Cocker Spaniel Training 101!

Professional tips on Cocker Spaniel training for puppies

Are you expecting the arrival of a new litter of English Cocker Spaniel puppies or perhaps you’ve decided to adopt 1 or 2 adorable American Cocker Spaniel puppies into your home. Whatever the case the new addition to your household will make quite a change, Cocker Spaniel breeds both young and old are a delight to have around, they tend to be full of energy, playful, reliable and very sociable with other dogs and humans.

Though remember that raising them from puppies is a big responsibility, which requires a well thought out and consistent Cocker Spaniel specific training plan that gradually breaks them into your home, exposes them to various social situations and teaches them certain behavioral boundaries both indoors and outside.

The main thing is to establish an emotional connection with your new Cocker Spaniel, help them to gain confidence and overall have lots of fun while you engage in the different stages of Cocker Spaniel training.

Because Cocker Spaniels were originally bred as hunting dogs they have loyalty for their owners embedded in the genes, so what you teach them and how you make them feel while they are still young is vital to how they act as older adults.

For example this breed in particular requires more exposure to social experiences and affection from lots of people during puppy hood or they may end up building shyness characteristics. Most Cocker Spaniel problems with behavior arise as a result of you being too lenient or too hard on them as puppies.

There is no one perfect way to work through your Cocker Spaniel training, whether you have several English Cocker Spaniel puppies or a single American Cocker Spaniel; the initial training will remain the same. To help you along, here are some tried and tested training tips for puppies that are used by professional trainers and regular owners:

Cocker Spaniel training tips that work

• First week training – If you’ve decided to adopt English Cocker Spaniel puppies then the first week of training is vital to set the tone for the rest of their lives, during this time the puppy may feel scared vulnerable and is very impressionable to things around it. It is important to begin setting up familiar areas for your puppy, such as a sleeping place, a play area and a toilet patch; do things in repetition this will ensure that your Cocker Spaniel gets the idea faster.
  
  If there are more than one person in you home, set some ground rules that mustn’t be broken, if you allow the puppy to sleep on the bed or lay on the sofa in the beginning you’ll only be setting your self up for Cocker Spaniel problems in the future. Give everyone a job, such as feeding or cleaning; this helps your new puppy to familiarize itself with everyone in the house and it helps strengthen its place within the family group.
• Right and wrong - One question that is asked a lot by new dog owners is ‘what is the right way to praise your dog and an acceptable way to let them know they have done wrong?’ This can be tricky because you don’t want your scare your dog into submission and you don’t want them to lose control. Praise good behavior with a warm pet and possibly a treat, but this should be done within 2 seconds of their good behavior in order for them to understand the connection.
  
  If your dog constantly disobeys you, don’t hit them even a gentle pat can be upsetting to your pet, instead use a firm stern voice to tell them ‘no’ and ignore your dog for a few minutes before going back to normal. Avoid aggression, if you see your dog lower its tail between the back legs it is a sign of intense fear.
• Leash training – Young pups are never keen on wearing a leash when you try putting one on they’ll roll around trying to rub it off using their paws. Getting your Cocker Spaniel used to wearing a collar around its neck at a young age will give you an advantage when they grow up.
  
  As with most dog training techniques you’ll need to get your puppy used to the feeling of a collar, to do this let him or her wear it while they eat or while you’re playing with them. Gradually they won’t notice it anymore; this is when you can start walking them around the house to see how they react while moving.

For more information about the Cocker Spaniel training, check out the highly recommended Cocker Spaniel eBook and audio package today!