sounds.

During this period, your pet gets acquainted with many new phenomena and things: furniture in the apartment, flowers and trees on the street, birds outside the window, perhaps some animals that are in your house (cats, hamsters). Puppies usually treat other living creatures with friendly curiosity. They sniff their new acquaintances, and the baby's loud barking is just a common reaction to an unfamiliar object. The period of socialization is considered the most suitable for mastering the basics of training. At this time, you should begin teaching your puppy general commands and actively teaching him discipline. At this time, the baby must successfully carry out the owner’s commands such as “Place!” and “Come to me!”, and later master more complex tasks - the commands “Lie down!”, “Sit!”, “Ugh!”

At the age of 8-12 weeks, a Russian spaniel puppy has increased excitability and an unstable psyche. During this period, he simply needs your attentive, sensitive and caring attitude. We must remember that stressful situations in a puppy can arise not only as a result of overwork, but also, for example, during therapeutic and preventive procedures: vaccination at the veterinarian, etc. Therefore, when going to the veterinary clinic, take some treats with you, to divert your pet's attention from procedures that frighten him.

When raising a Russian Spaniel dog, you need to follow the well-known rule that any extremes are harmful. Boundless love, as well as excessive severity in communicating with your pet, will not help you raise a good dog. It is very important from the first days of communication with the puppy to let him understand that he must always obey his owner.

The concept of education

Raising a spaniel puppy means the consistent and systematic development of the necessary skills that facilitate the maintenance and care of it, as well as its further training. In the process of upbringing, the puppy learns: to the owner, to the nickname, to the place, to keeping the room clean, to the collar and free movement on a leash, to approach on a signal, not to touch the food without a command, and also to the muzzle.

Accustoming to the owner

Accustoming a puppy to its owner should begin from the moment it is weaned from its mother or from the moment it is acquired and should be done while feeding, walking and playing with it. All training consists in the fact that the owner of the puppy personally feeds, walks and plays with him during walks (instructs other people to do this only in exceptional cases). After a few days, the puppy gets used to the person who is caring for him, and later, as they say, becomes attached to him.
When accustoming a puppy to yourself, as well as during its further education, you should not shout at it or hit it. Otherwise, the puppy will grow up timid, downtrodden, and unsuitable for training and hunting.

Accustoming to a nickname

Accustoming a Russian Spaniel puppy to his name means developing the skill of paying attention to his owner after he pronounces his name.
For the puppy's nickname, a short, sonorous word with a clear ending is chosen from the names of mountains, rivers, countries of the world, birds, animals and various names of objects. A nickname is assigned to a puppy from the moment it is weaned from its mother or acquired.
You cannot change, distort or shorten the nickname assigned to the puppy.

You need to accustom the puppy to its name at the same time as accustoming it to its owner. For this purpose, the puppy is called by name, and after this they give him a piece of “delicacy”. After several such repetitions, the puppy develops a conditioned food reflex. When pronouncing a nickname, the puppy will respond by turning its head towards the person pronouncing the name, expecting to receive a “treat”. As a result, the spoken name turns into an “attention” signal for the puppy.

Place training

To ensure that the puppy does not climb to the table in the room, and does not go to bed where he wants, he is given a certain place on which a bed is placed. When training a puppy to a place, proceed in the following order. As soon as the puppy begins to disturb or settle down to sleep in a place that is not intended for him, you need to say his name, give the command “place”, lightly hit the puppy on the rump with the palm of your hand, and then take him to his place, lay him down there and repeat the command “place”, after Why move away from him? After several such repetitions, the puppy develops the skill of running to his place on his own at the command “place”, without expecting physical impact.

Learning to keep the room clean

You can start teaching your puppy to keep the room clean from the age of 2 months.
The method of training to maintain cleanliness depends on the location of the puppy’s owner’s apartment.
If the apartment is on the ground floor, then after each feeding the puppy should be taken outside and always walked in a strictly defined place. After a few days, the puppy develops the habit of fulfilling its needs while being walked. At this time, observing the behavior of the puppy after feeding, you will notice that he first begins to run to the door and run around it, scratch it with his paws, whine or bark. In order to consolidate this developed skill in the puppy, every time the puppy turns around at the door, immediately open it and escort him to the place of walking. Despite the fact that the puppy has already developed the necessary skill of asking and walking in a certain place, at first it will still be possible to observe small puddles left by him in the room, especially in the period between evening and morning walks. This undesirable phenomenon disappears gradually as the puppy grows. By four months, the puppy will finally get used to keeping the room clean.

