Cocker Spaniel Training
One of the best family dogs you can ever get is a cocker spaniel. They are an absolutely fantastic breed to have around the house. Find out more about cocker spaniel training in this interesting article today. First of all, let us learn more about the cocker spaniel. What is his general temperament and potential problems that need to be addressed? When you know what you’re dealing with, it will be a lot easier to know how to properly manage it. A cocker spaniel is an excellent family pet because it does not only have a happy and loving nature, it is great with children. If you have children around the house, expect to have an unbreakable bond shared between the two of them. While cocker spaniels have a great disposition, you must keep in mind that they are originally hunting animals. They are known to be a great help to woodsmen to hunt down their prey, thus they are capable of getting excitable and aggressive when they are not appropriately educated. What you need to do is to ensure that they get the proper dog training in certain areas so that you can enjoy an orderly and happy household. Socialization training is a priority skill that needs to be given to cocker spaniels. Again, we acknowledge the usual happy disposition of this breed; however, if he is not socialized, he can become aggressive, dominant and easily restless in new situations. Train dogs in social skills as early as 7 weeks old. The older he gets, the more challenging it is to train new skills or relearn bad habits. Bring your friends to the house so they can meet the little dog early on. Take him to busy and crowded places so he will not be easily intimidated and react excessively when put in situations that are new and hectic. Introduce him to neighborhood dogs when they are still young. When they are comfortable with the new and different as a puppy, you can look forward to a well rounded and secure adult dog in the future. Cocker spaniels are known to have severe separation anxiety with their owners. Do not give too much attention to your leaving the house so he will not be overly stressed and anxious. Crate train them so they learn how to be calm and find amusement with their toys on their own. If they become too aggravated, they can show signs of destruction— chewing, scratching, digging, etc. Arrest this particular trait early on and your home will thank you for it in the long run. It would be a big help if you take time to exercise him, aside from his regular cocker spaniel training. Doing so will divert their excess energy into a productive venue; and it will also be beneficial for their health. It’s a good idea to have another pet in the house for him to play with but if you do take on another dog, you will have to take on the responsibility for dog training courses that pet as well.