Puppies

There is so much to learn about having a puppy. Before you even consider which breed of Dog you would like to own we would recommend that you read Before and After Getting Your Puppy by Dr Ian Dunbar ISBN 1-57731-455-7 from cover to cover. If you then decide you would still like a puppy you need decide on which breed. English Cocker Spaniels are a very popular breed of dog and one which we would highly recommend provided you have got the time and energy to put into training and are well prepared before the puppies arrival.

PREPARING FOR YOUR PUP

Once you know there is a pup coming to live with you it is a good idea to think ahead and make arrangements that will suit you all. These pages are designed to help that process.

There are several essential issues to think about i.e. house training, general training and sleeping arrangements.

Your Tangtini pups training has already begun with us. We encourage pups to "empty" in the garden and when they are successful they are highly praised and rewarded with a suitable treat. It will be some weeks before your pup has full control and could be several months before "accidents" become a rarity (although I found with Tango that we only had a few accidents indoors, however, we religiously took her out every hour of the day and waited for her to empty). WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND the use of a crate for training, sleeping & safety when pup is left unattended or you are not at home. Many pet stores now stock these or you can look in a doggy paper such as Our Dogs or Dogworld. The cheapest I have found is Argos. Kongs and other food toys are well worth the investment as they will prevent your pup getting bored and chewing other items that are around.

Your Tangtini pup will have used a crate before and be very happy with it. We place Vet Bed inside the crate one end and a dog loo the other for overnight use (a small pup will not have a large enough bladder to go the whole night without a wee). Vet Bed is readily available in pet stores or for a larger amount, so you have spare for washing, visit a local dog show or check out a doggy newspaper. Vet Bed allows any moisture to soak through leaving your pup dry and is easily washed in a washing machine and rarely stains or holds too much fur, an added bonus is it lasts a very long time.

At night I cover the crate with a lightweight sheet and say "sleepybyenights" as a sign that it is time for rest. I do not then return to the crate unless there is a problem.

Remember that at first your pup will have sudden bursts of energy but like a human baby will still require a lot of rest. A crate is ideal for this and it is important that other family members realise that a sleeping pup should not be disturbed and that your pups crate is not for anyone other than your pup. It is their space where they can feel safe and sleep peacefully.

Where to put your crate? Food/ water bowls?

Ideally you will place the crate in a place where your new baby can get some undisturbed rest and not be in your way. Your pup can be fed in the crate if you wish. Remember water should always be available during the day but may be restricted at night. Supervision may be required with some pups when there is water around as they can have a tendency to fall asleep in the water bowl so please exercise extreme caution.

We also have a puppy pen where pup can play safely and run around without having free run of the house until training has progressed. Obviously when we are playing/training the pup she would be allowed out but when left to amuse herself lots of food toys etc. are left in the pen for her to play with.

OTHER TRAINING

We try to train our pups to sit on command and to have had a lead and collar on for a very short time. Usually pups pull in the opposite direction when on a lead so it is a good idea to start training your pup to walk on the lead long before s/he is allowed out on proper walks.
The collar should be firm but not too tight and it is a good idea to walk the pup in your garden for 4 to 6 times per day for 5 minutes each time or until it gets fed up. Good behaviour should be rewarded with loads of praise and cuddles and possibly a treat. Do not pull your pup on a lead.
I would NOT recommend the use of an extending lead on a young pup.

MOST IMPORTANT

Before ever taking your pup out recall training is ESSENTIAL. We have always allowed our pups off lead on their very first "big walk". A very stressful time but we train them to come back to us in the garden and usually find that on first walks they tend to walk under our feet anyway.

We ask new puppy owners to tell us their chosen pup name so we can use this as soon as possible and begin recall training very early. You will have an assessment of this and any other training in your take home pack to give you an idea of how things have been going. Do remember some pups are braver than others and more curious so this may take longer with them.

FURTHER TRAINING

Train your pup with kindness and understanding and you will be rewarded. The tone of your voice should be enough to tell your pup if they have done wrong. You will definately find that your pup will respond to praise and rewards but will very quickly become scared of you if you shout or scold it. Never under any circumstances should you ever hit your pup, this will just teach your dog aggression which is totally unnecessary.

Ask your local vet to advise you of further training classes. Most vets provide free puppy socialisation classes and on completion your baby gets a certificate!

GARDEN SAFETY

Before taking your baby home do check for holes in the fence and potentially dangerous plants. Some plants are poisonous to dogs & some merely dangerous due to thorns, others which you may love will be susceptible to being eaten or trampled!!!! Best to cordon these off with plastic netting before your baby arrives. If you require a list of dangerous plants please let me know a we will provide a list.

HOUSEHOLD SAFETY

Check everything you would for a baby learning to walk: electrical wires, household chemicals, rubbish bins. Remember a cooked chicken bone can KILL a dog although an uncooked one will not. top