If the apartment is located on the second floor or higher, you need to place a box measuring 60x60x5 cm, half filled with sand, somewhere in a corner, not far from the puppy’s bed. In this box the puppy is taught to temporarily fulfill its needs. To do this, you need to observe the puppy’s behavior every time after feeding. Having noticed that he begins to spin around and look for a place for himself, you must immediately, carefully pick up the puppy and take him to the box, from which you do not let him out until he satisfies his need.

If you carefully monitor the puppy and carefully follow all instructions, in a few days he will run to the crate on his own. After four months of age, the sand box is removed, and the puppy begins to be accustomed to walking outside.

Training to a collar and free movement on a leash

In order to walk your puppy and take him for a walk, you need to accustom him to a collar and free movement on a leash. You can teach this to the puppy starting from the age of three months while walking and walking with him.

To accustom the puppy to a collar and free movement on a leash, say his name, attracting his attention, then give the command “walk”, put a collar on him with a leash attached to it, open the door and let the puppy out in front of you, holding the end of the leash in your left hand .

If the puppy resists moving on the leash, you need to attract his attention with a piece of “treat”, while at the same time lightly tugging on the leash. When the puppy stops resisting, he is rewarded with a “treat” or petting, without stopping the movement.

After walking or walking, the puppy is rewarded with a “treat”, the leash is unfastened, and the collar is left on the neck. After several such walks, the puppy’s attempts to resist movement on the leash pass without a trace, the puppy begins to move freely on the leash, sometimes playing with it, dragging the end closest to the collar in its teeth. Moving with a puppy on a leash should be done at a pace, avoiding tugging on the leash. There is no need to require the puppy to walk near the leader’s left leg.

Training to approach on cue

The success of hunting with a spaniel largely depends on his obedience to the hunter. One of the most important elements of dog obedience is its quick and reliable approach at the first signal.
You can begin to accustom your puppy to the approach from the age of three months, immediately after accustoming him to a collar and free movement on a leash. The puppy is trained to approach on an extended leash in the room, as well as during walks and walks. First, the puppy is taught to come on command. To do this, they catch the moment when the puppy is 5-10 steps away, give the command “come to me” and show a piece of “treat”, which is given to him after the approach. If the puppy was distracted by something before the command “come”, he is called by his nickname.

Through repetition in different situations, the puppy easily and quickly develops the skill of running to the leader for a piece of “treat” on the command “come”. In order for the puppy to develop a strong skill, it is necessary to reward him with a “treat” for each approach on command. If the puppy refuses to go to the leader on command, and is distracted by something, you should repeat the command “come to me”, then lightly pull the elongated leash to bring him closer to you and be sure to reward him with a “treat” or stroking. When performing these actions, the skill developed by the puppy is quickly consolidated and the “come to me” command is executed flawlessly. When the puppy learns to come on command, they begin to teach him to come by a gesture, and then by a whistle. To make the gesture, the right hand is raised from the hip to the side to shoulder level and, without holding it, lowered.

To teach a puppy to approach using a gesture, you should catch the moment when the puppy looks at the leader, and then first give the gesture, and then the command “come to me.” After the approach, the puppy is rewarded with a “treat”. By repeating these actions, the puppy develops the skill of approaching the leader with one gesture, without the command “come to me.”

The signal for calling the whistle is three frequent short sounds. To teach a puppy to approach with a whistle, proceed in the same way as when teaching him to approach with a gesture, i.e. first they give a signal with a whistle, then the command “come to me”, and after the approach they encourage.
After several repetitions, the puppy develops the skill of approaching when the whistle sounds, not accompanied by the command “come to me.”

Teaching not to touch food without a command

A clearly practiced “no” command in a spaniel allows the hunter to stop the dog at any time or stop its unwanted action. Undesirable actions of a spaniel include: attempts to chase domestic animals and birds; pick up and eat inedible objects; rush and bark at strangers while walking and moving; attempts to discharge one's natural needs in the wrong place, as well as taking food from the table or feed without permission. Teaching a puppy not to touch food without a command is an auxiliary technique for the dog’s initial development of stopping actions on the command “no”. Practicing this technique can begin after the puppy is accustomed to a collar and free movement on a leash. It is necessary to teach the puppy not to touch the food without a command during feeding. To do this, the puppy is taken on a leash and brought to food or a piece of “treat”. When he tries to take food, the command “no” is given and, restrained with a leash, he is not allowed to eat the food. Having gotten the puppy to stop trying to take the food, the leash is loosened, after a short pause the command “take” is given and at the same time they take a step forward towards the food, thereby encouraging the puppy to come up and take it. When the puppy approaches the food and eats it, he is encouraged by exclamations of “good” and “good” and at the same time stroked.
By repeating these actions, the puppy gradually develops strong skills: on the command “no” - do not touch the food, and on the command “take” - take it.

