Expert: Delores Beck - 7/31/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hello,

         I was hoping you could help me and my wife, from what I have seen you know a lot about Cocker Spaniels, and I need a bit of help. First I'm stationed overseas in S Korea, with my wife, and a couple weeks ago we got a puppy English Cocker Spaniel (Or so we are told, could be a different breed Cocker Spaniel). At first nothing seemed odd, but we started to notice it seemed like maybe he couldn't see, and seems to walk funny, we thought maybe because he’s a puppy, we were told he was 2 months, but I think he was younger. We also noticed a little bold place above his right eye, looks to me where a cut healed up, but I couldn’t tell you because he had it when we got him We have had him for 2 weeks now and he walks fine now, still runs into things sometimes though, and he eats like mad, I think the lady we got him from didn’t feed he well. I have only had one dog before another Cocker Spaniel, but she was 3 or 4 when we got her. Sometimes it seems like he can see and other times I'm not so sure, his eyes water like Cockers are suppose to, but I sometimes think his pupils are always too big, but I’m not sure, could be just his eyes are so dark. I'm pretty sure we got him too young maybe a month 1/2  or less most 2 months. He's a good dog, usually pees and poops on paper, always follows us, isn’t shy and seems smart. He does bite a lot, but I think it’s because he’s teething and if you tell him No a little loud he stops, sometimes, mostly after eating he bites more and barks a little and growls, I’m not sure if that’s normal? I have books to learn about Cocker Spaniels and dvds but I am really worried about if he can see or not. My wife took him to the vet and they said come back in a week, might be stress from moving, or because he's young. What info can you give me, and anything else to help me take good care of him I would be grateful. If he can see or not doesn’t matter, we will keep him, I won’t give him up and maybe him end up with someone that isn’t good to him or worse. Please email me at michaelmikemm@hotmail.com I will be out for a could days, Army stuff but shouldn’t be more then 2 days. Thank you so much!

         Michael Eggers


ANSWER: No good breeder would allow a puppy to go before 8 weeks. You probably got him from a backyard breeder.  If he was younger than 8 weeks that may well account for the "unreliable" vision and not being too stable on his feet.  You seem to indicate things have improved?

And cocker spaniels' eyes are not supposed to "water".  Can you tell me what the vet actually did in the way of an eye exam?

As for the "bark/growl" thing - get on this NOW!  The next time he does it - get right down on his level and STARE into his eyes and say NO (not yelling)- be firm & authoritative but calm.  Continue saying NO and don't lose eye contact.  When he turns away - you just won!  In a matter of days this will stop.  Don't address it right now and you'll have a bigger problem !!!

The chewing most probably is just puppy stuff - make a "squeal" like you're hurt, then say NO.

Right now what you're feeding is crucial and I'm sure you know he needs 5 or more meals a day.
Since you're overseas it's hard to recommend a food but if you can tell me what brands are available I can help pick the least awful :) and tell you what to add to it.
Delores



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Yes, he seems to be able to see now better, it looks like his pupils adjust normal to light. I didn't mean his eyes "water"; I mean like how people get the stuff on the side of their eyes, he does too. The doctor put light up to his eyes, and some type of box test my wife said to test his eyes. Still seems like he has problems seeing though, mostly seems to use his hearing. He runs fine now, sometimes a little sideways but a lot better now. He isn't shy too so that’s good, and he always follows us around too so I heard that is good too.
We got his a big size fence type that you use inside the house for either dogs or babies, it's nice because you can put it together as one big fence or take it apart so it is on a door, he doesn't like being in there, but he is getting a lot more use to it now, and we take him out as much as we can. He usually goes the bathroom on the paper we put down but at night he seems to forget it's there or something.
I tell him no every time he growls and barks now, but sometimes he still growls a little after, not sure why. About biting though, I understand it's him teething, but now that he's a bit bigger and seems a lot strong it's really beginning to hurt. I tell him no like you said if it hurts and he usually listens, but when my wife does he usually doesn't listen to her I don’t know why that is.
We do feed him 5 or 6 times a day and give him protein paste twice a day. The type of food we get him is Royal Canin.
He is a really smart dog, and learns really fast, it surprised both my wife and me. He is a good dog, I just want to make sure he will be happy and we don't have any big issues come and get us off guard. Thank you for your help and any info we are most grateful!


ANSWER: Make sure you both feed him.  And it's the "eye contact" that will make him back off along with the NO!  Don't lose eye contact.  The idea is to make him turn away.  So get down on his level and continue saying NO until he breaks eye contact.

When he bites fingers, let out a big OUCH!  Then say NO!

I want to know if the growling continues.  If it does I'll teach you how to "alpha roll" him.
But don't let him get away with this with either of you!  The earlier you address any aggression, the easier it is!

Royal Canin isn't a great food.  What else is available?

You can start housebreaking now.  Take him outside on leash every 2 hours and when you see he's about to go, give your chosen command.  Then praise & reward.  The key to training is to anticipate!  It won't take long for him to connect the command-action-reward.

But at his age he has little bladder control so what you're doing now is just teaching.

A good "exercise" for him would be "the umbilical cord" which means you connect his short leash to your belt loop and "where you go, he goes".  If both of you can do this with him for a short period daily it will reinforce your status as "pack leaders".
Delores

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: We both feed him I do when I am home sometimes and my wfie does when I'm not. I do make eye contact, but like I said I'm not sure if he sees too well ,and sometimes when I do he just seems to look at around.

He growls more now, and I tell him no loud and he will stop and lick me but I'm hoping you know something better to get it through to him better.

Well here I can go on base and get most types of foods from the U.S. and Korea has most too, so just name me a few goods ones and I will look for them.

He seems to usually go the restroom on the paper, today I saw him go past the paper and then come back looking for it to go the restroom so he is doing a lot better.

Ok I'll get a leash soon and work on taking him out and the umbilical cord exercise, thing is we are worried he hasn't had all his shots and we have to wait for his to get his next ones. Is it still ok for him to be outside? Thanks again, you really are the best!

Answer
Can you tell me what's happening when he growls?  What's he doing - what are you doing?  When does this happen?

Next time - try & make eye contact - NO - and firmly but not roughly, grab him by the scruff of the neck. NO! And eyeball him!

See if you can get some Innova or Innova EVO. Others:  Orijen - Evanger's - Fromm - California Natural.

It's okay for him to be outside in a very limited way - nowhere near other dogs or where they may have "used it for a bathroom". If you have a backyard, that's best.  Always on leash, of course.  And use your chosen command when you see he's about to go.

Mike, it may seem a bit of an over-reaction to this puppy growling but, trust me, it needs to get addressed NOW.  So get down on the floor and get right in his face :)

Yes, I have other tactics but try this first.
Delores