dominant springer spaniel

[nick_j007]

Originally Posted by tippy

hello dog lover,tippy here.well i havent been on the site for a long time and i thought i would tell you about the progress of my rescue spaniel.
this month(october 2009)she has been with us for 4yrs and nothing has changed,she still bites me and now i have to muzzle her nearly 24/7.my daughter let her off the lead in the park at the weekend and guess what happpened,yes,she did a runner.unfortunately she found her way home after an hour,i secretly hoped she wouldnt come back.dont get me wrong i still want her but find i have now admitted defeat.never will i get another springer or infact another dog from th r.s.p.c.a.i wll struggle on with her till the end of her days and live my life round her bad behaviour as i am just as stubborn as her.incidently i have recently read a fantasic book called,"walking ollie"by stephen foster and highly reccomend it,forget all the dog training manuals and so called experts, one read of this put every thing about problem dogs int perspective it even knocks spots off "marley and me",i now realise im not the problem,laugh, it is now my bible and recommend it to other dog owners who are made to feel stupid.ITS NOT YOU,ITS THE DOG!!!!!

Springers can be hard work yes, but is it really the RSPCA's fault? These places are under extreme pressure to keep dogs alive let alone find the right home for them. Many dogs from the RSPCA will make a great dog for somebody, it's essential to pick the right dog for you...that suits you and your abilities.
It's not you it's the dog? I think you're burying your head in the sand...it's you...not the dog I'm afraid
Of course the dog came with a number of issues, and a colleague of mine is beginning to think (has decided in fact) that a number of dogs can have ADD, or ADHD.
Why allow your daughter to walk her when there are recall issues? letting the dog off was 'asking for it' I'm afraid.
With the right approach most if not all behaviour issues can be effectively addressed.
Good luck into the future.
Nick

[tippy]

dear nick
i allow my daughter to walk our dog as she is 32yrs old!and i am 55yrs old.
as for letting her off the lead i think 4yrs of recall training warrants giving my spaniel the benefit of the doubt,which made me realise she can never be trusted.also,i consider the r.s.p.c.a to be negligent in their care and rehabilitation of animals,as my spaniel was allowed to run free in the kennel she was situated in with no training for the six weeks she was there.i was informed she was trained to every situation and feel that she was not assesed properly.i am not an irresponsible dog owner as you have made me feel.i will continue to home rescue dogs as i have for the last 20yrs.

[munsterlady]

I am sorry that you have had so many problems with your Springer, not sure that I can suggest anything you won't have tried! but not all Springers are like that! I am sure a lot of dogs can have problems if they have had a difficult start. I was owned by a Springer for about 9 years we took him to obedience classes and I got hooked. He came when he was called, we clicker trained him and he was a loyal affectionate dog. We were heart broken when he had to be put to sleep with lymphoma and he still wanted to train until the last. He is irreplaceable although I still love Springer Spaniels, we now have a large Munsterlander to work with. best wishes munsterlady.

[nick_j007]

Originally Posted by tippy

dear nick
i allow my daughter to walk our dog as she is 32yrs old!and i am 55yrs old.
as for letting her off the lead i think 4yrs of recall training warrants giving my spaniel the benefit of the doubt,which made me realise she can never be trusted.also,i consider the r.s.p.c.a to be negligent in their care and rehabilitation of animals,as my spaniel was allowed to run free in the kennel she was situated in with no training for the six weeks she was there.i was informed she was trained to every situation and feel that she was not assesed properly.i am not an irresponsible dog owner as you have made me feel.i will continue to home rescue dogs as i have for the last 20yrs.

I've met some very responsible 15 year olds, and unresponsible 30+ yr olds so her age is academic in this case. Sadly it would seem your 4 years of recall training (does it take that long?) have not been successful.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the RSPCA is not a training centre, but a hub to rescue and rehome. Ultimatley the responsibility to choose the right dog for you and to be sure that it's within your abilities to offer the correct training once in your ownership is also down to you. You must surely realise that the pressure with the number of dogs they have is immense, and to embark upon an effective training programme prior to rehoming is an overwhelming task give the numbers involved. If you were misguided by them then that's a different matter, but I would suggest you were at best a little naive in the process. You constantly remind me that you have had lots of experience with rescues, and I think this has prevented you from being open to well meaning advice.

Nick

[admin]

Keep the conversation to constructive advice only please people , you've been warned.

[RDW]

Dogs are like family, we love them for who they are and try to make the best of things. I had a difficult rescue pup (well my parents did) when i was growing up - she seemed totally incapable of following instructions other than when my grandfather asked - then she'd sit, lie down perfectly! But for everyone else she wouldnt respond! She was good tempered and behaved on the lead, so we just had to accept her foibles.