Having developed such skills in the puppy, subsequent lessons are carried out with the leash lowered to the ground in order to be able to step on the leash at the right moment and thereby delay the puppy’s approach to food until the “take” command. Subsequently, when the puppy clearly follows the commands “no” and “take”, the leash is removed and the puppy follows the commands without a leash. Subsequently, the “no” command is reinforced. To do this, when the dog tries to perform any undesirable action, the command “no” is given. If the dog does not comply with this command, it is necessary to give it again with a threatening intonation, simultaneously accompanying the command with a light tug of the leash or a light blow of the twig, depending on the situation.

Muzzle training

Regardless of the dog and its relationship to the people around it, railway rules and rules for keeping dogs in cities and towns require that the dog wear a muzzle while traveling with it on the railway or when walking without a leash. This obliges every hunter to accustom his dog to an indifferent attitude towards the muzzle put on it. You can begin to accustom a puppy to a muzzle from the age of six months, immediately after teaching him not to touch the food without a command. For a spaniel, the most convenient and suitable muzzle is a loop muzzle, which, when put on a dog, hardly bothers it. Therefore, it is not difficult to accustom a dog to such a muzzle. Accustom the puppy to a muzzle while walking and walking with it. To do this, every time before going out for a walk, they give the command “walk”, then take the puppy on a leash, put a muzzle on it and take it outside. To ensure that the muzzle does not interfere with the puppy, the loop into which the dog’s muzzle is inserted should be widened, and the forehead strap should be lowered and lengthened. The puppy’s attempts to throw off the muzzle are stopped by the command “no”, accompanied by a slight tug on the leash. After several such walks, the process of putting a muzzle on the puppy turns into a signal to start a walk, as a result of which attempts to resist putting on and wearing the muzzle stop. After this, the muzzle on the puppy is tightened normally, without unnecessary loosening.

I have a Russian hunting spaniel, female, 8 months old. The dog is constantly chewing on something, including his hands. We couldn’t teach him to go to the toilet outside - we come back from a walk, the dog relieves himself in the apartment. This is fine?

Answer

Biting is a necessary stage in the development of a four-legged pet in the first weeks of life.

In the initial stages of development, puppies bite each other while playing. In a similar way, the host is often invited to join the game.

Human skin is thinner than animal skin, so biting is perceived as painful. If a baby spaniel is taken from its mother and the rest of the litter too early, the dog clearly has not had time to learn to control the strength of its jaws, which inevitably happens when a puppy grows up in its own “pack.” These spaniels look especially biting when they get to a new owner.

The second reason for biting is changing teeth. At the indicated time, babies tend to chew on objects. During adolescence, the puppy begins to bite those around him in order to establish himself in the role of leader and build a hierarchical ladder in his own environment. It is extremely important to clearly demonstrate to the pet the primacy of the owner. The article offers a list of educational techniques. The main thing to remember is that the puppy cannot be punished; such a decision will entail other unpleasant consequences and distortions in the dog’s character.

How to stop a spaniel from biting

If the puppy invites you to join the games in this way, let the dog know that you are in pain and do not want to play. In the wild, a bitten puppy yelps loudly and runs away. The mother is able to ignore the presumptuous naughty boy, and if he continues, he can growl or grab him by the withers. Similar techniques can be used to raise a puppy.

1. If the baby grabs clothes or hands, squeal loudly and unpleasantly and step aside. Then deliberately ignore your pet for 15 minutes.
2. Take the playful puppy to the place designated for the dog and force him to sit down, forcing him to calm down.
3. Look your pet straight in the eyes and strictly say “no” or “fu”.
4. Try to gently unhook your baby from your hand and attract attention with your favorite toy.
5. For an older pet, it is important to indicate its place in the family hierarchy. Otherwise, in the future the dog will strive to dominate its owners. Grab the animal by the withers. Lightly press your muzzle to the floor and sternly, looking into the eyes, say “no”.
6. When entering a house or gate, do not allow your pet to walk in front. The dog must follow the person up the stairs.
7. Teach that your pet gets food after the family meal is over.

Stopping your pet from chewing things

If the pet lives in the house, you will need to remove things that the animal can damage from the dog’s field of view. Warn children not to leave toys scattered around. Try to put items higher up or hide them in drawers. Make sure that wallets, remote controls, keys, glasses and other valuables are not left in accessible places. If you need to leave, lock your spaniel in a dog playpen or in a separate room.

A growing spaniel needs physical training and organization of leisure time (it happens that the pet simply has nothing to do, and out of boredom the animal begins to spoil things around). Take your dog outside more often. Take a series of short walks a day while promoting toilet training outside.

