# Training our Sprocker



## Mintycymru (May 16, 2013)

Hello All, 

We have a Chocolate Lab (7 years) called Beau, he is so intelligent and understands English (so you'd think anyway), he requires no training and seems to know exactly what you want him to do - even the first time you tell him!

We added another character to our family last year, a Sprocker spaniel who is now very nearly a year old, his name is Sonny.

He such a lovely little thing, although training him has been very hard work, he seems to have his own mind.

At home, he is the dominant dog, although very subordinate to people - a raised voice and he instantly rolls over and sometimes even wee's a little accident. This isn't the behavior we want although it is not our greatest challenge right now:

WALKING - he is a nightmare, he just pulls and pulls. On a normal collar he will pull himself to choking, on a halty he fights and eventually pulls it off the nose. We now have a harness for him so that he doesn't hurt himself.

I have seen some tutorial videos on how to get your spaniel to walk heel, and they all have one thing in common - YOU MUST HAVE THE DOG'S ATTENTION. This has proved impossible - we've tried aids (such as treats, whistles and balls) and he is simply too caught up in what he wants to do or investigate. We have stopped during walking, forced him to sit and even tried to come down to get face to face - he averts his eyes, and refuses to give us any of his attention.

Can anyone please help us? We desperately want to enjoy walking him, right now I think it's no pleasure for us of Sonny.

Thanks


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## moonviolet (Aug 11, 2011)

When you say he refuses to look at you, do you mean because he is sniffing or because he doesn't feel comfortable doing so? From what you have said I wouldn't be surprised if it's the second as many dogs need to be taught it's good to make direct eye contact with humans and won't been seen as a threat and being a prone to submissive weeing fits in with that.

Pulling on the lead is a particular common thing in spaniels they have very strong opposition reflex, when working dense cover if they got stuck they'd pull on through to unstick themselves.

There are many methods for training loose lead walking sometiems it can take a while before one clicks.

This link contains some i have found successful,

Leash Walking « Ahimsa Dog Blog


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## GingerRogers (Sep 13, 2012)

Mv has been very helpful in helping me with ideas but I just wanted to add that I dont have my dogs full attention ever unless I am indoors with a packet of crisps or biscuits, preferable choc ones that she just cant have.

I think with some breeds that just isnt going to happen, I have to constantly remind her I am there and its taken a lot of effort to get even that far, we now have some LLW but mostly just try not to pull my arm out the socket which is enough for me. 

I happen to agree with walking all dogs in a harness as with even the best behaved you dont know when something might spook them and it only takes one incident for them to injure their neck.

So one of the other bits of advice moonviolet gave me was to walk the dog in a different piece of equipment when practicing the LLW than normal going for a run/plod/rummage. I chose to use the two points of contact on the harness I use, at the front and the back and she really does know that I expect different behaviour when she can feel that front pressure. When we are just going for a walk in the fields and I want her to have fun I just attach it at the back. most people would use a collar for their LLW training and moonviolet suggested a wide soft collar to try and reduce any discomfort when it, ahem , doesnt work.


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## Mintycymru (May 16, 2013)

Thank you so much for your help, 

Regarding making eye contact, I think it's possibly a mixture of both with the greatest majority being that he's just too busy sniffing or looking around at other 'distractions'. Even standing in front of him he'll just trying looking around you - is it possible that being a house dog he's just so overawed at 'being out'?

At home, he has no issues looking at us directly - other than if we're disciplining him for a naughty act, then he does his submissive roll over, or sometimes he turns his head away slightly but still looks at you out of the corner of his eye (he's so cheeky! :laugh When ever he is 'being told off' he ALWAYS licks his lips too - just poking his tongue out slightly, I've never seen that before.

I will certainly be checking out your links this weekend, thank you again.


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## GingerRogers (Sep 13, 2012)

Lip licking is an appeasement signal, he is trying to tell you he is not a threat and hopes you calm down

Have a look here for some more information, its a fascinating and vital area that most dog owners know absolutely zilch about

http://www.petforums.co.uk/dog-training-behaviour/88630-dog-body-language-why-matters-so-much.html


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## Buzzard (Aug 10, 2012)

Mintycymru said:


> Hello All,
> 
> We have a Chocolate Lab (7 years) called Beau, he is so intelligent and understands English (so you'd think anyway), he requires no training and seems to know exactly what you want him to do - even the first time you tell him!
> 
> ...


I am afraid I have no advice for you but I wanted to let you know you are not alone! What you are describing is exactly how our 1 year old springer x lab is. I end up tears most weeks. I have tried all the training methods and nothing makes any impression. At my wits end with it now. I hope things improve for you.


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## Mintycymru (May 16, 2013)

Here they are, Sonny is quite young here:


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## HappyWag (Aug 25, 2012)

We were doing so well with Jasper's loose lead walking, but he has just hit 10 months old, and he has suddenly been a lot more distracted when out on walks, think it is the dreaded teenage plus hormones thing, as for the first time the other day he squatted to wee and lifted one of his back legs slightly. I see both dogs in this thread are of a similar age  Jasper is a springer cross collie, so like yourselves the spaniel side means he can go a bit nose to the ground. 
Good luck we just got back from a carboot, and are seriously considering a head Halter, due to him eating god knows what off the grass! , but really unsure of what to do....dogs eh..who'd have em:lol:


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## L/C (Aug 9, 2010)

Mintycymru said:


> Thank you so much for your help,
> 
> Regarding making eye contact, I think it's possibly a mixture of both with the greatest majority being that he's just too busy sniffing or looking around at other 'distractions'. Even standing in front of him he'll just trying looking around you - is it possible that being a house dog he's just so overawed at 'being out'?
> 
> ...


He's frightened of you when you are disciplining him. Turning away, lip licking, urination and rolling over are all ways of him trying to convince you he isn't a threat. I wouldn't think with a sensitive cross breed like a sprocker you will get anywhere if he views you like this. I would work on building up your bond with him and finding ways to train that don't include the need tho discipline him in such a manner.


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