[Aster1]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the site and thanks for reading. I did sign in at the new dogs on the block to get acquainted.

We have a new 1 yr old male Springer Spaniel that is just as sweet as honey. He has a couple of things that I'm hoping to work thru with him. Any advise or insight would be appreciated:

1) He seems scared most of the time with motion, sounds, shadows etc. We've had him for a week and he has made the move to us very well. He just "hates" going out into our large back yard more at night & more now than when we got him (came from a large back yard from the breeders but they were in the country & we're in the quiet part of the city. A cabinet door might close a little bit more than just a whisper and he's up the stairs into our bedroom like a black/white streak of lightening!! I have to carry him to get him into the back yard now to take care of "bidness" too.

2) On the "Bidness" side he is housebreaking well, was crate broken fine. I have never had a dog that would "hold it" like he does and just takes forever to pittle when he goes out. Same with #2. I've almost gotten frostbite taking him out the last few days here in Iowa as it may take him 5-10 minutes to get things done. He may go out at 9:00pm and hold it all night, up with me at 6am and won't go until I just keep making him go out till maybe 7am. Most dogs, esp. males I've had will tinkle several times tagging spots even and be done in a minute or two. He stops and drains the tank for 45 seconds sometimes.

Any suggestions on a way to help him get thru these things would be wonderful. Hope we don't have to take him to the Pet "Dr. Phil" or something.

Thanks in advance for the insight.

Aster

[CorkyMax]

Hi! Just read your other post too but thought I'd post once here. I had to put my Corky (cocker spaniel/golden retriever) down this past June because of heart disease/kidney failure and so I know where you are coming from. I just rescued an older female golden/cocker mix the beginning of last month (Dec).--Called her Sami and I have also a cocker spaniel--be 12 on Apr 1st--called Max but gets called Paxy or Paxer mostly. (No sense I know, lol). You can see pics of Corky and Max in my album on my profile page. I haven't got my pics of Sami developed yet but will soon. What do you call your new dog?

When I read about how your dog is acting--the 1st thing that entered my mind was coyotes! I live in Wisconsin and those devils will actually come to the edge of populated cities--Madison for one---I was talking to my son late one night on the phone who lives on the edge of Madison and heard this dog screaming through the phone----Next day--sure enough a dog was snatched at that time in his area--and killed by coyotes. The owners had let the dog out to go potty for the night and that is what happened! Since the breeder you got your dog from lives in the country with a big back yard---Could be coyotes around---Maybe just the 'barking' by these devils could scare your dog--and they are usually in packs---Your dog may have even seen them up close. Your breeder may or may not be aware of this possibility if the dogs are let out at night in a big yard and the breeder leaves them alone out there to do their business and then lets the dogs back in after so long a time! You prob have coyotes near where you live too! Even if not scared by coyotes (and I think a good possibility!) something else could of scared him while being with this breeder for a year--prob. something when he was left out to do his business. Curious--Does your dog do a lot of turning when pooping? Some dogs do this because they have this instinct to not have their back 'to the enemy' so to speak.

As far as trying to get him to be unafraid outside and also to get him to do his business faster-----Make this time a fun time for him somehow---Play a bit with him---Try to distract him from his fears. After a while (Hey I know it is cold out--Lol, I live in WI!) After a while after you hopefully have him not so frightened to be out there--Say in a very happy tone--but softly-not an excited tone--keep it calm Say Go potty. Only give special treats when he has done his business and praise him like he has done the most wonderful thing in the world! Do it while still outside and when he is done each time. (May go several times--give treat each time and act like he is such a good boy!)

I am no expert here but read a lot and see a lot of advice given in this forum.
Am thinking about the noises in the house that frighten him----If there is some way to recondition him to noises---Make noises near him and act like it is some kind of game and play with him loudly too. Let him associate noises with good play and attention from you. Act like the noise is no big deal--Don't 'coddle' him when he hears the noises and becomes frightened--That will only reinforce the being scared as he thinks he is right to be afraid then! Be calm and easy going. I'm sure others in here will have some good ideas too.

Hope you like this forum.

[Aster1]

Thanks for the help. Our little guy will never go out unescorted and was out with his other "pack of 8" relatives that some are show dogs with the breeder.

I just had taken him out to play in our back yard (only about 1/2 acre of finished yard) and we ran & played in the daylight. Hope that helps. Will try it more tonight & tomorrow esp.

Good suggestions on the noises & making it play. I know that if you show either a dog or child that they have "reason" to be scared then it will compound things greatly.

Any other suggestions on getting a dog to get right to business instead of holding it so long once they are out?

Thanks

Aster

[Taming Rover]

Hey )
just a thought came to mind as I was reading this, what about giving your dog a max time of 2-3 minutes, if he doesn't do his business then take him back inside. wait 10-15 even 20 mins, then try again, give him 2-3 mins and if nothing, back inside, eventually he'll have to go enough that he'll go within the 2-3 minutes and then give him lots of praise and special treats. This might take a while though and someone else might have something more effective but just thought I'd throw it out there ;o)

Also, Corky's suggestions are great, in terms of getting him to be less fearful of noises. you have to desensitize him to normal every day sounds. This can be a long process as these types of fears can be some of the hardest and most time consuming to reconcile. I might even enlist the help of a professional trainer in your area, someone who can see the dog first hand and get a good idea of a training regime that could work best.

A suggestion I have though would be for example the cupboard door, put your dog on a leash or block off the exits so that he can't flee the situation, when dogs are scared it triggers a flight response and they just want to run away, if you block them from being able to flee you, in a sense, force them to deal with the situation through other means. (I.e. working it out in his head that the cupboard door opening and closing is not going to kill him!)

Start by just opening the door and closing it without making a noise, do that a few times then close it making a very slight click a few times, every time you open and close the door and your dog does not freak out, give him a treat and praise. Eventually close the door harder and work up to being able to slam the door and your dog doesn't flinch. This could take a few days and I recommend working on it in short bursts a number of times throughout the day.

If you do close the door and at any point your dog tries to run away, go back a step, maybe all the way to just opening it and closing it with no sound, then treat when he does not try to run. then end the session and start again in a few hours. Always try to end each session on a good note, with some type of success as opposed to ending it right after he gets to the point of actually being scared.

Once he gets good a cupboards, switch to any number of other things he may be scared of and repeat the same process again.

Good Luck!

[Aster1]

Great tips! The outdoor time is working much quicker, but still some troubles with dark nite time. Not near as bad as he will get to it withing a minute or 2 now.

I'll start in with the noises next too. We'll take it slow and easy, but help him to get less fearful of the normal sounds that aren't threatening to his life.

Aster

[CorkyMax]

I was thinking I should have mentioned this too---You have only had him for a short time and part of what seems like a problem may just be him having to get use to the new environment! Anyway, glad to hear things are improving.

[Aster1]

Thanks for all the tips. Monty is going outside, even at night, and doing his bid'ness just right nice now. Still rather a Scardy Cat dog with many things/areas of the house & bolts. But much better. Been working with him making noise and then praise like was recommend.

Thanks again for the help!! Will keep up the regiment for him

Aster