Provide your pet with as many toys as possible to chew on. If he tries to chew your shoes, coldly say “no” and take it away. It is supposed to be done directly “in the process”. If you try to raise an animal “in hindsight”, the animal simply will not understand the claims made.

We teach you to go to the toilet

The described pet is already an adult; it is quite easy to quickly train the dog to use the toilet. Start with reprimand if your pet did things in the wrong place. Do not try to hit the dog or scream loudly, otherwise the pet will begin to be afraid of you, hide, and secretly crawl into the corners of the apartment.

In dogs, the urge to go to the toilet appears after sleep, feeding and active physical activity. Take your dog out into the yard after each feeding and after waking up. On the street, try to involve your pet in active play. If the animal goes to the toilet outside, be sure to reward it with a treat for doing the right thing. It’s good if the pet starts playing with animals that will demonstrate a positive example in “toilet” issues. An option is to take plenty of water for the animal with you when going outside.

If the dog is accustomed to sending his needs at home to a newspaper, tray or rag, take the described attributes outside, spread them on the ground, sit the pet down, encouraging him to go to the toilet. Don't forget about praise and encouragement. Be patient and persistent, the result will certainly happen.

This dog is, first of all, a future hunting assistant and friend. Therefore, you need to start training your spaniel from the first days of his adaptation in your home. Getting used to it should be combined with the initial basics of education, and then training. So, let's talk about all this in order.

Beginning spaniel owners need to understand that once a dog appears in the house, one person should be responsible for raising it. In our case, this is the owner who in the future will take the dog hunting. Experts state that the period during which the pet gets used to the owner lasts seven months. And if the dog came to the owner at a later age, this may affect the speed of accustoming to commands. Therefore, it is important to adopt a spaniel puppy for up to three months and not shift any worries about it to the household.

The owner must be prepared to pay maximum attention to the puppy in the first months, to spend more time with him than with the children (a smart father will competently combine one with the other).

Spaniels mature for hunting much earlier than other breeds of hunting dogs. Therefore, on the first day of the dog’s stay in the house, you must decide on his nickname. For a puppy, it should not replace the “come to me” command. A nickname is an association with an appeal to him, a signal of attention. For this reason, before issuing each command, it is mandatory to pronounce it. But for adult, experienced dogs, you don’t have to say the name before.

There are different opinions among dog breeders about her choice. Some prefer to call spaniels by foreign names, others, arguing that the Russian hunting spaniel is our breed, choose euphonious Russian nicknames such as Tim, Dina, Vesta, Laska, Lapka.

At the same time as training the dog to a name, you need to choose a place in the house for the dog and teach it to go there on command. First, it is recommended to carry the young spaniel there in your arms, pronouncing the name and the command “place” at the same time.

Just be clear that one word “place” should always be used, and not its variants, for example “to the place”, “go to the place”. This way the dog will only get confused. After the first execution of the command, be sure to stimulate the dog with a treat, pat him on the back, affectionately calling him by name. Praise from the owner's lips should sound in a softer tone than commands.

When your wise pupil has mastered his nickname and the “place” command, begin teaching the “no” command. It is much more important for hunting dogs than “sit” and “lie down”. This prohibiting command for a spaniel is one of the main ones. Experienced hunters advise starting training near the bowl. When it’s time for the puppy’s next feeding, a plate of food is placed in front of him. At this moment, you need to hold the puppy by the withers and sharply say “no”. In the first days of the spaniel, you need to hold it for 5-6 seconds. If the puppy simply breaks out, he must be pulled back and lightly spanked with his hand. After a few seconds, the command “take” is given and the puppy is given the opportunity to eat. The second option for teaching a prohibition command is to hold the dog on a leash near a bowl while pronouncing the command.

Then the dog must carry out this command in other places. And above all, on the street, while walking. The “no” command is pronounced in a situation when other dogs appear nearby, when the puppy shows a desire to eat an abandoned smelling wrapper.

Spaniels learn the “sit” command quickly. It is enough just to show your pet a treat and lightly press the rear of the croup with your hand, forcing him to sit down. When he does this, the dog needs to be held in this position for some time. They practice and consolidate the command at a distance. Often during hunting it is used to pacify an excited dog and prevent it from running after the bird.

Practicing the working command “search” will bring pleasure to the spaniel. Before training, the dog must be hungry. Prepare small pieces of boiled meat and let your pet smell it. Put a leash on him. Then place the meat in a place where it will not be visible to the dog. Holding the leash, give him the opportunity to move and say strictly “search”. When your pupil approaches the treat, smelling it, give a prohibiting command. Next, you need to hide the treat in more secret places. Praise your student for a successful search.

These commands will be enough to prepare your spaniel for the hunt. So, patience, attention, mutual understanding!